The pre-race ceiling is 111 dB(A)
For the 2026 MXGP, MX2 and Women’s Motocross World Championships, the FIM sets the same maximum sound level for two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles: 111 dB(A) before racing. The published table treats that as a 109 dB(A) target plus 2 dB(A) for the precision of the official method.
A small allowance applies later
During or after racing, the maximum becomes 112 dB(A). The FIM table describes this as a 111 dB(A) target plus 1 dB(A) for silencer degradation. It is not a licence to begin the meeting above the pre-race limit, and it does not create different MXGP and WMX standards.
The 2-metre-max test measures the complete motorcycle
The official procedure rapidly raises engine speed to the motorcycle’s maximum governed level and records the maximum global sound. The method is designed to capture more than exhaust noise alone. A casual phone reading beside a track is therefore not equivalent to the controlled FIM test.
Checks continue beyond technical inspection
At the first World Championship event, all competitors’ motorcycles are checked. At later events, wildcards and one-event riders are checked alongside randomly selected motorcycles. A machine judged excessively loud must always be tested, regardless of the rider’s status.
What a rider should take from the rule
Silencer condition matters throughout a race day, not only at the opening inspection. The published limits and procedure are compliance rules; they do not rank exhaust systems or prove that a quieter or louder motorcycle produces more power. No equipment recommendation is made without an official test.
Facts are frozen to the verification date shown above. Any later correction will be added visibly.
Primary source checked internally: FIM Sound Regulations 2026, sections A and 7.
