| Author | Message | ||
     Norrisperformance |
A good friend just sent me this email. Anybody know anything about it????? I was wondering if you looked at some of the proposed EPA laws that will affect chopper builders. Basically some of the proposed laws will really hurt chopper builders. They are only going to allow an individual one chopper build in their entire life and they won't be able to go to a builder and ask them to build it. The individual will have to buy all of the parts and then bring them to the builder for "assembly". It's really crazy what they want to do. I think they have a full write up about it in one of the recent American Iron magazines. Of course Harley Davidson supports the new laws because it will help them stomp out the little guy that takes so much of their market share away. | ||
| Skeenix |
I think what your friend is referring to is an article published by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation titled "EPA for the Layman" http://www.mrf.org/pp-epa-for-the-layman.php You can also peruse the EPA documents concerning motorcycles at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/roadbike.htm Simply put, the Federal Government is pretty much adopting the emissions standards that are in effect in California. | ||
| Outrider |
Skeenix...Thanks for the links. FYI, Federal EPA usually follows two to three years behind California's CARB. If I remember correctly, EPA is helping to fund CARB's testing and regulatory efforts. Sort of like hiring a subcontractor to do your dirty work, eh? | ||
| Norrisperformance |
Skeenix Thanks | ||
| Nadz |
This is horrifying. It'll kill a whole industry. It's unnecessary, here's why: Bikes are a small portion of road vehicles. Choppers account for a small portion of bikes. Can't ride for half of the year in half of the country. When we do ride, it's usually shorter distances. We get double the mileage of cars, and let's not even discuss SUV's. All of this means that we bikers are not putting very much emissions out there. Hell, bikers should get a tax credit for what we do for the environment! -NadZ | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Let's put EPA standards on the 5000 square foot houses that are all the rage now. They have to be heated and cooled as far as I know, and it is generally oil that takes care of their energy needs. Nobody looks at the big picture anymore. | ||
| Alstroker |
Listen guys, The EPA is a joke, period, as is a lot of other government departments. They aren't worried about protecting the environment. They just want more prower and beurocracy so their funding can continually increase. Imposing emissions standards on any motorcycle (as well as watercraft, outboards, lawn mowers, etc...etc..)is just ridiculous. | ||
| Outrider |
Agreed, but the "EPA's Joke" is at our expense. One thing you have to admit about CARB and the EPA is that they are forcing new technology on the MC industry and the new models are going faster and farther than ever before. Just don't take the above statement as an endorsement of either CARB or the EPA.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
I hate the incremental "advances" that steadily destroy our personal liberties. This is a prime example.  | ||
| Gearheart |
Well its just us all getting forced down the slippery slope but the main issue I have with all of this is rampant stupidity in legislation. I personally am a fan of environmental controls but they need to be simple and consistent. Just decide what the limits are of what can come out of your tail pipe and legislate that and only that. Make it a tuning challenge and not some arbitrary BS. As to custom choppers or any custom vehicle just make it a requirement that they be inspected for safety and trust that your inspectors know what they are doing. Sorry to ramble but this sort of thing interests and simultaneously pisses me off. | ||
| Buellboardtrackracer |
I'm in the custom bike building business. Yes, the new EPA laws do effect us all. The new laws will not allow a shop to build a chopper and sell it. It requires customers to buy all the parts and then hire someone to build it. The issue is the EPA does not want altered exhaust systems/carburation. Custom cycles will only be allowed to be rode to and from shows/events. The EPA basically is enforcing shops to become manufactures to comply with emissions and noise standards. Unfortunately if the laws are enforced, all new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2006 will not be allowed exhaust/carburator changes. Look for the future H-D cycle to have the V-rod technology. Yep, I wish we could get controls on housing for environmental controls and also control housing costs (inflated value pricing) in which taxes are levied in which supports all these Government groups. Like most groups they do things to justify there purpose. | ||
| Mikej |
"Let Freedom Reign" | ||
| Nadz |
I think (hope) this "once in a lifetime" B.S. is just a frame slider. The opposition will let it get scraped off, but keep the other provisions. They will be hailed as great compromisers after completely F-ing Mr. Buellboardtrackracer. Will I ever build a chopper? Probably not. But what if I scrape the coin up for one of Al's nice 'cans? Hey whatever- bikers have always been considered hooligans anyway. It's my buck, my bike, and my environment too. Vote R. -NadZ | ||
| Odinbueller |
Yes, the EPA has mandated that all motorcycles sold in the USA must meet the same emissions requirements as California models. That's why H-D is spending a lot of R&D $$$ on getting EFI on all of their models. Not only does EFI reduce emissions, it allows for more performance mods than on a carbureted model, since the ECM on EFI system can compensate for atmospheric changes better that a jet on a carburetor. And trust me; H-D does not consider the chopper market a threat to their market share. They consider it a market they are not even competing with. Now, the aftermarket sector is trying to play ball as well. S&S is unveiling their own total closed loop EFI system soon (I've seen Rinehart pipes with O2 sensor plugs in them as of late!). If the chopper market uses these new technologies (and are assembled & setup correctly), we can still have our cake and eat it too. |
