For most people it won’t be a big deal. But for the people who
live, breathe and eat dirt bike racing it is.
In an effort to reduce the noise levels, any bike ridden at the
Hollister Hills Grand Prix Track will be subject to a noise limit
of 99 decibels, effective Jan. 1, 2004.
For most people it won’t be a big deal. But for the people who live, breathe and eat dirt bike racing it is.
In an effort to reduce the noise levels, any bike ridden at the Hollister Hills Grand Prix Track will be subject to a noise limit of 99 decibels, effective Jan. 1, 2004.
By law, off-highway vehicles are exempt from noise limits during racing events. Hollister Hills will be the first public track in the state to set a tested limit, said Daniel Dungy, the district superintendent for the Hollister Hills district of the State Department of Parks and Recreation.
“To these guys it’s a big change,” Dungy said. “If they don’t meet the 99 limit, they won’t be able to ride – they won’t be able to race.”
The noise limits have come about for two reasons, Dungy said.
Hollister Hills bought new property around the park, and they’ve been going through the planning stages. At the property line of the new addition, they established a noise standard that addressed concerns in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
They contracted a company to monitor the noise levels at different spots around the property to ensure compliance with the standard.
“We’ve met our standards at all of the locations except one,” Dungy said, “and it’s the one close to this track only during races and practices.”
The second reason was that after the EIR was certified they were sued by neighbors, wineries and surrounding land owners on the adequacy of the report. In accordance with a settlement agreement of the lawsuit, Hollister Hills agreed to bring the noise levels back into compliance by using adaptable management practices.
“Requiring all bikes to be tested at 99 decibels is such a management practice,” according to Dungy.
Hollister Hills has had professional testers at the racetrack for the past several weeks, testing each bike running the course.
When a bike passes the 99 limit, a sticker is placed on it, advertising its compliance with the standard. If a rider passes the test and then changes the exhaust system or does something that would put them over the set limit for the race, they will be kicked off the course, Dungy said.
“We’re putting the onus on the promoters. If they allow that person to continue riding, they jeopardize their permit to operate here,” he said. “Most of the riders are good people that want to abide by the law, just like everyone else. There’s always going to be a few yahoos anywhere, though.”
When Hollister Hills announced it would be implementing these limits, race promoters and riders were upset, Dungy said.
“Like anyone, they’re going to go through stages of grieving,” he said. “Anger, denial, reflection and acceptance. There are four primary promoters that put on races here and they all went through the whole thing – some quicker than others.”
Most of the bikes tested at the racetrack passed the 99 limit – the few that didn’t pass had a special-made part that increases the noise level on the bike, said racing promoter Jack Azevedo.
Azevedo is the owner of AMP Racing, one of the first promoters to get on board to work with Hollister Hills’ new limits.
“There’s product out there that really makes the bike come alive, and (racers) are just going to have to make that adjustment,” Azevedo said. “I think we’ll be able to work through it. As soon as the riders know and get all the information, there’s product out there that they can put on their motorcycles to get the noise down.”
The new limits will most likely drive a few people away in the beginning, but these kinds of standards are not going to be isolated only to Hollister Hills, Dungy said.
“People are saying this is going to be statewide, so get with the program,” Dungy said. “But when it’s your form of recreation, whenever there’s some form of limitations you feel like you’re being persecuted.”
The quality of the track and the surrounding scenery is a reason for people to comply with the new standards.
The track lures anywhere from 350-700 racers in one day on a weekend, from San Luis Obispo, Marin, Fresno, Bakersfield and the Sacramento area, Dungy said.
Gary Plaatjb, who drove from Santa Clara to race, has been riding at the Hollister Hills track since he was 12 years old, he said.
“I think it’s just another thing that they’re doing to try to police us,” he said. “I passed so I don’t have a big problem, but a lot of people think differently.”
A racer from Modesto who didn’t pass was upset because it meant he had to replace his brand new $350 muffler with one that generated less noise.
“I can’t ride,” he said, “but it’s OK – I brought beer.”
For some, the noise limits are a hindrance and an annoyance, but for the racers it’s something they will comply with in the end.
“If I didn’t pass, I’d come back with a different muffler,” Plaatjb said. “I would have to make the adjustments to make them happy, because it’s all about ridin’.”
