It’s a complete mystery why the organisation does what it does, is it that there is very little expertise or logic utilised to support the punters.? A few years back, and we need to look at the past, because it will help show us where we need not go again.

Back around the 1990’s there was a lot of discussion about noise , one of the Queensland clubs  where I was a member was strictly subjected to a noise abatement EPA licence , it had to comply with AKA levels of noise.

At that same period at one National Committee meeting, a sound expert explained how a speaker reflected and projected noise, the end result was a change to the regulations of exhaust pipes which removed the very popular plate pipe as it was claimed to be the noise maker of the century..!!! – further efforts to reduce noise were added – e.g. fin dampeners on Yamaha Clubman motors, and the plate pipe was banned.

From there only cone type pipes were allowed (then later with only a max. 50 holes)…??? the reasons behind the maximum 50 holes remains completely unclear but there must have been a reason – noise reduction certainly was part of the cone only  exhaust pipe new rule.

As a result of the noise, and the new exhaust cone application further rules were implemented to control the noise , some may recall the $50,000 that was drawn from the States AKA Track Development Fund to subsidise part of each clubs expense to purchase noise meters , I have yet to hear of any one charged with a noise offence in all this time (well I have made ample noise of issues and will continue to do so) but that expense has to fall into the useless and wasteful category when you consider what has followed.

The J engine, and after 10 years of trying to introduce a control muffler into clubman, to reduce noise,  was first saddled with a control pipe and it was a success in terms of parity and muffler and cost , a number of years (and too long) in   waiting the clubman class was then saddled with a control pipe, and again the screams could be heard how bad this was going to be etc etc , but today it is embraced – and it is cost effective .

The irony of all this and the expense to reduce noise has actually been a fruitless  and expensive exercise because we are back to using what was originally banned for making too much noise ..A PLATE PIPE …

Next story on clutches ...stay tuned !