A lot is being said about the laws and such - but.. I was recently at a charity bike meet at Folsom HD., without exception, every bike was in violation of the new epa laws. So this sparked my question, can these new laws be enforced? How? Some sort of yearly inspection, as it is for cars? Then how will these inspection stations be established, training and equipment and staffing will all be necessary.
Honestly, I don't think it's enforcable, and I don't think anyone's going to be in a hurry to enforce it. Cops have better things to do than pull a bike over and check every spec. Also, what's to stop anyone from putting in a baffle, swapping out the mufflers, mapping the EFI back to factory for inspection?
Here in NY we have yearly inspections, I don't know what other states have, but basically you're bike has to have brakes that work, all appropriate lights, a horn that works, and tread on your tires.
So far no emissions tests on bikes, but that's probably coming; but there are additives for cars that can be added that can pass a car that's beltching smog, so why not bikes? Plus, there's no standard testing method. Some states test cars at idle, other require the car be driven at speed on rollers; but those methods aren't all that fool-proof.
The ridiculous part is that technically (from what I understand, please correct me if I am wrong) you won't be able to modify the way a bike run, even if it's for the better, as it has to fall within prescribed specs.
Those parts catalogs and bike magazines we drool over like they're porn as we dream of more power are going to become pamphlets with ads for the the newst billet pivor bolt covers, bike wax, and the latest biker t-shirts with an inuendo catch-phrase.
Meanwhile, the guys that down the street can put dual 900cfm carbs on top of 12" tall intakes, high compression pistons, bolt a blower on, run N2O to their plane fuel, rock-crusher ass ends, and run it out their cat back exhaust system at 8MPG on as many cars they want to build.
Maj
I agree that the regs will be largely uninforcable; except at the discretion of an individual cop. I don't run or advocate the running of straight pipes; but......even baffled aftermarket mufflers will mostly likely still be louder than an irate cop will tolerate. As far as jetting or other internal changes; those won't be found without an actual "test" and usually won't enter into the equation unless you live in a city that requires the test to obtain registration.
Everyone knows a bike thats had a rejet, airfilter, and muffler swap will run decidedly better than stock...but within the letter of the law, even these minor mods are technically illegal if you are caught and the fines could be enough to prevent a guy from ever riding again.
As to why nothing is directed toward modified pick-up trucks, cars, etc...who knows...the government and the EPA probably doesn't want to mess with them since they'd have to fight the auto manufacturers...Ford. GM, Toyota etc. and they'd likely lose. The motorcycle industry on the other hand is relatively small and the big boys could care less wether we continue to exist or not... Hell, most of the trucks in this area don't even run a muffler...they simply run the exhaust through the cat. and that's it!
Just won't be a good situation at all unless the MRF or other riders organization can get them to back off.
What's coming, I'm afraid. is the death of the air-cooled V-twin
and we'll be left with water=cooled bikes...V-rod, Kawi, Honda, etc...that are pretty fast; but not what we "want".
One of the biggest polluters are, get this, lawn-mowers. Not only that but the cut grass emits fluorocarbons that destroy ozone.
The majority of pollution comes from heavy equipment like semis, construction vehicles, and farm equipment. Lobbyists have had the makers of that equipment safeguarded from EPA regs for years. I'm guessing that someone, somewhere spun that with less of them out they must do less damage.
One thing that does need to happen is the MRF, AMA, ABATE and any other group that wants to join the fray, should join as a united front. Check egos at the door about who's done what, when, and how. While they still need to take on the issues that they've been working on, it's not going to matter one iota if we don't have bike to ride.
Another thing - Every TV bike program should end with some warning that the industry is threatened. Not "may effect", as I have hear some say. Be frank about it, don't dance around it. Throw some websites and phone numbers up on screen as to where to go, tell them to contact their reperesentatives.
IF the EPA were serious about their polution concerns, they would go after those huge SUV's. I would guess that the amount of polution a Hummer H1 or H2 throws into the air is roughly equivalent to 10 or 15 V twins.
Seems to me that someone noticed that our fun meter was running too high, and so they need to reel us in a bit..
Anyone heard any additional info on this yet?
Nothing in Central Illinois; except one small city has begun a slight crackdown on loud pipes. Issuing tickets; but nothing regarding emissions...just noise.
Solution...short shift or avoid that particular town.
In 06 all the bikes had catalytic converters except the Dynas which had mufflers because they had 02 sensors, the other 06's didn't have the sensors, that's why they had cats. So in 06 you could swap out the mufflers in the Dynas and still be legal but you couldn't swap out the cats in the rest of the line-up. Now in 07 all the bikes have the sensors and all of them have mufflers so now you can swap them out legally { you'll probably have to do some type of download though}.
here in colorado they have just quit emission testing of cars. They never did it for bikes. That said, if they aren't testing cars I doubt very much it will start up for bikes.
As far as noise goes - well if you tick off a cop he will find something to write you up for, even if you are running a completely stock bike. No getting around it. They are the most powerful and dangerous street gang out there.
IN NJ, we have inspections every other year. Done by the State. As mentioned above, tires have to have SOMETHING that looks like tread, the spotlights have to go out when the high beam goes on, turn signals and brake light have to work. Also, the helmet must have some kind of reflexive material. (2 three x three squares?)
The inspectors themselves don't know diddly about motorcycles. I almost got rejected for "noise" on a brand new shovel...because the dummy inspector said I "wasn't as quiet as those two Gold Wings that just came thru here." Duuuuuuh. My EVO has a louder exhaust than the shovel...but no problem(s). Go figure.
Anyway, with regard to these "new" EPA rules...they're NOT new, only someone decided TO enforce them NOW....they just might be UNenforceable, IMO because, like so many other Federal programs, no one bothers to FUND the programs...leave it up to the States...and they all plead poverty.
TINKER: Your first paragraph makes sense. The second don't. Especially the "street gang" thing.
can it be enforced? 
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