Monster fine for 'Monster Garage'

[n2doc]

Monster fine for 'Monster Garage'
Show creator Jesse James is dinged nearly $300,000 for smog violations.
By Andrew Blankstein, Times Staff Writer
January 27, 2007

With creations like the "Undertaker" and "666 El Diablo," Jesse James and his West Coast Choppers team have become TV stars and automotive icons by turning average motorcycles into pimped-up machines.

But California air regulators announced Friday a $271,250 fine against James, the co-producer and host of "Monster Garage" and "Motorcycle Mania," saying that 50 of his custom-built choppers ran afoul of California's clean-air rules.

California Air Resources Board officials said their inspectors found that the monster bikes sold between 1998 and 2005 did not have state certified emissions equipment on their exhaust and fuel systems.

As a result, bikes were spewing hydrocarbons at up to 10 times the state limits, said Paul Jacobs, chief of the board's Mobile Sources Enforcement branch.

The market for custom-built motorcycles has taken off in recent years as celebrities, athletes and other gilded age luminaries plunk down $50,000 — and far more — for signature rides.

James, who is married to actress Sandra Bullock, could not be reached for comment. Nobody who answered the phone at his Long Beach-based West Coast Choppers would discuss the state action.

Regulators said James' celebrity status was not the reason he was targeted. Souping up motorcycles has become a huge industry, and the state has cited, sued or settled air pollution cases with more than 20 motorcycle customizers, Jacobs said.

In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has fined other auto customizers — including the similarly named but unrelated West Coast Customs, which was then affiliated with the MTV show "Pimp My Ride" — for allegedly replacing steering wheel air bags with TV monitors.

Despite James' maverick image, his hamburger joint next to the bike shop is promoted as environmentally friendly, including using solar energy.

Cisco Burgers' website says: "We use biodegradable paper products, natural, no preservative meats, organic dairy and produce."

[e-mail]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-pimpmysmog27jan27,0,4676456.story

[mrcheerful]

1. We shall see if they can actually do any of what they are saying they can

Remember none of this applies to after market products. James is not a factory, What they are trying to do is say James is a builder of New vehicles so he is violating factory emission limits as if he was an automotive industry. Thats a deception in that the state can not stop an individual from "customizing" a vehicle once it has been purchased from the dealer. This might be the states attempt to change the law so people can not customize vehicles.

[happyslug]

2. but customization can NOT violate State Safety or environmental

That is true EVEN IF YOU DO IT YOURSELF. Now the states have been slow at enforcing such laws against individuals, but in states that have MANDATORY INSPECTIONS, such modification can lead to a denial of a inspection sticker and with that denial the inability to operate the vehicle on the streets and roads of that state. The federal Government has been trying to get ALL states to adopt MANDATORY inspection (Not the spot inspection of California but a mandatory inspection by licensed mechanic). Some states (California is a largest that I know of) have fought this proposal by saying there spot inspection is more effective, the problem is you have a lot of "illegal" changes to car coming out of California, this includes trucks with monster wheels (moving the BUMPER above the 18 inch coverage mandated by Federal law), low riders (WHose bumpers are often BELOW the Federal Law on Bumper Height), removal of catalytic converters, modified tailpipes on Motorcycles etc. Now these vehicles modification often show up even in states with mandatory inspections (the modified tailpipes on Motorcycles are the worse) but not to the degree in states WITHOUT mandatory inspections.

My point is simply because you do the work yourself or had someone else do the work IT STILL MUST follow State and Federal law if it is to operate legally on the highways.

[mrcheerful]

3. Yeah I forgot that some states had enacted those types of laws.

I happen to live in one of the states that only require factory and repair centers to follow those state codes. A private citizen for example can remove emission control devices off their vehicles. After said device is removed the repair centers are not required to put them back on. If said vehicle is under warranty the owner loses the warranty. The good thing is most of these laws are not retro active, meaning that if said vehicle did not come with such devices such as emission control or safety devices the owner doesn't have to bring them up to the current codes. I drive a 1978 Ford van it came from the factory with lap belts instead of a shoulder harness and have been pulled over a few times, I wear the lap belt because the state has mandatory safety belt laws. The cops see the lap belt and send me on my way. I also built custom motorcycles, that were older then safety laws or emission laws and was able to use after market exhusts on them. I'll have to check the current laws of the state to see what if changwes have been made since my last custom build. I haven't built a bike since 1992, I was on a 1970 Triumph custom and was T-boned, needless to say, I'm still trying to fully recover from said accident.

[Xithras]

4. In California, all aftermarket mods must be CARB approved.

CARB= California Air Resources Board.

Headers, carbs, ignition units, you name it. If it affects the running of the engine, it has to be approved before you can put it on. Fail to do so and you'll fail your next emissions inspection and have your registration denied. California ALSO has a law allowing police officers to write emissions tickets, which will require a re-inspection aside from the normal bi-annual one. Taking off your unlicensed blower once every two years may not sound like a big deal, but if a cop smells fumes while you're running it down the road with the blower between inspections, he can force you to get another inspection. If your equipment is obviously illegal (open headers, no cat, etc) he can even write you a fat ticket right there on the spot. You'll still have to get the re-inspection to keep your registration, but you'll be paying a huge fine on top of it...unless you can demonstrrate to the judge that the cop was wrong and your hardware was legal.

We take our smog laws very seriously out here, which is as it should be. Modders beware!

[mrcheerful]

5. Yeah I forgot that this wasn't my state after I posted. Though Jesse James hasn't been a friend of

law enforcement all that much in the past.