| Author | Message | ||
     Thumper74 |
I've been super careful since my ticket a couple weeks ago. Tonight, the same Officer at the same spot pulled me over and cited me for a non-functioning exhaust. The fine is more than the speeding ticket. He pulled me over and asked, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" I answered, "I'm not sure, I wasn't speeding, and as far as I know I haven't broken any laws" "Well, you kind of got on it hard back there and you don't appear to have an exhaust system on your bike" I attempted to explain that the exhaust is under the bike, but he didn't seem interested in it. I also tried to explain the interactive exhaust valve and he wasn't interested in hearing that either. I was so pissed at this point, I maintained my cool and asked him to take a picture of the exhaust for court. I'm going to the local dealer and see if they'll check it out to prove that it's stock and I'll take my own pictures of the writing on the can showing it's CARB/EPA certs... At this point, I'm fed up. The only modifications to my bike are cosmetic and handling. I have: Custom paint CRG levers Uly handguards EBC HH pads frame pucks tank bag Progressive springs and heavier oil My engine management, spark plugs, air filter and exhaust are BONE STOCK. At one point I had a loud exhaust and tuner, but I couldn't get her to run right, so it's all boxed up for now. Hell, even with the Gainer Pro Pipe it's not as loud as a Harley with drag pipes... This part time job is costing me more in fines and local taxes than I actually take home. Note: I filed for another extension for the ticket a couple weeks ago this morning. I think he 'may' have not been too happy with it. Retaliation? | ||
| Cataract2 |
Sounds like to me. I know that the stock exhaust is quiet on the XB's. Dude, take his ass to court. | ||
| Rick_a |
For sure. Fight it. There's no way in hell a court would favor his side. (Message edited by rick_a on July 10, 2008) | ||
| Americanmadexb |
yeah, sounds like he pulled you over for NO Exhaust!!! Did he take pics? That right there helps 100% as you have a pipe he just didnt see!! Also sounds like he is out to get bikers... Or loud pipes..2nd time he got you in 2 weeks! Take him to court... | ||
| Loki |
Fight this one in court. I would also have the bike with me that day. I personally, at this point, would look into filing a complaint with his department. | ||
| Irideabuell |
BS!!!!!! | ||
| Guell |
fight it and maybe think about riding a different route man. | ||
| Tramp |
Fight it, of course- DID he take the requested picture(s)? Unreal. Maybe he just wants to get to know you better....did he leave his personal phone number and astrological sign? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Dude did you sleep with his wife or something???  Fight it, and in the mean time find a new way home... | ||
| Tramp |
fight it, AND continue to ride his beat...hopefully, he'll keep citing you for the same bogus 'offense', and paint himself even more harassing in court. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Well, it's a small town of a few thousand people. I don't have an option to not ride through town to get to work. I 'could' take the long way around, but it would add 10 miles to my commute and when I barely make it on time between the two jobs, it's just not an option. I'm actually going to the Mayor's office tommorrow to see if they can make the court appearances for both tickets the same day. It was already like pulling teeth to get one day off, now I've gotta do both... It's just a part time job. I regularly get followed (as do co-workers) when I leave at 1 and 2 in the morning. I think it would be a form of protest to just quit so the city doesn't benefit from me buying gas, using the stores, restaraunts, and city taxes from my pay He snapped a picture with his Polaroid and put it with the ticket. (Message edited by Thumper74 on July 10, 2008) | ||
| Xl1200r |
What a douche canoe. He has to remember you - it's not like these bikes blend in with the crowd and it was only a couple weeks ago. If I were in your shoes, this is what I would do - Do everything you can to get both tickets heard on the same day. Make sure the bike is at the court just in case. Also have your own pictures along with some official Buell info to show that the muffler in fact exists and is stock. I might guess (not knowing your court system) that if the judge thinks the exhaust ticket is bogus enough, the speeding ticket might get tossed because the whole thing would be harassment on some level. Do this without a lawyer first and see how it goes - you're allowed to appeal what ever decision the judge makes, so do that and bring a lawyer for the second hearing if you need to. Be professional and polite. What kind of cop writes a ticket for no exhuast when he just took a picture of it!? | ||
| Ulywife |
