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

The post No More After Market Pipes in California in 2013; We Did it To Ourselves. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

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

The post After Market Exhaust’s and Pipes are About to Become Illegal in California. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

American iron magazine has on its website, various articles in Adobe PDF format about the new EPA Emission Guidlines. You can check out these articles by clicking here.

The gist of the new regulations are that all motorcycles must meet certain emissions standards. Furthermore, it limits individuals to be able to build only one custom motorcycle in their lifetime “whether they own it or not!”

The new regulations will make it very difficult if not impossible for small motorcycle manufacturers to be able to compete and/or stay in business because of the stringent regulations. Moreover, it severely restricts an individual’s right to be able to build and own custom motorcycles. Further it severely restricts your right to put custom pipes on your motorcycles.

There have been laws on the books for almost 20 years which prevent motorcyclists from “tampering” with the stock pipes on their motorcycles. As we all know, these laws for the most part have either been not enforced, or were largely ignored by law enforcement. I have heard of isolated individual cases, where bikers have been stopped by police agencies, and issued fix it tickets for loud pipes.

What do these new regulations mean to you? It is hard to tell at this time. The new laws will impose fines on motorcycle shops that install aftermarket pipes of ,000 per occurrence. It looks like things are about to change in a big way for all bikers with respect to their motorcycles.

If you do decide to put custom pipes on your motorcycles, make sure you keep the stock pipes for your motorcycles, just in case you are issued a fix it ticket. Who wants to pay ,000.00 or more to repurchase stock pipes for your motorcycles in case you have to revert back to stock?

My personal opinion with respect to the new regulations is outright dismay and disgust. I personally feel that the way the new regulations are written, you’ll basically have to stick with a stock motorcycle engine and pipes, or be in violation of the law. Furthermore, the new regulations will put many businesses out of business, and many workers on the streets.

Moreover, it opens the way for the federal government to mandate mandatory emissions testing on motorcycles, just like cars. The new regulations appear to be more about back end taxes (through costs for testing, fines and tickets) on motorcycle shops and riders, rather than a real attempt to clean up the air.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, ESQ. , Copyright 2006.

The post What is the Real Scoop with the new Environmental Protection Agency Motorcycle (EPA) Emission Regulations? first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.