California Motorcycle Smog Test - Update

[dukepilot]

The proposed legislation that would require smog testing of motorcycles has been amended, "to authorize police officers to fine bikers who have removed catalytic converters, instead of requiring the emissions testing. The senate approved the amended bill which now goes to the state assembly. If it passes there, the Governator’s signature is all that’s needed."

If it passes, it will be interesting to see how it is enforced.

[lelenb]

I hate that, but it is much better then an official smog test and inspection.

[SE84]

What is your source?

The bill as it still stands from the CA senate pages, makes no mention of this change.

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bil...d_sen_v97.html

Was it an Assembly floor change?

As it looks now, the bill still being held in the Assembly.

Edit:

Found it: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingn...=1&forced=true

I wonder why the State pages don't reflect this change?

[johnchypermotard]

Originally Posted by lelenb

I hate that, but it is much better then an official smog test and inspection.

lelen ... if the bill passes, i would rather see the smog test rather than allowing cops to enforce it. at least with a smog test, you can put the stock stuff back in place, then go take the test. with a random inspection from cops, you are always at risk.

bad senate bill ... just a method for the state to suck more money out of us.

and btw, those who installed the termi full system are fooked if cops can do random citations/fines.

[GMP]

If CA is first you can bet NJ will be second. How would they enforce that? Roadside emmisions test, or just a visual?

[SE84]

Originally Posted by johnchypermotard

lelen ... if the bill passes, i would rather see the smog test rather than allowing cops to enforce it. at least with a smog test, you can put the stock stuff back in place, then go take the test. with a random inspection from cops, you are always at risk.

bad senate bill ... just a method for the state to suck more money out of us.

and btw, those who installed the termi full system are fooked if cops can do random citations/fines.

That's a false dichotomy. LEO's in CA have broad abilities to stop people for modifications to their exhaust already. There is nothing to say that if the bill passed as written, that you wouldn't get pulled over if you swapped your aftermarket parts back after testing.

Most of the time, one would get pulled over for a noise violation, and not an emissions one (although this is coming). If they found un-catted exhausts, and you are not supposed to have them, under the new bill they will fine you. However, if this bill passed as written, and if they found any modified emissions equipment, you'd still be fined.

It would appear that allowing LEO's to ticket modifications to catted bikes, gets around some of the retroactive part of the bill. Since most bikes (< 30%) did not have cats before 2008, this allows for existing pre-cat bikes to not be investigated.

The one good thing to come out of this mess is that CARB will allow exemptions for aftermarket bike exhaust manufacturers. In the near future you should be able to get Termis with cats.

[johnchypermotard]

Originally Posted by SE84

That's a false dichotomy. LEO's in CA have broad abilities to stop people for modifications to their exhaust already. There is nothing to say that if the bill passed as written, that you wouldn't get pulled over if you swapped your aftermarket parts back after testing.

regardless of your inane comment, the bill as it stands is nothing more than a method for the state to extort money ... and the po po are simply tax collectors.

if the bill was amended to NOT be retroactive (going back to model year 2000 bikes, as it stands) ... i would view it as less of a taxation grab than i currently do.

btw, i have nothing against the po po ... they are/will be doing their job ... but fook the law makers.

[SE84]

Originally Posted by johnchypermotard

regardless of your inane comment

Looks like someone has some misplaced anger.

[dukepilot]

If the author and sponsors of the bill puts pressure the CHP, the CHP may enforce this by citing you with the cat violation if you have any kind of modified exhaust when they pull you over for a moving violation or one of their "special safety" details. Kind of a "shoot 'em all and let god sort it out" kind of deal. Expecting the police to know which bikes originally came with a cat converter is kind of unreasonable.

Alternatively, it could be that the police just ignore this and choose to enforce it only when a rider fails the attitude test at a traffic stop. A lot depends on the pressure the bill author and sponsors of the bill choose to exert. For example the author could conduct a senate hearing on implementation of the bill. The CHP would have to present information on its enforcement of this new law and provide some statistics. I don't know if that this requirement is part of the bill, I hope not.

[johnchypermotard]

Originally Posted by SE84

Looks like someone has some misplaced anger.

not me ... i don't get angry at mindless posts from minchias.