West Virginia Reintroduces Bill to Ban Aftermarket & Loud Pipes
UPDATE:
“I had a back and forth email conversation with Rep. Howell last night. The current standing law in WV is for a motorcycle to have a stock exhaust. He is trying to make it LESS restrictive and allow modifications to motorcycles. The article as posted is inaccurate. He supports rider’s rights. I originally blasted him in my first email and told him he needed to change his position, and when he explained he was trying to lessen the regulations I realized the article did not represent his point of view. He was very polite about the misunderstanding, but he held his ground when he thought I was a supporter of more restrictions on riders. I just wanted to set the record straight,” says John “Scott” Beith via email.
[We apologize for the misunderstanding in this matter but will fight any bill that restricts what we can or cannot do to our motorcycles at HDForums . Thank you John! – Ed.]
The West Virginia legislature has reintroduced a bill in the House to ban aftermarket pipes, and require the OEM mufflers not be excessively loud.
The lead sponsor of the bill is Rep. Gary G. Howell. His page and contact info is linked here. His email is gary.howell@wvhouse.gov, and his office phone is (304) 340-3192. Send him an email to let him know we don’t support this type of action.
I’ve copied the actual contents of the proposed bill. Please read, comment and take appropriate action if you reside in WV.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2016 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 2150
2015 Carryover
(By Delegates Howell, Hamrick, J. Nelson, Statler, Walters, Arvon, Blair, Kessinger and Kurcaba)
[Introduced January 13, 2016; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §17C‑15‑34 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to motor vehicle equipment; prohibiting the modification of mufflers resulting in excessive noise levels; and providing an exception.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17C‑15‑34 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 15. EQUIPMENT.
§17C‑15‑34. Mufflers; prevention of noise, fumes and smoke; violations.
(a) Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise.
SuchThe muffler shall be the muffler originally installed by the manufacturer of the vehicle or, if a replacement, the equivalent thereof.NoA personshallmay not use a muffler cutout, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway.
(b) The engine and power mechanism of every motor vehicle shall be so equipped and adjusted as to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke.
(c) A person may not modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner so that the exhaust system emits in excess of ninety‑five decibels as measured by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Standard J1169 (May 1998). It is not a violation of this section, unless proven by proper authorities, that the exhaust system modification results in noise amplification in excess of ninety‑five decibels under the prescribed SAE test standard.
(d) A court may dismiss any action for which a person is prosecuted for operating a vehicle in violation of subsection (c) of this section if it is found that the defendant had reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in violation of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the modification of mufflers resulting in excessive noise levels. The bill also provides an exception.
The full text of the WV bill can also be found here.
