Benicia debates smog, noise from motorcycles

A discussion about loud motorcycles dominated Tuesday's Benica City Council meeting, with a downtown resident and a merchant complaining about "rolling thunder" on weekends.

[Mike]

Where I live I hear a motorcycle maybe once or twice every week. But I hear loud car stereos several times an hour. How about handing out a few noise citations to them.

[Ironhorses]

I ride a Harley Davidson. My Harley is also a bit loud but that is how I enjoy it and others as well. To go back to factory standards, would be far to expensive to all. Why single out one group when there are other issues that should and need to be addressed.

Most of us that do Ride HarleyDavidson are of the older generation and its taken most of us yrs to be able to affored and ride in the way we wish. I am not suggesting that there should not be any limits on sound. But to go back to factory standards is not the way to do this. Also its up to the ride as to how he or she rides that makes them loud.
Just my view on things.

[Ironhorses]

Mike of Hayward also has a point. I have a house 100 yards from my house that keep their rap music so loud that it does vibrate my house, and thats with the doors closed. Fix that and the car music then come to me about my bike. Sit in traffic and have someone next to you that has his music up so loud that it hurts your ears and you do nothing about that..

Thank you for your input Mike. I had forgotten the music issue.

[Grandpasmurf952]

Wasn't it the Oakland Police Department that put loud mufflers on their patrol motorcycles because people kept running into the quite motorcycles?

I seem to remember reading something about the fact that the Oakland Police Motorcycles did not meet the State standards for noise pollution :)

[tramky]

The future of the California state government is in doubt, it is bankrupt, it is issuing IOUs instead of real checks, and THIS is what the City of Benicia is worried about. It is quite clear that the political leaders of Benicia haven't enough to keep them busy.

Mufflers on motorcycles. Give us a break. Nero is fiddling in Benicia.

[Random Thoughts]

Robin, no motorcyle in existence can 'shake a house'. Although I'm no fan of Harley Davidson MC's (being a former rice-rocket rider!) I respect freedom. And give me an occasional loud HD over the aforementioned car stereo anyday. I don't often get down on First Street, but I do not believe it's exactly a hotbed of biker gangs. Get a grip!

[CHRISsy]

Random Thoughts wrote:

Robin, no motorcyle in existence can 'shake a house'. Although I'm no fan of Harley Davidson MC's (being a former rice-rocket rider!) I respect freedom. And give me an occasional loud HD over the aforementioned car stereo anyday. I don't often get down on First Street, but I do not believe it's exactly a hotbed of biker gangs. Get a grip!

what a roast :)

[Freedom]

Random Thoughts wrote:

I respect freedom.

How about freedom from people's noise? From BOTH HDs and stereos.

Two of my neighbors have HDs and they shake the house-they take off and all the car alarms go off (and they think they can go as fast as they can).

I'm sick of this liberatarian I'm free so I can do whatever I want BS and I can make as much loud noise as possible. STFU HD riders AND rappers. You can destroy your own hearing but I'd like to save mine.

Make HDs factory!

Go Benicia.

[So Ineffective]

There's your problem... the police. State law is pretty clear... noise or music that can be heard beyond 50 feet of the vehicle. If you can hear it beyond that point, write the cite. What's so hard about that?
Unless you don't want to enforce the law.
So in the meantime we're living with people who think nothing of inflicting their lifestyle on people who want nothing to do with it. And if the so-called guardians of society - police and local government - won't do anything we're headed for trouble as people start to stand up agains the noise violators who thinks its funny and manly to set off car alarms with their bikes or cars.
Note to the police and local government: Man up and do your job or stand back as people settle their own problems - and that won't be pretty, trust me.

[So Ineffective]

Yep, cite and shut down noisy neighbors like yours, their boom cars, and your bike. I agree that the area is "target rich" and police should be doing more... and that people are dying over this issue. Yes, dying. It's a simple fix. Live your life, have fun and DON'T BOTHER OTHERS. Bother others, and prepare to be bothered yourself.

Ironhorses wrote:

Mike of Hayward also has a point. I have a house 100 yards from my house that keep their rap music so loud that it does vibrate my house, and thats with the doors closed. Fix that and the car music then come to me about my bike. Sit in traffic and have someone next to you that has his music up so loud that it hurts your ears and you do nothing about that..
Thank you for your input Mike. I had forgotten the music issue.

[Turn It Down]

Interesting thread on this and related issues - boom cars, etc.- at: http://eastbaydaze.blogspot.com
They have video of bikers setting of car alarms and rattling homes... pretty conclusive if you ask me.
Loud Pipes Don't Save Lives, They Just Annoy!

[Donna]

Benicia is beginning to sound like our next city of elitist! If you are not careful, you will work yourselves right out of extra dollars that tourism brings.

Vallejo seems to be infecting your city boundaries and penetrating your defenses.

Keep it up! You'll be the losers!

[Mike]

Benicia has a SMOG problem? Really? The only SMOG problem that Benicia has is that Co2 coming out the mouths of politicians.

[Random Thoughts]

Benicia is NOTHING compared to where I lived in SF, Bernal Heights bordering the Mission...LOL you folks think we have noise/smog issues? I love it out here, it's super quiet and clean. Crime is low. Give me the occasional HD any day. This article is a joke. Soon we won't be able to mow our lawns or have a bbq in our own back yards.

