California bad news....

[cassos]

From John Clelland...

Back on February 26th, California State Senator Fran Pavley introduced
legislation that would "amend Section 44011 of, and to add Section
44012.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to air pollution."
All right, what's that mean? Basically, this legislation would require
motorcycle owners in California to get smog checks for their
motorcycles once every two years. The law would cover all motorcycles
model year 2000 or newer and, if passed, would go into effect on
January 1st, 2012.

As of today, motorcycles are exempt from smog checks in California. As
with other motorcycles in that state, all motorcycles with current
registration as road vehicles would need to be checked by the
Department of Consumer Affairs and any transfer of ownership would
also require an updated certificate of compliance.

A majority vote will be required to pass this new legislation into
law, which could take place any time after March 28th. See the
complete bill at this link:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/...ntroduced.html


ABATE is asking its members (and anyone else that can stand up and be
an adult about it) to not contact Fran Pavley, she knows motorcylists
don't like her, but to contact the other Senators on this Committee
asking them as one of their constituents, to PLEASE OPPOSE SB435.

Please write to this address:
Senate Transportation Committee
State Capitol
Room 209
Sacramento, CA 95814

These are all of the Transportation Committee Members:
Chairman:
District 28 (LA Metro) - Alan Lowenthal
Vice Chairman:
District 29 (LA Metro) - Senator Robert Huff
Chairpersons:
District 05 (Solano and East Bay Delta) - Senator Lois Wolk
District 07 (CoCo, Alameda) - Senator Mark Desaulnier
District 11 (Marin Area) - Senator Joe Simitian
District 18 (San Bernardino) - Senator Roy Ashburn
District 23 (LA Metro) - Senator Fran Pavley
District 28 (LA Metro) - Senator Jenny Oropeza
District 35 (LA Metro) - Senator Tom Harman
District 36 (San Diego Area) - Senator Dennis Hollingsworth
District 39 (San Diego Area) - Senator Christine Kehoe
www.senate.ca.gov



Also, we might want to take a more calculated approach in writing
these Senators, as imho, it is unlikely they will vote against this
law ... but it IS possible that they might temper the bill, so it is
NOT retroactive in nature, but would be effective on NEW motorcycles
manufactured after the bill passes (i.e.: only motorcycles
manufactured from 2009 on ... NOT grandfathered back to motorcycles
manufactured after 2000, as it currently is written).

Get involved and be a part of the solution. We can't count on the
motorcycle manufacturers to step up, as they didn't even step up to
fight the recently passed federal law that now prohibits sales of
minibikes/motorcycles to kids under the age of 12, and that federal
law directly impacts their revenues, whereas this smog law will not.


Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act information:
The new lead rules that have banned the sales of many youth all-
terrain vehicles and motorcycles could lead to $1 billion in lost
economic value in 2009 for the industry, predicts the Motorcycle
Industry Council.

The projected loss is based on 2008 estimated value of the retail
marketplace for ATVs and off-highway motorcycles and factors out
vehicles and related economic value not included as part of the ban.
MIC projects that the estimated value of the retail marketplace
related to all youth ATVs and off-highway motorcycles exceeds $1.5
billion, but the ban applies only to products that are intended
primarily for youth aged 12 and under. Powersports companies have
stopped selling affected youth products with lead content in excess of
the limits identified in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
that went into force February 10.

"The potential losses for the powersports industry are massive at a
time when this country cannot afford additional economic losses," said
Paul Vitrano, general counsel for MIC and SVIA. "With these vehicles
sitting in warehouses instead of on showroom floors, the related sales
of most protective gear, accessories, and parts and services are
virtually non-existent. Thousands of small businesses across America
are impacted by this ban."

Dealers from every corner of the country and other concerned
individuals have sent more than 100,000 letters to the U.S. Congress
urging support for exclusions from the act for powersports vehicles,
parts and accessories. MIC and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of
America have spearheaded the massive letter-writing campaign, along
with Rep. Tom Self of Missouri, the American Motorcyclist Association,
The BlueRibbon Coalition, and Americans for Responsible Recreational
Access. MIC's website (MIC.ORG) contains background and updated
information about this serious issue facing the powersports industry
and has links to tools to contact the Consumer Product Safety
Commission and Congress to express support for industry's requests for
relief.

