hello,

as the title says i have a calif smogged trike. i plan on having the stage one, download and SE slip on pipes installed. before i spend the cash for the stage one what can i expect from this set up? Im leaving the cat for the time being. this state is crazy enough and may start the smog on bikes.

will i notice anymore hq and tq with the stage one and cat still on the bike?

thanks,
david
socal

 

I can't remember what you are riding David.... 2009, 2010... TG or other

 

David, I'm with you. I don't want to change anything just yet, but have my eye very closely on the FuelMoto headpipe. Depending on how "stock" it looks, I may do that. The Legislature ALMOST passed a bill into law to start smog checking motorcycles begining with 2000s. I scanned through the bill, and what scared me the most was all the ways one could be caught not complying. 1) Biennial smog check, 2) Visual any time, 3) Noise complaint, 4) Remote smog sensing equipment, 5) Random/mobile smog testing. The bill even gave L.E.O.'s the ability to ticket on visual. I assume they had to have some other reason before. Anyway, the author of the bill pulled it late last month.

But I fully expect the same Assemblywoman to re-introduce it after she finds a better angle. What drove her to introduce it probably wasn't for love of clean air. I'd lay a big bet down that it was because she probably couldn't hear someone on her cell phone and/or she realized that A LOT of money could be made for the State by adding several million motorcycles to the smog check process.

I 'spose stock mufflers and air cleaners are going to be like gold here when a bill does finally get approved.

 

Just do it. If this ever passes it will be a while until it does. Then all you have to do is replace you pipes and take of fyour power commander for the inspection. Put it back on when you pass the smog test.

 

It would be my luck Tom that I'd get caught right after putting them back on then get rearended while in jail.

I've have all of my pull off's here and spares. It will be coming to all states soon enough.

Oh, btw, I got my extensions on.. they're great.. thanks.

 

HG,

Definitely my plan if I go that way. My motivation is to combat the heat. The CAT in itself isn't really hurting the bike that much, except the excessive heat its producing. My Rocket III has a cat, but it's behind the motor and just in front of the rear tire. It produces serious stupid heat too.

The reason why I hope it looks very stock is so I don't have to worry about the dealer ratting me out when they work on the bike. They are really cool, but you never know.

Steve

 

HD74,

You may be correct about California passing a law requiring motorcycles to be smog tested! I just finished reading a reprint of an article by John Johnson Jr. that appeared in the L.A Times. The article addressed a Bill that State Sen. Fran Pavley introduced that would give police the authority to set up random check points to inspect pollution control equipment on motorcycles.

The article states: “while Pavley’s Bill presents itself as an air-quality measure, the Bill would snare a lot of the loudest bikers because they tend to remove the catalytic converters to up the decibel level”.

The article was extremely bias against motorcycles in general and especially loud ones. It seems that Mr. Johnson does not have a high regard for the people that ride motorcycles either; he states: “Pavley’s Bill might work, if it’s ever passed. It seems the illegal motorcycle mob isn’t so anti-establishment that they disdain the legislative process. Their lobbyists have been rumbling up and down the halls of Sacramento, California’s capital, trying to put the brakes on Pavely’s Bill”.

As a rule, I could care less what goes on in “Kal-i-forn-ya” but often some of their crazy laws tend to drift east and that concerns me!

 

that's up to you. Glad you like the extensions. They work great on the Tri-glides. that is for sure.

 

Jim, ain't that the problem though? Some of the stupidest crap for law starts here. Always good to casually watch what happens here, if not for entertainment purposes, to see what's on the horizon.
Steve

 

Look on the HD website, the stage 1 upgrades you mentioned are California legal. At least some of them. How much do you get? some, don't remember how much though. It has been called the cheapest, most bang for the buck, upgrade you can do.

P.S. There was a thread a month or so ago from a dyno tuner that had done a before and after catalytic removal test. There was less than 1 HP difference. Sorry, don't remember the exact bike or its configuration.