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Senate Bill #435 ---> its here... SMOG CHECKS FOR MOTORCYCLES

http://www.latimes.com/classified/a...hrottle11-2008jun11,0,3268856.story?track=rss

By Susan Carpenter, THROTTLE JOCKEY
June 11, 2008
I'd like to begin this column with an apology. I'm sorry for ruining your day.

This story is about emissions. More specifically, it's about the surprising level of emissions spewing from on-road motorcycles and scooters. In California, such bikes make up 3.6% of registered vehicles and 1% of vehicle miles traveled, yet they account for 10% of passenger vehicles' smog-forming emissions in the state. In fact, the average motorbike is about 10 times more polluting per mile than a passenger car, light truck or SUV, according to a California Air Resources Board comparison of emissions-compliant vehicles.


For those of you who are wondering why I'm being such a killjoy, my reason is this: I've been hearing from an increasing number of readers who want to know if two-wheelers, which consume far less fuel, are also smog busters. Because scientific questions tend to come with complicated answers, I thought I'd do my best to explain what pollutants a gas-powered motorbike emits and why.

Motorcycles and scooters are, on average, about twice as fuel efficient as cars. Compact and lightweight, their internal-combustion engines do a better job of converting fuel into energy that makes the vehicle move. But extracting more energy from the fuel has a downside. It produces greater amounts of a smog-forming emission called oxides of nitrogen.

Oxides of nitrogen are one of three pollutants the Environmental Protection Agency and the Air Resources Board measure to see whether vehicles meet acceptable emissions levels and can be sold legally. Smog-forming hydrocarbons -- unburned compounds in fuel that escape through the tailpipe, fuel lines and gas tank -- are also measured, as is carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, isn't measured by either agency, but motorcycles are generally better than other vehicles in this regard since they use less fuel per mile.

As with other passenger vehicles, there are technologies to offset motorcycle emissions, such as catalytic converters, but those technologies tend to be too big, too heavy or too hot to fit on a motorcycle and work as effectively as similar systems on larger, enclosed vehicles that have more space to accommodate them. That's why the EPA and the air board are more lenient on bikes than they are on other passenger vehicles.

"The emissions picture [for motorcycles] is fairly grim," said John Swanton of the Air Resources Board, "but we think it's fair for where motorcycles are today."

Emissions standards for motorcycles are already more forgiving than they are for cars, light trucks and SUVs. Not only are motorcycles allowed to emit more than cars, they are also tested at lower speeds, which pollutes less. And motorcycle manufacturers only have to ensure that their vehicles of 179 cc and above meet governmental emissions criteria for the first 18,600 miles of a bike's life, compared with 150,000 miles for cars.

Five years ago, the EPA tightened its emissions standards for on-road motorcycles with a two-tier system, the first of which tightened requirements for the 2006 model year. The second, even stricter phase kicks in for 2010.

California is the only state in the country with its own emissions standards, which are the same as the EPA standards except they've been fast-tracked to kick in two years earlier. In effect, the stricter standard has already been met for many of the on-highway motorcycles on the market because any 2008 model year bike that is sold in California already meets the EPA standard for 2010.

Right now, there are no plans for the air board or the EPA to further tighten motorcycle emissions requirements because:

* Motorcycles account for such a small portion of vehicle miles traveled.

* There haven't been enough advances in motorcycle emissions technologies to enable further pollution reduction to any significant degree.

* There are other, even bigger polluters to deal with, such as diesel trucks, construction equipment and non-emissions-compliant products from China.

Noncompliant Chinese vehicles have become such a pollution issue in California, in fact, that the Air Resources Board has just added a new motorcycle emissions facility at its Haagen-Smit Lab in El Monte to test them. The board estimates as many as 20,000 all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and scooters are shipped into California from China each month, many of them with emissions that are at least 10 times higher than the state's requirements.

Long story short: Motorcycles, even small ones, are more polluting than Hummers, but it's the best that can be done for now. If you want to make a difference, consider an electric two-wheeler for your next bike or a gas-powered model with fuel injection and a 3-way catalytic converter.
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Skidmarx said:
Beating a dead horse...I hope...but here is a quote from recent article regarding the EPA (federal agency's) view on this:

Los Angeles Times
June 11, 2008
Right now, there are no plans for the air board or the EPA to further tighten motorcycle emissions requirements because:

* Motorcycles account for such a small portion of vehicle miles traveled.

* There haven't been enough advances in motorcycle emissions technologies to enable further pollution reduction to any significant degree.

* There are other, even bigger polluters to deal with, such as diesel trucks, construction equipment and non-emissions-compliant products from China.
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Way to take it out of context.
 
Zerox said:
Will most Harleys pass a smog check?
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most Harleys with FI will pass if they take out the power commander, and put back on the stock pipes, same as other bikes. so yes... and no, because nearly 100% of carbureted HDs has had a jetting change. I know from a test ride that a stock 883 Sportster will pop and sputter through the carb right off the showroom floor. because of that I left the dealer pissed, and bought a used 49 state one and spent 4 months of DMV bullshit getting it registered.

Skidmarx said:
No other state has such strict requirements. Ever heard of a 49 state bike? It will ABSOLUTELY kill the aftermarket parts business. If CARB had a more reasonable standard for bikes so that they didn't need to run so damn lean, people may not feel the need to make mods.
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I guarantee you that every aftermarket part manufacturer is watching this very closely, California is a huge market. ABATE has connections with a lot of them, they are gracious donors, and they have their own lobbyists that work closely with ABATE's.

Skidmarx said:
My '00 Bandit would barely run before a stage one. It was totally gutless, not that it's a powerhouse now, but it's much more rideable.
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my 1995 Ducati 900ss ran like crap before my re-jet as well, in fact every carbureted Ducati I've ever seen gets a rejet as a regular part of making them faster and more reliable. I think I'd rather register my bike to a different state that force those stock jets back in there.



