Topic: Sound Citation On A Stock Exhaust?? Good thing there wasn't other crime...

[laminarflowone]

Yup, I was driving my ninja 250 (which is completely stock) commuting from campus back home when I see the flashing blue in my mirrors.  Promptly pulling over, I can't understand what I did wrong, other than work late on my thesis on a Friday night...I always ride the speed limit because I've learned through the years that I have a tendency to attract cop attention. 

It turns out, the officer gave me a ticket for my bike being too loud, even though I still have the original mufflers and everything stock on the bike.  I'm not sure what he expects me to do, and I didn't know that they made even quieter exhausts for the 250...So, I'm assuming the PD expects everyone to buy quieter aftermarket mufflers?  He told me my neighbors would hate me, but pretty much all of my neighbors are professors and all of them ride motorcycles or performance cars that are far louder.  He then lectured me on how it sounded like my motorcycle wasn't being maintained properly and that was the source of the sound (even though I could tell his Harley was misfiring....).

So, clearly I'm appealing this, but I was so royally aggravated for getting a ticket for something that I didn't do wrong (other than purchase the bike).  If it was a speeding ticket, I would understand, pay the fine, and be done with it. 

Ok, rant is over.

[Retro Rocket]

Moron do gooding cops are every where. I would fight that as well but make sure your baffles are no worn out and it is unusually noisy..
If it makes you feel any better, i was riding to work one morning on my GSXR1100, i glanced over my left shoulder just in time to see some idiot cutting across 4 lanes and out of control, i gave my bike a hand full of throttle just as he passed behind me and slammed into the car that was beside me. I slowed straight back down and was a little shakey when a cop stepped out from the curb and pulled me over. He proceeded to book me fors peeding even though he saw what happened to me and he said i did the right thing but still insisted on fining me for speeding.......Moron


Mick

[laminarflowone]

It sucks.  My baffles are good, because even though it's my commuter, I keep it immaculate.  Reminds me a little of when I went to get my plates at the rmv, that the self-important lady told me my forms were unacceptable because there was a slight fold in the corner of the paper...

[Alan F.]

It really makes me wonder just why I've lived here so long.  Fight it hard, stock pipes are stock pipes. He didn't mention a DOT stamp (did he?)

[laminarflowone]

he did.  He made a fuss about it because my inspection sticker expires next week...

The government always screws over honest middle-class law-abiding citizens.  Now I have to take time off from work to fight the appeal. Should I be filing a complaint against the officer?  I don't want to make any enemies, but it really is frustrating and something I wouldn't want any other person to go through.

[Alan F.]

 

[laminarflowone]

Haha, i seem to be having a two-week streak of bad luck.  Maybe I was a really bad person in my past life...  So, I took apart the ninjette for a carb cleaning (uneven power in lower RPMs) and when I put everything  back together, the bike turned over but didn't start up. 

Karma is a biotch, especially when you don't know where it is coming from...

[BobbyR]

You will have to provide documentation that the exhaust is bone stock. Also check the Vehicle laws and see if a decibel level is specified and in Court ask what device he used to determine you were over that limit.

[laminarflowone]

Not sure what documentation I could have, other than a picture...

The guy didn't use any equipment.  He just pulled me over and told me I was too loud and then gave me a frickin ticket.  The ticket is only 35 bucks, but its the principle of being penalized for not doing a single thing wrong that I take issue in.

[ev0lve]

You will have to provide documentation that the exhaust is bone stock. Also check the Vehicle laws and see if a decibel level is specified and in Court ask what device he used to determine you were over that limit.

Ding! Don't appeal. Contest. Make the officer show up and explain himself. If you really want to make sure - find a decibel meter somewhere and get some readings so you can shove it up his nose if he does appear.

Here's how it reads here in WA

"No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motorcycle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motorcycle not equipped as required by Sections 11.84.060 and 11.84.080 or which has been amplified as prohibited by this section so that the vehicle's exhaust noise exceeds ninety-five (95) decibels as measured by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test procedure J1169, (May, 1998). (RCW 46.37.390(3))"

[laminarflowone]

Word! I shall ask one of the Lab Health and Safety staff to borrow one of their decibel meters.  Good call.

Question though:

I just took apart the bike because there was uneven power/loss of power pulses when the RPMs dipped bellow ~6-7k. I also bought some carb cleaner with the intention of taking the carbs apart and cleaning the jets. So, when I inspected the carbs (no dismantling), they looked very clean, and the airbox was free of critters. I then put the carbs back into the bike, fixed the fairing, and put everything back together. Now the engine will turn over, but won't start.  The engine doesn't even get a little hot, so I'm thinking it might be spark plugs, but that seems weird that they should die so suddenly.  Any ideas?  It was running fine 2 hours ago...

[Alan F.]

http://nehondaguys.info/forums/index.php?topic=475.0

[laminarflowone]

http://nehondaguys.info/forums/index.php?topic=475.0

Yup, non-discriminate to law-abiding citizens my @ss.  My bike is bone stock.

For some reason, I seem to attract a disproportionate amount of police attention, and when I do get pulled over (this is the 21st time in the past 5 years) I am never breaking the law.  With my experiences with cops, I've  nearly lost all respect and no longer wonder why murderers and drug dealers are roaming free...cops would much rather pull me over to 'check up' on ME.

Ugh, now if I could only figure out why my bike won't start anymore...

[mlinder]

File a complaint. I'd take them to court for harassment, unwarranted traffic ticket, and make this stupid cops life hell for a little bit.

