Everybody has heard that as of January 2019, California went from giving fix it tickets, for motorcycles that were deemed to be too loud by law enforcement, to outright tickets resulting in fines for motorcycles which they deemed to be too loud.

Before January 2019 you can simply fix the problem, take your motorcycle to a law enforcement inspection center, where they would either approve of the correction and write off the ticket, or require you to do additional work to get the problem corrected. You were not issued any fine.

Now after January 2019 law enforcement can simply give you a ticket in which you can be fined up to 00, whether or not you fix the problem. They can still require you to fix the problem, but the fine will still stand.

As with any ticket, or infraction, you may fight the ticket in court, but I would not do so unless you have a competent attorney like myself at your side in court. There are many ways to beat such a ticket in court.

Although I handle personal injury and motorcycle accident cases all over the state of California, I will limit my excessive noise ticket legal defense practice to courts in Los Angeles and Orange county, California. I will provide consultations to people outside of the area where I am defending these tickets.

The general rule for motorcycles manufactured after 1985 is that the motorcycle cannot emit noise above 80 dB, the exhaust system must not be modified, and all aftermarket replacement parts must have EPA certifications on the equipment. Many aftermarket exhausts will not have EPA certification markings on them. Some will say for off use only; others will say for racing only.

There are many jurisdictions in California that do not put up with loud pipes either from motorcycles, or cars. You can do a Google search on which cities do not like loud exhausts to get an idea of where to be careful.

Frankly, it is really easy for me to determine whether or not a motorcycle is too loud. Before I became an attorney, I was an engineer, and I dealt with decibel readings. If a motorcycle is obnoxiously loud, most people including motorcycle riders can tell right away. There are motorcycles just above 80 dB that you might not be able to tell without a decibel meter.

A decibel meter measures the loudness coming from the exhaust.

If you are pulled over, and law enforcement is alleging that your motorcycle is too loud, and they try to measure the loudness of your exhaust with the decibel meter, try to videotape them if you can, but do not get yourself arrested for obstruction. Try to remember everything that you see. Any facts and details you can remember, will help us defend your case in court.

As I stated previously, law enforcement can still require you to fix any exhaust problem they allege you have, but the monetary fine is not fixable unless you fight it in court and win. Many courts will require you to pay the fine as a bail, before they will allow you to appear before a judge.

Hopefully law enforcement is not going to use the new law to try to line their coffers with money, or to harass bikers and motorcycle club members. This type of law which even with a decibel meter is subjective, meaning it really is up to law enforcement judgment to determine if you are in violation, unless your exhaust system flat out does not comply with EPA regulations.

I recommend that if you’re going to modify your exhaust system, that you keep the stock exhaust system in your garage or other storage location, just in case you have to go back to a stock set up. I myself have my entire stock exhaust set up just in case law enforcement thinks my motorcycle is too loud. I myself believe I am in full compliance.

Another rule of thumb is to not be a frigging idiot on the road. When you pull up to an intersection, do not sit there like a moron and rev your motorcycle. If you’re going through a town on city streets layoff the throttle and rev the engine at the minimum required to not draw attention to yourself.

Modern motorcycles do not have to be reeved when the motorcycle is stopped, with fuel injection and modern engines, you are just wasting gas, and being a noisemaker by revving your motorcycle at a stop sign or light. Now if you have an old pan head you may have to rev it to keep it from stalling, that is a different story.

There are guys on touring motorcycles, cruisers, sport bikes, you name it running open pipes, who have basically ruined it for all of us. Do not give law enforcement an excuse to pull you over for a noise violation because let me tell you something, at a 00 a pop, you will be back to running stock exhaust very shortly if you run up 1 or 2 of these violations. This would suck for guys who have paid thousands of dollars for performance modifications on their engines that require a more open exhaust system.

If you use common sense, I doubt law enforcement is going to mess with you, unless you’re in one of those jurisdictions that harasses bikers and does not tolerate any excessive noise.

If you’ve got dinged with an excessive noise ticket after January 2019, and they are coming after you for a fine, and you want representation in Los Angeles or Orange County, give me a call at 800-816-1529. If you’re anywhere else in the state, you may call me for a consultation.

