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Any luck with Slip-on imports to California?


SubyRS

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Not sure if this subject is taboo, so please delete topic if it is.

 

I'm waiting for an import Scorpion slip-on for my 8th gen.  It's due in to their USA distributor in Virginia next week some time, from England.

The laws here are confusing as they constantly change or are amended.  Motorcycles specifically excluded in one paragraph of the law, and specifically included in another.

To the rank and file the wording of the law seem to cancel each other out.  So it's left up to the police to make a determination if they think a muffler is offensive and to issue a citation.

 

Just wondering if any have success stories for acquiring a quiet after-market muffler here in California.  

 

Scorpian.jpg

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I would just cary a copy of the favorable info to share if you get stopped. 

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3 hours ago, SubyRS said:

So it's left up to the police to make a determination if they think a muffler is offensive and to issue a citation.


Never been an issue in SF, LA, the OC/SD.  In the early/late 2000's I had two very loud bikes that I rode in those places: a 2000.5 Aprilla Mille R with a full Ti shotgun Arrow system and '97 KTM Adventure with a Two Brothers can that sounded like a helicopter.  The only time cops rolled up to me was to ask me to roll the throttle. I guess I have not run into an officer who subscribes to Broken Windows Theory  My Thing has always been, don't be a "d" and do stupid "s" to bring attention to yourself and Mr Nice Police Ocifer will look for serious crime.  At least that's what the LAPD in Hollywood taught me growing up on in 70's and 80's 

 

I now ride 5th Gen with a VFRD header and a 15-18 year old Staintune. The stainless filling in the Staintune has deteriorated and the system is extra loud.  I only remove the baffle when I know I'll be lane splitting for extended periods and even then I carry it in case I ride in residential neighborhoods.  Also, keeping my rpm's below 3.5k helps with the noise.  Since forever, I've seen "Race Use Only" stickers on exhaust systems and always though they were there to give them panache and look cool.

 

Don't want to know if "importing" a slip on involves some sort of clandastine operation.  Plausible deniability is right up there with the Sgt Schultz "I know nothing" defense.

 

That Scorpion can is gonna look great with your bike and will make beautiful music. My suggestion don't be a "d" and do stupid "s" and you should be good with the law man.

 

 

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While I have no idea of your local noise regulations.

I can't believe there could be an issue. Aren't there thousands of obnoxious, deafening, sounding HD's riding around California??

A sweet sounding VFR is music by comparison!!

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The really loud HD’s were specifically called out and with lighted signs saying literally loud HD exhaust will not be tolerated and backed up by heavy enforcement in the Palos Verde area, those rich folks living by the sea have a lot of clout.    Now riding through PV I rarely hear loud exhausts.    An even worse trend are the v8 boys in their cars with beyond ear splitting exhaust.    I think you should be ok, just don’t rev bomb the thing at stop lights.    

 

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Short version: yes, you can buy whatever muffler you want in California and get it via mail.  The Scorpion will be fine.  I have 8" Delkevics and their "even quieter baffles" with the VFRD headers.

 

It's not like cars, where there is a strict emissions test and visual inspection, where they look for CARB stickers or documentation on parts.  That's what you're probably thinking of.  The only motorcycle inspection requirement in California is an engine and VIN verification which can be done by shops with licenses.  Not going to lie...I've held onto my stock cat headers plus mufflers just in case California goes full on crazy, but I suspect they're not going to start by going after 20 year old motorcycles.

 

 

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Thanks for all the reply's : )  Getting the muffler here is my main concern, not the sound because its double baffled and 90db. The Honda dealer as well as Cycle Gear would not touch the subject of ordering, so I ordered direct from Scorpion. Current CA law will prosecute any dealer selling or installing non-stock exhaust as a misdemeanor. Hoping for a direct mail out to me next week, but will divert to son in law in AZ if needed. It's a really nice looking muffler that compliments the Interceptor's stealth styling. I dont expect any issues with police as it will be one of the quietest after market cans out there. 

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On 9/3/2022 at 5:17 AM, LEGEND said:

The really loud HD’s were specifically called out and with lighted signs saying literally loud HD exhaust will not be tolerated and backed up by heavy enforcement in the Palos Verde area, those rich folks living by the sea have a lot of clout.    Now riding through PV I rarely hear loud exhausts.    An even worse trend are the v8 boys in their cars with beyond ear splitting exhaust.    I think you should be ok, just don’t rev bomb the thing at stop lights.    

 

Things have probably changed a bit since I grew up in that area, but it doesn't surprise me (at lease in the case of PVE).  The city actually banned roller skates and skateboards on city streets after a local kid died playing "crack the whip" on his skateboard at an elementary school there.  But then I found this, in RPV:

 

spacer.png

 

That's somewhat offensive!  (Depending on what else the sign says says...)

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

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2 hours ago, JZH said:

Things have probably changed a bit since I grew up in that area, but it doesn't surprise me (at lease in the case of PVE).  The city actually banned roller skates and skateboards on city streets after a local kid died playing "crack the whip" on his skateboard at an elementary school there.  But then I found this, in RPV:

 

That's somewhat offensive!  (Depending on what else the sign says says...)

