New exaust laws
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 11,257
From: San Diego, CA
There are a bunch of ex CHP's that work in the federal courthouse where I work and one of them is an ex motor cop who still rides. He was thinking that they will probably set up a roadside sound trap with a db meter sitting there. I believe the newer bikes, '17 and up, come with an EPA stamp/mark on them? and they'll probably be looking for those as well. But yeah, the question is......... at idle, WOT, designated RPM.......??
Any motorcycle manufactured after Jan 1, 2013, MUST have an EPA stamp on the OEM (or any EPA compliant) mufflers. CA passed a law that made it illegal to operate/park/use any 2013+ motorcycle on any CA roadway without that EPA label on the muffler.
In brief:
27202.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label
So, CA LEOs don't need a sound meter to write someone for loud mufflers. If they make a legal stop, they just need to look for the EPA label. No label, you can get a ticket..
Last edited by hattitude; Feb 6, 2019 at 09:16 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 8,015
Likes: 6,909
From: NC
There are a bunch of ex CHP's that work in the federal courthouse where I work and one of them is an ex motor cop who still rides. He was thinking that they will probably set up a roadside sound trap with a db meter sitting there. I believe the newer bikes, '17 and up, come with an EPA stamp/mark on them? and they'll probably be looking for those as well. But yeah, the question is......... at idle, WOT, designated RPM.......??
It is not enforced often.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 8,015
Likes: 6,909
From: NC
The Peoples Republic of California just passed a new law that exhaust levels cannot exceed 95 db. We will be fined 1000 bucks for every ticket. It's bad enough this Government is charging me 275 bucks to register my bike (750 for my truck) but they now have an excuse to pull over any time they want. I have spent a lot of money getting my Twin Cam to run cooler and now I have to put the stock exhaust back on. Pisses me off!!!.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 4,685
Likes: 3,979
From: Near Yosemite
Any motorcycle manufactured after Jan 1, 2013, MUST have an EPA stamp on the OEM (or any EPA compliant) mufflers. CA passed a law that made it illegal to operate/park/use any 2013+ motorcycle on any CA roadway without that EPA label on the muffler.
In brief:
27202.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label
So, CA LEOs don't need a sound meter to write someone for load mufflers. If they make a legal stop, they just need to look for the EPA label. No label, you can get a ticket..
In brief:
27202.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label
So, CA LEOs don't need a sound meter to write someone for load mufflers. If they make a legal stop, they just need to look for the EPA label. No label, you can get a ticket..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 8,015
Likes: 6,909
From: NC
We had one jerk in my neighborhood with a loud truck. He would come home loud at 3am. So we parked on the street in front of his house and played classical music at 5AM. (We notified his immediate neighbors and they gave the go ahead.) We woke his family up. A few nights of this and he idled his truck in the neighborhood. But it seems he got pulled over several times and ticketed for vehicle equipment violations. His family moved.
Last edited by Goose_NC; Feb 6, 2019 at 09:33 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 11,257
From: San Diego, CA
We had one jerk in my neighborhood with a loud truck He would come home loud at 3am. So we parked on the street in front of his house and play classical music at 5AM. (We notified his immediate neighbors and they gave the go ahead.) We woke his family up. A few nights of this and he idled his truck in the neighborhood. But it seems he got pulled over several times and ticketed for vehicle equipment violations. His family moved.
Therein is the rub........
There are always people who care only of themselves and "push the envelope" (or totally cross the line) to the point where others are negatively affected.
When that happens, eventually the masses will push back and very restrictive laws will be passed. Sometimes we (bikers) are our own worst enemies...
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
Therein is the rub........
There are always people who care only of themselves and "push the envelope" (or totally cross the line) to the point where others are negatively affected.
When that happens, eventually the masses will push back and very restrictive laws will be passed. Sometimes we (bikers) are our own worst enemies...
There are always people who care only of themselves and "push the envelope" (or totally cross the line) to the point where others are negatively affected.
When that happens, eventually the masses will push back and very restrictive laws will be passed. Sometimes we (bikers) are our own worst enemies...
Last edited by Mattbastard; Feb 6, 2019 at 10:46 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 112
Likes: 31
From: western hemisphere
Could be worse. You could live in Edmonton Alberta Canada where the City bylaw bases compliance on a pressure measurement taken at the exhaust tips and not the sound. Any powerful motorcycle including a Honda Goldwing can fail. Oh and to top it off, the bylaw applies to motorcycles exclusively.
Ain't politicians fun?
Ain't politicians fun?
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Joe Kucinski
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 455
Likes: 134
From: Martinsburg, WV
They use a law like this in Myrtle Beach during bike week! They get a ton of money from this since most will not drive back to fight in court.
Catch is the cops didn't use any sound meter but yet gave a few guys tickets. One was a Honda Shadow, and these guys were not blipping their throttles or running loud at all.
I myself don't have an issue if LEO's use a DB meter and test correctly but I have yet to meet anyone with a calibrated ear!
I had a cop pull me over years ago in my RX7 and claim it shouldn't be louder then a Honda Civic, told the idiot an RX-7 was NEVER that quiet. He wanted an almost 20 year old car to sound like a civic? Again, he only used his calibrated ear.
Catch is the cops didn't use any sound meter but yet gave a few guys tickets. One was a Honda Shadow, and these guys were not blipping their throttles or running loud at all.
I myself don't have an issue if LEO's use a DB meter and test correctly but I have yet to meet anyone with a calibrated ear!
I had a cop pull me over years ago in my RX7 and claim it shouldn't be louder then a Honda Civic, told the idiot an RX-7 was NEVER that quiet. He wanted an almost 20 year old car to sound like a civic? Again, he only used his calibrated ear.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 714
Likes: 21
From: Northern,CA
violation of Vehicle Code Section 27150 or 27151
California law requires that all vehicles must be equipped with an adequate muffler to prevent excessive noise from the exhaust system. It also prohibits the operation of a passenger vehicle (other than a motorcycle), or a truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 6,000 pounds, that has an exhaust noise level greater than 95 decibels, when tested under specified conditions.
The Referee is only authorized to inspect and certify passenger cars and trucks under 6,000 GVWR that have been cited for a violation of Section 27150 or 27151 of the Vehicle Code. The maximum decibel level applies only to those vehicles. Citations issued to other vehicles (motorcycles, trucks exceeding 5999 pounds GVWR) are not part of this program.
Hope this helps
California law requires that all vehicles must be equipped with an adequate muffler to prevent excessive noise from the exhaust system. It also prohibits the operation of a passenger vehicle (other than a motorcycle), or a truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 6,000 pounds, that has an exhaust noise level greater than 95 decibels, when tested under specified conditions.
The Referee is only authorized to inspect and certify passenger cars and trucks under 6,000 GVWR that have been cited for a violation of Section 27150 or 27151 of the Vehicle Code. The maximum decibel level applies only to those vehicles. Citations issued to other vehicles (motorcycles, trucks exceeding 5999 pounds GVWR) are not part of this program.
Hope this helps