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[SouthernXer]

I attended a C.O.C. meeting yesterday and they hit on this a little. Their biggest complaint was the citations being issued without proof (a measurement of decibels) of how noisy the pipes are and what the bench mark for too noisy is.

Another concern along the same lines was an increase in citations for not wearing a helmet. Specifically in the DFW area. Apparently if you don't have the proper amount/type of medical coverage (yes, this means you have to carry your declaration page) on your insurance and you have a non-helmeted passenger, you can be issued a citation for that person not wearing a helmet.

I don't know if their particular statistics were based on just Club member stops or motorcyclist stops in general. I guess it could be a case of a few officers just wanting to harass MC club members. There was mention of people being stopped, held for as long as 2 hours and then given a verbal warning and released so that there was no record of the stop.

There's two sides to every story.

Bill

I''d have to agree with this.  I know that the stops for not wearing a helmet up here have increased somewhat.  LE is looking for the endorsement sticker that should be on your license plate very closely now.  My suggestion is that if you are riding around without a helmet it would be wise to invest in one of those little stickers for your plate.   

I am not sure however, if they can pull you over for not wearing your helmet as a primary offense.  Maybe one of our LE's could chime in and clarify.  It's all probably just a big generator for more state dollars but it is better to be safe than sorry, I s'pose. 

[murray_61]

If you do not have the sticker, then yes, they can pull you over to check and see if you meet the requirements...  If you do have it, then they can't pull you over for you or the passenger, as the primary offense as long as the sticker is clearly visible.  I got pulled over for no helmet a few times before I was 21  (1 requirement is to be 21+)  only got a ticket once, and haven't been checked  since, I just carry my insurance card with me...

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb/helmet.htm

Do passengers have to meet the same age/insurance/training requirements as the operator?

It is presumed that operators and passengers on a motorcycle displaying a helmet exempt sticker on the license plate or plate holder meet the age/insurance/training requirements.

No helmet exempt sticker on the motorcycle? If the motorcycle owner has the state-required minimum insurance, passengers, providing they are at least 21 years of age, can ride on a motorcycle without a helmet.

Is the helmet exemption sticker required before a motorcyclist can ride without a helmet?

No. The sticker indicates that the motorcyclist meets the requirement for riding without a helmet, and law enforcement officers will presume that they do. Without the sticker motorcyclists may be requested to show police officers their proof of course completion or insurance coverage.

Does the insurance card have to state that the insurance affords benefits of at least $10,000 for injuries incurred as a result of a motorcycle accident?

No. Major health insurance plans almost always provide at least $10,000 coverage, generally more. Moreover, the Department’s administrative rules do not require the insurance card to display the amount of policy coverage. Therefore, an insurance card such as provided by an employer, group health insurance company (HMO/PPO), the Veterans Administration, Medicare or Medicaid, is prima facie proof that the coverage meets statutory requirements and is satisfactory proof of the required coverage. Insurance cards for life insurance policies, cancer only policies, or accidental death and dismemberment policies do not meet the health insurance plan requirement as they have a more narrow coverage than is required by the statute.

[BIG A]

when we went to the coloradical this year, denvers noise law had just gone into effect on july 1, luckly no one was stopped, was sure they would of made a few examples, but we lucked out, we were told that a stock vtx couldn't pass their strict noise level, it also made it so you have to buy your exhaust from the dealer, which we all know is going to be 3 times too high, sure makes it look like they are picking on motorcyclist

[X-aholic]

when we went to the coloradical this year, denvers noise law had just gone into effect on july 1, luckly no one was stopped, was sure they would of made a few examples, but we lucked out, we were told that a stock vtx couldn't pass their strict noise level, it also made it so you have to buy your exhaust from the dealer, which we all know is going to be 3 times too high, sure makes it look like they are picking on motorcyclist

what about those little asians driving around in thier civics and toyotas and the like, with thier noisy Cranberries exhaust? That is a whole lot more annoying (IMO) than any motorcycle

[hookem]

The "helmet exemption" sticker is an absolute joke.  As to it being seen by a LEO and them then presuming that you meet the requirements.......   YEAH, right.......they are a pale yellow, the size of an individually-wrapped toothpick, and we all know how many varying locations/mounts for your plate that exist.

[VT-XS]

People buy motorcycles for a lot of reasons, but I think that two of the biggest ones are so that they can dress up like pirates and so they can make a lot of noise.

That's classic. Utterly classic. Thanks for an enjoyable moment.

really should say "Cruisers" instead of motorcycles. Us Sport Touring types enjoy looking like power rangers.

