1. Is it illegal to lower your vehicle in Mass period?
2. Is it illegal to change your exhaust in Mass period?

I got pulled over by a statey last night going 30mph down the street from my house for the following...

"Altered Muffler" The officer deemed it obnoxious even though I still have my cats and twins making it super quiet at low RPM's

"Lowered Vehicle" which I was told is illegal to do even though I have a finger gap between my OEM 18's and fenders

No plate, broken 3rd light, and no reg on me are all my fault

 

he was probly have a bad day. wife left em, his kids hate em, declined a promotion, he got aids..... who knows.

 

^lol

 

 

The short answer is yes/yes

1: Altering vehicle height: GL c90§7P: "A person cannot alter the height of a m/v...'by elevating or lowering the chassis or body more than 2 inches above or below the original manufacturer's height' ". $35 fine and mandatory registration suspension until the vehicle's height is adjusted.

2: Altered exhaust system: GL c90§16: "No person shall modify any exhaust system "in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust". $50 fine.

True, because Troopers only do their job when one of the above mentioned situations occur.

 

phew...luckily im only dropped 1.7"'s

 

So...my car is dropped on H-techs for the Z which is < 1 inch and my exhaust is quieter than stock while cruising...therefore his ticket is garbage?

 

What exhaust are you running?

 

most tickets are garbage...

 

If you can prove that the drop is less than 2", that charge may be dismissible.

The exhaust: forget it. If it's capable of making noise that's at all louder than stock, it's N.G.

 

I never understood the noise policy. Almost every bike you see is 10x louder than a car.

 

I believe it is because there is a Federal standard for noise from a car, but not motorcycles. As such, the m/c law names a specific dB level that exhausts may not exceed, factory or aftermarket. Cars just can not be louder than stock, which already confirms to the federal standard.

The modification to amplify law ALSO applies to motorcycles.

Edit: I just did some research. I'm not sure why MGL has a statute regulating the dB levels for motorcycles, as there IS a federal EPA standard regulating their noise remittance. Weird.

 

our stock is pretty loud

 

Andy, you can't win an exhaust ticket brotha. If it's anything but stock, it's considered modified doesn't matter if it's loud or soft. There's no laws on db's etc.

The suspension ticket, really depends on the officer. I really lucked out on this one back in April.. and i'm tucked on all 4. Walked away with a warning.

 

Well, I actually got a warning for the drop...only $50 for the exhaust, which I don't care about financially, I just dont know if it's a surchargeable or not.

On a side note, I spoke with a Transit Cop friend of mine who was gonna take care of the ticket and he said as long as I have my cats I should be good. He also said to argue the fact that how is the cop to know that the exhaust is louder than stock or not? Does he know what a stock G35 sounds like or the dB level? He also gave me some other questions to ask the statey that will stump him and insure a victory such as asking him to explain a "way" and if he is a trained mechanic. I'm going to send it in and use my free pass for something more drastic like 30mph over lol

Wish me luck

Seriously though, the EvoTT WITH cats and the turbos is QUIETER than stock while cruising at 2 grand. Stock G's are freaking loud.

"No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any way which motor vehicle is equipped (1) with a muffler from which the baffle plates, screens or other original internal parts have been removed and not replaced; or (2) with an exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust"