| Author | Message | ||
     Hwyranger |
negative, only red, amber and blue are no-no's, smoked is perfectly legal (looks good too) | ||
| Thespive |
Smoke is okay. It is amber, red and blue that cause and issue, but only if they are translucent - duh. It is also a grey area because of how the law is written. You'd have to be quite an ass to earn that CS ticket. Here is the law: CVC 26701(d) No person shall sell, offer for sale, or operate any motor vehicle equipped with red, blue, or amber translucent aftermarket material in any partitions, windows, windshields, or wind deflectors. If it a Buell factory part, then there it could be argued as to whether it would be considered aftermarket or not. It all depends on the cop and your attitude. --Sean (Message edited by thespive on July 29, 2008) (Message edited by thespive on July 29, 2008) | ||
| Madxcat |
that is insane. | ||
| Pizzaboy |
well naturally!! its 'unsafe' for us to be decreasing our visibility with a windscreen that is the wrong color of translucense!! what a dumb law. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Is that Federal or California? | ||
| Unibear12r |
That's California Vehicle Code Zac. But our state is not the only one with these kind of laws buried deep in the code books. Pizza, it's so that reflected light through the tinted plastic doesn't look like red, amber or blue emergancy vehicle lights. Same reasoning that gets you cited for having red or blue accent lights on your bike out here. (Message edited by unibear12r on July 30, 2008) (Message edited by unibear12r on July 30, 2008) | ||
| Pizzaboy |
what i would like to know.. is who the shit votes for these laws to come into effect!?? it makes me think of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_laws http://www.idiotlaws.com/ http://www.dumblaws.com/ | ||
| Hexangler |
I can speak with experience on this one. I have been pulled over three times and cited once for having a stock red windscreen on my 07 Firebolt. I got the CHP to back off only after Court (BadWeBer), my dealership, and our California department of transportation got the CHP to realize that Buell's come stock with colored windscreens. California's law is poorly written and allows the loophole of stock bikes by stating "aftermarket". Buell has taken advantage of this loophole to the disadvantage of California Buell riders, by pushing the side of the loophole, and not informing the California rider that they will be pulled over in our state. From what I learned, the reason for the law was to stop the red, blue, and amber translucent bug deflectors on the front of pickup trucks so that people wouldn't think an emergency vehicle was behind them. Needless to say, I now sport a gray windscreen so as not to go through the hassle again (even though my ticket never made it to court). I'm still kinda pissed to get put in this position by Buell with the LAW. | ||
| Thespive |
My Hero Blue CityX is now Kick Ash. It may be a Black CR next year and then I really won't have to worry about it. --Sean | ||
| Pizzaboy |
(i ordered kick ash) though in nevada i dont think the cops give a crap about windscreen issues.. i see dudes riding around gixxers and yamahas with painted windscreens of every color possible! i see translucent blue often also. personally i like my bike to have subtle accents that make it custom and unique. black is my favorite color... and the more black you can put on it the better | ||
| Blazin_buell |
Endoman have you got a pic of your finished screen mod?? | ||
| Hwyranger |
Hmm, seems like the ones getting the most worked up about this are the guys to whom it doesn't apply.... Let me restate: AFTERMARKET windscreens of red, amber or blue are no-go...including taking an OEM part from another bike and putting it on yours.. Hex, your situation is what I was talking about earlier...you got a dumb ass motor hater who doesn't know what stock bikes look like. For those who get an 09 25 in blue...keep that windscreen. Unfortunately, if you want to get a double bubble or any other windscreen in the same color..you're out of luck...(target for haters) The purpose of the original post was to give people a heads up on how to avoid hassles...take it for what it's worth... | ||
| Striperx3 |
Thomas: Thanks for the insight. Hope your 25r is running as good as mine. Time2Work Neil S. A.K.A. ccryder, striperx3 (testing purposes) | ||
| Hexangler |
I understand the intent of the law, and being stock or aftermarket makes no difference to the other people on the road. A court case could go either way. A judge may see it the same, and put an injunction against Buell. Buell may even have to do a state wide recall. Buell is taking a risk with you and the Cali law. It's really Buell's fault, and that's how I got my gray windscreen for FREE. | ||
| Hwyranger |
Anytime Neil, yeah, my 25 is running GREAT....almost too good. | ||
| Sheridan_bueller |
It isn't Buell's fault. It's a dumb law. Get it changed. We have them in Oregon too. Go to the Capitol and sell it. Get one of those "constituents" to take it to the floor. Hell, Arnold is a biker, give him a call, send him a letter, what ever. Does anyone know anyone else who, if he thought a cop was behind him and found out it wasn't a cop, got freeked out enough to be pissed about the guy's bike looking like a cop when it wasn't????? That made me dizzy. I'm sitting down now... I personally like it when people get out of my way...for what ever reason. JJ | ||
| Sheridan_bueller |
