[Skyline_GT]

Completely irrational thinking here. Why wouldn't an owner be allowed to remove something as irrelevant as a saree guard? Also not all modified exhausts make that much of a noise to cause the so called "nuisance". I highly doubt these rules will ever be actually enforced. Specially when the government still hasn't managed to enforce basic rules such as of Helmets.
In Mumbai the traffic police had started a "Compulsory Helmet" drive since early January. While initially there were a lot of efforts taken and lot of riders fined.
Now a month has passed and now everything has cooled off. Even riders have again started riding sans a helmet and everything is back to square one.

[Night Raven]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

Also not all modified exhausts make that much of a noise to cause the so called "nuisance".

Not all, but many of them actually do create nuisance. I really don't think the police will even recognize a modified one unless it makes lot of noise.

[fiestarry]

The orders of the Hon'ble Court (as reported here ) are definitely good. I cant see anything wrong if altered muffler/ silencers are banned. I dont see why overbored and big jetted modded motorcycles which are polluting and noisy can be seen as good for the society. High decibel levels on the road today are mostly emitted by Bullet and KTM motorcycles and autorickshaws with truncated mufflers. It is sad that the Courts have to intervene...and when they do there is this JNU type of reaction from the public.
If the Courts dont act, the cops wont move a muscle and the same public will cry about the proliferation of hooligans on modded motorcycles.
It is a pleasure to see (and barely hear) refined motorcycles like the Honda commuters whisper past us on the roads

[jkdas]

1) My friend get stopped 10 times during the last 6 days! They wanted to know how he modified his bullet so well ( he rides a Harley Street 750).
2) I got stopped once coz I had my bike's headlights on. Thankfully one constable knew that certain bikes have it so.
3) Police try to block road for a TD day planned by Kawasaki here and they ( the police) ended up getting their jeep into a gutter. Don't ask me how! ( hope someone took a video of this). Later they threatened the team and they had to wind up the TD session post lunch!
4) Another friend was stopped by police at Kottayam ( he rides a Tiger) and SI was adamant that the lights can be switched off ( he knew coz he was in Europe for 5 years and sort) and he was taken to station with a constable as pillion. Ended up paying 1000rs coz they now said he was rash riding!

I think in most cases, you sweet talk and bail out cos they are ignorant about bikes. The law is good in a way to catch ricers/racers but few men in uniform misuse the power to make quick cash to meet month end quota.

[braindead]

Why were the cops so interested in having the lights off? Quite a few people in the know keep in on all the time for safety reasons. As long as the lights are not on high beam, whats the harm from the point of view of the police?

[VW2010]

And yet the kutti yanai will run with those blaring head lights and no one cares. I rather pay fine than put me through this scientific evaluation of "as the very equilibrium of the vehicle could be affected."

And its funny its the Kerala Govt. Have they seen their govt buses . I wish they can device an instrument to find any equilibrium or even the remote possibility of safety in those buses.

To me i will end up setting up removable lights and use it as much as possible on highways. Better to stay alive and pay fine than get killed because the standard headlight is good for 2 meters ahead.

[deerhunter]

Motorvehicles Department has started a drive against motorcycles with modified exhausts, modified headlights, modified handlebars etc. I am not sure if it is only against bikes registered in Kerala, but those who are planning a motorcycling trip to Kerala, please make sure that you have OEM parts.

The news article is in malayalam.
http://localnews.manoramaonline.com/...-24-12-16.html

It states that, those with modified bikes will have to pay fines ranging from Rs 500 to 1000. Th authorities will seize and destroy the parts. The bikes will have to be presented in its original form for release of seized RC.

The timing of this drive, coinciding with the winter vacations, will help them catch several bikes. Already, more than 30 bikes have been seized around Kochi. Picture of a seized bike with removed parts is in the link.

