Harley-Davidson pays $15 million in air-pollution settlement

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Harley-Davidson Inc. agreed Thursday to pay $15 million to settle a U.S. government complaint over racing tuners that caused its motorcycles to emit higher-than-allowed levels of air pollution.

Harley-Davidson manufactured and sold about 340,000 Screamin' Eagle Pro Super Tuners since 2008 that allowed users to modify a motorcycle's emissions control system to increase power and performance, according to court filings by the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency.

The racing tuners, which the prosecutors said were illegal "defeat devices" that circumvented emissions controls, also increased the amounts of such harmful air pollutants as nitrogen oxide spewing from the bikes' tailpipes.

The government said Harley-Davidson also made and sold more than 12,000 motorcycles of various models between 2006 and 2008 with the illegal tuners pre-installed on them by dealers that were not properly certified as meeting clean air standards. Under the agreement, the company is required to ensure that all of its future motorcycle models sold in the United States are fully certified by EPA to meet air quality standards.

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/news/medical/article/Harley-Davidson-to-pay-15-million-over-clean-air-9170619.php

[ailsagirl]

1. Good to hear!!

Now if we could just do something about leaf blowers...

[Richard D]

2. Next up, noise pollution.

[Monk06]

3. Used to be Harley straight pipes meant power and attitude Now just means old bearded white guy

with gimpy prostate gland and a shitty personality

[jmowreader]

5. Old bearded white guy?

I used to be heavily into aircooled Volkswagens. One fine day I was in the midst of a heated motor oil discussion at the place I bought my parts from. Some guys like Castrol, some use 30-weight truck oil, it goes all over. In this bunch, one guy piped up, "just go ask a Harley rider. Harley guys know everything there is to know about motor oil." The store owner let out a huge snort: "And what the fuck does a lawyer know about motor oil?" Harleys are so fucking expensive anymore only the rich can afford them.

[Monk06]

7. The latest, Obama's war on Harley's *snerk guffaw*

http://www.mrctv.org/blog/epa-harley-davidson-must-buy-stoves-punishment-air-violations

[jmowreader]

8. Ya think Brent Bozell might have a case of the ass at President Obama?

[Buckeye_Democrat]

6. Aww, they just want some attention.

The ones who rev their engines in their driveways are especially adorable! Aww!

[jmowreader]

4. Harley's answer is total bullshit

From the article:

The Milwaukee-based company said the tuners in question were designed for use on specialized track racing bikes and not intended for use on public roads.

Come on: Do they really think the government is stupid enough to believe 340,000 people race Harleys on the track?

And seriously guys, they didn't get fined $15 million for air pollution. They got fined $5 million for defeating the smog control systems on their bikes, $5 million for water pollution from all the motor oil that leaks out of their overpriced sieves, and $5 million for littering the countryside with motorcycle parts.

[Calista241]

9. Air cooled engines, like what Harley uses,

Are going to have a tough time meeting environmental regs. One wonders how attractive Harley's will be with a giant radiator on the front for their new water cooled engines.