Motorcyclist to the back of the bus

Motorcyclists to the back of the bus
James Hicks
September 16, 2008
Weston, Wisconsin

Pissed at the pump, thinking about waiting in line for a pricey hybrid with an incentive? Why not keep your Hemi Ram, and ride a 65 mile-per-gallon Buell motorcycle? The Energy Act of 2005, (U.S. 2008) began pedaling tax incentives to hybrid vehicles without complete regard for fuel economy. The downside is fuel sipping motorcycles are seated at the back of the Department of Energy’s bus.

As fuel prices go up and down, SUV drivers are just driving less and taking the pain as good Americans. To a humble few, the motorcycle became the answer to making it to work, for one cannot afford to drive. The basis of the energy program was class and conservation. Cars and light trucks are compared in classes, and then conservation is factored over running time. However some standard powered, fuel efficient cars and motorcycles are completely ignored. One reason may be is that motorcycles have emission requirements, but there is no mpg required rating
standard, which, in most cases, meets or beats a hybrid vehicle. For example, a 2006 hybrid Honda Accord gets one mpg better in city driving than a same year Accord V6, yet the hybrid version was rewarded with a tax break (fuel economy.gov, 2008). The government needs to reform the way it views fuel efficiency, from crediting
expensive hybrid technology, which in some cases doesn’t return the fuel economy to flat out fuel efficiency.

In most places in the United States, motorcycles are misunderstood and under utilized. Not so in California. It was my experience while living in the 31st state that motorcyclists were allowed hypermobility, (which is lane splitting) and often had free parking, such as at LAX. For the majority of the country, if one were to leave an impending hurricane in bumper-to–bumper traffic and share a lane using a motorcycle, it would be viewed as violating the law and punishable. Yet, it is ok to crawl along in a car, often times running out of gas, compounding the transportation problem. Now, too many riders, the view of the bike is recreation, just for riding on weekends and a storm is brewing where now the bike is used as daily transportation. Thus, the current scrutiny of transportation is congestion over mobility and a few tax breaks to the special. At this moment, factor in the initial price and the operating cost of a car or truck and ask yourself: Can a motorcycle do the job better?

Many motorcycle buyers look for horsepower or nostalgia when shopping, and some look for fuel economy. Those who choose fuel economy may be in for a surprise when a scooter like a Suzuki Bergman, that gets 38 mpg (Suzuki, 2008), and a motorcycle such as Yamaha’s WR 250X, has a tag posted at 71 mpg (Yamaha, 2008)! As you may know, motorcycles do not have mandated mpg ratings on them. Motorcycle manufacturers do test their bikes in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Testing Procedure (FTP), which does ball park fuel economy and focuses on tailpipe emissions. Some manufacturers do put MPG ratings on the bikes, but they are a reference only. I would ask the government to standardize the MPG requirement, to take the surprise out of bike shopping and prepare the industry for the much needed kickstand up Department of Energy’s transportation reform.

In racing and sales, the American giant Harley-Davidson & Buell, has bent and changed numerous rules to keep the fuel efficient, tractable push rod motor competing- no complaints here. It could be in racing’s Formula Extreme class where the standard inline powered 600 cc bikes had allowed the diverse v-twin 1200cc Buell to compete. Or, in flat track racing in the eighties, Honda’s RS 750 challenged the famous XR 750, requiring the American Motorcycle Association running to punch out the rules in favor of HD (Girdler, 2008). Take for instance, in 1983; President Regan imposed duties on imported Japanese motorcycles thus, favoring sales of the American heavy weight champion (Bryan Times, 1983). Now here is the question. Wouldn’t you thing the ultra efficient Buell’s and the fuel sipping Harley’s should be asking for tax credits, in a declining market? The auto industries, lending and financially strapped banks, have no problems asking for help.

This all may sound like affirmative action for the motorcycle industry, and it would be. Acting affirmatively has only been used to promote good ideas in troubled times. Today’s transportation choices favor the affluent buyer over real world fuel efficiency. Motorcycles are marginalized in many parts of the country, thought of as tool of choice for the outlaw biker, or to those having a death wish. However, these antiquated ideas don’t take a way the opportunity for tremendous fuel savings and a way to reduce congestion, and still allow one to still own a pick-up truck. All I’m asking for is a fair tax break for motorcyclists. A bike is better for the economy and the environment. Who wants to wait for a bus to depart an impending hurricane?

A balanced world starts on two wheels.


References
Buell (2008) Specs/Lighting. Retrieved September 16, 2008 from http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/street/XB12Ss/specifications.asp
Carpender, S., (2008). The measure of motorcycles’ mpg. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy- throttle2apr02,0,4178645.story
*Formula Extreme- found blogs, no AMA or Lockhart Phillips reference for allowing Buell to compete with 600’s. I know they did, maybe you would have an old AMA magazine available to verify?(Contacted the AMA, awaiting to get back to me)
Fuel Economy.Gov (2008). 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid compared with the Honda Accord V6 fuel economy. Accord Hybrid is 22mpg city and 31mpg highway, 2006 Accord V6 is 21mpg city and 31mpg highway. The standards were updated to the new 2008 standards-noted on site. Retrieved October 6, 2008 from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/noframes/22676.shtml and http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/noframes/21960.shtml
Girdler, A., (2008). The unsinkable Harley XR-750, doesn’t anyone remember the rules of this here game? Cycle World. Retrieved October 6, 2008 from ://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=315

UPI (1983). Regan slaps duty tax on motorcycle imports. The Bryan Times, April 2, 1983. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19830402&id=qykLAAAAIBAJ&sji d=mVEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4822,145731
*Note if the Bryan Times(Arkansas), isn’t reliable enough, go with the CATO institute: Taking America for a motorcycle ride: the politics of motorcycle tariffs by Daniel klein, retrieved from http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa032.html

U.S. Department of Energy, (2008). Alternate fuels and advanced data center. State and Federal incentives & laws. Recovered September 15, 2008 from:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/progs/fed_summary.php/afdc/US/0

Suzuki (2008) Scooters: Bergman 650. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Products/AN650K8



Yamaha (2008) Sport Models 2009: WR250X. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/596/0/home.asp