[honeybee]

The Motor Vehicles act already prohibits any modifications to a motor vehicle which violate manufacturer specifications. If we mod our rides/drives, we are breaking the law, like it or not. Just because the enforcement has been lax does not mean we should expect the courts to turn a blind eye to existing laws.

As for taking action on other elements, we must remember the court has given this decision in response to a petition filed by a biker who was issued a challan/notice for the modifications he had made to his bike.

Now, if the rules say you can't mod your bike, and you go ahead and mod it, you can't complain really about cops catching you and the court refusing to entertain you. You broke the law. Period.

[deerhunter]

Yes, I agree with you 100%. A lax implementation should not mean that you can break the law. Good that the law enforcement has woken up now. It is really irritating to see Enfields with very loud exhausts, and almost all the Enfields I have seen around Kochi has loud exhausts. To make matters worst, these riders always ride at higher speeds/rpms to further increase that noise.

[v12]

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Motorvehicles Department has started a drive against motorcycles with modified exhausts, modified headlights, modified handlebars etc. I am not sure if it is only against bikes registered in Kerala, but those who are planning a motorcycling trip to Kerala, please make sure that you have OEM parts.

The news article is in malayalam.
http://localnews.manoramaonline.com/...-24-12-16.html

It states that, those with modified bikes will have to pay fines ranging from Rs 500 to 1000. Th authorities will seize and destroy the parts. The bikes will have to be presented in its original form for release of seized RC.

The timing of this drive, coinciding with the winter vacations, will help them catch several bikes. Already, more than 30 bikes have been seized around Kochi. Picture of a seized bike with removed parts is in the link.

In that case, I guess most of the police motorcycles can be termed as illegal. They have a hard box at the side, probably a fairing, modified handlebars, repainted (is the police paint job registered) etc.

On a side note if such a ban is introduced on cars - we may soon have to lock the Tastefully Modified Cars (PICS : Tastefully Modified Cars in India) thread

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by v12

In that case, I guess most of the police motorcycles can be termed as illegal. They have a hard box at the side, probably a fairing, modified handlebars, repainted (is the police paint job registered) etc.

Strictly speaking, modified police vehicles cannot be termed illegal. Because in India, government can break the law while carrying out sovereign functions (law enforcement is a sovereign function). This is derived from the English common law which states that "the King can do no wrong".

But of late, the courts have taken a liberal view of government liability. But no one has challenged the modification of police vehicles yet, so the immunity stands, as of now.

[honeybee]

The police bikes may have been customized by the manufacturer itself. Also just because there are a few others breaking the law does not mean one should, too.

[navin_v8]

This is a good move but our cops and law enforcement guys have to be trained to carry out this move.

I for one support this cause, I am especially miffed by those "so called bikers" who modify their exhausts to make loud noise and to tell everyone they have arrived. Who cares if they have arrived. Most people I have seen are doing this on their RE's with those contraptions called modified (performance) exhausts and what not. I have seen numerous people cursing those bikers due to the commotion those loud exhausts create.

[farhadtarapore]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

This is a good move but our cops and law enforcement guys have to be trained to carry out this move.

I for one support this cause, I am especially miffed by those "so called bikers" who modify their exhausts to make loud noise and to tell everyone they have arrived. Who cares if they have arrived. Most people I have seen are doing this on their RE's with those contraptions called modified (performance) exhausts and what not. I have seen numerous people cursing those bikers due to the commotion those loud exhausts create.

Totally agree. And it's not only the REs. I've seen those 'silencers' also on the R15s to Pulsars to Honda Dios!

[TorqueyTechie]

Though this is a good intention I am not sure how the implementation will be done. Bikes with modified exhausts and auxillary lights will be the most easiest to be caught but how will they catch hold of people who have re-tuned bikes. And as long as they are doing this, they should also consider polluting vehicles (all those 2 strokes, autorickshaws and even buses) and not restrict it to just the easy to catch 2 wheelers.

On a side note if the same is applied to 4 wheelers as well guess some of the retuning shops in kerala have to shut shop.