California has new statewide law governing motorcycle sound

A new California law requires street motorcycles registered in the state and built on or after Jan. 1, 2013, to have an exhaust system label certifying the motorcycles meet federal sound limits.

On Sept. 28, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill 435, sponsored by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills). While motorcycle manufacturers have been complying with the federal law since it was effective in 1983, the new law now makes it a state crime to operate any motorcycle registered in the state that was built on or after Jan. 1, 2013, that doesn't have a federal Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system sound emissions label.

In addition, the law requires aftermarket exhaust systems made on or after Jan. 1, 2013, to display the EPA sound emissions label, and therefore applies to individuals who seek to replace the exhaust system on affected streetbikes.

To view the legislation, see http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_435_bill_20100928_chaptered.html.

Thousands of motorcyclists utilized the AMA website at AmericanMotorcyclist.com first to oppose the bill, and then to urge Schwarzenegger to reject it.

AMA Western States Representative Nick Haris expressed major concerns about the new law.

"Many EPA labels are very difficult to locate on motorcycles," Haris said. "This law could lead to a flurry of tickets for motorcyclists who have legal exhaust systems with EPA labels on their machines that can't be easily seen. It's unreasonable to expect a law enforcement officer to easily locate an EPA label, and it's simply unfair to expect a motorcycle owner to partially dismantle an exhaust system along the roadside to prove the label exists."

Violators face fines of up to $100 for a first offense and up to $250 for subsequent offenses. Judges have the discretion to dismiss the fine for first-time offenders if the violation is corrected.

Also, a violation is considered a secondary offense, meaning a police officer can't stop a motorcyclist solely because the officer believes the motorcyclist is breaking the sound emissions label law.

"Requiring that a motorcycle display a readily visible EPA label isn't the appropriate way to address concerns about excessive motorcycle sound, which the AMA has pointed out repeatedly," Haris said. "The only objective way to determine whether a motorcycle complies with sound laws is for properly trained personnel to conduct sound level tests using calibrated meters and an agreed-upon testing procedure."

In 1972, Congress passed the federal Noise Control Act, which required the EPA to set sound standards for a number of products. It took several years, but the EPA eventually wrote rules affecting all new motorcycles sold in the U.S. beginning in 1983.

Those regulations, which still stand today, required that all street-legal motorcycles be limited to 83 decibels at that time, with a stricter, 80-decibel limit imposed beginning in 1986, measured with a ride-by test.

The AMA has long maintained a position of strong opposition to excessive motorcycle sound. In September 2009, the AMA developed model legislation for use by cities and states seeking a simple, consistent and economical way to deal with sound complaints related to on-highway motorcycles within the larger context of excessive sound from all sources.

The model legislation offers an objective method to evaluate motorcycle sound based on the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) J2825 standard, "Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles," which is a stationary test. For more information, click here: http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/legisltn/Model_On_Highway_Sound_Ordinance.pdf.

reprinted from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) website.

The final totals are in for the 2010 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Even in this time of economic uncertainty, and one of the biggest slumps in the motorcycle industry, bikers, motorcycle enthusiasts, and riders of all types still made the trip to Sturgis for Bike Week.  Many went to Sturgis this year for the first time, however the majority - 75% - were returning rally goers, with 40% having been there 6 or more times.  Apparently it takes a lot more than a economic down-turn to keep the true Sturgis Rally goers away.

Here is a recap of the numbers provided by the City of Sturgis, SD...

2010 Sturgis Rally Attendance: 466,769   (+5.6%)  (Highest ever was 600,000 in 2000)

Vendor Licenses Issued: 761  (+9.3%)

DOT Traffic Count for the Official Bike Week: 459,968  (16.7%)

Mt. Rushmore Traffic Count (in Park): 67,130 (-14.5%)

Temporary Vendor Sales: $11,400,000 (+12.7%)

Tons of Trash Hauled: 583 (+3.2)

Stats from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Survey...

69% of the Sturgis Rally goes are ages 41 to 65

75% have been to the Sturgis Rally at least once before, 40% more than 5 times

65% plan their trip at least 6 months in advance, with 39% planning their trip at least 12 months in advance

The average lenght of stay for a Sturgis Rally goer is 7 days

The average spending is $250 per day per person

The above stats were provided by the City of Sturgis, South Dakota. 

