Hd & epa

[GURPS]

Harley Davidson shares on the skids after U.S. government files lawsuit

Harley Davidson has settled a lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency that alleged the company sold motorcycles and after-market parts that did not meet EPA requirements.

"This settlement is not an admission of liability but instead represents a good faith compromise with the EPA on areas of law we interpret differently, particularly EPA's assertion that it is illegal for anyone to modify a certified vehicle even if it will be used solely for off-road/closed-course competition," said Ed Moreland, Harley-Davidson's government affairs director, in a statement. "For more than two decades, we have sold this product under an accepted regulatory approach that permitted the sale of competition-only parts. In our view, it is and was legal to use in race conditions in the U.S."

The motorcycle manufacturer's stock dropped 8 percent before almost completely recovering in morning trading.

Harley-Davidson pays $15M to settle EPA's emissions claims


The super tuners allegedly violate U.S. regulators' prohibition on "defeat devices," which enable vehicles to spurn emissions standards. German automaker Volkswagen Group violated those same standards by installing software on 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. Harley's case involved aftermarket parts on a much smaller scale.

Harley also sold more than 12,000 motorcycles without EPA pollution certification in model years 2006 through 2008, according to the agency. It must ensure that all future bikes will have secured the necessary EPA approvals.

To rectify air pollution caused by the super tuners, Harley must partner with an independent company to provide cleaner-burning stoves to certain communities to replace conventional woodstoves.


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mean while under the Obama Administration the EPA still holds it is Illegal to modify the position controls on ANY covered motor vehicle
- even if that vehicle will forever be used as an ORV

 

[Gilligan]

My '06 FXDBI with the full 103ci Screaming Eagle upgrade package would be one of those.

What a load of bullcrap. A relatively (very) small number of the stock bikes were upgraded with those kits by dealers.