Jesse James & West Coast Choppers fined $271,250 for smog violations
California air regulators slapped Jesse James with a monster fine for building 50 custom bikes that didn't have state certified emissions equipment. The LA Times says the $271,250 fine applies to bikes built at West Coast Choppers between 1998 and 2005. Inspectors from the Air Resources Board found the vehicles didn't have proper smog equipment on the exhaust or intake systems and they could spit out 10 times the amount of hydrocarbons allowed by state law. Regulators say James was not targeted and they have brought action against 20 other customizers. But we must give Jesse his due: the burger joint next to his shop has solar panels (James co-owns the shop). James was the host of the popular Discovery Channel show Monster Garage. The last episode aired last year.[Source: Andrew Blankstein / Los Angeles Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Garcia 4:33PM (3/30/2008)
I side with Jesse , I`ve got a 79 chevy I still cant get smog exempt I live in northern CA the smog laws here are just a money scam there`s no smog here
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Paul Bahre 11:56PM (5/28/2008)
CA is doing it's best to ruin a great custom industry that makes CA a uniquely positioned state for the custom motorcycle industry. Who would buy a bad ass custom bike that didn't have an S&S Super E or straight pipes? You have to make that thing breath and a cytalitc converter is just a choke on the fan. How long do you think the purchase of a customer bike would go until they rip the damm thing off, half an hour? Also I noticed in the J&P catalog it notes that S&S carborators are not certified by the state of CA as pollution compliant and should not be used in CA. CA is supposed to be the land of cruising and going fast. I say F those commie bastards in CA.
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Jack Meyhauffer 11:21PM (3/19/2009)
CARB is bullshit. Even major motorcycle manufacturers make a bike for all of the other 49 states and then have to produce a watered down version for the land of fruits and nuts. There are many bikes that I would like to own, but simply can't because of CARB making it too costly for bike manufacturers or builders to have to make a "special" one just for California. The environmental impact of an air cooled V-twin is miniscule especially in comparison to the trucks and SUVs on the road. We would all be better off if more people rode motorcycles. I am sick of seeing solo drivers go by in their SUVs and trucks while I am on my bike getting 50 mpg. In this particular instance they should also take into consideration that the people that can afford to pay for a custom WCC bike will probably hardly ever even ride the thing. How often do you think Shaq rode his chopper? Garage ornaments = zero emissions. FU CARB!
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Kate 10:42AM (1/28/2007)
thought I'd share the response to the (CARB) press release. That was picked up Friday By a large amount of Media. Here is Jesse James own response yesterday. QUOTE
" I think its pretty suspicious that a organization (CARB)that runs
under the premise of "Clean Air" is doing press releases on the cash
settlements they are extracting from California Buisness'. If there
intententions were really focused on the environment they surely would
have taken my offer to make All of the "Non-Complient" Motorcycles meet
Federal EPA standards. They did not accept my offer and stated that they
were only interested in the cash settlement.
West Coast Choppers Motorcycles have been tested to be low emitions
Vehicles and will always comply with Federal safety and Emitions
standards. West Coast Choppers is on the leading edge in Hydrogen
Technology with
Development of a Zero emitions hydrogen powered Land Speed car capable
of 250mph . West Coast Choppers has also pioneered the worlds first
Green Fast food restaraunt Cisco Burger that opened in May 2006.
We hope that paying this money will bring to light that California has
a Flawed system when it comes to its Clean Air Agencys and the policies
and practices they use.
Jesse James"
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Stoney Browning 7:23PM (7/14/2008)
Hey Jesse,
Why don't you ditch the land of fruits and nuts, and come to the mountains of North Carolina! Land is cheap here, and around here we'ld LOVE to get a business that will put people to work!
You build one hell of a bike, and I think their cool, and so do my neighbors!
Come to North Carolina, and build 'em here! Damn straight nobody's gonna fine you for it!
Rich Speciale 8:03PM (5/20/2009)
I second that motion. NC is a great place to live. Come check out the coast. The beer and shrimp are on me. Bring that cool wife of yours to.
Ari Kukkonen 10:17AM (1/28/2007)
Hell!
What a load of California idiots. Ridiculous fine with 50 bikes during 8 years.
They sell 50 Hummers in that city every day. And motorbikes do not pollute any more than a Prius.
Shit!
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Mark_H 10:51AM (1/28/2007)
So after getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, JJ can only say OK, OK, I'll make my bikes compliant just don't fine me. Sorry, bub, but you gotta play by the same rules as everyone else.
And what does his 'green' fast food joint have to do with his non-compliant bikes? Bizarro.
Finally, isn't the word 'emissions', not 'emitions'?
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LaughingTooHard 2:23PM (1/28/2007)
Mark_H,
"Hand the cookie jar?" Did someone get yelled at my his mommy for snacking between meals? Worse than that, you sound like whiny 15 year old who got a ticket for not wearing a helmet while riding your Mongoose to the mall. This event has embittered you so J.J. should have to pay too! Darn it!
I am sure your shrink (who is helping a lot with the bad touching that Daddy did to you) would agree you are jealous that he is more talented, has more money than you could make in 10 lifetimes, is not a good looking guy and STILL gets more hot tail then you can dream of paying for, when you get your work permit that is!