Also have your own pictures along with some official Buell info to show that the muffler in fact exists and is stock. My thought as well. Good luck and keep us posted. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Well... at first I didn't have an exhaust.  Then, once I showed him the exhaust, it was 'non-functioning' | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Sounds like this cop is a candidate for the "very special forces". http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29257 Ding! fries are done! | ||
| Thumper74 |
He's a nice guy... Very polite and professional (other than harassing me)... I just don't understand his problem. | ||
| Bcordb3 |
I would try to get a dosimeter reading on the exhaust to see if it is complaint. A lot of stock mufflers have been modified. If it compliant I would take a certified copy of the test with me to court. The race kit muffler has a stamp on it "not for street" or something like that. Don't remember exactly what it says. I am sure someone here knows. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Mine is bone stock. Interactive valve, never been touched. These aren't pipes you can exactly just take a hole saw to... I'm going to go through the normal channels and hope for corrective action on the police department's end. | ||
| Jaimec |
I agree with Corporatemonkey. Stop sleeping with his wife and beating his children!  | ||
| Blackbelt |
This same thing happened to me. I was riding my 2002 X1WL home on I-75 and a state trooper pulled me over. He said the same thing... (In Michigan, State troopers have NO SENSE OF HUMOR!!! so everything is right to the point) He said, "do you know why I pulled you over?" I asked him for the reason, and he stated that I had NO exhaust... and that my bike was an illegal RACE bike.. (thank god he didn't look under the seat and see the RACE ECM (with the big ol White lettering RACE USE ONLY!). Keep in mind I had an 02 WHITE LIGHTNING with the BLUE HEADERS!!! I asked him VERY polietly to follow the blue exhaust headers and he will find my muffler... he did and luckily this was when my SuperTrap decided to blow up so I had my Stock Exhaust on.. WHEEWWW!!  He said that they are used to looking on the side of the bike for the exhaust and assumed it was not there... cause that is common for people to do that.. he said I could continue and carry on... then drove off... I was left standing there with a WTF look.... | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
So it's actually common for people to be pulled over for a noise violation without any noise being heard?! I've never been pulled over for noise violations on my old X1 with the loud pipe. Is this a midwest type of thing? | ||
| Thumper74 |
Dunno. The only thing I can think of is the exhaust valve. It may have been louder as I was accelerating from 35 to 55mph. I still can't imagine it being louder than a Harley and it still has to pass noise emission limits, right? | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I think it's a small town issue Nate. I don't live too far from Thumper, and I've never been harassed like that with my buell with a jardine or when I had my sporty with strait pipes. Hell I get cops giving me thumbs up. Some of these small villages think that they're the pacific palisades around here. | ||
| Chellem |
You should bring the bike to court that day, and if there's any questions, RIDE IT RIGHT ON IN AND OFFER IT AS EXHIBIT A. THAT'LL fix 'em. :-P | ||
| Cochise |
The stock exhaust is actually pretty loud when you aren't used to it or sitting on top of it. My friend rode my stock Firebolt 12 and I couldn't believe how good and loud it sounded. | ||
| Mikej |
If you've got a friendly dealership nearby you might want to take your bike there and have them write something up stating the stockness and proper functioning of your bike and the exhaust system on it. Might also be interesting to have them write up an invitation for the officer in question to come visit the dealership for a brief tour of the bikes they sell and to better inform him on the various aspects of the bikes so that he is better able to properly perform his duties, or words to that effect, assuming you want to stir the pot a little, or not, YMMV | ||
| Firebolt32 |
What kind of cop writes a ticket for no exhuast when he just took a picture of it!? Someone who doesn't understand the concept of mass centralization! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Let him know that the COP Uly is similarily equipped  | ||
| Thumper74 |
I'm almost afraid to drive my Mustang to work if he thinks the stock Buell is too loud. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I can't wait to hear what happens in court! Sounds like the cop is harassing you, but I'd keep that to myself in court. The judge should be smart enough to dismiss those charges if you present your case in a calm and even toned manner. Make sure to get back with us on this! |
