After Market Motorcycle Exhausts will become illegal under SB 435
Well, many of you have heard about SB 435, and many of you have not. California Senate Bill 435 will basically make it illegal to run with non stock exhausts on your motorcycles.
This bill passed the State Senate and is now sitting on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk as I type this.
Our only hope now to get this asinine bill stopped is for the governor to veto the bill.
Every one of you should call, email, and write to Schwarzenegger NOW to get him to not sign the bill. Schwarzenegger is a fellow biker. Hopefully he will veto the damm thing.
If Schwarzenegger signs SB 435, it will become law. This law makes all 2013 and newer bikers without EPA stamped exhausts subject to fines of between .00 and 0.00.
On a personal note, I have never had a stock motorcycle with EPA stamps, so I have no clue how the hell the State is going to force manufacturers to put Federal EPA stamps on their exhaust systems.
I think this law is discriminatory on its face.
They say that since this is a secondary infraction, that the Police will be unable to pull over a motorcycle solely for an apparent exhaust violation, but I know that many bikers are being pulled over now for supposedly loud pipes.
You and I all know how this thing will play out. There will be some officers that will pull over any motorcycle that sounds loud, and they will ding the rider with a ticket if they cannot see the EPA stamp on the exhaust.
Frankly, I am so pissed off about this bill that I probably should not write anymore about it right now.
All I can say is that this is what happens when you get legislatures in office making more money than most of the people in the State, and with too much time on their hands.
By California Motorcycle Accident Attorney and Biker Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2010
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I agree with you Norm. Why should it matter whether or not a bike has stock or after market pipes?
You would think that with this economy that the lawmakers would have more important things to do.
I do not think ” The Governator of California will do the right thing……..look at his record.
Damned straight you crying babies can be pulled over as it is already because you have loud pipes.
V C Section 27150
Adequate Muffler Required
27150. (a) Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.
V C Section 27151
Modification of Exhaust Systems
27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.
V C Section 27202
Motorcycle Limits
27202. For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any motorcycle, other than a motor-driven cycle, manufactured:
(1) After 1969, and before 1973 ………………………………………………………………………………………88 dba
(2) After 1972, and before 1975 ………………………………………………………………………………………86 dba
(3) After 1974, and before 1986 ………………………………………………………………………………………83 dba
(4) After 1985 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..80 dba
Amended Ch. 356, Stats. 1982. Effective January 1, 1983.