[Coyote13]

You said it was a Friday night right? Wanna take bets on what he was expecting? "Oh here's a drunk college kid riding a motorcycle, what an idiot. This should be too easy."

It's called profiling my friend, your exhaust had nothing to do with it. Of course, John Law will never tell you that, will he?

[laminarflowone]

Yeah, I don't want to make trouble, but it is a little ridiculous.  It was a Friday night, and I highly doubt the cop was expecting a graduate student on his way home after working all day in the labs...sigh, I am always a victim of profiling.

[zanorak]

Fight it. You don't  have bad Karma, you have an electronic signature. 25 times is not normal. They'll keep doing it until there's a little warning on your file. "Don't pull him over or he'll sue us again."

[BobbyR]

You said it was a Friday night right? Wanna take bets on what he was expecting? "Oh here's a drunk college kid riding a motorcycle, what an idiot. This should be too easy."

It's called profiling my friend, your exhaust had nothing to do with it. Of course, John Law will never tell you that, will he?

They may be experiencing a lot of problems with bikes, so they pull over bikes at will to send a message they are watching. NYC has a "Bike Squad" of Motorcycle cops that enforce the bike laws. one fellow got a ticket for having his visor up and unapproved sunglasses underneath.

In your case get the Part # of your exhaust from the maker, prove that your exhaust is same Part # and chalk it up to a mistake on the cops part. You go around filing suits, they will bang your balls till they clang.

When I was in the Academy they told us we probably will break at least 2 laws a day without knowing it, so go easy on the public unless otherwise necessary.

[laminarflowone]

I figure as much, but it really isn't fair to those of us who abide by the law.  Once again, middle-class average America gets screwed.

[ev0lve]

They may be experiencing a lot of problems with bikes, so they pull over bikes at will to send a message they are watching. NYC has a "Bike Squad" of Motorcycle cops that enforce the bike laws. one fellow got a ticket for having his visor up and unapproved sunglasses underneath.

Hmmm, the last time I got pulled over the officer ticked that off - visor up but you're wearing glasses so I won't cite you for that... He did get me for having only 1 mirror though - cbr master cylinder with no mount. Previously I haven't had any contact with the police for 10 years. Now I've chatted with 4 police officers in 4 months and gotten two tickets.

Something would seem to be "up".

[tortelvis]

he did.  He made a fuss about it because my inspection sticker expires next week...

The government always screws over honest middle-class law-abiding citizens.  Now I have to take time off from work to fight the appeal. Should I be filing a complaint against the officer?  I don't want to make any enemies, but it really is frustrating and something I wouldn't want any other person to go through.

Believe me you don't want to make an enemy of a cop! They really do stick together and his mates will make your life Hell. Just do as suggested and get decibel readings and pics of the stock exhaust showing the DOT info. He sounds like a 1st class dick! Your Ninja is louder than his HOG? Please!

[zanorak]

This angers me so I'll erase what I was writing AGAIN and not post it. Suffice it to say, having the police collect revenue rather than preventing or limiting crime is total BS. REGARDLESS of what the police say they're doing.

And I take offense at this: "we probably will break at least 2 laws a day without knowing it, so go easy on the public unless otherwise necessary." Without directing any vitriol at BobbyR - the system is BROKEN. Individual cops should not be called on to make stops like this, they should be sitting outside of the crack dealers house with a baton ! Old school and let the city council come up with their own slush fund. This is why people are starting to trust cops less. No offense to you Bobby - I'm sure you're not out writing "too loud exhaust" tickets to students riding home from lab at 3.

[BobbyR]

This angers me so I'll erase what I was writing AGAIN and not post it. Suffice it to say, having the police collect revenue rather than preventing or limiting crime is total BS. REGARDLESS of what the police say they're doing.

And I take offense at this: "we probably will break at least 2 laws a day without knowing it, so go easy on the public unless otherwise necessary." Without directing any vitriol at BobbyR - the system is BROKEN. Individual cops should not be called on to make stops like this, they should be sitting outside of the crack dealers house with a baton ! Old school and let the city council come up with their own slush fund. This is why people are starting to trust cops less. No offense to you Bobby - I'm sure you're not out writing "too loud exhaust" tickets to students riding home from lab at 3.

Well I never wrote a too loud exhaust ticket during my fairly brief career. When you are assigned traffic, you write traffic tickets. I was thinking about what is going on. When I first started riding there were a good amount of bikes, now on any weekend around here, there are a huge number of bikes. I don't know if you have noticed that many people on Bikes are not acting very well. Frankly, I see a lot of sh1theads out there now. They race through neighborhoods with kids all over the place. People have been writing to the Newspaper and complaining. The Cops have to do something.   

[zanorak]

I agree about the sh*theads. They need to be stopped and slapped upside the head.

[laminarflowone]

With every crowd, there will be lemons in the bunch...

On a different note, for some reason, I still can't get this damn bike to start up any more!!! I took apart the carbs to clean them, especially the pilot jet which was clogged to the max, and I put it back together, only to find that the bike turns over with pressure, but doesn't get warm.  The only thing I can think of remaining is that the spark plugs are fouled from my girlfriend running it with the choke open for our rides.  However, when I rode it the night I got the ticket, the bike seemed fine.  This problem seems to be coming from nowhere and I was hoping to get some fresh eyes on it...There is bound to be some guru out there with an epiphany, or so I hope...haha

Here is a crappy movie of me starting it up:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujM6fvWFdE4[/youtube]