We have had two bikes inspected by CHP one because it was an out-of-state with over 7500 miles and one for salvage title. Both times they didn't care about anything else except numbers matching and if the lights and horn worked. It really did take about 5 minutes for the entire inspection. They didn't ask us to start the bikes. Do they really check decibel levels in Santa Clara county?

 

I brought my 'o4 sig bike into California without a hitch in 2011(with 15k mi). History originally titled in AZ, but bought in Oregon, apparently for tax savings. I knew I'd have to get an inspection, so made an appointment w/dmv who made a second appt with chp.
Be prepared, officer had a printout with "all the hidden numbers", not just engine and frame. I believe there were 11 places/parts with s/n. Took about 1/2 hr to do the fine tooth comb. I looked at a couple other bikes in AZ prior to settling on this one and most had mis-matched numbers and I immediately ruled them out.
I'd recommend checking the frame, engine, trans and (I believe) forks at a minimum for the numbers.
I did not get grief for exhaust or intake changes made by the p.o., BUT be prepared if the bike is a new (er than 1/1/13) model, has less than 75oo mi or is a pieced together salvage, custom build or of questionable history.

 

Santa Clara Couty/San Jose CHP can be a real PITA. Had a bike from out of state that got referred to CHP from DMV. They had me start it up to ensure it was running and actually inspected the exhaust looking for the part number on the mufflers to make sure it was not modified from stock.

Once I got the clearance the first thing that came off was the stock exhaust. Kept the originals... just in case.

 

I am just outside of Sacramento in Placer County about 30 miles from CHP Headquarters on Richards Blvd. The only reason a Vehicle Verifier will refer to CHP is if there are questionable numbers, numbers ground down, non matching engine numbers etc. They are not going to do it just because they feel like it. If I was a Verifier I might do it if the customer was acting like as *** but I would still need a reason. All DMV Investigators are Peace Officers and Certified Verifiers. Offices that have investigative staff will use them if there is a question.

We're talking about the initial registration process here which by law only requires odometer and number verification to make sure the vehicle / engine is not stolen. The same rules apply to cars with the exception that a car has to have a smog inspection, a bike doesn't.

If you are simply buying a used bike with over 7,500 miles, the process is seamless. Montana doesn't even put engine numbers on the title so they didn't have anything to go by when they inspected mine. I read them to the DMV Clerk / Verifier and he wrote them down so he could put them on the title. After I wrote them the big check for the sales tax ( the worst part of the experience) he gave me my plates and stickers.

I can't even look at my bike and tell the cat is missing and neither could anyone else without pulling heat shields or mufflers.. They're damn well not going to pull a seat and look for a programmer and they don't have the equipment to check for an illegal download and wouldn't know how to do it if they did.

It's possible that since CHP officers get sent to the Bay Area or Riverside County right out of the academy you have a bunch of newbies there but I'm telling you in the Sacramento area, they just don't care. I give them less credit than they deserve because I know a lot of them and they're a bunch of lazy asses.

 

That's odd since since there in no law against aftermarket pipes on pre-2013 bikes. 2013 and newer aftermarket pipes need an EPA stamp.

On pre 2013 bikes, pipes that exceed the DB levels stated below can be cited. Those are the federally mandated numbers.

27201. For the purposes of Section 27200, the noise limit of 92 dbA
shall apply to any motorcycle manufactured before 1970.



27202. For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise
limits shall apply to any motorcycle, other than a motor-driven
cycle, manufactured:

(1) After 1969, and before 1973 ...... 88 dbA
(2) After 1972, and before 1975 ...... 86 dbA
(3) After 1974, and before 1986 ...... 83 dbA
(4) After 1985 ....................... 80 dbA

 

Dribble..glad it works that way in Sac County. You might be right on the 'newbie' thingt because most look pretty young. Heck we have what is referred to as the Wolf Pack here. Group of 5 CHP officers on bikes that work the major highways on any given day (seems to be random far as I can tell) and goes after anything/everything they can. You literally will ses cars and bikes stopped along a two to five mile stretch of road.

 

The fallback provision…

27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.

 

27150 just says that you need a muffler. It's and old statute that has been superseded with more specific rules. Those guys that you're talking about need to go after the motor officers from the Oakland PD and start citing them.


http://motorcycles.about.com/b/2008/...loud-pipes.htm

 

Might be worth while to go out of county to register out of state vehicles then. Just the lines alone would keep me away.

 

Yeah, odd about Santa Clara and San Jose CHP issue.
The bike I imported from WA state clearly had aftermarket Termignoni exhaust pipes, and the DMV verifier could not care less.
Only things he cared about, was the VIN, engine serial number, and the PITA emission sticker under the tank.