Motorcycle Noise and Exhaust Emissions-Statutory Testing Methods Versus Real Traffic Situations

In comparison to other vehicles motorcycles have very special driving characteristics, so the typical use of motorcycles is clearly distinct from the use of passenger cars. At Darmstadt University the riding behavior of motorcyclists has been experimentally investigated [2, 3, 4, 5], especially in order to determine their exhaust and noise emissions in real traffic. The results and the essential differences between motorcycles and cars should be considered in the discussion of testing methods and limiting values, e.g., for exhaust and noise emissions of two-wheelers.

This paper presents a comparison between the typical driving performance of motorcycles and passenger cars and contains results of motorcycle exhaust and noise emission measurements in real traffic and in statutory tests. The current legal measuring standards are found not to represent the reality of motorcycle traffic in a sufficient manner. Therefore, some changes for the legal testing procedures are proposed, and a new driving cycle for motorcycles is presented.