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Tag Archive: EPA

No More After Market Pipes in California in 2013; We Did it To Ourselves.

Written on September 30, 2010 by Norman Gregory Fernandez in Articles, Biker and Motorcycle Law, Biker Rights, Editorial, Education, EPA, News, Noise Laws, Regulations

No More Non EPA Approved Pipes in 2013

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed SB 435 into law which will require all motorcycles built after January 2013 to have EPA approved exhaust systems on their motorcycles.

Riders found without an EPA label certifying sound emission compliance will be issued fix it tickets, with additional infractions having fines up to $250.00.

Therefore, any motorcycle aftermarket exhausts or pipes that are not EPA certified will be illegal in California.

Many aftermarket motorcycle exhaust manufacturers will probably not have the money or inclination to get such a certification, so for all intents and purposes, after market pipes will no longer be legal in California.

If other States follow California with similar statutes then it may force manufacturers to comply with EPA regulations.

California will now basically enforce a 25 year Federal regulation which requires that all motorcycle exhausts be EPA certified.

I have been riding motorcycles for many years. I try to have exhaust systems that have some bark, but that are not too loud.

However, there are guys out there running open exhausts that are so loud that you cannot actually hear yourself talk as they drive by.

The State has now taken action to quiet our motorcycles down since we were unable to police ourselves.

What can be done to avoid SB 435? Keep your old motorcycles and do not buy anything new after 2013. Replace the engines, transmissions, and frames as needed.

Whatever you do, keep your stock exhaust systems just in case you do get a fix it ticket. Even if your motorcycle is not a 2013 or newer biker, we are still subject to noise laws here in California.

This bill will probably have an ominous effect on motorcycle sales in California. So again, we have do gooders enacting laws here that screw our economy.

What can we expect next, a motorcycle smog bill. I recommend that every motorcycle rider in the State of California join ABATE, so that we will have a voice in Sacramento.

By California Motorcycle Accident and Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © September 2010

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Tags: aftermarket exhaust, aftermarket pipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, biker attorney, biker lawyer, california motorcyle accident lawyer, california motorycle accident attorney, california sb 435, EPA, norman gregory fernandez

After Market Exhaust’s and Pipes are About to Become Illegal in California.

Written on September 4, 2010 by Norman Gregory Fernandez in Articles, Biker and Motorcycle Law, Biker Rights, Criminal Law, Editorial, Education, EPA, General Legal, News, Noise Laws, Regulations

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 $50.00 and $100.00.

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.

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Tags: aftermarket exhaust, biker attorney, biker lawyer, california motorcyle accident lawyer, california motorycle accident attorney, california sb 435, EPA, Excessive use of Force, Noise Laws, norm fernandez, norman g. fernandez, norman gregory fernandez