Motorcyclists who swap their bikes’s stock exhaust systems for loud pipes may be more likely to get a traffic ticket under a California bill that passed the Senate on Monday. Two days ago the Committee on Transportation approved Senate Bill 435, also known as the Motorcycle Anti-Tampering Act, with an 8-4 vote, which would make it illegal to operate a 2011 or newer motorcycle with an exhaust system that doesn’t have an EPA label that certifies it as meeting noise limit standards.
Aprilia RSV4 exhaust
Under the proposed law, motorcyclists pulled over for other traffic violations could also be cited for illegally noisy exhaust pipes and fined $50 to $100 for a first violation – a fix-it ticket that could be dismissed with a proof of correction. Subsequent offenses would result in fines of $100 to $250. The bill, which has also passed the Assembly, is headed for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign. It would apply to motorcycles and after-market parts from the 2013 model year forward. “The noise pollution caused by illegally modified motorcycle exhaust systems is a major quality of life issue across the state,” said Sen. Fran Pavely (D-Santa Monica) on Monday. “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,” Pavley said, “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.”