Those calling for the exclusions believe that the lead-content
provisions of the act, which originally were aimed at toys that can be
mouthed by children, were never intended to apply to youth ATVs and
motorcycles. Most of the components making up youth powersports
products are in compliance. But some parts, that youth would not
ingest, unavoidably contain small quantities of lead in excess of the
CPSIA limits, such as the valve stems on the tires, aluminum in some
brake components, and the terminals on the batteries.

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and
promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and
media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs,
development of data communications standards, and activities
surrounding technical and regulatory issues. It is a not-for-profit,
national trade association representing manufacturers and distributors
of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories,
and members of allied trades such as publishing companies, advertising
agencies, insurance firms and consultants. The MIC is headquartered in
Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office adjacent to
Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has
been in operation since 1914.

* The economic value of the retail marketplace includes retail sales
of vehicles (new and used), parts and accessories, dealer servicing,
product advertising, vehicle financing charges, insurance premiums,
dealer personnel salaries, state sales and dealer personnel income
taxes, and vehicle registration fees.

[08hyper]

its just their way to "SUCK" more money out of us! so they can make more Government! Aloha Alex

[AZ_Scott]

I'm actually shocked that you didn't already have smog checks on bikes in California, of all places!

Until recently, the two largest counties in AZ required smog on bikes, and Maricopa County (Phoenix metro) still does. You would think that if anyone is going to clamp down on everything possible environmentally, it would be California...

What's stupid is, studies have proven that 90% of vehicle emissions are created by the worst 10% of vehicles - old pieces of crap that spew clouds of smoke and leak puddles of fuel and oil - and those are the ones who are always exempt from smog checks! WTF???

[cassos]

Did anyone here have to get their hyper to smog test?
I guess there is no way without the cat converter, then add all the mods we made like air box, race ECU, etc.

[johnchypermotard]

<rant>you are missing the point scott ... politicos know that folks who own the piece of crap old vehicles will not pay to have a smog check, let alone pay to have the vehicle repaired so it will comply ... but they know folks who own newer vehicles will, if they are forced to. and the whole point of these government bills is to raise more money for the government, so they can pay themselves more money to do less work.

i am really expecting a revolution soon, as government takes every opportunity to stick it to us to get more money from us every day ... and every day, the government provides less and less service for these extorted funds (unless of course, you are the ceo of a bank, car manufacturer, or wall street group ... then you get trillions from the government).

it's got nothing to do with clean air ... it's got everything to do with scalping more money. </rant>

Originally Posted by AZ_Scott

I'm actually shocked that you didn't already have smog checks on bikes in California, of all places!

Until recently, the two largest counties in AZ required smog on bikes, and Maricopa County (Phoenix metro) still does. You would think that if anyone is going to clamp down on everything possible environmentally, it would be California...

What's stupid is, studies have proven that 90% of vehicle emissions are created by the worst 10% of vehicles - old pieces of crap that spew clouds of smoke and leak puddles of fuel and oil - and those are the ones who are always exempt from smog checks! WTF???

[johnchypermotard]

+ eleventy billion alex ... you hit the nail on the head, brother.

Originally Posted by 08hyper

its just their way to "SUCK" more money out of us! so they can make more Government! Aloha Alex

[Monstaman]

Our system is heading the same way, for our WOF (Warrant Of Fitness) 6 monthly they are tightening the rules for noise and smog, won't be long and every WOF I go for I will hit the Tardis with the VDST and dial it back to about -5 and shove the DB killers in, return home and reset it.

They should spend the money making them more efficient not blocking them up with Cats, valves and cannisters which all container heavy metals and produce a lot moere gases etc to manufacture... this would be too easy tho

[SE84]

We've also been discussing this over here:

Smog checks for motorcycles in Califonia

[AZ_Scott]

Oh, believe me, John, I'm not missing the point. In fact, that WAS my point. Why did it take the state of Kalifornia so long to start milking this cash cow?

[cassos]

I am glad I have a Leo Vinci solution, I can quickly put the cat converter back, and I guess swap ECU for the test, but the bottom line is that it sucks!
It reminds me when I arrived in California in 92, I bought an MG and we had only one original OEM carburator with automatic shoke to share with the enire county to pass the damned smog test, it ran like crap, and it was work to put it on and off...

Even with more bikes today, the carbon footprint of all of them together is not even measurable compared to the rest of the vehicles in California

Yes, we all know it is about money, not polution