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Fact Vs Fiction: New York Exhaust Noise Legislation

By General Posts

Support SEMA Action Network, visit https://www.semasan.com/

SEMA’s Government Affairs staff have been successful thus far in killing or amending many onerous proposals before they become law

In 2021, New York enacted a bill into law–the SLEEP Act–that aims to crack down on excessively loud vehicles. The law goes into effect on April 1, 2022. Unfortunately, vague local news reporting has created confusion amongst enthusiasts about what the law will actually do. The SEMA Action Network (SAN) is here to set the record straight.

NOTE: The contents of this article focus on the impact of the new law on light-duty cars and trucks, not motorcycles.

Background:
Since 2021, over a dozen states, including New York, have introduced bills aiming to curb the amount of noise emitted from a vehicle’s muffler. While no two state’s means of achieving this goal have been identical, they all have one thing in common: they were requested by constituents upset by loud vehicles in their community. Why? For many workers across the country, the pandemic meant an unexpected shift to remote work. As a result, people became far more aware of their surroundings, and the noises that come with them, especially from cars and trucks. Fortunately for enthusiasts, SEMA’s Government Affairs staff have been successful thus far in killing or amending many onerous proposals before they become law.

So, what about in New York?

Claim: A new bill in New York will ban exhaust modifications

Rating: Fiction
In January 2021, lawmakers in New York introduced a pair of bills (S. 784 and A. 471) seeking to curb loud cars and trucks. The bills were amended several times prior to passage and were approved by Governor Kathy Hochul in late October. Importantly, the proposal did not change the state’s existing exhaust noise laws, which require every motor vehicle to be equipped with a muffler in working condition and prohibits the installation of bypasses, cutouts, or similar devices. Comparable language is universally used by states across the country and is designed to prevent motorists from deleting their muffler and/or catalytic converter.

So, what does the new law change? Put simply, it allows for larger fines for those breaking existing law pertaining to the use of cut-outs, bypasses or similar devices. Prior to enactment, New York had one of the lowest exhaust noise fines in the country. This law allows larger fines to be issued (capped at $1,000) if the situation warrants.

Claim: New York’s new exhaust noise bill creates a 60-decibel muffler limit

Rating: Fiction
As mentioned above, S. 784 and A. 471 do not change New York’s underlying exhaust noise laws, it simply gives the legal system more discretion to enforce against bad actors. However, the initial versions of the bill were quite different from the final product, and some in the automotive media have used early versions of the bill as their reference when reporting on the proposal.

So, what sort of differences are we talking about? As initially drafted, cars and trucks would have been limited to 60-decibels of exhaust noise, subject to a flat $1,000 fine, and police cars would have been equipped with sound meters to help enforce the law. None of these proposals made it into the final version of the bill. The decibel limit was removed as it would have rendered practically every car on the road illegal, the universal fine was changed to a cap, and the sound meters were scrapped as well.

Claim: A letter sent to retailers and vehicle inspectors states that all exhaust modifications are illegal.

Rating: Fiction
In advance of the SLEEP Act going into effect on April 1, 2022, a letter signed by the DMV Commissioner was sent to automotive retailers and vehicle inspectors in the state notifying them of the law change. The letters are misleading and make overly broad statements about what the new law does. As it relates to cars and trucks, the SLEEP Act added one new section to the law on which the state may begin to enforce starting April 1–VTL 375 (31)(b)–which states that a “cutout, bypass, or similar device” may not be used to increase a vehicle’s muffler noise. As stated above, these parts were already illegal for street use across the country and in New York. SEMA is actively working with the DMV to clarify this guidance.

Claim: A car or truck with modified exhaust will now automatically fail inspection in New York.

Rating: Fiction
According to the state’s DMV, their vehicle inspection procedures have not changed as a result of the new law. Inspectors are not equipped with decibel readers and do not perform sound checks on vehicles. To learn more about the inspection process for cars and trucks, please click here.

Claim: The phrase “cut-out, bypass, or similar device” could be interpreted as meaning any aftermarket device.

