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Reducing the Traffic Noise Level
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Striving against Traffic Noise
Links: Emission reduction process Powered two wheelers in the End-of-Life Directive
Standard PTWs cannot be rated as noisy. The noise produced by PTWs under normal traffic conditions is essentially identical to that produced by passenger cars and much lower than that produced by heavy trucks. The low percentage of PTWs in the overall vehicle pool, i.e. a little over 10%, also contributes to the fact that the traffic noise produced by PTWs is already very low today.
The technical options for further noise reduction are very limited, as all known noise reduction technologies have been successfully applied during recent years to meet existing limits. A huge amount of costs and manpower would only result in 2 dB(A) of noise reduction potential on a long-term basis. Therefore, a further decrease in the noise limits for new PTWs will have a very limited effect.
A PTW is only perceived as loud, due to its high acoustic potential, when it is accelerated very hard in a quiet environment. This is why noise disturbance from PTWs is generally associated with single events and peak noise levels. These are mainly dependent on riding behaviour, such as the use of high engine speeds, and very often arise from vehicles equipped with illegal exhaust systems.
Educating riders in matters of environmental protection therefore creates reasonable potential for reducing the noise load. The overall effect can be estimated at 5 to 10 dB(A) on a long-term basis.
The real challenge, however, is to find effective measures against illegal exhaust systems. The number of PTWs in use with illegal systems is very high, which essentially raises the average noise output. The reduction potential of 10 to 20 dB(A) is also very high, and reductions can be obtained on a short-term basis.
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