HarleyTechTalk

A Beverly Hills, California state senator has introduced legislation that
would require motorcycles to participate in the state's vehicle "smog
check" program. The program was designed to service cars and because of
that motorcycles were exempt "until the Department of Consumer Affairs
implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles" according to
standing state California state law. Senator Fran Pavely (D) is the main
sponsor of the bill which would require all motorcycles beginning with
model year 2000 to be tested starting in 2012.

This bill is problematic for a number of reasons. First off, it provides
for no funding for the development of testing procedures. Secondly, no
funding for the accommodation of the new 1.2 million motorcycles at the
check stations. This will result in a financial burden for the California
government at a time when every penny is already spoken for.

In the MRF's view, the California state legislature should reconsider this
motion. When the funding is available, it would then seem more feasible to
invest in proper investigatory programs to best determine how to test
motorcycles or if it is even necessary.

Read the bill here:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_435_bill_20090226_introduced.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simple Tireater.........just another way to get into your pocket.
They don't have the money but they will.
There will be a charge for testing, wait and see.
Even at a dollar for each (ha...a buck...right) 1.2 million motorcycles is serious $$$.

I think you said once, "nothings free".........nothing new here either.

The stupid thing is...Big container ships and trucks passing thru town on 101 make most of the smog here....
Motorcycles have no effect at all...The smog people here know this and will still push for messing with bikes...

I guess lawnmowers will be next!  I believe they have already stopped sales of two-stroke mowers?     

Motorcycles have no effect at all...The smog people here know this and will still push for messing with bikes...

I am not a real green person and I am sure there are much greater contributors to the problem there, but yes, motorcycles do have an affect. It is not a real big deal once you get past the " my rights are being taken away " thinking. I used to live in Phoenix and had to smog everything once a year, and that was almost 20 years ago. I never had any of my HD's fail, I wish I could say the same for my other vehicles. Unfortunately as our numbers increase as a motorcycling community along with that comes the recognition as "contributors" to the air quality, and also we can be targeted as financial "contributors" through such programs as emissions testing.

Just my 2 cents, great now I have a penny left !!!!

I see you drank the Kool Aid....Our air quality violations are for trucks and ships...
I saw 3 bikes in a 250 mile drive around LA...and a couple hundred thousand cars and trucks...

I see a couple problems with smog testing (air cooled) motorcycles:  1.  Wonder if they'll use a roller to load the engine like on a dyno likie they did in Ohio?  If so, how they gonna strap a bike to it if it's big enough for a car?  2.  When Ohio had this goofy test (that didn't work) you had to come in with the engine really hot and let the engine idle while you waited your turn.  Just because you're waiting for a smog test, idling an air cooled super hot engine is sttill not a good idea.

PC

I live in Calif and when I was shopping for a new bike in '02 they had "Calif only bikes" that had  had a charcoal canister attached under the bike that vented the gastank.....it was illegal to remove them .....yea whatever, the HD shop had a stack of them that they had removed..........

If you’re a California voter write your State Legislator and voice your disapproval of  SB 435. Find your legislator here....         
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Quote from: apes on March 12, 2009, 03:29:36 PM
I live in Calif and when I was shopping for a new bike in '02 they had "Calif only bikes" that had  had a charcoal canister attached under the bike that vented the gastank.....it was illegal to remove them .....yea whatever, the HD shop had a stack of them that they had removed..........

If the law passes, they will be sitting on a gold mine.

I don't think auto testing shops would be doing the testing. It would more likely be done by dealers. I would never drop off my bike and let Goober move it around and take it for a joyride to make sure it is 'tested' properly. Not a chance.

Been smog testing motorcycles here in Arizona for a while now.  I think I payed
$20.00 for the smog check.  It is just an idle test, no rollers.  Just a way to get
your money.  Must smog a bike after it's 5yrs. old.  They don't check for OEM
exhaust yet, but I know it's only a matter of time.  Keep all of you original equipment.
176

What a waste. They should be encouraging more people to ride motorcycles and there would be less pollution and less congestion. Instead, we get this crap. It's just another way to raise money. We are a minority, so the govt. can force this down our throats knowing that we don't have the clout to stop it.

someday they will make us bring our lawnmowers and yard tractors in for smog testing

You are not far off...Actually they only let you buy certain mowers, chain saws, generators, etc.  in Cali...
They also have a list of motors I can buy for my com. fishing vessel...It is not legal to sell me a motor not on their list...(big fines)
They got the military involved too...
They went on Vandenburg and registered every generator on the base and collect a fee for every one, every year...
I bet they do this on all the other bases too. They are getting our tax money from the military ...It won't end...
Go to the local APCD smog office and there are over 100 people there working...and at least another 100 you don't see...

All those "taxes" and they are still broke, Californa, figures.   

Is that why my new Cub Cadet yard tractor is a "CA. ONLY" model?

Arnold is gonna tax up out of a recession...1 cent more sales tax and double regestration fees...

  They might want to consider cutting back on a few of the coal generators,,there is an estimated 96,000 rail cars dedicated to hauling coal all over the country...Lets face it having your air conditioner running is doin alot more polluting than my bike..
Dave