Rating: Fiction
The use of “cut-outs, bypasses, or similar devices” is universally illegal in the United States regardless of whether or not they make a vehicle louder. For most states, comparable language explicitly banning these devices has been on the books for over 60 years, including in New York. While no state has explicitly defined the phrase, a definition can be found in the United States Code of Federal Regulations and in municipal ordinances across the country. In each instance, the definition is substantively similar to that of the federal government’s: “Cutout or by-pass or similar devices means devices which vary the exhaust system gas flow so as to discharge the exhaust gas and acoustic energy to the atmosphere without passing through the entire length of the exhaust system, including all exhaust system sound attenuation components.”

Questions? Please contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org

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St. Paddy’s Thursday Night at Irwindale Dragstrip

By General Posts

THIS THURSDAY NIGHT

Kick the St. Paddy’s Night Off at Irwindale Dragstrip!! Gates Open at 4pm with Drag Racing from 5pm to 10pm and Burnout Box from 6pm to 10pm!!

From street legal to full blown race vehicles, bring out your car or bike and spend your Thursday at Irwindale Dragstrip and Burnout Box!!

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Competitor Tech Card – Thursday, March 17th
Drag Race Competitor Tech Card for Thursday, March 17th
$40.00

Spectator Admission – Thursday, March 17th
Spectator Pass is for Thursday, March 17th – Entry for One Adult (13 years and over).
-Burnout Box Participation is Free with paid Spectator Admission, just need to sign waiver and receive wristband at the box. -Crew Access (Starting Line / Staging Lanes) is Free with paid Spectator Admission, just need to sign waiver and receive wristband at Tech/Registration.
$20.00

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Honda RC213V-S Breaks Auction World Record

By General Posts

An as-new example of Honda’s RC213V-S has just broken a new world record, becoming the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction.

Hosted by specialist automotive marketplace Collecting Cars, the ‘MotoGP bike for the road’ sold for a remarkable total sales price of £182,500.

The rare superbike has never been ridden and remains in its original flight case, with just one mile on the odometer. Having never left its shipping crate, the bike is totally pristine with absolutely no damage or wear.

Created with a focus on light weight and agility, the RC213V-S is a road-legal MotoGP bike, built around a hand-fabricated aluminium frame with carbon-fibre body panels and titanium fasteners, resulting in a dry weight of just 170kg.

Powered by a 999cc four-stroke V4 engine, this 2016 model also features the full HRC Race Kit, which comprises a recalibrated ECU, a titanium exhaust system, a front ram duct, a race-pattern quickshifter, a data logger and a remote control cable for the front brake lever. These upgrades reduce the bike’s total weight by 10kg and increase power output from 157hp to 215hp.

Also fitted are some of the highest quality components available, including Ohlins TTX front forks, powerful Brembo brakes and forged magnesium Marchesini Racing wheels.

Edward Lovett, founder of Collecting Cars, said:

“Honda’s RC213V-S is a thrilling, exquisitely crafted machine, and this example attracted global attention and extremely competitive bidding on Collecting Cars. We are proud to have achieved yet another world-record sales price – this time for an incredible road-legal MotoGP that will be a jewel in the new owner’s collection.”

To find out more information on this lot, visit Collecting Cars.
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2016-honda-rc213v-s-1

Compared to traditional car auctions, Collecting Cars offers significantly better value for sellers and buyers alike. For sellers, the detailed photographic presentation and professional descriptions mean their car is showcased in the best possible way, and is marketed to a huge captive audience of passionate enthusiasts. Furthermore, there is no listing fee, and they receive 100% of the hammer price.

For buyers, the premium on auction lots is levied at just 5% + VAT – substantially lower than traditional auction houses, which typically charge 12% or more – and is capped at £6,000. On hammer prices above £100,000 this means that the buyer’s premium is even less than 6%.

About Collecting Cars:
Collecting Cars is an online auction platform that curates consignments from around the world and markets them to a global audience.

