[CD]

Many of us are aware of the new EPA rules concerning building and owning a custom bike. You can buy or build one EPA exempt motorcycle in your lifetime and have to keep it for five years. You can buy other EPA exempt motorcycles but they would have a special license and could be ridden to shows etc. A manufacturer that does not get EPA approval for his bikes can only build 12 bikes a year and they must be sold to customers prior to manufacture. Another area of the rule puts a lot more bite into the state and federal abilities to go after shops that do performance work, sell performance products and owners that alter their vehicles. Particular emphasis has been placed on the motorcycle industry with rules getting tighter on emissions and noise from now until 2010.

I find it odd that the same government that is trying to get us to save fuel is, at the same time attempting to over regulate the Power Sports industry. I also find it odd that we as citizens are not being as aggressive in fighting back as we could be. Yet, we will make statements like “They can have my loud pipes when they pry them from my dead, cold fingers”. We could be mass e-mailing Senators and Congress and even the White House. Every email is a voice and a potential lost vote.

What have you done to make your voice and opinion heard?

[hotroadking]

I have filled out the survey and I'd like to see the EPA rules amended however, did you know it's been illegal to tamper with the motors and pipes for years on our motorcycles?

In fact in FL you can't change anything it has to go back to OEM or like OEM.

Enforcement is the rule. If you want to keep the market alive keep NHSTA from getting any laws passed to tie funding to enforcement of EPA rules.

Also I didn't think of it this way but heard an interesting argument, the EPA has actually loosened the laws as in regards to custom bikes, see all those "customs" running around on aftermarket frams with non epa compliance motor s and pipes are illegal already.

Now you have the ability to legally build that one off custom bobber.

I know it sounds strange but in fact that's what's happened we have the right to build a non epa compliant bike.

In the long run I think that S&S, RevTech, MidWest and a couple of other bike companies will certify the motor with a specific muffler package that will meet EPA compliance, that will allow you to build a bike that is within EPA rules, this should allow you to build more than one bike. (YOu can still have that Illegal bike because it's now legal LOL)

That's probably why you've seen S&S with full muffler systems.

The trick will be the catalytic converter maybe your new 124 will come with the whole exhaust, what you do with it is up to you.

[CD]

Originally Posted by hotroadking

I have filled out the survey and I'd like to see the EPA rules amended however, did you know it's been illegal to tamper with the motors and pipes for years on our motorcycles?

Yep, and here in Aridzona land, we have annual idle sniffing. It was supposed to be stopped but I heard EPA said nope.

In fact in FL you can't change anything it has to go back to OEM or like OEM.

Technically, all 1978 and newer are covered under EPA rules. However, the states seem to pick and choose when and what to enforce. The new rules put a lot more teeth into the Fed's abilities to force states to comply.

Enforcement is the rule. If you want to keep the market alive keep NHSTA from getting any laws passed to tie funding to enforcement of EPA rules.

Agreed as I say above. The MRF has a call to action about this and the Right to Repair act.

Also I didn't think of it this way but heard an interesting argument, the EPA has actually loosened the laws as in regards to custom bikes, see all those "customs" running around on aftermarket frams with non epa compliance motor s and pipes are illegal already.

Not so, the rule did not specifically address custom or small production shops or bikes built by consumers. This is a major difference in the old EPA rule concerning motorcycles and the new rule. It did specifically address altering a bike that was manufactured to be EPA compliant.

Now you have the ability to legally build that one off custom bobber.

I know it sounds strange but in fact that's what's happened we have the right to build a non epa compliant bike.

Correct, you can build or have built one EPA exempt bike in your lifetime. You must keep it for five years and cannot sell it even if ordered to. A shop can manufacture 24 EPA exempt custom bikes for use in very limited ways. The 25 and later bike must be EPA compliant and certified.

In the long run I think that S&S, RevTech, MidWest and a couple of other bike companies will certify the motor with a specific muffler package that will meet EPA compliance, that will allow you to build a bike that is within EPA rules, this should allow you to build more than one bike. (YOu can still have that Illegal bike because it's now legal LOL)

I just finished my FXR project and registered after 1 January with no EPA inspection what so ever. In fact, I casually asked about the new rules and got blank stares.

That's probably why you've seen S&S with full muffler systems.

Like Big Dogs..

The trick will be the catalytic converter maybe your new 124 will come with the whole exhaust, what you do with it is up to you.

Here is the worrisome part for a lot of us. The EPA and NHSTA are beginning to look at the EC / TUV standards and are listening. If they adapt these rules, the aftermarket will die. Not slowly, but very, very quickly.

We are just beginning to see what is going to happen. Will we soon have an aftermarket that is just fluff?

[hotroadking]

It s quite possible the engine and exhaust market could dry up.

Although there is nothing illegal about manufacturing parts that are illegal on the road, you just have to say (for off road use only) as to the consumer, well, keep your stock pipes in the garage and put them on for inspections.

Yeah it's a big grey area, I wonder if my 00 Heritage that has an S&S116 kit is covered as my one "epa allowed custom" now that I have aftermarket pipes etc.

One thing, as states see the revenue coming from bike events and the number of registered bikes increases, the voting contentgent is larger, In FL I doubt you'd see a mass effort to enforce the pipes and epa agenda, bike week and biketoberfest revenues are huge statewide, motorcycle registrations are at an all time high.

Heck we have LEO riding around with stage 1 and Kerkers LOL

Congress passed a law limiting EPA/NSHTA from any penalties on states for non compliance other than seat belts. This allowed the states to have the right to vote on helmet laws without big brother telling them, it's ok to have a helmet law that permits no helmets but we're not giving you the highway money you were allowed if you do.

Funny CD you and I posted on this what 2 or3 years ago and were given the "sky is falling" retorts or no reply at all same on other sites.

I guess I could start my own motorcycle shop and sell myself 25 bikes, one to my dog, wife, father, mother, kids, etc I wonder if I should give myself a discount or overcharge Hmmm.

[maxpower_hd]

We've already been dealing with more stringent exhaust laws in Massachusetts. Basically, the state law here says you are not allowed to alter or replace the factory exhaust in any way that causes an increase in noise. So it is basically illegal to run any exhaust other than the stock Harley pipes on a Harley.

It further states that all exhaust systems must be equipped with a baffle. This is to cover the custom built bikes.

They even put a decibel level of 102 db for bikes built before 1986 and 99 db for ones built after 1986.

They don't usually recognize the removable baffles in court when you go to fight a ticket either.

The reason I know all this?............is because I spent a lot of time and energy looking through the regulations to fight a ticket I reveived along with about a dozen other people the same day on the way to the beach. I ended up winning initially because there is a blurb in the law that says "baffle or some other device". I said that my bike had a performance exhaust, Revtech at the time, and that it indead did not have a baffle but instead had "some other device" being the packing material and design/shape of the inner muffler. I also partially lied and said I was an Environmental Health and Safety Technologist for a major radiopharmaceutical company and part of my job was to check work areas with a decibel meter to determine the need for hearing protection. That part was true. The lie was the part where I said I tested my bike as stated in the regulations and found it to be well within the limitations at 85 db. The judge, or court officer, found in my favor. However, the cop has the right to appeal as well. He appealed and I could not attend the second hearing because I changed jobs and could not take the time off. I also no longer had access to the decibel meter. The judge suggested that I bring the meter or some documentation on the meter to prove I knew how to operate it and so forth. Needless to say, I ended up paying the $50 ticket.

Anyway....what we do is keep a stock set of pipes on the shelf for inspections like previously stated and take our chances on the tickets. That was the last one I got and that was about five years ago. $10 a year isn't all that bad.