[Big Wayne]

...the council considered requiring smog checks for motorcycles.
---------- the devil is in the details. a dynamometer that will allow the smog test stations to test m'cycles costs more than ten times as much as a dyno for cars. and, of course,'cycles are less than 5% of the vehicles on the road, so will there be only one test station for every twenty car test stations ? will the cost be twenty times what it costs for a car ?...
The council voted to support the legislation if it is amended only on smog instead of after-market mufflers.

Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson said she raised the issue because the bill would address smog. But later she wanted to give residents a chance to speak out about "noise pollution" on Benicia streets.
---------- she knows a good bit about noise because she had a college project that involved noise legislation ...
...a First Street business owner, said that loud motorcycles disrupt his business -- even with his doors and windows shut . He questioned that loud bikes save lives by alerting motorists of their presence. "It is not OK to annoy everyone just to be a little safer," he said.
...the American Motorcycle Association, said that the proposed state law would create an "uneven playing field" because it would require muffler checks for motorcycles but not for cars.
---------- and only allow stock mufflers ...
"The (association) is against the bill because it should go after smog reduction, not mufflers," .
The mayor suggested that the Police Department could crack down on excessively loud bikes by enforcing existing noise laws.
Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli, however, said that the state's law is vaguely written and lacks specific direction on how to measure noise. Noise citations are often overturned in court, Spagnoli said. About two noise citations a month are issued, police said.
The mayor said that some California cities have outlawed motorcycle traffic on certain roads --
---------- a measure that ALL m'cycle rights organizations strongly oppose !...
The legislation -- SB 435 by state Sen. Fran Pavely, D-Agoura Hills, narrowly passed the Senate last month. It is now in the Assembly.
... loud car stereos several times an hour. How about handing out a few noise citations to them.
To go back to factory standards, would be far too expensive . Why single out one group when there are other issues that should and need to be addressed ? I am not suggesting that there should not be any limits on sound.
music so loud that it vibrates my whole house, and that's with the doors closed. Fix that and the car music - then come to me about my bike. Sit in traffic and have someone next to you that has his music up so loud that it hurts your ears and you do nothing about that.. Wasn't it the Oakland Police Department that put loud mufflers on their patrol motorcycles ? Oakland Police Motorcycles do not meet the State standards for noise pollution .
The future of the California state government is in doubt, it is bankrupt, and THIS is what the City of Benicia is worried about. It is clear that the leaders of Benicia haven't enough to keep them busy. Mufflers on motorcycles. Nero is fiddling in Benicia.
First Street, I do not believe it's exactly a hotbed of biker gangs.
Two of my neighbors have HDs and they shake the house-they take off and all the car alarms go off (and they think they can go as fast as they can).
There's your problem... the police. write the cite. Unless you don't want to enforce the law.
...we're headed for trouble as people start to stand up agains the noise violators who thinks its funny and manly to set off car alarms with their bikes or cars.
Note to the police and local government: Man up and do your job or stand back as people settle their own problems -
Big
...freedom isn't free: its price is eternal vigilance ...

[Jon]

If you're not so bothered by these ridiculously loud bikes. Hang out at the Vallero on E. Second for a short while and listen to the boarder-line achievers as they accelerate as fast as they can to make thier dramatic entrance onto 780. Oh, now that I think about it, forget Valero, you can hear them from Overlook Park and it's more comfortable.

[Random Thoughts]

I live on Seaview, fairly close to the park....doesn't really bug me. I hear the cars too. It's what, five seconds that you hear this, how many times a day? LOL come on. Most of the riders that I see down on First are the older dudes, taking their wives out for a Sunday run. I seriously doubt any of them have aftermarket pipes to begin with. Sure ain't 25 Easy Rider choppers settling in at that Raven joint formerly known as The Pastime. But, whatever, I digress.....

[Random Thoughts]

One more thing before I officially digress, haha. More often than not I hear the bikes either ripping down 780 from Pacheco to Vallejo or vice versa. Benicia does not have these issues.

[VallejoGuy]

"Ironhorses",

One group is not being singled out. Although your group is being addressed now. It's one of those one-by-one things, you know?

There was a day when the Harley Davidson image actually meant something. It represented true rebels and hardcore guys in society. Now it's just rich suburban guys on enormous motorcycles.

And of course, the aftermarket exhaust is added to be more loud so HD riders can show everyone how "bad" they are. Even though the free-flowing exhaust with resonators dropped low-end torque in favor of high-end HP where the bike is rarely ridden... it's somehow "better".

Same goes for the coffee-can exhausts on import cars, incorrectly jetted sport bikes (pre-FI) with slip-ons, and gas-powered leaf blowers.

Yes... leaf-blowers. Who blows leaves, and why do they think that's a good idea? Bad for the neighbor's yard, the environment, and the lungs while operating said blower?

So sorry replacing the stock exhaust on your bike is going to cost you $500. At least you'll have the comfort of knowing your bike has more torque where you need it.

I suppose this makes me a "hater", but I'm a motorcyclist and gearhead and even I classify Harley exhausts under "nuisance". Doesn't ruin my day, but there is that 30 seconds where you think,
"Did I really just have to stop my conversation with a friend while some guy rings out his V-twin in 2nd to get to the end of the block?!"
...wtf

Ironhorses wrote:

I ride a Harley Davidson. My Harley is also a bit loud but that is how I enjoy it and others as well. To go back to factory standards, would be far to expensive to all. Why single out one group when there are other issues that should and need to be addressed.

[VallejoGuy]

w.. t.. f..
(was the last line)