The streamlined and transparent process makes buying and selling cars, motorbikes, and automobilia via its online auctions one of the most effective and hassle-free ways of transacting.

To date, the Collecting Cars platform has sold more than 5,300 lots, and total sales value generated for sellers exceeds £191 million. The multi-national auction company has headquarters in London, and offices in Munich, Sydney, and Los Angeles.

More than 90% of sales since launch have happened without a physical viewing, underscoring the significant trust that Collecting Cars has earned among its customers.

Visit Website at: https://collectingcars.com/

Eight of the Fastest Street-Legal Motorcycles You Can Buy in America

By General Posts

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com

It begins with the story of the legendary Suzuki Hayabusa. When that beast launched back in 1999, it triggered a hurricane of anxiety among various manufacturers – and it all came down to the top speed of the bike – a stunning 194 mph.

The Hayabusa represented a quantum leap in speed and made it the fastest motorcycle you could buy and ride on the streets. In fact, it took the title away from the already insanely fast Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, and it did it by a startling 14 mph.

In answer, Kawasaki announced the creation of the Ninja ZX-12R, and it promised a top speed of more than 200 blistering miles per hour. That announcement led regulators to consider tamping down the lust for speed among manufacturers, and it also led to what’s come to be known as The Gentleman’s Agreement among the top motorcycle manufacturers across the globe.

As the story goes, the “agreement” called on manufacturers to set the upper limit on motorcycle speed at 200 mph. Since then, that agreement has been violated to varying degrees, and here are some of the motorcycles that flirt with – and exceed – the barrier posited by The Gentlemen’s Agreement.

The Yamaha YZF-R1M, which purports to achieve a top end of 185.7 mph, has itself become legendary for its on and off-track precision and power. The R1 line and the street legal R1 models achieve their punch following a power-and-less-bulk formula.

Offering lightweight carbon-fiber construction and powered by an explosive 998cc, liquid-cooled “cross-plane” inline-four, the R1 creates 200 hp and offers 89.2 lb-ft torque. When that kind of juice moves through its 6-Speed manual, the R1M does 0-60 mph in a snot-loosening 2.3 seconds. One of these beasts will set you back just over $26,000 USD.

Next up on this rogues gallery is the KTM 1290 Super Duke R. This KTM is a naked hypersport bit of lunacy that packs a 1301 cc, 75-degree V-twin motor into a novel frame. The 1290 Super Duke R wacks the limits of physics to the tune of 180 hp and cranks out 103 lb-ft of torque.

At a svelte 462 lbs. dry weight., the Super Duke R covers 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds and is limited to 186 mph. If you must have one, this KTM will set you back right around $18,000 USD.

The Hayabusa is back, and the 3rd Generation variant uses the same 1340cc inline-four motor to produce a healthy 188 hp and 110 ft-lbs of torque and covers 0-60 mph in a serviceable 3.2 seconds.

While it’s now restricted to 186 mph top speed, it does its progenitors proud. It will be priced at just north of $22,000 USD.

The BMW S1000RR represented a huge technological leap for the time, and when it launched in 2009, it was packed to the brim with electronics and rider-assist features unheard of even for the sophisticated ‘ultra bikes’ of the time.

The latest iteration, the 2021 BMW S1000RR is powered by a water/oil-cooled inline-4 motor that generates a stunning 205 hp and 83 lb-ft of torque.

In ‘Race Pro Mode’ it covers 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds and is capable of reaching a top speed of 192 mph. All that performance does not come cheap and the sticker price is expected to come in around $30,000.

An Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory is a sublime example of Italian design and engineering and an amazing achievement when you consider the fact that the has only been in the game since the end of the Second World War. Aprilia is dedicated to motorcycle sports and they use the competitive anvil to forge their lightning-fast and supple machines.

The RSV4 1100 Factory is powered by a 1099cc V4 engine which turns out 217 hp and 90 lb-ft of torque. And perhaps most critically, it weighs just 390 lbs and that finely-balanced power-to-weight ratio means it can do 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and achieve a reported top speed of 198.8 mph. The Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory sports an MSRP of $25,999.

