A Sound Argument For Less Noise
Dirt Rider Original Article 
By: Sean Klinger
Featuring the amazing Chris Real and our every own Ed Santin.
“It’s racing. Let them be as loud as they want!”
While it isn’t very difficult to persuade trail riders and off-roaders that excessive sound is detrimental to the overall existence of dirt bikes, convincing those who only ride on a track is a different story… Or is it? The response above displays the sentiment of many motocross fans, enthusiasts, and racers yet this way of thinking leads us down a scary, yet preventable path.
Chris Real, President of DPS Technical, Inc. , and general Motorcycle Sound Guru, has the unfortunate task of telling hopeful potential track owners that their dream just isn’t going to happen.
“When guys say that competition bikes should be as loud as they want, I ask those guys two questions,” Chris explains. “Name 10 tracks that have been closed down since you’ve been riding, and they normally have no problem. Here in Southern California, there’s Carlsbad Raceway, Saddleback, Corona, Anza, Dos Rios, and the list goes on. Then I ask name just five that have opened. And they can’t.”
While noise issues aren’t always the only culprit, they are typically the main complaint.
“Three soldiers come marching out that we have to do battle with any time a new track wants to open or people start complaining about an existing track,” Chris continues. “The first is always noise, then dust, then traffic. Traffic is the easiest concern to deal with because you just explain that people will be arriving at the track after most people are at work, then leaving before they get home. With proper application of water with hoses and trucks, dust is pretty easy to deal with as well. It’s noise that is hard to deal with.”
Chris explains that dirt bikes, especially four-strokes don’t blend into the acoustic environment that well. As the company that is hired by manufacturers to do EPA sound testing, DPS Technical has the equipment and scientific authority to take the most accurate readings possible and put together models showing the acoustic impact of a certain track.
“We can measure the sound of a bike at 50 feet, then I can tell you approximately how loud that bike will be at 100 feet, 200, 500, 1,000, 3,000 feet… We can run a projection. And our target is, most communities have an ordinance that says, ‘You shall not have noise levels above X at the property line.” Chris explains. “The benefit of this to the Dirt Rider reader, manufacturer, distributer, parts supplier, consumer, race track, or city planner, is that sound testing can provide guidance, and when sound is managed properly, motorized recreation can fit into communities. This instrument that I use is the same one the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, California State Parks, and the AMA uses. Tickets are issued using this machine.”
As far as professional racing in professional venues, Chis says, sound levels also have to be in check for the safety of the employees and spectators. Noise exposure is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and every employee in any given stadium has to be covered by workman’s compensation insurance, paid by the venue owner, so that is one direct financial impact of loud bikes. Plus, the spectator who is about 50 feet from the track is going to have, “noise exposure, sound levels that are average, not peak, but average for a 20 minute moto, more than a 100 dB sustained: that’s not healthy.” Chris says.
Ultimately, the argument that loud bikes are fine, spectators know the risks, and we are all adults and make can make the decision on how loud our race bikes should be just doesn’t hold water. As riders, we are grossly outnumbered by non-riders and that massive majority says that they don’t want tracks around them because they are too loud. Which leads to one last question; what good is that 1-2 hp extra a pipe can give your bike when you can’t ride it anywhere?
Crazy Miner Enduro Canceled
The California Enduro Riders Association has advised us that they regret to announce the cancellation of the 2014 Crazy Miner Youth Family Enduro due to the restriction of the US Forest Service on wet conditions and their closure of the Rock Creek Riding area to organized meets.
The Enduro was postponed from October 25 to December 7th and with it not being able to run on this date they report that they have no alternative but to cancel the 2014 meet.
If you are pre-entered your check payment will be destroyed, however if you would like to receive your check back please call 925 413-2434 (number is on the flyer) after Monday December 8th. Of course you always have the option of donating all or part of your entry to CERA. To donate part of your entry, CERA would, with your approval, deposit your check and then issue a partial refund in the amount you request. Non-refundable expenses have been incurred setting this meet up and any donations would be greatly appreciated.
CERA Thanks you for your understanding of their situation.
The District 36 News Team
Crazy Miner Enduro This Weekend
The Crazy Miner Youth Family Enduro, Round 5 of the 2014 District 36 SRT Championship Youth Family Enduro Series hosted by the California Enduro Riders Association is running this Sunday.
Date: December 7th.