If you have had a motorcycle accident anywhere in California, give me a call at 800-816-1529. We will take care of you. As usual, don’t be fooled by fancy advertisements from non-riding personal injury attorneys, they have no clue how to ride motorcycles, or deal with the prejudice we motorcycle riders face in court.

By California motorcycle accident attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., April 2019.

The post What is the real truth about the new California 2019 motorcycle noise law; will you get a $1000 fine? By California biker lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. 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.

In December 2009, I took a little ride to Las Vegas. I was supposed to meet up with some friends along the way, but I ended up not meeting up with them until we got to Nevada.

Now I know some of you cannot ride in December due to snow and weather. Well here on the South West Coast we basically have year round riding. The below video proves it.

For me as a true Biker Lawyer and Motorcycle Accident Attorney, just give me an excuse to ride and I will be there. Unlike some other poser attorney’s out there claiming that they are “Motorcycle Attorney’s.” I am the real deal.

I have literally met up with hundreds if not thousands of Bikers and Motorcyclist from all over the United States and Europe. I love riding my motorcycle just like you do.

I love riding my motorcycle to Las Vegas, Nevada. Not necessarily because I like going to Las Vegas, but I flat out like to ride my motorcycle, and Las Vegas is another excuse to ride.

I shot this video during a ride to Las Vegas in December 2009. Some of the video was shot while riding my Electra Glide, with me holding my HD camcorder in my left hand, while holding the handlebar and throttle with my right hand.

Toward the end of the video, I took some video of me riding with my friends in a pack. This video is unique in that you can get in the saddle with me and see what it is like ride an Electra Glide solo and in a pack.

I am planning on taking many more videos of my rides in the future.

Enjoy!

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

The post A Little Ride Video to Las Vegas first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

To say that shit happens is an understatement. Sometimes an avalanche happens, which is what happened in my personal life this month.

My father suffered a second stroke a few weeks ago, which not only devastated him, but has kind of taken over my personal life over the last few weeks as well. Although he was released from the hospital a couple of days ago, it is obvious that his recovery will take quite a long time. I pray that my father makes a full and complete recovery as soon as possible. He knows I love him, and I am there for him.

One night after visiting my father at the hospital, I came home and looked at some old photo albums, and reminisced about the past. My dad used to be a big rig truck driver, and was a big strong tough man. I remember him bringing me to the gym when I was four years old, and showing me how to work out when as a teenager. We used to go to the gym all the time together. I remember my dad teaching me how to box at a young age, and taking me for my first karate lesson. My dad was always there for me when I played sports, he was always by my side. As an adult I have not been as close to my dad as I was when I was young, but when I needed his help, he was always there; I am going to do my best to change that while I still can, and be there for him as he now needs help.

A high school friend, and a fellow football player, at Chatsworth high school, “Dan Goldsmith,” passed away this last week. Dan was a good friend of mine in high school, and one of my surfing buddies as well. Although as adults we were not as close to each other as we were in high school, we still kept in contact. Other friends of mine surfed with Dan less than two weeks ago, Dan is now gone. I send my prayers and condolences to his family. His father owns Rocket Messenger here at Chatsworth California, which is a company I use quite regularly.

Hearing about Dan’s Goldsmiths untimely death, caused me to reminisce about his life, and the past. When we were in high school in the late 70s and early 80s, everyone had long hair, and rock ‘n roll was the music we listened to. Growing up here the San Fernando Valley (S. F. V.) was an incredible experience. Weekend nights were spent at countless parties with live bands and kegs of beer, weekend days were spent surfing at Zuma Beach, Malibu beach, County line, Topanga, etc. They made movies about the valley scene back then. I actually lived it, and so did Dan. Chatsworth Chancellors baby.

Believe it or not when I was in high school, I had long blonde curly hair. (For some reason my hair got darker when I was in the Air Force) Dan Goldsmith also had long blonde curly hair in high school. We used to party hard, and we used to surf hard. Dan, if you can hear me, which I know you can, hang loose my brother. We will see each other again sometime in the future. Hopefully however, not too soon if you know what I mean.

This month has been a real lesson for me and what is important in life. You can spend your time chasing money, sweating the small shit, worrying about trivial things, etc. In the end, you cannot take your money to the grave. All that really matters is that you’re a good person, and that you have good relationships with people.

By the California Motorcycle Accident and Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2009

The post It Has Been One Hell of a Month. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.