View the complete report HERE

Sturgis Rally Vendor Tax Revenues

Better attendance, larger bike counts, and more vendors contributed to an increase in tax revenues collected so far from the 2010 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, compared to last year at this time.

The South Dakota Department of Revenue and Regulation reports that sales and tourism tax revenues collected from temporary vendors at this year's rally totaled $989,911 in the Northern Hills, which includes Sturgis and all other communities in Meade and Lawrence counties. Those revenues were up $127,804 from last year's total of $862,107. Tax revenues from this year's rally will continue to be collected over the next few weeks, even though the last official day was Aug. 16. Of the $989,911 collected so far this year, $545,824 was state sales tax, $232,328 was municipal sales tax, $8,196 was municipal gross receipts tax, and $203,563 was state tourism tax revenue. There were 1,207 vendors displaying and selling products at the 2010 rally, compared to 1,149 in 2009 and 1,191 in 2008. Gross vendor sales totaled $13,647,413 this year in the Northern Hills area - an increase of $1,728,798 from last year's gross sales of $11,918,615. The Southern Hills - including Rapid City, Custer, Hill City, and Keystone, along with Pennington County - posted vendor sales tax revenues of $207,433. Of that amount, $110,492 was state sales tax, $53,622 was municipal sales tax, $1,883 was municipal gross receipts tax, and $41,435 was state tourism tax. Those revenues were up $18,013 from the $189,420 reported in 2009. Gross vendor sales from the 2010 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally totaled $2,762,306 in the Southern Hills - an increase of $230,517 from 2009 gross sales of $2,531,789. Tax rates for the biker rally varied, depending on the types of merchandise sold and the locations of the concessions.

Tax revenue information provided by:

SD Department of Revenue and Regulation
Phone: (605) 773-3311
445 E. Capitol Avenue
FAX:(605) 773-5129
Pierre, SD 57501-3185

Harley Board Confirms Wisconsin Plants to Stay Open

MILWAUKEE — Harley-Davidson Inc. agreed Tuesday to keep open its two Wisconsin production facilities, saying it gained the cost savings it needed when union members agreed a day earlier to a concession-laden contract.

The Milwaukee-based motorcycle company had warned it would move the production to another state if its three Wisconsin unions rejected the deal. A move would have eliminated about 1,350 jobs.

After reviewing the results of the unions' votes, the board of directors agreed to call off the search for replacement sites.

"Change is never easy, and we have asked our employees to make difficult decisions. However, we are pleased to be keeping production operations in our hometown of Milwaukee and in Tomahawk," company president and chief executive officer, Keith Wandell, said in a statement.

The contract freezes employees' pay, slashes hundreds of production jobs and assigns large volumes of work to part-time workers.

Some 1,140 union members from the suburban Milwaukee plant voted, approving the contract by a 55 to 45 percent margin. Almost 300 ballots were cast at the Tomahawk plant in northern Wisconsin, where workers approved the deal by a broader margin of 73 to 27 percent.

A number of workers who voted to approve the deal said they did so grudgingly, accepting Harley's ultimatum for the sake of saving jobs. Others voted against it because they said the terms were too harsh.

Harley said it had to play hardball because its labor costs at the two plants were too high. The concessions made the costs more manageable, it said, so it now makes sense to keep the plants open.

Under the previous rules, it could take as long as three months to let go of unneeded workers or recall laid-off workers, chief executive Keith Wandell told analysts this summer. Harley's goal was to gain the ability to hire and lay off workers more quickly to better adjust to seasonal business fluctuations, he said.

The company got what it wanted, but it's unclear whether the contract will lead to any lingering animosity.

Mike Masik, the president of the local chapter of the United Steel Workers, said the close vote there showed how upset his members were.

"With 45 percent of the people voting against this thing there's going to be a rip," he said. "There's a split in the house we're going to have to put back together."

Harley has been dealing with its own share of problems.

