USA / West Coast Akrapovic on my V4 - too loud for CA cops?

SJS

SJS

Joined Jan 2019
65 Posts | 12+
SFO
So I'm curious... if I opt to add the full Akrapovic pipes to my V4 Speciale... will the noise cause me a lot of unwanted attention from cops? Assuming I don't sit at traffic lights and rev the motor unnecessarily? Anyone have experience with CA and how loud pipes (with a muffler) are handled?


Thanks
 
According to CA laws you can’t modify or change exhaust. It used to be a fix it ticket but is now a $1K fine. It has been against the law for some time but the fine just started on 1/1/19. I have a Speciale with full system and spoke to a local PD a few months back. He said in most cases they won’t stop you for the exhaust but if they do depending on the riders attitude they may write the ticket. I hope that helps. Also note most shops won’t install even if it is a dedicated track bike.
 
Just spoke to a cop.. so apparently the law limits bike to 80decibel and cars to 95 which he even agrees is lame. I wonder how loud these pipes are on the V4?
 
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What I don't get is how California law can limit a motorcycle to 80db when surely even the stock V4 is louder than that? Or am I missing something here?
 
It's a ducati superbike. Stock or modified. It's unnecessarily loud. Long as you're not actin a tool, almost no cop will give you a ticket. They might pull you over to kiss your ... and drool over the bike but that's it. If you can drop 40k on a sportbike, you can afford the risk of a possible 1k fine. The sound itself is worth the risk!! It's intoxicating on a twin. I can only imagine how great it is on the v4 also. California laws don't make any sense. Trying to understand any of it is nothing but a waste of time. Those laws probably haven't been updated since the dinosaur age. Some shops take the risk of a fine by willing to install exhausts, remove charcoal canisters, etc. And others are by the book and won't risk it. Most luxury car and motorcycle owners don't get fined. Those owners aren't the target for most cops. They usually fine the fart can exhausts on cars and sportbike riders who rev for no reason.
 
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double0 said:
It's a ducati superbike. Stock or modified. It's unnecessarily loud. Long as you're not actin a tool, almost no cop will give you a ticket. They might pull you over to kiss your ... and drool over the bike but that's it. If you can drop 40k on a sportbike, you can afford the risk of a possible 1k fine. The sound itself is worth the risk!! It's intoxicating on a twin. I can only imagine how great it is on the v4 also. California laws don't make any sense. Trying to understand any of it is nothing but a waste of time. Those laws probably haven't been updated since the dinosaur age. Some shops take the risk of a fine by willing to install exhausts, remove charcoal canisters, etc. And others are by the book and won't risk it. Most luxury car and motorcycle owners don't get fined. Those owners aren't the target for most cops. They usually fine the fart can exhausts on cars and sportbike riders who rev for no reason.
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Thanks, I sort of expect what you say is true.... I've never been that annoying guy who revs at a stop light, or does other duchy type behavior... I'm pushing 50 for pete's sake.. I wish it was $40K.. with CA usury level sales taxes, and other options, plus the cost to install the Akrapovic system.. I'm over $47k in the hole... If it were just a matter of a $1K fine, that would not be the end of the world.... it's the idea of having to go to a referee station and pass a sound test that scares me, as I would then be forced to pay the dealer $2500 again to put back the old stock pipes to pass.... then rinse and repeat to get the Akra's back on... This is the root of my anxiety.
 
The stock cans wouldn't pass either. So you'll be screwed either way. If i remember correctly, the stocks are over 100db.
 
Well, after talking to my dealer, I though it might help figure buyers to get what they told me...

The Akrapovic system while maybe louder than the 80db limit is in fact a fully legal exhaust system in terms of DOT / EPA / California emissions... That alone makes the risk of the noise worth it for me to get the 226hp.. I went ahead and had the dealer install them, they'll be ready soon.
 
The real question about the dB law is: at what RPM of the engine is the dB reading taken? Obviously if its at Idle then almost everything will pass, also, almost everything will fail if it's at 11K RPM.
 
SJS said:
Just spoke to a cop.. so apparently the law limits bike to 80decibel and cars to 95 which he even agrees is lame. I wonder how loud these pipes are on the V4?
Click to expand...

its pretty loud a friend has the akra system on his bike. it sounds amazing but its not like a annoying straight piped r6 you should be fine he hasn't had any issues and he doesn't even run plates on his bike. just be smart and keep your eyes open when u get on it :D:D
 
Officers are not equipped with calibrated decibel meters. Unless you recklessly blast by CHP at WOT and they are convinced the exhaust is without a doubt excessively loud, you should be fine. Even then, a decibel reading will not have been recorded and can be argued in court. Respect the officer.
 
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^^^ that is the correct answer. I recently replated a 1299 for CA. They looked for the stickers and I never had to start it up.

There is no way a cop issues a ticket for the sound of your bike unless you've already been stopped for speeding and are being a ..... They will get out the book for that.

Feather your clutch when going though pedestrian areas, you'll be fine otherwise.
 

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