If you live in a state or county where you have to have emissions inspections done on your vehicle yearly you probably won't pass with an after market pipe. Also a lot of towns are now coming up with noise ordinances and pulling a lot of bikes over for loud exhaust. I've got a couple friends who've been ticket in certain towns here in Florida.
There are none of the 50 States doing true emission testing on bikes (exhaust gas probe and dyno run like on cars) Some States (like here in NY where I am a NYS vehicle inspector for cars and bikes) ask the inspector to "check" that all emission devices are in place and not tampered with but currently that is as far as emission testing goes for bikes.
So, I guess if you find that 100% by the book inspector, he might catch the exhaust not having the EPA numbers on it. However, being in most States the inspections are done by private shops, many of them dealers who also make their living selling you aftermarket parts. I don't think it will be as big issue as one would fear. It's kind of like "who is watching the watchers" in this case.
Yes, I too have seen many more towns around the country trying to clamp down on the noise issue. However, I know of nobody with any Spyder with ANY aftermarket pipe getting a loud exhaust ticket so far?
The Spyder with even the loudest system (which the twin can Two Bro's carbon fiber we just put on our new SE5 has got to be near the top for noise) does not even come to close to the countless Harley's that have straight pipes on them. Remember all the countless choppers that were all the craze awhile ago? Almost all of these "customs" had total open systems on them, and where everywhere you looked. Even all of these guy never got puilled over for noise ether.
However these bikes in the hands of a few guys doing the endless red light revs and burnouts have as they say 'ruined it bit for everybody" with towns now starting to have a more "watchful eye" on this topic for sure.
I was just in Myrtle Beach that now has the toughest noise laws in America with an 88db max level at idle. Their law says bikes that don't meet it,or bikes that don't have the EPA numbers stamped on the cans or even ones that do but have had the stock can modified can be towed and impounded until you can "remove the vehicle from city limits without driving it in it's present condition" That means show up with a truck or trailer or the stock system in your hand to put on right there.
All of that said, in this city my Spyder with my Micron did not even get a second look for being loud, and I rode by countless cops many doing traffic control standing in the road.
The bottom line is like everything else in this world, ride "normal" within reason and you'll never usually have a problem. Ride like a jerk and sooner or later they will find you. Due burnouts or constant red light engine revs and I'm sure it won't be too long before you get pulled over.
But with HD having, and have had for years over 60% of bike market in America. With almost every HD having the exhaust changed as the first thing a new owner does so it "sounds like a Harley." (now I have not heard every brand but we handle many) almost all of the Spyder systems I have heard are not anywhere as loud as most aftermarket HD systems. So the Spyder will hardly stand out in the crowd when it comes to loud pipes.
Yes, there are technically some laws on the books that would not want you changing your systems. However, these have been around for years and are nothing new.
Yes, some towns are getting a bit tougher on noise too. But again, most people who have "normal" riding styles won't ever have a problem there. But, of course there is always the rouge cop with an axe to grind so that would be the wild card here. But for the most part police have much bigger issues to tend to than to stop you to see if you have EPA numbers on your exhaust unless your being an a$khole.
So, I not saying to run straight pipes on your Spyder by any means!
But the
"sky is hardly falling" for those of you like me who wanted to change your exhaust within reason to add to your enjoyment of your new bike.
I know Lamonster has over 25K on his Spyder all over America, at first a Micron and now a Yoshi system. He has never got stopped once for noise or even had the cop who gave him a ticket in Deals Gap for speeding even say anything about noise to him. :thumbup:
MM