Posted: 29 Sep 2009 10:40 AM PDT

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
American Motorcyclist Association Drafts Model on-Highway Motorcycle Sound Legislation

by Pete terHorst

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has developed model legislation for use by cities seeking a simple, consistent and economical way to deal with sound complaints related to on-highway motorcycles within the larger context of excessive sound from all sources.

The model legislation offers an objective method for municipal jurisdictions to evaluate motorcycle sound through science-based measurement. It's based on the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) new J2825 standard, "Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles." The AMA produced similar model legislation for off-highway motorcycles several years ago.

"Many cities and other jurisdictions already have excessive sound laws on the books, but when they get citizen complaints about loud motorcycles, they sometimes decide to single out the riding public with unfair or overly restrictive ordinances and laws," said Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager. "We believe that motorcycles shouldn't be singled out, but should be regulated as part of a comprehensive sound management policy that also addresses cars, trucks, leaf blowers, generators and other sources of excessive sound."

The J2825 standard, issued by the SAE in May, is based on a comprehensive study of a wide variety of on-highway motorcycles. It establishes instrumentation, test site, test conditions, procedures, measurements and sound level limits.

"Too many times, jurisdictions responding to citizen complaints about excessive motorcycle sound create laws that simply don't work in the real world," Szauter said. "They either set an unreasonable decibel limit, leave it up to a police officer to subjectively decide whether a bike is too noisy, or come up with another plan that is arbitrary or unworkable. Our model legislation is objective, workable and fair."

The model legislation adopts the SAE J2825 standard for stationary on-highway motorcycle sound testing, specifies the type of sound meter to be used, and allows for each city to specify the penalties for violating the law. Szauter stressed, however, that the sound-testing procedures and decibel limits established in the SAE J2825 standard should remain unchanged to ensure that the law remains objective and fair.

Under the SAE J2825 standard, decibel limits range from 92 dBA at idle for all motorcycles, to up to 100 dBA at certain RPMs for various motorcycles, depending on the type of engine.

In 2003, the AMA organized the National Summit on Motorcycle Sound to bring together riders and user organizations, representatives of the motorcycle manufacturers, the aftermarket industry, racing promoters, government agencies, law enforcement and others to develop proposals regarding the increasingly controversial issue of excessive motorcycle sound. The creation of a new on-highway motorcycle sound measurement procedure was a top recommendation of the summit's Motorcycle Sound Working Group.

"The motorcycling community, local governments and police officers have sought a practical sound field test for streetbikes for many years, and now it exists, thanks to a collaboration between the Motorcycle Industry Council and the SAE," Szauter said. "The next step is for jurisdictions struggling with motorcycle sound complaints to adopt fair and objective laws, and the AMA is providing the tool for them to do that."

Szauter encourages motorcyclists and government and law enforcement officials to download the model legislation from the "Rights" section of the AMA website at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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BMW Z4 Roadster launched in RP - Business World

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:24 AM PDT

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

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Corporate Bulletins

Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the exclusive distributor of BMW cars and motorcycles in the Philippines, celebrates 75 years of the BMW Roadster with the launch of the new BMW Z4 Roadster.

A fascinating milestone in automotive technology, the new BMW Z4 Roadster is the only vehicle in its segment to combine classic roadster proportions with a seating position close to the rear axle, rear-wheel drive and a fully-automatic retractable hardtop.

The new BMW Z4 offers all the driving pleasure of a BMW Roadster with particularly refined and stylish flair. Driving with the roof down, this two-seater offers a refreshingly intense experience of the sunshine and the wind rushing by — and driving with the hardtop closed, it provides all the comfort of a premium sports coupé. With this diversity and wide range of qualities, the new BMW Z4 represents the re-birth of the roadster.

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Founder of KB Toys auctioning off collection in NJ - News-Courier

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 04:59 PM PDT

Published September 25, 2009 09:50 am - One of the greatest automotive toy collections in the world is being auctioned off in New Jersey.

Founder of KB Toys auctioning off collection in NJ

Associated Press

VINELAND, N.J. (AP) — One of the greatest automotive toy collections in the world is being auctioned off in New Jersey.

KB Toy founder Donald Kaufman is selling thousands of the toys he's collected over the last half-century. The cache includes cars, buses, airplanes, motorcycles and fire engines dating from the early 1900s to the 1960s. Some are in their original boxes.

The toys will be sold Friday and Saturday at Bertoia Auctions in Vineland.

The first half of the collection was sold in March. It netted more than $4 million in bids from toy collectors who flew in from around the world.

The 78-year-old Kaufman says he's selling his toys because his daughters aren't interested in inheriting them.