A shrinking market and an economic downturn have undercut demand for its pricey, chrome-laden bikes. Sales of Harley motorcycles, whose prices range from $7,000 to $25,000 can take a big hit when the economy goes south.

The company has been focused on cutting costs and streamlining its business. Last year, it announced the shutdown its Buell sport-bike line. In December, the company and its union at its main motorcycle plant in York, Pa., agreed to a cost-cutting contract that involved layoffs for about half the company's unionized work force there.

The company also told analysts in July it expects to ship 5 percent to 10 percent fewer motorcycles to dealers this year, standing by an earlier forecast.

Some Harley workers said the company caused its own troubles through foolish business decisions, and now it's trying to make its money back by squeezing workers with an unfair contract.

Tony Daube, 55, a tool grinder from Mequon who has worked for Harley for 20 years, said that's why he voted against the contract.

"This ultimatum has no guarantees that they're even going to stay around," he said. "They're just going to keep on doing what they want."

Brian Harycki, a 36-year-old machinist from West Bend, said he was equally disillusioned.

"I don't agree with what the company is doing, with the direction it's going. It's ridiculous," said Harycki, who also voted no. He said he was disappointed that his fellow union members voted to approve such a draconian contract.

"I'm not OK with it, but I guess it keeps jobs in Wisconsin," he said. He looked at the ground for a few moments, then sighed and added, "for now."

Harley-Davidson: http://www.harley-davidson.com/

Just received this recap of the 2010 Sturgis Rally from Woody at the Buffalo Chip.  since many of you stayed at or visited the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, I figured I would pass it along...

Howdy,

It’s difficult to believe the rally was only 2 weeks ago. The entire Chip crew works all year to prepare for the coming rally. Then, surrealistically, it “suddenly” starts and the next thing we know, we need a few days’ sleep to recover. Now we’re preparing to welcome you to the 2011 rally, which is only 338 days away. Part of the 2011 preparation is a recap of the rally just experienced, so here it is.

First, thank you for the many compliments given to the crew. They deserved it. Though not without the seemingly unavoidable challenges when the human population of this pasture explodes from zero to tens of thousands, the crew really outdid themselves this year.

Second, a special thank you to those of you who sent cards thanking us for putting on the Chip. Your telling us how much you enjoy the Chip is what makes it worthwhile for the crewmembers to invest so much of their lives to make the Chip what it has become.

Third, we extend another special thank you to those who’ve already made reservations for 2011. It isn’t just that, like some of you have said, you’re the smart ones who will have paid less for two weeks’ camping and shows than someone else will probably have to pay for the day the Rolling Stones confirm. It’s really the ultimate thank you and note of appreciation for the job the crew has done.

Now, finally, I’ll review of the details of 2010’s physical stuff. Many of you have seen and heard me say when one is in a “people” business, one is really in the water, toilet and trash business. I should have added “electricity” to the list. The year of planning and preparation really paid off in minimizing the number of challenges and in having the ability to take immediate curative action. I’ll start this recap addressing the challenges the crew met.

The first challenge I’ll address is the electrical power. This worked exceptionally well throughout most of the campground’s 560 acres during the entire rally. However, the South 40 experienced some problems, reportedly related to the high temperatures experienced rally week.

The S40 power is provided by West River Electric Cooperative. WRE replaced multiple transformers during the rally, which caused temporary losses of power while the exchanges were being made. Almost everyone was out riding, so many were unaware of it. The issues were experienced on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I believe the WRE issues had been resolved by late Wednesday afternoon.

WRE engineers are presently investigating preventative measures to insure there’ll be no similar problems encountered in 2011. We will take them at their word.

The second challenge to discuss is the toilet attendants. One might suspect there are not a lot of people looking for employment as toilet attendants. That has been our experience. It’s why we were so pleased to contract with a group from Florida that performs these services at a number of other public events, including bike rallies at Daytona Beach. They did an outstanding job for the Chip in 2008 and 2009. However, unexpectedly, they let us down in 2010.

We thank those who came in to replace the contractors who’d let us down, but there was certainly a transition period when things were not up to standards. Like I said, the professionals had performed admirably for the two prior years. We had confidence they’d provide the same stellar performance in 2010, but it turned out we shouldn’t have. Backup plans will be in place for 2011.