On a serious note....

I think that 99 percent of the time the noise is behind you and the danger is in front.

[Swampfox]

Oh my this is a noise problem and it an't funny to the one thats got to sleep in the hills on the last house on a street with frogs and stuff on it at night.  Now stop making noise on a road at night or anythime now that it is on a stock yamaha or Get HD to stop it it's just posers any who!  Guyly manly thing.  Are you guy hEEEEEeeehhhhhee

[hooter]

Oh my this is a noise problem and it an't funny to the one thats got to sleep in the hills on the last house on a street with frogs and stuff on it at night.  Now stop making noise on a road at night or anythime now that it is on a stock yamaha or Get HD to stop it it's just posers any who!  Guyly manly thing.  Are you guy hEEEEEeeehhhhhee

Hey Swamp, I couldn't have said what ever it was you said any better I agree to what ever it was

[hookem]

Oh my this is a noise problem and it an't funny to the one thats got to sleep in the hills on the last house on a street with frogs and stuff on it at night.  Now stop making noise on a road at night or anythime now that it is on a stock yamaha or Get HD to stop it it's just posers any who!  Guyly manly thing.  Are you guy hEEEEEeeehhhhhee

HUH?? [/b]


No decoder ring needed to decipher a Swampy post?

[TAZ]

Well I know of at many times that my loud pipes kept someone from coming all the way over on me on the freeway.   I always tend to grab the clutch before letting off the gas in a case like that.  It works everytime.
Just my 2 pennies.

[wwaggett]

Well I know of at many times that my loud pipes kept someone from coming all the way over on me on the freeway.   I always tend to grab the clutch before letting off the gas in a case like that.  It works everytime.
Just my 2 pennies.

I agree. I take the freeway to work everyday and have had many close calls. I have a Stebel horn also, and It has kept a few cages from invading my space.

[hooter]

Just my $.02 worth. I run V&H and their loud. I enjoy the sound but at the sametime I try not to disturb the neighborhood as I enter and leave because being shift worker and a sometime day sleeper and I understand disturbing sounds, lawn mowers, weed eaters, Ice cream trucks, an the number 1 is them G D Brothers cars crusin around "Bassin" with all the sheet metal on the outside of their rides rattling like a bunch of tin pans on a rough road. I try to be courteous in town (I live in a small town) but on the highway, if I scare or startle someone that didn't see me then so be it. If they weren't talking on that G D cell phone or just paying attention, maybe they would have seen me before I blow out their ear drums. I ride almost 80 miles a day on I-35 and SH 67 and encounter many 18 wheelers and cagers each way and I'm always looking and trying to figure out what the other guy is thinking or where his mind might be, as we all are, or should be doing before we make the move to pass. Loud pipes don't work on vehicles in front of you, only your judgement can decide if your spoted or not.
 There's a post here on the board about the noise level laws in Denver from Big A that rode the Coloradical, and they were real worried about getting stopped for the noise law. If you don't abuse the noise level by being a show off or being kinda stupid, then the law won't mess with ya (hopefully). It's, if they pass a law here on excessive noise then I'm sure it will be kinda like the speed limits. You know that 71 or 72 in a 65. you generally won't get you stopped but------.  If your racking your pipes or excessive excelleration to make them bitches talk, then they'll get ya. I don't like it either, but we all know it will probably come to pass someday.

[X-aholic]

well said hooter. Very articulate, I didnt think you had it in ya

[hooter]

Spell check helps 

[VT-XS]

A freeway riding tip I'm sure that most, if not all, of you all already know......

On a crowded and briskly moving freeway, I feel kinda like a pinball when I'm riding a bike, and noise wise, I ride a sewing machine.

I ride all the way to the inside lane, hug the inside stripe and go slightly faster than the flow of traffic. This means that traffic can only come at me from the right. If a car starts to cross into my lane and there's time I accelerate to get out where the TarterSauce can see me. In a worst case scenario I'll ride the stripe and share the lane with the intruder or use the emergency lane for an escape if there is one. When there is an HOV lane with a concrete barrier, those options diminish.

I stay out of the outside lanes as much as possible, particularly at exits because that is where the morons think their world will end if they miss their exit. Imagine the frantic housewife saying to the LEO:

"OMG! I thought I was gonna miss my exit and I was late to pick little Johnny from pre school."

"But Mam, you ran over and killed a motorcyclist."

"OMG! I'm so sorry, but what about Little Johnny. I was late."

Ask Hipshot, those people exist. Anyways, I read that early on when I bought the VTX, if anything there helps anyone else, that's a good thing.