I've included pics because, well, I love my bikes. :teeth
 

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If this goes through, I pity the guys with a garage of five or more bikes. Cha-ching!
 
Killroy1999 said:
Way to take it out of context.
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What is out of context are the statistics quoted in that article. 10% of pollution from passenger vehicles come from motorcycles? Are you kidding? Did the reporter check that fact?

If you want to look at CARB's own data, click on the link below. Look at the statistics for PM2.5 and PM10. Those are the particles that bury into peoples lungs and do damage.

Look at the amount that is contributed from motorcycles in tons per day (.49 and .33) and the stuff the comes from cars in tons per day (16.9 and 9.20). Cars produces 3448% more PM2.5 and 2788% more PM10 than motorcycles.

Heavy diesel trucks produce 43 and 37 PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. That's 8776% and 11212% more than motorcycles every day.

If you want to believe the hype, go for it. The government is overblowing the data to make a case. Does that sound hard to believe? Ever happen before? Nah, they'd never do that...would they?

People will buy it...sad.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/app/emsinv/em...=2006&F_DIV=-4&F_SEASON=A&SP=2007&F_AREA=CA#7

Below is a link to the EPA's website that defines all the types of air pollution listed on the CARB air inventory above:
http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/sixpoll.html

At best, you could argue that motorcycles produce a lot of carbon dioxide as compared to cars...but its still 500% less. Instead of making people smog their bikes, we should be encouraging more people to ride scooters and motorcycles.

So where does ABATE stand on this? How can the gov get away with this? Their own data and the EPA suggests that motorcycles aren't much of a contributing factor.

As for fairness, when I drove a diesel car I never had to get it smogged. Is that still the case today?

BTW, all data in "tons per day"
 
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You want to beat this bill? Give them something more irritating and more lucrative to focus their attention on. Raising taxes on cigarettes has pushed up against a threshold limit, I don't know, maybe charging convicted sex offenders 10x the normal toll fee on bridges? You could make them use a special "sex offender" Fastrak unit that charges the punitive rate, and also flashes "SEX OFFENDER Lane 4" on the electronic sign above the toll plaza next to the clock.

My first thought is that politicians must REALLY be bored... second thought is that she's probably ugly, third is that she probably got buzzed by an R1 with open exhaust riding a 130mph standup wheelie while splitting and now she's pissed off.

Stefan
 
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Skidmarx said:
What is out of context are the statistics quoted in that article. 10% of pollution from passenger vehicles come from motorcycles? Are you kidding? Did the reporter check that fact?

If you want to look at CARB's own data, click on the link below. Look at the statistics for PM2.5 and PM10. Those are the particles that bury into peoples lungs and do damage.

Look at the amount that is contributed from motorcycles (.49 and .33) and the stuff the comes from cars (16.9 and 9.20). Cars produces 3448% more PM2.5 and 2788% more PM10 than motorcycles.

Heavy diesel trucks produce 43 and 37 PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. That's 8776% and 11212% more than motorcycles.

If you want to believe the hype, go for it. The government is overblowing the data to make a case. Does that sound hard to believe? Ever happen before? Nah, they'd never do that...would they?

People will buy it...sad.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/app/emsinv/em...=2006&F_DIV=-4&F_SEASON=A&SP=2007&F_AREA=CA#7
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And remember, MTBE is safe!
 
Zerox said:
I've read about Harleys with stock pipes but I've never seen (heard) one. :laughing
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Come out riding with me sometime and I'll show you one.

Or do you dare?
 
Feanor said:
And remember, MTBE is safe!
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There's nothing wrong with MTBE...unless you don't like cancer or having your baby born with flippers!:laughing

A little more context:
Motorcycles contribute to .05% of PM10 particles and .02% PM2.5 (the worst stuff) particles in the state. Airplanes contribute 20x more crap. Commercial ships 53x more. Farm equipment 16x more. The simple act of cooking creates 55x more particulate matter. Forest fires cause 222x more particulate matter.

Why pick on motorcycles?

All taken from CARB's own data.
 
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- That's okay. As long as there are no "flipper babies," right, Don?

- Well, there have been a few flipper babies.

- It was only a couple of flipper babieeeeees!
 
Skidmarx said:
There's nothing wrong with MTBE...unless you don't like cancer or having your baby born with flippers!:laughing

A little more context:
Motorcycles contribute to .05% of PM10 particles and .02% PM2.5 (the worst stuff) particles in the state. Airplanes contribute 20x more crap. Commercial ships 53x more. Farm equipment 16x more. The simple act of cooking creates 55x more particulate matter. Forest fires cause 222x more particulate matter.

Why pick on motorcycles?

All taken from CARB's own data.
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:facepalm

We just need Senator Paveley to take a walk outside the capitol building while Arnold is speeding around on his moto-sidecar rig...

Problem solved

Stefan
 
Feanor said:
:facepalm

We just need Senator Paveley to take a walk outside the capitol building while Arnold is speeding around on his moto-sidecar rig...

Problem solved

Stefan
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Better yet in his Hummer...:)
 
Bah! Tell them to tackle leaf blowers and lawn mowers first. Leave my bike alone! :rant
 
bluenoser said:
Bah! Tell them to tackle leaf blowers and lawn mowers first. Leave my bike alone! :rant
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Forget that! Let them tackle the BUDGET first!

I have a few grand owed to me in the way of state tax refund this year! Federal has already paid up, but I'm fully expecting the State to be sending me a big fat IOU. Then if I'm one day late on my property taxes they penalize me immediately like I'm a deadbeat.

Stefan
 
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