10-28-2015, 09:59 AM
Emissions testing of motorcycles in AZ was something of a farce. I'm glad they finally realized it, after only 30 yrs. or so. The EPA required emissions testing for cars in Maricopa and Pima counties, but not motorcycles. I suspect the state included motorcycles as a revenue generation tool.
The original idea was that motorcycles would be run on the car dyno at various speeds with sniffers on the pipes. The testers soon found out the hard way that round profile motorcycle tires are not well suited to spin car-type rollers with only a rider holding up the bike. I personally witnessed the destruction of a perfectly good Goldwing when its side to side oscillation wobbled it off the rollers at speed and launched it into the car in the next lane.
After dozens of similar results, the state modified the procedure to a relatively useless idle test with a sniffer. The test cost more than the tests for cars with OBD II and was required every year, rather than two year interval for OBD II equipped cars. Basically, it was a big waste of money and time.
The original idea was that motorcycles would be run on the car dyno at various speeds with sniffers on the pipes. The testers soon found out the hard way that round profile motorcycle tires are not well suited to spin car-type rollers with only a rider holding up the bike. I personally witnessed the destruction of a perfectly good Goldwing when its side to side oscillation wobbled it off the rollers at speed and launched it into the car in the next lane.
After dozens of similar results, the state modified the procedure to a relatively useless idle test with a sniffer. The test cost more than the tests for cars with OBD II and was required every year, rather than two year interval for OBD II equipped cars. Basically, it was a big waste of money and time.