From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!houxa!houxi!houxz!ihnp4!ih1ap!lrd
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Title: Outrageous Import Tax
Article-I.D.: ih1ap.126
Posted: Mon Feb 21 13:20:44 1983
Received: Tue Feb 22 04:17:57 1983
Reply-To: lrd@ih1ap.UUCP (L. R. DuBroff)

The Harley-Davidson company, in an effort to protect their business
from the effects of Japanese competition, has initiated action that
has resulted in a recommendation by the International Trade Com-
mission which, if signed into law by president Reagan, would
increase the duty on all imported motorcycles with engine displace-
ments of 700cc or more from the current 4.4% to a whopping 49.4%!

Not only will this be reflected in price to the buyer at a time when
energy considerations indicate that we should be looking at alternate
means of transportaion, but other serious effects should be
considered.  The impact on US sales of European motorcycles
(Triumph, BMW, MotoGuzzi, Ducati, Laverda, etc.) will be so serious
that many of these brands will lose some or all of their US dealers.
Triumph and BMW in particular are marginal operations and depend,
for a large part of their business, on US sales -- this tariff could
easily drive them out of the motorcycle business.  The ironical part
here is that Harley-Davidson's suit and request for relief did NOT
include European makes -- it was aimed at the Japanese big four
(Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha), but the International Trade
Commission's recommendation did not look at this in detail and made
the recommendation all-inclusive.  Harley-Davidson does not allege
that they are threatened by the small volume European manufacturers --
it is the mass-manufactured Japanese machines that are threatening HD.

Further irony:  Several of the large displacement Japanese motorcycles
are manufactured or assembled here in the US (Honda, Kawasaki) and
would presumably not be affected by the import duty.

If you are concerned about this, as I am (where do I get parts and
service for my BMW, and my wife's if the BMW dealer population in
this country is decimated?) write RIGHT NOW to:

	The President
	Washington, DC  20500

Don't delay.  Mr. Reagan has until April 2 to sign this bill, but he
could do anytime earlier.  Your voice counts!  Don't forget -- it is
much easier to forestall action of this type than to reverse it once
it has taken effect.  Speak up and be heard!

			L. R. DuBroff
			BTL -- Naperville, Illinois