Place: Mace Mill Staging area, Georgetown, CA (directions on flyer)
Key Time: 9 am
Crazy Miner Flyer
Note: Sign-up will be open on Saturday afternoon/evening and Sunday morning not on Friday as shown on the flyer.
CERA has advised us that while the weather report is favorable for this rescheduled meet at this writing, due to changing conditions they strongly advise you to check back here on the front page of the District 36 website before you leave to travel to the meet. If for any reason they have to cancel the meet this is the first place notice will be posted.
Based on reports from the field, the conditions should be ideal for this last enduro of the year so we’re looking forward to seeing everyone out there!
The District 36 News Team
District 36 Enduro Sponsors:
✪ Please support our sponsors that support you ✪
New Website Feature
We have added a new feature to the District 36 Website.
While we want you to return here often we understand that your days are filled with all those “must do” items so to make it easy for you to know when a new news item is posted here, you now have the option of getting an email reminder when a new post is made.
Simply put your email address in the box and click subscribe. You will only receive an email when a new item is posted here on the front page. These notifications are for this only and no other notifications would be sent to you on any other subjects.
If you try this and find it’s something you don’t want to continue with, you will always find an unsubscribe link in the notification emails.
The District 36 News Team
Bearfoot Enduro Results Posted
The results for the Bearfoot Youth / Family Enduro, Round 6 of the D36 SRT Championship Youth/Family Enduro Series has been posted.
It was reported to the newsroom that the conditions for this meet were as close to perfect as possible.
Thank you Richmond Ramblers for another very well done meet for the Championship Youth / Family Enduro Series and especially for “watering the course”. As always the Ramblers did another outstanding job.
The Crazy Miner Youth / Family Enduro, Round 5 of the Championship Youth / Family Enduro Series that was postponed from October 25th will run this Dec 7th, wrapping up the series for the year. Let’s see everyone out there for the last meet of the year.
The District 36 News Team
District 36 Enduro Sponsors:
✪ Please support our sponsors that support you ✪
On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter Film Review
Movie Review/Opinion
By Don Amador
Date: November 23, 2014
*Permission to reprint is hereby granted
ON ANY SUNDAY: THE NEXT CHAPTER – Passes Torch and Reaffirms our Destiny
As somebody who started out riding motorcycles in the 1960s on a push-rod Honda Trail 90, I may not be the best person to offer an unbiased review of On Any Sunday:The Next Chapter but I will try.
Last week, I attended the one time showing of the movie at The State Theatre, a 500-seat venue, in Modesto, California on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based non-profit recreation group. I want to give some major props to Jerry Fouts, the current president of AMA District 36, for organizing this event as a fundraiser for the BRC Legal Program to help support our collective effort to keep trails and riding areas open for OHV use.
Racing legend Kenny Roberts, theatre management, Jerry Fouts, local sponsors, and I welcomed motorcycle and powersports enthusiasts to the SOLD OUT event. Little did we know just how well the broad demographics of those attending Dana Brown’s sequel to his dad’s classic masterpiece would be mirrored in the movie.
The film focused on youth riders, family fun, and a new generation of professional competitors from various disciplines. It also weaved in some inspirational stories of riders such as Doug Henry, Jake McCullough, and Ashley Fiolek. Robbie Maddison and Travis Pastrana wowed the audience with their passion for the sport and their unbelievable motorcycle stunts which often left folks speechless and/or hanging on to their seat.
On an international basis, the show featured the current stars of MotoGP, medical staff using motorcycles to serve backcountry areas in Zambia, and busy commuters in Vietnam.
The Modesto event was particularly rich because one of the On Any Sunday-era stars, Kenny Roberts, was at the theatre signing posters and visiting with the attendees. That movie was shot 43 years ago by Dana’s father, Bruce Brown.
I felt the short interviews with motorcycle icons, Kenny Roberts, Mert Lawwill, and Roger DeCoster appropriately “passed the torch” to this newer generation of riders and professional athletes.
In my opinion, the most notable “update” in the film came when several riders talked about the loss of trails and riding areas over the last 40 years. This segment only lasted for about a minute, but it is historic as this is the first acknowledgment (that I know of) by a major production company that “land-use” is now an important aspect of the sport. Maybe it wasn’t an accident that this showing in Modesto was to benefit the legal fight to preserve riding opportunities for current and future generations.
