Rennie Scaysbrook | January 13, 2017

Insane Tariff Levied on Motorcycles

In a move that has left many people scratching their heads, the Office of United States Trade Representative has requested comments on a December 28 regulation that would impose a tariff of 100 percent or higher on European motorcycles imported into the U.S. between 51cc and 500cc—as part of the European Union’s measures concerning meat and meat products in the United States!

Fancy paying twice the price for your next KTM? Yeah, we didn’t think so, either.

The American Motorcycle Association (AMA) has recently issued a press release opposing the move that would have a serious effect on small- to medium-sized business owners who sell the machines, resulting in the loss of many American jobs across a range of industries.

“The American Motorcyclist Association opposes the proposed tariff, because trade disputes residing within the boundaries of the agricultural industry should not be solved with trade sanctions levied against non-agricultural products.”

The proposed tariffs, the first on motorcycles 50-250cc and the second on motorcycles 250-500cc, is suspiciously hidden at the bottom of a giant list of products—not just animal meat for human consumption—that are being proposed for increased import duties.

Not just meat products

According to the report, some of these include “#05040000—Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than fish), whole and pieces thereof, fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, in brine, dried or smoked,” and “#06042000* Foliage, branches and other parts of plants without flowers or flower buds, and grasses, suitable for bouquets or ornamental purposes, fresh.”

Should the move to impose the tariff indeed be granted, it would affect Aprilia, Beta, BMW, Ducati, Fantic, Gas Gas, Husqvarna, KTM, Montesa, Piaggio, Scorpa, Sherco, TM and Vespa. The move would affect not just off-road vehicle sales, both competition and non-competition, but also scooter and streetbike sales—an area that is rather far from what could be classified as agricultural.

“Should the availability of product be hindered through unjustified trade sanctions on European-produced motorcycles, dealerships may close, leaving countless Americans without jobs,” the AMA release continues. “The negative effects of the proposed trade sanctions will not only harm the motorcycle sales industry, but will spread through the aftermarket equipment sector, recreation equipment sales, the sports entertainment industry and further down the line.”

If you would like to have your say in why motorcycles should not be mixed up in the U.S.’s beef trade dispute with the European Union, you can click this link here.