Loud exhausts and other hot-button issues
Politics
Excessive noise has long been a problem for motorcyclists, and as time goes on it seems sportbikes are coming more and more under scrutiny for this issue. While there are federal laws that limit the amount of sound a motorcycle can produce, the intricacies of the written law and the complexities of the associated testing make it almost impossible to properly enforce those laws. Municipalities and states often force the issue and take it upon themselves to reduce noise; unfortunately, rather than address the issue directly, they use indirect methods that often end up targeting law-abiding motorcyclists. In Boston and Denver, local police enforce the federal ruling that motorcycles made after 1982 are required to have their EPA compliance stamp intact on the exhaust system, with a $300 fine as punishment. The problem with some of these laws is that the noise limits are not directly addressed; well-intentioned, law-abiding motorcyclists are often unfairly targeted as a result. If the pipes rust through on your 1983 Interceptor it's highly unlikely you'll be able to find an OEM exhaust anymore. Replace them with a quiet aftermarket alternative, and you're still open to a citation in Boston or Denver.
Photo Gallery: Late Braking: Loud Motorcycle Exhausts - Sport Rider Magazine
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