State looks at dropping emissions tests on cycles

Chopper, Honda, Harley riders, the state wants to give you and all motorcycle owners a pass on emissions tests.

The state argues that testing motorcycles is more trouble than it’s worth.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality asked federal authorities this month to exempt motorcycles from the emissions testing program in the Phoenix area.

The state says motorcycles make up just 3.5 percent of all vehicles tested and fail less often than they once did.

A recent analysis shows testing and repair of motorbikes doesn’t significantly improve air quality.

The state says the most significant contributor to dirty air in metro Phoenix continues to be tailpipe emissions along with dust and ozone pollution that at times is serious enough to trigger health advisories.