Known for the subtlety and innovative character of their designs, Ducati remains iconic for their blend of finish, style and pure power. The Panigale V4R combines carbon fiber and their signature desmodromic engine, Desmosedici Stradale R 998 cc Inline-4, produces 221hp straight out of the factory and you can ramp that power up to 234 hp with the addition of an Akrapovic full-racing exhaust.

The Desmosedici Stradale motor puts out 92 lb-ft of torque and travels from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds before ultimately achieving a top speed of 199 mph. You can be the proud owner of a 2021 Ducati Panigale V4R for just under $23,000.

As we near the top of this list, we find a pair of Kawasakis perched near the pinnacle. The ZH2 and the Ninja H2 are both said to be capable of 200+ mph, and these novel supercharger-boosted motorcycles feature 998cc inline-4 motors that crank out 200 hp and 101 lb-ft of torque.

The ZH2 with the ability to cover 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds and reach a top speed of more than 200 mph also represents a devil’s bargain of sorts. For 2021, Kawasaki ZH2 is priced at just over $17,500.

The lunatic Kawasaki Ninja H2R – with a stated top speed of 248 mph, is a track-only machine and therefore not allowed on our list. The H2R does hold the record holder for top end speed as it reached a snot-loosening 250 mph in just 26 seconds. For 2021, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 is priced at $29,500.

But the bike at the top of the list of mad-dog bikes you can ride on the street belongs to the Lightning LS-218.

Electric motorcycles are clearly the future, and the neck snapping torque offered up by an electric motor is surely attractive to wild fools in search of speed at all costs.

The Lightning LS-218 is powered by a 380V electric powerplant coupled to any of three battery packs: 12, 15, or 20 kWh. At its top tuning settings, this nearly silent monster churns out 200 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque and can reach a top speed of 218 mph.

Coupled with a demented 0-60 mph time of just 2.2 seconds, it takes the top slot when it comes to streetworthy guts. The 2021 Lightning LS-218 comes in at around $39,000 USD out the door.

Of course, most of these figures are reported by the manufacturers and results may vary according to conditions and tuning…

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Races its Superbike Counterpart

By General Posts

by Sebastian Toma from https://www.autoevolution.com

Honda has pitted the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP against its racing version on a track to prove how fast it can be in the right hands. With slick tires, the sport bike is as close to a street-legal MotoGP racer as possible.

The resemblance between the two is normal, as British Superbike rules mandate that the race bike must be developed from the homologated production motorcycle. Therefore, the chassis and the engine are identical, but the race bike has a few tweaks within regulations to allow it to be even faster.

According to the rulebook, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP’s racing version must have a spec ECU, which allows it to rev even higher than its street-legal brother. The gearing can also be changed according to various necessities, depending on the track and rider preference, along with a minimum weight of 168 kg (370.37 lbs.).

To prove just how fast the street-legal version of this bike can be, Honda Racing UK British Super Bike racer Glen Irwin took both bikes on the same day at Oulton Park International Circuit. We are talking about a 2.69-mile (4.33 km) track in the UK and identical riding conditions. Honda even fitted both bikes with the Pirelli Diablo Racing slicks (SC0 compound) to allow a direct comparison between the two bikes.

The street bike was still fitted with the stock mirrors, standard toolkit, and everything else one gets when buying a new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. The slick tires were the only change from the stock condition, and the team did not alter any settings on the bike.

Glenn Irwin rode each bike for six laps, and he managed to set a time of 1’39.054 on the production CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which is just 2.872 seconds more than what he did with his British Superbike Fireblade.

Trap speed was 210.5 km/h (130 mph) on the street-spec bike, which is just 6.8 km/h (4.2 mph) slower than the race model, which goes to show how far have sport bikes gone in past years. The only thing left is for their riders to improve their skills on the track before thinking about changing anything on a stock super sport motorcycle.

