Governator is AMA’s rider of the year

Gov. Schwarzenegger models new moto-gear

The American Motorcyclist Association has given the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Motorcyclist of the Year. 

That's not necessarily a good thing, however. The AMA gave the Guvnor the award in spite.

"Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a piece of legislation that has rocked the motorcycling world, and will impact motorcyclists in other states as well for years to come," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "This makes him the logical choice for the 2010 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year."

Gov. Schwarzenegger, it seems,  signed a bill regulating motorcycle exhaust systems. The legislation requires every new motorcycle or aftermarket exhaust system, as of 2013, to carry a stamp on the exhaust certifying that it meets federal Environmental Protection Agency sound requirements.

Critics say that, for most motorcycles, the law is basically a requirement to keep original equipment exhausts because the federal standard is not designed for aftermarket manufacturers and its hard for aftermarket companies to assure compliance for the low-volume production models.

"The California law is a poorly crafted piece of legislation that's discriminatory and does little to address the core problem of excessive sound from all sources, not just motorcycles," Dingman said. "Rather than objectively regulate offensive noise, this law creates all sorts of problems for riders, law enforcement and aftermarket manufacturers."

The AMA argues that an EPA certification label is no guarantee of sound compliance, and the lack of a label is no guarantee that an exhaust is too loud. The only way to know for sure is to test its actual sound output.

"As a motorcyclist, Gov. Schwarzenegger should have known better," Dingman said. "Now California's motorcyclists, as well as key segments of our industry, are going to be negatively impacted."

One issue is that EPA-compliant systems aren't readily available for most bikes. And, if  you have a 2009 Buell Blast that needs a new exhaust in 2014,  you'll be stuck spending big bucks on an originial maker exhaust instead of half as much for aftermarket.

"Owners of automobiles and trucks don't have to meet the same standard, and they can buy less expensive replacement exhaust systems at local muffler shops," the AMA said.

Schwarzenegger's selection as AMA Motorcyclist of the Year was reinforced by California's position as a role model for the rest of the country.

" With the stroke of his pen, Gov. Schwarzenegger significantly altered the motorcycling landscape for motorcyclists everywhere, and this is the reason why his selection as AMA Motorcyclist of the Year is so impactful."

 Schwarzenegger has done some good for riding, however, including making appointments to committees dealing with off-highway riding drawing attention to the need for licensing after a 2006 get-off.