A couple of non-functional toilets were to have been, but were not, removed prior to the Rally. Their removal was apparently just overlooked, and they’re being hauled off now. Our apologies for letting it appear there were a couple that simply weren’t properly maintained.

Now on to the trash, which was, overall, handled very well. Oh, there, too, some folks let us down, but the backup crew picked up the slack immediately and there was only one day where the trash was even slow to be picked up. The replacement crew was very impressive. Thanks, too, to Waste Connections for providing additional dumpsters and trucks, as that really helped avoid any trash problem. That leaves water.

The water supply system seems to have worked perfectly. We have 3 wells and a chlorination system that feeds water throughout the campground. The entire rally was supplied without incident or even the need for a repair. Yahoo.

The showers went quite well. The two companies that vend showers were appreciated and made private showers available at the east and west ends of the campground. The free and permanent showers at the North Shower Building worked well without incident throughout the rally. The showers at the South Shower Building, however, experienced some challenges.

The South Shower Building’s showers are heated first by a 500,000 BTU boiler and by a series of 4 large hot water heaters. The boiler broke early in the rally (nothing breaks until after the rally has started).

There simply aren’t a lot of 500,000 BTU boilers available in the neighborhood, but we found a rental and had it in place later the same day. The rental boiler, however, broke repeatedly. The rental company was not able to make it dependably and continuously fully operational until Wednesday. The 4 hot water heaters continued to work but, depending upon the time of shower, couldn’t always keep up with the demand for hot water. Luckily, it was really hot weather and a semi-cool shower wasn’t always unwelcome.

Now, let’s discuss more good stuff. The entertainment was truly exceptional. No one fell off the stage. More than 200 Chipsters got to be “extras” and can be seen in Pee-wee Herman’s biker bar scenes now on “FunnyOrDie.Com” or on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show broadcast of Wednesday, August 11. Others got to help with Schwinn Bicycle’s Biker Buddy program where 60 bicycles were assembled and ultimately gifted to The Black Hills Children’s Home.

It was a year like no other. A senior vice president at Warner Brothers Records commented that he hadn’t seen a comparable entertainment lineup anywhere in the United States for more than 5 years. We got to see Bob Dylan and Kid Rock on the same stage on the same night! Incredible!

Nothing is without challenge, however, and, again, nothing breaks until mid-rally. The Buffalo Chip is privileged to have a brand-spanking new state of the art line array system that produces sound second to none. I’d never heard anything sound so good and, when I saw folks come out of the campground just to check out that sound during the sound check, I knew others were likewise impressed.

The state-of-the-art technology included a system that prevents bands from blowing out the speakers. Motley Crue, however, seemed to have had a super high-tech ability to overcome the safeguards and blew out about 25% of the system on Wednesday. The crew reconfigured the system to provide balance and only one or two of you audiophiles could tell the entire system wasn’t working when Ozzy Osbourne performed on Thursday. Parts specially flown in from LA were in place and the entire system was back in use on Friday. No one had to perform acoustically, thanks again to a very competent crew.

Another challenge I believe to be related to the good stuff involves fans who have handicaps. We simply had more of these attendees for the Dylan show than we’d ever anticipated, which caused some inconveniences in the midst of a huge campground and concert crowd. It’d be nice if we had advance notice of special needs and preferences so we can better plan.

Another good topic is the traffic reports that indicate many more Chipsters utilized the alternate routes and avoided the traffic congestion that is the City of Sturgis. Likewise, many utilized the new road the Chip developed to assist Chipsters to exit the Chip more quickly by riding past the machine gun range to enter directly onto SD Highway 34 from 132nd Avenue. This worked really well, and it’s hoped even more folks print out the maps (available on buffalochip.com) and utilize the routes shown in 2011.

Well, that’s about it, or at least as much as I know of at the moment. Please do send us your suggestions for improvement. We take them all seriously. That said, we wish you and yours much happiness in the coming year, and simply request that you continue to

Ride Free and Take Risks.

We look forward to seeing your smiling faces again next August.

Woody & Crew