EPA crap going away?
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
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From: High Point, NC.
EPA crap going away?
Talking to a parts guy at a local dealership yesterday.
He seems to think that eventually the EPA restrictions will go away or at least go back to business as usual.
I said you guys must be loosing quite a bit of aftermarket business in parts sales. He said he went from 50 to 60k a year down to around 25k a year just on aftermarket exhaust alone! He also mentioned that he knew some dealerships were doing non compliant installs and that eventually all of "us" would have to do that to be able to compete.
I for one am hoping there is some truth to what he believes.
He seems to think that eventually the EPA restrictions will go away or at least go back to business as usual.
I said you guys must be loosing quite a bit of aftermarket business in parts sales. He said he went from 50 to 60k a year down to around 25k a year just on aftermarket exhaust alone! He also mentioned that he knew some dealerships were doing non compliant installs and that eventually all of "us" would have to do that to be able to compete.
I for one am hoping there is some truth to what he believes.
It really doesn't matter what the EPA does at this point as far as the MoCo is concerned. The policies that they are now enforcing will stay regardless. Your dealers loss is on "aftermarket" exhaust. I'd be curious to see what his sales are on HD exhaust and other compliant performance ad ons. I would bet that they are up from previous years and for the MoCo that would be a win. Even if the EPA loosened the regulations that doesn't mean HD would loosen up theirs. They want the aftermarket business and their policies help them get it.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 5,749
Likes: 1,603
From: High Point, NC.
It really doesn't matter what the EPA does at this point as far as the MoCo is concerned. The policies that they are now enforcing will stay regardless. Your dealers loss is on "aftermarket" exhaust. I'd be curious to see what his sales are on HD exhaust and other compliant performance ad ons. I would bet that they are up from previous years and for the MoCo that would be a win. Even if the EPA loosened the regulations that doesn't mean HD would loosen up theirs. They want the aftermarket business and their policies help them get it.
Just thought I'd pass along the conversation I had. Wishful thinking on my part. Take it for what its worth.
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Talking about what the EPA will or won't do somewhere down the road is pointless. Their current job is to curb emissions from internal combustion engines and other sources they deem unhealthy, including pig farms. This will become easier for them 3-5 years down the road because every major vehicle manufacturer has already announced that they are moving to electric vehicles. This includes Harley Davidson which has clearly been developing their own electric motorcycle for some years now. These will all become a reality in the near future. Internal combustion engines are on their way out. As electric vehicles become more and more prevalent the EPA will make it harder and more costly for manufacturers to comply with new regulations. The end result is that the electric vehicle will replace internal combustion vehicles. Note that it is not just the EPA that is driving this. European agencies are pushing it as well. Harley is already shipping motorcycles that will pass European standards. So, it is coming even if we doubt it. I wonder if our potato poppers will be grandfathered in, so to speak when the big switch starts to take place in a few years? We can only hope. Just think what the electric revolution will do to the oil companies when gas and diesel engines start to fade out. Maybe they will move over to manufacturing electric batteries.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: State of Confusion
you nailed it..that's a tech train that has left the station without brakes..good point on the whole OPEC deal...what a massive and far reaching change that will become
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Middle America
This is from last August, but I think it does a good job I trying to predict where internal combustion engines may be headed. (Note: it doesn’t mention motorcycles, only cars).
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile....ngine.amp.html
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile....ngine.amp.html
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: SE Michigan
Its like the ridiculous and laughable notion that we can revive coal as a viable energy source. No amount of nonsensical subsidies, regulation roll back, bailouts, cronyism will save it, no matter how many gullible, exploitable rubes there are that believe it can be.
I will always enjoy my Harleys, I may well own the two now that will last me until I am no longer able to ride. That said, the electric revolution isn't a bad thing. The Tesla S P100D can go 0-60 in 2.28 seconds. It gets through the 1/4 mile about the 10.5 second mark. The Roadster can do 0-60 in about 1.8 seconds. That is some serious acceleration. I haven't driven one yet, but I do want to. Ford and GM will both be offering 20 electrified models each in 2-4 years.
What kind of performance electric motorcycles will have remains to be seen, but I would bet that they will out perform what we are riding today. It may take a while to get the range up, but technology will get it there.
As far as the oil companies making batteries, they've already missed that train. I'm working at the construction site of the world's largest building outside of Reno, Nevada and it is a battery factory, a joint venture between Panasonic and Tesla. Tesla will continue to make electric vehicles, but where they will excel is in making the batteries for other manufacturers. Things will be much different ten years from now.
What kind of performance electric motorcycles will have remains to be seen, but I would bet that they will out perform what we are riding today. It may take a while to get the range up, but technology will get it there.
As far as the oil companies making batteries, they've already missed that train. I'm working at the construction site of the world's largest building outside of Reno, Nevada and it is a battery factory, a joint venture between Panasonic and Tesla. Tesla will continue to make electric vehicles, but where they will excel is in making the batteries for other manufacturers. Things will be much different ten years from now.