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

 

PV is a world unto itself! In reality, the real road danger there is famous golfers rolling their SUV's.  🙂

 

I continue to be amazed how little is required to keep my motorcycles on the road here in CA. There are no required safety inspections. There are no SMOG test requirements. Minimum insurance is less than $100/year. I have done small but still illegal mods such as removing the ugly side reflectors on the RC-51 with zero chance it will ever be an issue.

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Loud pipes are supposedly targeted in Seal Beach ,CA as there have been similar lighted road signs set up for several months entering the city.  I have never witnessed it being enforced, as loud Harleys defy all sanity right down the middle of main street on a quiet Sunday morning. 

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8 hours ago, SubyRS said:

Loud pipes are supposedly targeted in Seal Beach ,CA as there have been similar lighted road signs set up for several months entering the city.  I have never witnessed it being enforced, as loud Harleys defy all sanity right down the middle of main street on a quiet Sunday morning. 

 

California Targets Loud Exhaust with Sound-Activated Camera Enforcement

 

"The bill specifies six undisclosed cities throughout California to take part in this experimental program."

Maybe Seal Beach will be part of the pilot program and is sending a warning.

 

 

 

 

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You may be be to get a slip on shipped to you but good luck getting a PC5 sent to a CA address by any retailer.

 

Maybe I should try ordering from the UK!

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You can order a Rapid Bike Racing instead of the PC5 and receive it in California 😉

 

I checked, I ordered and received my Delkevic exhaust (mufflers) from their eBay store.  And I ordered the "quieter baffles" from them on Amazon.  No problems with either.

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On 9/3/2022 at 7:40 PM, SubyRS said:

Thanks for all the reply's : )  Getting the muffler here is my main concern, not the sound because its double baffled and 90db. The Honda dealer as well as Cycle Gear would not touch the subject of ordering, so I ordered direct from Scorpion. Current CA law will prosecute any dealer selling or installing non-stock exhaust as a misdemeanor. Hoping for a direct mail out to me next week, but will divert to son in law in AZ if needed. It's a really nice looking muffler that compliments the Interceptor's stealth styling. I dont expect any issues with police as it will be one of the quietest after market cans out there. 

Can't prove this, but as quiet as my 8" Delkevics are with the "quieter" baffles, I'd imagine their regular 12-14" cans with the same baffle are absurdly quiet while still improving sound.

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Whew! The Scorpion muffler just arrived yesterday and it is gorgeous : ) 

I hope to install it today.  I am going to record the sounds of the OEM muffler and the Scorpion with a Db meter app just for a point of reference at least.

You never really get the true sound from a phone video recording as I know from my own videos at the firing range.

One shot from my AR-15 will make you deaf for 2 minutes without hearing protection, yet on video it just sounds like a muffled "pop".

image.thumb.jpeg.62b66e02f59c7bc3a34b3bc95659883a.jpeg

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I used to perform the retail transactions for the first USA-based, Scorpion importer, which was 20+yrs ago. They would defer the customer to me, I’d run their CC, then, the importer would drop-ship to the customer.

 

Scorpion have always been one of the nicest options on the market. They include a db-killer at no additional charge, have stainless steel packing, and maintain a reasonable sound level even without the insert. UK-made quality. 

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It's a beautifully crafted work piece for sure. I took video and sound samples before and after installing the Scorpion muffler. I ran into problems on my new Win 11 PC and Onedrive sucking up and confiscating my video files to their "cloud" then locking them up so that I could not use them in my video editor. I waisted and hour trying to figure it all out but had to remove Onedrive from my PC in the end. I'll have to recopy all my videos back onto the PC tomorrow and start the editing process all over again. 

20220923_163758.jpg

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On 9/2/2022 at 5:57 PM, Grum said:

While I have no idea of your local noise regulations.

I can't believe there could be an issue. Aren't there thousands of obnoxious, deafening, sounding HD's riding around California??

A sweet sounding VFR is music by comparison!!

Sorry for the late reply.  Greetings down under : ) My beautiful home state has been dubbed "Commi-fornia" in these later years as our deaf and defiant state government takes more and more of our freedoms away every year.  Current CA state law requires all motorcycles built since 1980 to meet 80db sound level, while all cars get to run free at 95db.  There are indeed thousands of deafening Harleys on the road, as there are more motorcycles on the road in California than there are in the entire rest of the USA.  Harley also holds the largest market share here, which is good for business, but they were also bailed out by our government in the 1980's, just like Chevrolet a few years ago.  Our police don't bother motorcyclists for the most part, unless they are doing something else that warrants being pulled over.  On a positive note, I believe we are the only state in the USA that allows lane splitting through traffic.  : )

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Alright it's up for viewing now : )  Hastily put together during my 1/2 hour lunch break at work.  It's almost 4 minutes long but I wanted to convey the beautiful craftsmanship of this muffler, as well as promoting Honda's sleek Interceptor.  You can also see the clean fit of Competiton Werks fender tidy kit : )

 

 

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