SILENCERS
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TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1974.
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A MUST FOR MOTORCYCLES
THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS WARNED LOCAL MOTORCYLE IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS AGAINST SELLING MODELS NOT ALREADY APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY MOTORCYCLES NOT FITTED WITH ADEQUATE SILENCERS.
THE WARNING, GIVEN IN RECENT LETTER TO THE MOTOR DEALERS, IS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT NO MODELS WHICH CONFLICT WITH THE LAW NOR MOTORCYCLES WHICH MAKE EXCESSIVE NOISE ARE USED ON THE ROAD.
IN THE LETTER, THE DEPARTMENT WARNS: +IF IT IS FOUND THAT MACHINES WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN PRIOR APPROVAL ARE STILL BEING SOLD, THEN IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO REQUIRE EVERY VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE IT IS REGISTERED AND LICENSED.
+IF THIS DOES HAPPEN, IN VIEW OF THE OTHER COMMITMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT, IT IS LIKELY THAT PROSPECTIVE MOTORCYCLE OWNERS WILL HAVE TO UAIT SOME TIME FOR AN INSPECTION APPOINTMENT.+
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY EXPLAINED THAT IT HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO INSPECT A SAMPLE MODEL OF ANY NEW TYPE OF MOTORCYCLE IMPORTED INTO HONG KONG FOR SALE.
ONCE APPROVAL IS GIVEN, HE SAID, SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS TO REGISTER AND LICENSE MOTORCYCLES OF THE SAME TYPE DO NOT REQUIRE PRJOR EXAMINATION.
+HOUEVER, IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOME HACHINES SOLD DIFFER FROM THE VEHICLE FOR WHICH TYPE APPROVAL WAS GIVEN,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+IN PARTICULAR, VARIATIONS OF BASIC MODELS, DESIGNED FOR RACING AND CROSS-COUNTRY WORK RATHER THAN FOR NORMAL ROAD USE AND WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT, HAVE BEEN PRESENTED FOR LICENSING PURPORTING TO DE MODELS ALREADY APPROVED.
+ IN SOME CASES, THESE MACHINES DO NOT COMPLY WITH ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) REGULATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF SILENCERS. A NUMBER OF VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY THE LIGHT WEIGHT MACHINES, ARE NOT BEING FITTED WITH ADEQUATE SILENCERS,+ HE SAID.
UNDER THE LAU, EVERY VEHICLE PROPELLED BY AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IS REQUIRED TO BE FITTED WITH A SILENCER, EXPANSION CHAMBER OR OTHER CONTRIVANCE SUITABLE AND SUFFICIENT FOR REDUCING, AS FAR AS MAY BE REASONACLE, THE NOISE CAUSED BY THE ESCAPE OF THE EXHAUST GASES FROM THE ENGINE.
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