He is willing to retrofit or retest. CARB is just like he wrote, they are a money making system for the California State Government. Do they go after every Tom, Dick and Harry that makes one off custom bikes? No. They went after Jesse because of his public profile and while watching his show they could keep count of the number of bikes he has made. A retarded one eye'd monkey could do the research for that fine. And $271K? sounds like the fine fit the budget needs rather than the crime.
Best of all J.J. knows that he would be wasting the tax payer's money to take CARB to court, resulting in:
1) his paying the fine and wasting public money with a long drawn out Court TV special.
2) dismissal of the fine which forces CARB to recoup that money (plus all the lawyer's fees from his court battle) by intensifying the witch hunt - CARB budgets the next fiscal year based on potential fines, so planning on Jesse's $271K plus a large legal battle could upset their whole year.
Neither sounds like his style. Besides when you are worth that kind of money, $271K is like $271 to us. Don't hate...and don't be a simpleton either, you dolt.
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MikeW 8:30PM (1/28/2007)
How many Hummers have carburetors and no catalytic converters?
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Doug R 8:31AM (1/31/2007)
A fine example of how utterly insane this whole thing has become. Socialist thinking to the extreme, completely devoid of logic. Then again, we are talking about California.
Even the most powerful bikes get at least 30-35mpg. Average bikes get around 50-60mpg. They shouldn't be required to have emissions. Due to the weather (So. Cal. anyway) and the problem with congestion they should be encouraging folks to ride them. I guess safety is an issue but the hybrid micro-bubbles they love aren't much better. I'd rather die (if I have to) riding or driving something fun.
Clearly an excuse to collect some money, no doubt about it. A few years ago car companies invented the computerized cylinder control (can't think of the official name for it right now). It makes it possible for a Suburban to cruise down the highway and get 25mpg on 4 of it's 8 cylinders. Pretty impressive feat that has gotten absolutely no praise from government environmentalists. They did acknowledge it in their own way however. When the same companies produced performance engines that couldn't take advantage of the technology, they exacted a penalty for not using it. How quaint. Cha-ching!
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Steve 8:21PM (2/03/2007)
Always the same story. We are going to catch you and now it is not enough that you offer to fix these bikes but ,WE NEED YOUR MONEY.If there concern is clean air, how does fining him make the air cleaner? Is this money going to a cause? or is it just another group of rats ,looking for a way to make money for nothing.
I am glad the man is rich enough to not care, but what about the real criminals of clean air. Big oil and gas and our gov't..In my opionion they are in the same group as these whistle blowing , fine giving ,bullies. Good thing no one does any investigating of them. Isnt there dirt to find on us all? Let he who is without sin ,throw the first stone.
Ps. cool Bikes ......I am glad there are people like J.J. who have enough personality to contribute them to the world instead of all the bike contributing to the forein market.(not that I have anything againced them), but always the same story..........when a cool guy like J.J. comes along and says hey, I will be the guy who builds it , there will always be a line of do good trouble makers ready to say"Lets get this guy".
Long story short..........no wonder there is no world peace........the mighty dollar is in the way.
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Rudy 6:23AM (3/21/2007)
perhaps if jesse had taken the time to devote some of his not insignificant resources to become involved in the motorcycle rights movement, he may not have had this problem. Now he cries that "someone" didn't do something about this.
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GoodCheer 10:09AM (9/05/2007)
If you get stopped for speeding you can't simply offer to stop speeding, you pay a fine. It is the fear of getting another fine that keeps you from speeding in the future. If JJ were allowed to simply put on the emissions equipment and call it a day, how would that motivate him (or other customizers) to comply with the law in the future?
Isn't it conservatives that always claim to be "TOUGH ON CRIME". Correct me if I'm wrong, but breaking laws, whether it be selling vehicles that don't meet the legal emissions requirements for the state, or speeding, are crimes. Just because you like the Art/Vehicles JJ creates does not mean they should be exempt from those laws. If it is the laws you dislike, write you congressman.
#1. "And motorbikes do not pollute any more than a Prius."
Apparently his did. From the text above "the vehicles didn't have proper smog equipment on the exhaust or intake systems and they could spit out 10 times the amount of hydrocarbons allowed by state law." I suspect that law also applies to Prii.
#2. Are personal attacks really productive in this discussion?
"Do they go after every Tom, Dick and Harry that makes one off custom bikes?" From the text: "they have brought action against 20 other customizers." While 20 may not be all of them, I suspect it is enough to send the message that even small volume shops are required to comply with vehicle emissions law, and getting that message out is the point.
#6. I absolutely agree that motorcycles should be thought of as part of the solution to traffic congestion. Part of the reason is that they can get great mileage (I get about 55 mpg on my bike, even when I drive like an a$$hole). Getting great mileage has almost nothing to do with toxic and smog-causing emissions. You can smell a single motorcycle in front of you on a crowded highway (just as you can a single 50s era car) because of all the crap they spew into the air. Not using much fuel only means lower CO2 production.
#7. I absolutely agree that big oil (and I would add coal-electric) should be on the most wanted list, well above the likes of JJ. But just because someone else is breaking the law worse than you does not mean you are exempt from the fine. 'Sure I embezzled $100G from my company, but you shouldn't prosecute me because that other guy embezzled $10M.'
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jeffzekas 10:47AM (9/05/2007)
California has killed business in this state, by over-regulating and over-taxing, both businesses and individuals. Jesse James' custom bikes add, what? maybe one-billionth of one percent to the air pollution in the state... showing again that CARB will cut off its nose, to spite its face.
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