CALIFORNIA:MOTORCYCLE NOISE

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/bizarre&id=7695336 MOTORCYCLE NOISE SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Hushing the hogs. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill controversial among bikers. The measure is aimed at quieting the roar of choppers. The law targets motorcyclists who remove or replace federally mandated, factory-installed emission control parts. Those mods often make bikes louder and increase pollution. First-time violators will be fined up to $100. Schwarzenegger is an avid motorcycle rider. Many bikers opposed the law, saying it adds an unnecessary layer of government bureaucracy.

http://calabasas.patch.com/articles/bill-to-quiet-loud-motorcycles-signed-by-gov Bill to Quiet Loud Motorcycles Signed by Gov. Senate Bill 435 is aimed at cracking down on bikers who illegally install aftermarket parts on their motorcycles to make them louder. By Matt Jaffe | September 29, 2010
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill on Monday that will toughen laws on installing aftermarket parts on motorcycles.
Add The weekend growl of illegally modified motorcycles along Mulholland Highway and other Calabasas streets could one day be reduced as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 435 into law on Monday.
Authored by State Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), the Motorcycle Anti-Tampering Act will make it illegal for motorcyclists to remove and replace federally required emissions equipment, such as catalytic converters, with aftermarket parts that don't meet Environmental Protection Agency standards.
The law will require that emissions systems on motorcycles manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2013 display a readily visible and unalterable label stamped into the pipes that indicates that they meet these federal standards. Similar laws are on the books in Boston and Denver.
Pavley said the modified motorcycle equipment leads to increased noise and air pollution. Motorcycles are not subject to smog tests. And according to a California Air Resources Board study, illegally modified motorcycles emit up ten times the pollutants of legal bikes.
Groups, including the American Motorcyclist Association, have opposed the law and had encouraged the motorcycle-loving governor to veto the bill. Some motorcyclists also claimed that they are being singled out while noise problems generated by cars, trucks, and vehicle audio systems are not enforced.
Many have also argued that "loud pipes save lives" and that in an era of distracted driving, motorcyclists need to alert other drivers of their presence.
Pavley has said that because smog checks are not required for motorcycles, there was a need for a tool to enforce existing noise and air pollution laws. Readings from decibel meters used by police officers often don't hold up in court.
Under the law, illegal tampering with emissions systems would be a secondary violation. That means that motorcyclists would have to first be pulled over for another infraction, such as speeding, before officers could verify the presence of the EPA stamp.
It will be a "fix-it" ticket and proof of repair would mean that the violation would be dismissed. But additional infractions could result in fines of up to $250.