CALIFORNIA TRIES TO REDUCE NOISE FROM MOTORCYCLES

Calling California motorcycle riders!!! Today Senator Pavley signed off on a bill that will try to reduce the level of noise from motorcycles. Let us know if this new law that will supposedly go into effect by 2013 be useful? Check out the press release from Pavley's website below to learn more.....

SACRAMENTO, CA – The ear-splitting roar of illegally modified motorcycles may soon be quieted thanks to a bill authored by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Santa Monica). SB 435, which will give law enforcement a tool to enforce current anti-tampering and noise level statues for motorcycles, is now headed to the governor’s desk. It passed the Senate Monday on a 21-16 vote.

“The noise caused by illegally modified motorcycle exhaust systems is a major quality of life issue across the state,” said Senator Pavley. “Basic common sense and decency dictates that when a motorcycle drives by and sets off every car alarm on the street, that is too loud. Additionally, many of the modifications which are aimed at making a bike louder - for example removing the catalytic converter - also make the bike exponentially more polluting. This has direct, measurable and negative impacts on public health.”

The past decade has seen improvements in pollution control equipment for motorcycles, and most now come equipped with catalytic converters and other emissions control devices. “However, many motorcycle enthusiasts remove the factory installed emissions control equipment and replace it with custom parts that create an exponentially higher amount of noise and air pollution than the factory kits, or legal aftermarket replacements,” said Senator Pavley.

This practice violates current state law and Federal regulations, but enforcement remains lax mainly due to a lack of effective tools for law enforcement, and due to the fact that motorcycles are not subject to smog check, as all other motor vehicles are, where many instances of tampering are discovered.

“In the absence of smog check, or other emissions or noise testing mechanisms for motorcycles in California, it is necessary to establish an enforcement mechanism that does not allow motorcycles to skirt current law,” said Senator Pavley.

SB 435 would require that motorcycles maintain their federally required emissions equipment (on both original, and aftermarket exhaust systems), including a readily visible EPA stamp certifying compliance. These regulations have been on the books since 1983. This gives law enforcement the ability to cite violations under the CA Vehicle Code, using a readily visible and unalterable stamp, already required by Federal regulation. A violation will be cited as a secondary infraction, and a first offense can be dismissed upon proof of correction. This bill will apply to motorcycles and aftermarket parts going forward from 2013.

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