Topic: Pennsylvania riders only plz - inspection question(s)

[eideteker]

I was looking through the PA motorcycle inspection rules the other day and now I have a couple questions: anyone ever have problems getting a bike that originally came equipped with a speedometer inspected without a speedometer?  And since in this case the odometer is deleted as well, is this the real issue?  What about the chain guard - will removing it keep my 500 from passing?  The place I go to get inspected is about one step above a lick-and-stick joint, but the owner did give me heck last time about my barely-functioning horn (now fixed)...don't they record the mileage in their little inspection book?  I can't remember for sure.

[MoMo]

`I had a PA inspection license years ago-at that time I would have failed the bike if the chain guard had been removed. It is the safety factor- if the passenger has baggy pants it would get caught in the guard. The  speedo was mandatory as it was required to write down the mileage. Things may have changed since the 80's but I would leave the guard on if you are carrying a passenger. You can always title vintage-no inspection is required if the bike is 25 plus years old, but that limits your riding time.  good luck, Larry

[dave500]

a cheap bicycle speedo might pass?i have one on my 500 aswell as the stock one,it was too cheap at kmart not to fit it as a joke and its about a year and a half old now,can you fashion a guard that looks the part?heavy tin foil painted black?just to pass?

[The_Crippler]

Honestly, it comes down to who inspects it.  Some shops - particularly ones that specialize in the custom crowd (generally Harleys) will pass anything - reputable/greedy places will go by the letter of the law.  A bunch are in between.  However, just passing is only part of the problem - it's being on the road afterwards.  Remember, many cops ride bikes and know the laws.  A buddy of mine passes inspection with smoke-colored lens caps and a vertical license plate...but he gets pulled over for the the plate ones a year or so, and then occasionally gets a ticket for the lenses as well.

PA is a state that is rather tough with custom rides.  This is the main reason I'm building a cruiser rather than a bobber like I wanted.  Just too hard to get it all to pass.


Bottom line, you might get it to pass with the right shop, but you run a risk of getting stopped sometime without a speedo.

[eideteker]

a cheap bicycle speedo might pass?i have one on my 500 aswell as the stock one,it was too cheap at kmart not to fit it as a joke and its about a year and a half old now,can you fashion a guard that looks the part?heavy tin foil painted black?just to pass?

I am kicking the bike speedo idea around too, have to see what I run across.  As far as the chain guard, I still have the original one so I can put it back on if it's a problem.  The garage I go to is owned by a CB750 rider so he might let me get away with a little more - plus it's only a couple blocks away if he doesn't like something, no big deal to ride home and fix it quick.

[the technological J]

when i get mine inspected i plan to have a different setup than when im out riding so put on what you need for inspection ..( i doubt anywhere eill give u a tag with out a speedo) and get rid of what u dont want after inspection... if u get pulled over... say the place u got it inspected did it just like this or because its an old bike its exempt..... ive had a couple bikes out of inspection when i got pulled over and they couldnt make sense of the tags anyway

[the technological J]

where are u from and how long u been riding?

[eideteker]

where are u from and how long u been riding?

Northeast PA, over toward Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...and I've only been riding since last summer.

[The_Crippler]

when i get mine inspected i plan to have a different setup than when im out riding so put on what you need for inspection ..( i doubt anywhere eill give u a tag with out a speedo) and get rid of what u dont want after inspection... if u get pulled over... say the place u got it inspected did it just like this or because its an old bike its exempt..... ive had a couple bikes out of inspection when i got pulled over and they couldnt make sense of the tags anyway

Don't try that around West End, South Side or Brentwood.  First two have a lot of bike cops who know the inspection laws, and the third has a lot of hard cases - and i can verify that the example I gave above got pulled over in all those places and gotten tickets for things on his ride (or not on it) that weren't kosher.

[the technological J]

i stay out of the city on my bike.... but thanks for the heads up

[The_Crippler]

Heh...well, I live in city limits...so I don't have much option...so I try to keep my wheels as legal as possible.