When you take the OHV sound testing program often taught by Dr. Rob Harrison (the godfather of the SAE J1287 “20-inch” sound test for OHVs) he asks the class this question, “If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound or a noise?”
If you have taken the class you know the answer -- which is -- yes, it makes a sound since sound is a scientific measurement, but not a noise since noise is based on human values or interpretation.
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Photo to right is of Team HotChalk - hey, is that WPS's Rex Halepeska in the picture?
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Now the question can be asked another way…”If there is an all electric dirt bike race, does it make a sound or a noise?” After attending the 2009 24 Hours of Electricross and taking some sound measurements at the starting line and at various turns, the “tree falling” could now be replaced with “electric OHVs” in that famous question.
Read more about the new twist coming to motorized recreation: http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/
