MotoYard.com Blog

Have you ever wondered why your sportbike stock exhaust is so huge? or why they put that large ugly license plate holder on your bike from the factory?

 Well, it’s all in the Vehicle Code. Here are some of the most common things you can get pulled over for.
This is based on my experience and research and of course not an all inclusive list. Just some common things people do to their sport bikes that are illegal - at least in the state of California (other states will have similar laws)

1. Aftermarket exhaust - Pretty much any aftermarket exhaust you put on your sportbike is illegal. There is a lot of controversy about this. There are laws that require a bike to be no louder than a certain decibel level. The reason everyone doesn’t get ticketed is - they actually have to prove that your exhaust is louder than the allowed decibel level. Since not all CHP stations have this kind of equipment, most of the time the police will overlook this. This is the most common fixing ticket, but unless it’s really, really loud they will let it go.

2. Red reflector in rear of the motorcycle - This one is not as well known and not very common, but I personally have gotten ticketed for this. Look at any motorcycle from the factory. It will have a red reflector in the rear - usually on that undertail license plate holder. The reason it’s there from the factory is because its required by law.

3. Turn signals - Many people remove those turn signals that stick out. Well, they stick out for a reason. There is a vehicle code that says those turn signals need to be so many inches away from the body of the motorcycle. Some newer bikes, like the Suzuki GSXR have the turn signals built in the mirrors in the front and into the tail section in the back - good idea.

4. Red, yellow or blue translucent windscreen - This is an odd one, but I’ve gotten a ticket for this myself. You cannot have a translucent blue, amber or red windscreen on your bike. It can be those colors if its solid, meaning not translucent. You are ok with having a tinted windshield or a green shield or a solid red shield. I am guessing (and this is just my uneducated guess), the reason for this law is - if you are driving a car and a motorcycle is behind you with a red translucent windscreen - it can look like a red light behind you.

5. No light on top of the license plate - Police needs to see your license plate number in the dark and if they can’t they will give you a ticket.

All this being said - decide for yourself. I am not advocating breaking the law… but there have been several times when I got pulled over for speeding and got away with a fixing ticket… So sometimes maybe its worth having some of these on your bike.

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