Travis Wyman joins Harley-Davidson Factory Team for King of Baggers

By General Posts

RACER TRAVIS WYMAN JOINS HARLEY-DAVIDSON SCREAMIN’ EAGLE FACTORY TEAM FOR KING OF THE BAGGERS SERIES

Brothers Travis and Kyle Wyman to Race Factory Road Glide Special Bikes at Road America

MILWAUKEE (June 10, 2021) – The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory racing team will field multi-talented racer Travis Wyman as a second entry in its MotoAmerica King of the Baggers road racing series. Travis Wyman will race a factory-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide® Special powered by a modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engine. He joins his brother, Kyle Wyman, on the two-rider team for the King of the Baggers race June 11-13 at Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wis.

In addition to its factory team effort, Harley-Davidson is offering a nearly $30,000 cash contingency program for qualified Harley-Davidson® racers competing in the King of the Baggers series.

“We are ready to turn up the heat in MotoAmerica at our home track of Road America by adding Travis to the Screamin’ Eagle factory team,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president, and CEO Harley-Davidson. “The King of the Baggers series is bringing big excitement for fans and we’re pleased to add to the show by expanding our team to two top riders representing Harley-Davidson and Screamin’ Eagle.”

The three-round MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series is for race-prepared, American V-Twin touring motorcycles equipped with a fairing and saddlebags. In the series debut on May 2 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Kyle Wyman placed second on the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory Road Glide Special motorcycle.

Travis Wyman is the owner of Travis Wyman Racing, based in Las Vegas. He is currently also competing in MotoAmerica Stock 1000, Honos Superbike and Superbike Cup. The 29-year-old racer finished the 2020 MotoAmerica season in second place in the Superbike Cup and third in the Stock 1000 championship. Travis Wyman also competed in the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers invitational race last October at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, scoring a fourth-place finish aboard a Harley-Davidson Road Glide. Kyle and Travis Wyman are the sons of Kim Wyman, owner of Harv’s Harley-Davidson in Macedon, N.Y.

Round two of the King of the Baggers series is June 11-13 at Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wis. The series continues July 9-11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Calif.

About the Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engine: The Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight 131 is the most-powerful street-compliant performance engine offered by Harley-Davidson. Built from the bottom up in Milwaukee, this 131-cubic-inch (2147cc) Screamin’ Eagle® crate engine delivers 131 ft-lb of torque to the rear wheel, and may be installed in 2017-later Harley-Davidson Touring models.

Vagabund V12 BMW R100 RT May Looks Like a Monster, But It’s Fully Street Legal

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

The now defunct BMW R100 line, debuted by German bike maker BMW in 1976, went down in history as the last line of the air-cooled airheads produced by the Bavarians. While on the market, the family included a wide variety of models, and enough of them were made over the years for the breed to still be around today.

Most of the R100s now in existence are closer to the scrap yard than an actual road, however. But that’s how we see them, because custom garages have an entirely different view of the bike’s potential.

We’ve already seen what the French can do when they get their hands on such two-wheelers when we talked about builds like the Blitz Naso Nero, or the Black Ops, or the Green Beret. But how about an Austrian take on the R100?

A local shop that goes by the name Vagabund has an entirely different approach than the French when it comes to converting Bimmer bikes. Instead of tracking down parts and adapting them for whatever build they’re working on, Vagabund went the high-tech way and turned to 3D printing.

The motorcycle you see in the gallery above once was a 1994 BMW R100 RT, but careful tuning and customizing turned it into something called V12. And despite its menacing looks, the build is “100% street legal.”

Completely different than what BMW had in mind when it first made this motorcycle, the V12 features a host of 3D-made parts: the fork cover (with integrated turn signals), rear end, handlebar controls, housings for indicator lights and headlight, all have been created from scrap and to exact specifications to fit the bike.

All these elements, although quite visible, do not however stand out as much as the rear wheel, completely covered with a fiberglass reinforced plastic painted, just like the entire bike, all black.

As most other Vagabund designs, this too is a one-off, and it has already been sold. We’ll bring more such bikes under the spotlight in the coming days as part of our Two-Wheeler Month feature.