Buell most likely doesn't even know about this 'California' law. It isn't a federal thing so why would they. They're building bikes to meet federal rules and EPA requirements. Don't think they'd worry much about silly, individual state no-no's. That's what I think. | ||
| Hwyranger |
Buell is in no fault here. Their stock screens look kick ass and are perfectly legal.}Buell most likely doesn't even know about this 'California' law. It isn't a federal thing so why would they. They're building bikes to meet federal rules and EPA requirements. Don't think they'd worry much about silly, individual state no-no's. Buell probably does, but they know they are legit. The law does not pertain to them as to how they produce their bikes. The law only pertains to modifications. CA won't get rid of the law, in fact, they probably would bring it to the floor to get the stockers outlawed too, but that brings a problem of federal law... Regulations on stock vehicles must not be more restrictive than federal standards or you get someone who can't drive from one state to another because he is legal in one, but the other he's not. The aftermarket is fair game for any state to mess with...ie: mod exhausts laws are different in many states.... This thread seems to have been hijacked by my first post about this stuff.... | ||
| Hexangler |
Buell probably does, but they know they are legit. The law does not pertain to them as to how they produce their bikes. The law only pertains to modifications. Of course Buell knows about it. Their lawyers are LTAO at our poorly written law. Let you know what Buell told me: 'We want to be able to sell any non-model windscreen to any Buell customer in any State.' It's Buell's fault, and they are skirting Cali law to the rider's disadvantage. You WILL get pulled over in Sacramento for it. | ||
| Bueller_bjorn |
wow another reason i never want to live in CA with all their strict emissions and stupid laws like this make me happy to be in new york but anyone who has the Kick Ash screen please post some installed pics | ||
| Hexangler |
Bugs and all:  | ||
| Krassh |
Yeah but in California we can split traffic legally and ride pretty much all year around. Sure you have to put up with some crap sometimes but all in all worth it. I lived on the east coast the first 20 years of my life and could not stand the humidity. | ||
| No_rice |
there is a guy over on buelletinboard that is in the process of fighting a ticket for his amber windscreen on the 12. even showed the cop the dot stamp. | ||
| Hexangler |
I'm not sure he is fighting a ticket, just got pulled over and given a warning. PITA Guess where he was pulled over??? Sacramento! I cannot ride with my stock red windscreen in my own damn town.  (Least I want to raise the heat.) | ||
| Hwyranger |
Hex, Sorry to hear about the PITA you are having in Sacapotatoes. I hate that town (mainly because my experience with it was 6 1/2 months of academy....I had already gone through Marine Corps boot camp...academy treats you like boot camp) you are totally in the right to ride with the stock red screen on your 'bolt. Any ticket for that...FIGHT IT. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Seems like Sacramento cops need to find the real criminals...picking on sportbike riders because of} windscreen color is a waste of taxpayer's money...surprise, surprise. | ||
| Hexangler |
I decided already that it ain't worth the hassle. If I ride the stock red screen, I get pulled over. If I ride with the gray one, well, they let me get away with other things. I don't like to argue with CHP's on the shoulder of HWY80 either. Then the hours of tracking down supervisors, court time, subpoena-ing expert witnesses (you bet Buell rep would get one, as well as the sales man at RocklinHD.) Too much work for me. Anyway, the intent of the law is being ignored by Buell, and I know it's small potatoes, but someday, someone, in California will take it to trial, and Buell will probably loose, and the law will get re-written. ps. When I go for a group ride up in the hills, I put the red one back on.  | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I don't see how Buell is ignoring the law--it seems to me that doesn't apply to them....the law addresses aftermarket windscreens, not stock windscreens. I like it that Buell isn't afraid to tread in the gray area....I for one am tired of lawmakers and their hired henchmen (cops) telling me how to live my life.  (to the man) | ||
| Hwyranger |
Hex, No need to subpoena anyone or anything. Just bring in the specs for your motorcycle indicating the color of the windscreen is racing red, hero blue..translucent amber, whatever the bike you're riding is. That along with photocopying the CVC page containing the section of the alleged violation. The section is pretty clear, AFTERMARKET, nothing says anything about OEM. No need to argue with any officer (none of us EVER make a mistake  besides, it just extends the time you have wasted before you can continue on... As far as tracking down supervisors or anything like that, complaints about ticket validity are not handled by the department...they will refer you to the court. However, if you feel the officer's actions were inappropriate (ie, foul language, discourteous etc.) call up the office and speak to a supervisor.... As far as court time...request trial by declaration and you just attach the spec sheet and the cvc section and explain why your bike is not in violation without actually going down to the court.. | ||
| Hwyranger |
Yeah, great, thanks Fresno  hired henchman here trying to help out |
