For those of you that have been there this year. Have they been checking your sound levels? I heard they have been checking for sparkys, but not sound. Any help would be apprieciated.

 

You cant enter the dunes w/out a spark arrestor. One guy stands at the entrance and checks before you can enter. The sound limit is in effect but I didnt see them check anyone. If they do check you, and you dont pass you will get a ticket but can still keep riding. They'll tell ya if ya get stopped again just show them your ticket. I think its about $60.

 

Is there anywhere you can have your sound checked before you go in. I would hate to get in there and get a ticket after I'm in. I would rather put the 60 bucks towards a quieter silencer. I think I may bring my stock one along until I get a chance to check things out. Thanks for the response.

 

You can try the MDNR. I called them earlier this year about a pre-trip sound test. The woman (lueitenants secratary) I talked to said I could probably get it tested at our local office (Bay City).I left a few messages on the leui. voice mail and never got a call back. Maybe if you bug them a little you can get tested.

 

I wouldnt ask the DNR up there because one guy asked to be checked just because he was curious and didnt pass and said they gave him a ticket. If anything get it checked before you go. My quad is pretty loud and I would always putt to the entrance in about 3rd gear. The less you go in/out the staging area the better you'll be because you can avoid them on the dunes but the guy check'n for sparky's could stop you when you pass by. Im goin up June 5th and 6th. Hopefully everything goes smooth
ScramblerX what part of south eastern Mi. you from? Are you far from Hillsdale ? Theres a bunch of us that ride around together around there. Any good spots where you live?

 

Radio Shack sells a nifty little digital meter. It's self calibrating, and when matched against the $300 Minnesota DNR unit it read the same every time. It's helped me shave almost 3 db from the rear, and 9db from the front. 1" wide strips of kevlar cloth held in place with standard worm clamps really do the trick. You can also use high temp fiberglass tape if it has the silicon adhesive to withstand the EGT.

Ken

 

There's a little luck involved also. The guy that bought my Raptor put a Pro Circuit pipe on it and went last weekend and had no problems with sound checks. Pro Circuit pipes usually test over 100 dB. Other guys that have went this year said they weren't checking stock pipes or FMF Q systems, everybody else got checked. There doesn't seem to be any set standard as to what they are going to do on a given day. Depends on the mood there in I guess.

 

I've been there twice this year and didn't get checked for sound once. I went past the inspector about five times on each trip and they stopped me each time to check for spark arrester. The first trip up they put a plastic cuff on my handlebars to indicate that they had checked it already. Once they saw the plastic cuff they waved me by. The second trip up they didn't give my a plastic cuff but checked the spark arrester each time. They never said a thing about the sound level. My pipe is loud. I have a White Brothers complete pipe and silencer with 12 disc and blown out packing, no air box lid either.

I don't know if they intend to enforce the sound limit for atvs at all. Someone said that they might start checking Memorial day weekend. I don't think that the officials really want to check the sound because it would be a lot of work and the line would get long. The real reason they are being pressured to enforce the sound level is because the people who live in the area are sick of the noise on the street. Apparently there are a lot of irritated locals who have been complaining about the loud trucks and dune buggies that disturb the peace. No one can run their atvs on the street so they don't care about the atv noise. No one can even hear the vehicles outside the park because the sound doesn't carry that far and no one inside the park should be complaining about the sound.

 

Well I better give you all an update - I went to Silver Lake last Friday, May 31, and they were testing for sound and spark arrestors. They didn't check me the first time through the gate but tested me the second time through. They have a book that they reference for what maximum decibles your machine can make at a specific rpm. For the 400EX it is 98 decibles at 3500 rpm. I passed at 98 decibles. I was running 14 discs on my White Brothers ProMeg pipe, no air box lid, K&N filter. I was surprised that I passed because I have read in magazines that the WhiteBros pipe kicks out about 104 decibles. Maybe it was because I just repacked my silencer last month.

 

I'm "planning" on going up there sometime in June as well - I have a Raptor with full White Bros. exhaust with the E Series canister. I am now wondering if I will be able to get in without getting a ticket. I would hate to drive 5 1/2 hours and not be able to ride.

Keep coming with the updates (people that attend S.L.)

TrailMix - I see that you were there on a Friday...I suspect that they aren't checking for sound except on the weekends (fri-sun). That is when the most people are there anyway.

Has anyone been lately on a Sat or Sun and how was the DNR then about check noise? And mainly how was the park...was it crowded? How is the sand right now - dry powder or wet?