http://capwiz.com/amacycle/issues/alert/?alertid=12937506&queueid=3064596916 American Motorcyclist Association
Oppose Senate Bill 435
Information Alert Tell the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee to Oppose
SB 435
Take Action!
Bill Would Mandate Smog Testing for On-Road Motorcycles Statewide
California Senate Bill 435 (Pavley, District 23, D) is currently awaiting a
hearing in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. If adopted as
written it would mandate all model year 2000 and newer motorcycles be smog
tested biannually. The smog test would be required despite the lack of any
evidence that motorcycles are a significant source of emissions statewide.
The only two counties to ever smog test motorcycles nationwide, Pima and
Maricopa in Arizona, have already shown that motorcycle testing leads to no
significant reduction in measured emissions levels. Pima County has already
dropped their testing program and Maricopa is awaiting EPA’s approval to do the
same.
Other important points to consider include:
Motorcycles, because of their relatively low yearly mileage totals when
compared to other classes of vehicles, already have the lowest emissions of any
motor vehicle category in California.
This bill has no specific information regarding the test method to be used,
emissions levels to be enforced or the test’s potential costs to either the
state or the individual owners.
The deadline proposed for creating a testing procedure is slated for July 1,
2011 in the bill, and this is simply too close to the proposed test
implementation date of January 1, 2012.
California’s motorcycle engine emission standards are already the strictest in
the nation, and were just reduced again for model year 2008 and newer
motorcycles.
If a smog check program is implemented, motorcycles constructed prior to the
implementation date should be exempted from the testing.