As people streamed out of the theatre after the movie ended, I noticed a lot of smiles on young and old riders alike. For those of us who are passionate about, and hard-wired for, motorcycles, the show was a personal reaffirmation that our sport is not a choice but our destiny.
# # #
Don Amador is a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition and serves as their Western Representative. Don is also president of Quiet Warrior Racing, a motorized recreation consulting company. He writes on recreation and land-use issues from his office in Oakley, CA. He may be reached at:damador@cwo.com
Bearfoot Youth Family Enduro This Weekend!
The Bearfoot Youth Family Enduro, Round 6 of the SRT-D36 Championship Youth Family Enduro Series is running this weekend. This is always a fun meet that takes place in one of the best riding areas of northern California. We always look forward to it because of the effort the Richmond Ramblers put in to make it a first quality Enduro year after year.
With our Family Enduro Season winding down we are looking forward to seeing all of you out there for a day on the trails so please join us for a fun and competitive ride while supporting the Richmond Ramblers for their tireless efforts to bring you this meet.
Load up the bikes, pack up your riding gear and don’t forget the family because this is one that the whole family will enjoy.
Date: Sunday November 23, 2014
Key Time: 9:00 am
Location: Fouts Springs, CA
See flyer for important information and an entry form.
The District 36 News Team
District 36 Enduro Sponsors:
✪ Please support our sponsors that support you ✪
MMX Hare Scrambles This Weekend!
Coming this weekend is the MMX Hare Scrambles, Round 14 of the D36-SRT Championship Cross Country Series Presented by Works Connection and Round 14 of the D36-SRT Championship Youth Cross Country Series Presented by Racer Decal.
This is the last round of the season and our last chance to “Get Some”, so before you start planning on getting out the Christmas Decorations lets go racing one last time for the year!
MMX Racing is featuring Live Music on Saturday night and an Arcade for all you “kids”! So bring your Game and Dancin’ Shoes along with your racing boots.
Meet Date: Nov 22 & 23 —- Youth racing Saturday and Adults racing on Sunday.
Location: MMX Racing, 981 Shad Rd. Marysville, CA 95901
And while your there don’t forget to visit the Nor-Cal Motorsports motorhome to see the 2014 KTM 300XC to be given away at the 2014 District 36 Awards Banquet on January 31, 2015 (location TBA). Here you can purchase your raffle tickets for your chance to win the KTM, a Matrix Concepts Pit Package, Honda Generator, GoPro Camera and Alpine Star Boots. 100% of your ticket purchases’ go to the District 36 LAO office that works full time to protect your Right To Ride and keep your riding areas open. Remember…YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN.
See you at the race.
The District 36 News Team
District 36 Cross Country Sponsors:
✪ Please support our sponsors that support you ✪
Support Your LAO At The Races
Support Your District 36 Legislative Action Office and get a chance to Win this Bike!!!
If you’re going to the 1st Annual Black Oak Hare Scrambles this weekend or the MMX Hare Scrambles the following weekend please take the opportunity to get your raffle tickets for our District 36 Annual LAO fundraising Raffle.
Visit the folks at the Nor-Cal Motorsports Motorhome and you can see the bike as well as get your raffle tickets. You can’t miss them in the big orange and black rig that will be located in the camping area at the races. Nor-Cal Motorsports is a sponsor of District 36 and they are eager to see you there to help them help us in raising funds to continue the struggle of ongoing land use issues we all face. Let’s all get those tickets and you not only have a chance at winning this 2014 KTM 300XC but you are supporting your Right To Ride.
When there, look closely at the bike and note all the “Extras”. This KTM is really “tricked out”.
Bonus: If you purchase $100 or more in tickets you will receive a free Nor-Cal T shirt!!
The Drawing for the Bike will be held at our 2014 District 36 Awards Banquet on January 31, 2015 (Location TBA). Remember YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN!!
Wait…There’s more!! The tickets are also good for a 2nd place prize of this Matrix Concepts Ultimate Pit Package……
And these prizes as well………
Not going the races? You can always drop by Nor-Cal Motorsports to get your tickets. They are now in their new location at:
7343 HOME LEISURE PLZ
SACRAMENTO, CA 95823
Or go to our District 36 LAO Raffle Bike page for information on getting tickets for the raffle.
See you at the races.
The District 36 News Team