California emission question

[markmartin]

A good friend of mine is moving to California from Maine and is planning on bringing his bike (Gold Wing) with him.  Question: Should he expect any problems at registration time?  Will he be made to have his bike conform to California emission standards?  It's a 2006 model if it matters. 

Thanks,

Mark M

[FJmonkey]

I doubt it, bikes are not subject to SMOG testing in CA at the moment.....

[markmartin]

Thanks Mark.

[fintip]

Did they used to be? Why would manufacturers make California models of their bikes with separate emissions systems?

[FJmonkey]

To sell them... Regulating them coming in would chase the tax payers away....

[Dan Filetti]

California is, in and of itself, the world's 6th or 7th  (depending on whom and when you ask) largest economy.  If they throw their liberal toys out of the pram and institute tough emissions regulations manufacturers have been willing in the past to make Kalifornication-specific models.  As far as I know these 'modifications' made for universally slower/ heavier/ less fun machines than their non-Kalifornication-specific models.  Crap like charcoal canister filters and heavier/ more restrictive exhausts were the order of the day.

I called the chaps at Power Commander to ask them for a copy of the base maps for my GSXR -so I could compare what had been done to my bike on the dyno (quite a bit by the way...)  and they COULD NOT email me the maps they had right there, because they were in, you guessed it, the "People's Republic of Kalifornia" and they would "get in trouble" -their words.  Amazingly, they did have a buddy out of state that DID have the maps, who WAS able to email them to me.  The silly hoops that bloated/ bankrupt state makes people and manufacturers go through are sometimes, ridiculous. 

Dan

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

I was born and raised in LA County. As a kid there were frequent "smog alerts" in the San Gabriel valley, where I live. Experienced burning eyes, chest pains and could not see the mountains that I lived only a few miles away from. I don't like smog preventive devices on my vehicles (like I really need the few extra horses), nor the extra BS  we have to comply with at work for the air quality tsars. But I also appreciate that even though we have many times more vehicles, and businesses in LA, the air is cleaner, smog alerts are no more and aside from over cast days, I see the mountains.I remind myself of those smoggy days when its time for my smog check. I'm sure I will take little flogging now, but that can't change my experience.

[FJmonkey]

I was born and raised in LA County. As a kid there were frequent "smog alerts" in the San Gabriel valley, where I live. Experienced burning eyes, chest pains and could not see the mountains that I lived only a few miles away from. I don't like smog preventive devices on my vehicles (like I really need the few extra horses), nor the extra BS  we have to comply with at work for the air quality tsars. But I also appreciate that even though we have many times more vehicles, and businesses in LA, the air is cleaner, smog alerts are no more and aside from over cast days, I see the mountains.I remind myself of those smoggy days when its time for my smog check. I'm sure I will take little flogging now, but that can't change my experience.

Here is your flogging Mike...

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

[/quote]

Here is your flogging Mike...
[/quote]

yes, oh yes, more please, harder

[Arnie]

Just back from 3 week holiday in China. 
You would NOT want the (lack of) air quality they have in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, or many other of their cities.  Visibility of about 1/2 mile (my estimate) on a "clear" day.
I haven't smoked in 23years, but my 'smoker's cough' sounded like I was back to 2 packs a day.

Interestingly, Chairman Xi has just announced that they must take account of environmental factors in all future developments.  We'll see how that works.

They do have a large number of electric cars and especially scooters there, as well as 'normal' cars.
The electric scooters are a real worry as they are silent and for some reason don't seem to use their lights.

Glad to be back where the air is clean enough to breathe.

Arnie

[Harvy]

Welcome home Arnie!

[Dan Filetti]

Just back from 3 week holiday in China. 
You would NOT want the (lack of) air quality they have in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, or many other of their cities.  Visibility of about 1/2 mile (my estimate) on a "clear" day.
I haven't smoked in 23years, but my 'smoker's cough' sounded like I was back to 2 packs a day.

Interestingly, Chairman Xi has just announced that they must take account of environmental factors in all future developments.  We'll see how that works.

They do have a large number of electric cars and especially scooters there, as well as 'normal' cars.
The electric scooters are a real worry as they are silent and for some reason don't seem to use their lights.

Glad to be back where the air is clean enough to breathe.

Arnie

Arnie-

I spent a month in China last summer, all of the cities you mentioned, plus, Wuxi, Yixing, Suzhou, Nanjing Dalian, and Hong Kong,Taipei and then Tokyo, and points in Singapore. 

The islands air was pretty clean, and some of the inner-continental cities were not too bad, but to your point, Shanghai and Beijing were incredibly bad in terms of air quality.  Although, truth be told, I loved the race from the lights of 200+ 2 stroke scooters all at once every one of them at WOT.  Always entertaining.

Fond memories....

Dan