Mods in California - Is Johnny law gonna care?

Cali X & R owners- Has law enforcement caused you grief with your modified bike? Especially those of you with aftermarket exhaust/etc. I'm concerned because a ranger gave me a ticket a year ago for my Honda 450X that had the smog eliminator kit on it while I was riding on public land. Now I am a little shy to make mods...

Anti Cali posse insert derogatory comments in 3.... 2.... 1.....

>"gave me a ticket a year ago for my Honda 450X that had the smog eliminator kit "

Or was it for no spark arrestor?

TwilightZone wrote:

>"gave me a ticket a year ago for my Honda 450X that had the smog eliminator kit "

Or was it for no spark arrestor?

Nope. Stock exhaust. The guy went right for the motor and immediately spotted the eliminator kit. It was in NorCal at Carnegie. I'm not sure if I "got lucky" or if I should expect this crap on my WR too.

It's just the rangers at Carnegie, anywhere else 99% of the time they will not look at the bike. I never had a problem at Hollister or medcalf.

motocrossmann wrote:

Anti Cali posse insert derogatory comments in 3.... 2.... 1.....

Not at all. If some people didn't volunteer to live there, then we would be left with an empty hole in that part of the country.

In fact, I think a call to arms should be issued to all Californians who have spilled over into Montana and they should be encouraged to return to the Motherland.

I've heard over and over again that California will start doing smog checks on the newest machines soon, but so far I haven't seen evidence of it.

Jäger wrote:

motocrossmann wrote:

Anti Cali posse insert derogatory comments in 3.... 2.... 1.....

Not at all. If some people didn't volunteer to live there, then we would be left with an empty hole in that part of the country.

In fact, I think a call to arms should be issued to all Californians who have spilled over into Montana and they should be encouraged to return to the Motherland.

And anywhere else they've tried to export their commie views.

We are not all like that! The great Hank Williams Jr said it best when he said "We are from North California and South Alabam, and little towns from all around this land." We don't all think like the idiots down in SF and LA. Come to my neck of the woods and you would be hard pressed to find much of a difference than if you were in somewhere like Montana.

In Eureka?!?

You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that's even remotely California-ish up there. More Seattle like than anything... :)

Eureka is the biggest city, and it is the county seat. Humboldt County is as large as some states and has a great deal of very remote wilderness. There is a lot of very liberal progressive type people that live in Eureka and Arcata city limits I will give you that, but there is also a great number of us red neck back woods type folks up here too that don't see things the way they do. I get really tired of people lumping people from California in a group with those from the more populated areas of the state. Most of the people that don't live in the cities don't think the same as those who do. That's just my two cents though.

Hahaha!

I love it up there. What I wouldn't give for a few weeks with just me and my WR in that general area.

There is some amazing riding up here... if your ever in the area let me know I would be happy to take you on some good rides.

Oh man, be careful, I will truck my ass up there and take you up on it.

Likewise, if anyone here wants to know the best trails around Los Angeles and San Diego, let me know...

Well I might take you up on that too. My mother-in-law lives in Pauma Valley and we go down every year in June to visit. I have always wanted to take my bike with me but I don't like to ride alone in places where I've never been and don't know. I've heard there is some good riding not far from her house and the Pala Raceway track is only about 10 minutes from her house but I'm not really into track riding. I like to take in the scenery.

Well, I know everything down here back and forth, and I ride slow and scenic.
Email me when you're ready: gus@chyba.net

Sounds good to me.

NorCalWR wrote:

We are not all like that!

Amen. I came out here because i needed work. The hippies in Berkeley can suck my a$s. So can the road cyclists who think they own the roads out here.

GusinCA wrote:

I ride slow and scenic.

Your avatar says different.

Haha!

Yes, that was a rock that was just too perfect not to jump off of. You know, perfect line, angle, landing area... :)

99% of the time I ride 13 mph or less. I like the tight, technical stuff rather than the open high speed stuff.

motocrossmann wrote:

Cali X & R owners- Has law enforcement caused you grief with your modified bike? Especially those of you with aftermarket exhaust/etc. I'm concerned because a ranger gave me a ticket a year ago for my Honda 450X that had the smog eliminator kit on it while I was riding on public land. Now I am a little shy to make mods...

Anti Cali posse insert derogatory comments in 3.... 2.... 1.....

So....what part of the motor vehicle code did Ranger Dick quote on the ticket?

As for me, local PoPo treat me and my WRR like a UFO. They saw something, but they weren't sure what it was. If they have time they'll chase it down and check it out. If not, they just move on....

-SM

sock monkey wrote:

motocrossmann wrote:

Cali X & R owners- Has law enforcement caused you grief with your modified bike? Especially those of you with aftermarket exhaust/etc. I'm concerned because a ranger gave me a ticket a year ago for my Honda 450X that had the smog eliminator kit on it while I was riding on public land. Now I am a little shy to make mods...

Anti Cali posse insert derogatory comments in 3.... 2.... 1.....

So....what part of the motor vehicle code did Ranger Dick quote on the ticket?

As for me, local PoPo treat me and my WRR like a UFO. They saw something, but they weren't sure what it was. If they have time they'll chase it down and check it out. If not, they just move on....

-SM

Are you running an aftermarket exhaust? Right now I'm thinking just going big bore with PCV and leaving everything stock, but I know a decent can would really help open things up.

motocrossmann wrote:

Are you running an aftermarket exhaust? Right now I'm thinking just going big bore with PCV and leaving everything stock, but I know a decent can would really help open things up.

I'm running w/ the FMF Powerbomb + Q4, all the EXUP/AIS crap gone, top of airbox mostly gone (so no flapper, snorkel, blah blah blah), evap canister gone, and FMF PowerProgrammer at 2,2,1.5,8,4,4. The bike rips in the mid/upper revs now, where it used to really wheeze....but that's just a bonus as I wasn't really looking for more power, just less crap to go wrong and have to fix out in BFE. There were hoses and servos and junk everywhere on the bike. Now it just sucks, bangs, and blows....just like a motor should.

-SM

P.S. Just to be clear, the mods listed above essentially make my bike a closed course, competition only bike. It's not legal to ride anywhere else (not even on public roads, even though it came from the manufacturer with a plate). The good news is most cops couldn't care less about the f'd up vehicle code and focus on a few bits of it like noise. If you ride like a sane person and don't go roosting through your neighbor's front yard, you should be fine. Where/when we'll be truly screwed is if the tree-huggers get their wish and motorcycles have to start passing emission testing like cars......

* posts to follow thread *

I'm listening... Will F/U on comments.