Does your state have inspections, if so, good or bad thing?

This morning while drinking my coffee and trying to get up to my target heart rate, I was idly looking at Tucson bike listings, and came across a typically scary looking 'cafe mod', you know the bike; butchered frame, no fenders, a piece of 1/4" luan with a towel wrapped around it for a seat, and this particular one no turn signals and no gauges. Not unusual here, there is usually a bunch of them. It got me to thinking what the cafe/bobber business is like in states that require motorcycle inspections. I knew that New Hampshire is one such state, so I went and looked at bikes on CL there, went through the first five pages, and did not see a single cafe mod for sale.

Does the state you live in have inspections, and if so, do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing?

 

We've got them here in Pennsylvania, and I'd say they are generally a good thing. Unfortunately, I think there are enough places that will just slap a sticker on that if you really wanted to get past it you could. Right now I'm a little less keen on the whole thing as my van didn't pass and needs somewhere around 2k of work on it to get the sticker (i bought it a year ago for 2400); needless to say, I'm looking for a new van.

 

NY has inspections. I personally think it is a good thing. However, it only gives the basics for safety. It doesn't take the place of an owner taking the time to understand their bike and ensure it is properly maintained.

 

None here in Iowa but they won't just let you drive any piece of junk down the highway.

 

I've heard it said that states without an inspection requirement put more responsibility/liability on the driver if an accident was caused due to poor or non existent maintenance, e.g. If you let the axle rust through and cause an accident because it snaps in half doing 65 on the highway. Is that the case where you are?

 

Florida doesn't have state safety inspections and liability insurance is optional on motorcycles. I'm from NC where both are required.

 

Not really sure about more responsibility/liability. What ever the reason if you cause an accident you would be liable. It's probably been 30 plus years since they did away with inspections.

 

I don't think California does. When I went to get my license they asked to see if my lights and horn worked that's about it. The lady didn't even look up to see if anything actually worked.

 

WV has state inspections for cars, motorcycles and trailers. The motorcycle and trailers share the same style of sticker. Which reminds me, I really SHOULD go get a sticker on my bike, seeing as how it doesn't have one on it. :/
Overall, I think they are a good thing, I don't really like them on motorcycles as much because the stickers are generally downright ugly when slapped on (usually) one of the front forks.

 

South Dakota no inspection, but we are also one of the least regulated states overall. No helmet law either, but I always wear one.

 

Yup,NY has them.... As light said.

MY take is that anywhere where safety levels are required is a good thing, whether you like it or not is a different matter. If it saves YOUR life, it's a good thing. If it saves SOMEONE ELSE'S life it's a good thing.

My bikes area always able to pass inspection in an instant. Last summer, just to run a blind test, I put a mariginal tire on one of my bikes, just to see how muck they would let go since they KNOW my bikes and workmanship. They would not pass it. That's ok.

The most fun part, though, was that they got a little miffed when I wouldn't order a tire from them. They were a little more miffed when I rode back in 20 minutes later with a new tire on the bike. Ahh....The beauty of being able to pull a rim off another bike.........lol

 

I agree with this, as much as it can be a pain sometimes. I knew someone that drove around with a spare tire (donut, not full size) for almost an entire year because they claimed to not have them money to replace it. They continued to drive their kids around like that despite me offering to pay for a new tire/mounting. That is the reason I think mandatory inspections are a good thing. Who knows how long people will keep driving deathtraps like that otherwise?

 

So as stated Florida has no vehicle inspections and does not require insurance on bikes. Yeah, its pretty lackadaisical down here and can be downright scary. Inspections were done away with when elder folks were being taken advantage of by unscrupulous shops who wouldn't pass their vehicle because it was low on blinker fluid and/or their horn needed to be charged completely and I can get this to pass inspection for $1200 so when your grandkids visit for Easter it'll be safe to drive. Sadly that has led to a terrible state of abuse by those who do not properly maintain their vehicles and there aren't enough police on the street who can observe and stop a deathtrap. So I am all for inspections.
That being said, I think the CEL should be abolished. I get it, I have an O2 sensor going bad. If it isn't polluting above the allowable limit, and the lights and brakes and tires and horn are in good shape, let's move on with our lives here.

 

I can get behind that! I have heard there are even CEL CEL (yes, a light warning that the CEL is out) out in the wild... What a time to be alive.

 

Ha, here it is http://www.obd-codes.com/p0650

 

i had a guy tell me i needed a chain but the sprockets were fine. another wiped the float bowls three times with a kleenex then sniffed for gas. the last time i tried, he wanted to go for a test ride
i told him nobody rides my bike but me. all my stickers ran out in '10

 

I've NEVER heard of that before.... Even with a vehicle!!! That's crazy.... I'd be on my way to another station---and reporting the other one, too....

 

thats one hell of a donut!

 

Subchapter h - Motorcycles Vehicle Equipment and Inspection Regulations • PUB 45 h-10 (d) Road Test - Perform road test and REJECT IF one or more of the following apply: (1) The vehicle is not capable of stopping within the maximum stopping distance prescribed in Table I (relating to brake performance). (2) There is a malfunction of the braking or steering mechanism particularly, shimmy, wander and pull—or another questionable operating behavior that affects safe operation of vehicle. (3) The speedometer does not operate. (4) The odometer does not operate except on motorcycles at least 25 years old. (5) The vehicle cannot be driven forward.
here's the whole thing

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/D...als/Pub_45 Inspections Regulations/PUB-45.pdf

 

Interesting. Even when I lived in PA, they never took the car out... It went up on the lift and everything got checked.