Motorcycle purchases should be tax exempt

Exactly. Or even if not a tax exemption, look at a Toyota Prius (or comparable car). You get a HUGE state refund on it because you bought an environment friendly car. Our motorcycles are even more environment friendly. Not to mention road friendly. Use less rubber, coolant, oil. Less materials to build.

So what the hell is our state thinking?

that would be a good idea...

Well, when I get elected, I will propose the bill. That's gonna take a few years though. I still gotta finish law school.

hitman83 said:

that would be a good idea...

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except that most of us ride them recreationally, not instead of our cars but in addition to our cars. using your logic, and the reality of most riders usage, motorcycles would have a luxury tax put on them.

I have seen a dramatic increase in people riding daily to work ever since gas got so expensive. Therefore it's saving energy.

This is true. And the state should realize this.

Too bad the gixxer riders are [mostly] squids and ruining it for us

In CA, bikes have been allowed to use the carpool lanes for years. We also can go over the bridges for free during commute hours. (Hybrids, electrics and CNGs vehicles must pay, but they're allowed in the HOV lanes.)

Also, here in Washington, when you take the ferries, we are first on, first off.

pantablo said:

except that most of us ride them recreationally, not instead of our cars but in addition to our cars. using your logic, and the reality of most riders usage, motorcycles would have a luxury tax put on them.

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QFT. If you really wanted to "save energy", you would be carpooling, riding the bus, or some other means of public transportation. Motorcycles do get better gas mileage than most other vehicles, but nothing beats the efficiency of public transportation.

I think that they should be taxed. where else are we going to get money for programs like public education, Infrustructure development, and alternative energy R&D?

Deja_Vu said:

QFT. If you really wanted to "save energy", you would be carpooling, riding the bus, or some other means of public transportation. Motorcycles do get better gas mileage than most other vehicles, but nothing beats the efficiency of public transportation.

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Yah in places that public transportation exists. You have to get rid of tunnel vision. Not everybody lives in big cities. For instanceI Ride 45 miles on my bike to get to work then 45 back. Thats south alabama. But, I don't complain. I love the ride ripping through the back roads. Public transportation will never be a possiblitity in a place like this. Not that i would ever use it. I love my freedom too much.

pantablo said:

except that most of us ride them recreationally, not instead of our cars but in addition to our cars. using your logic, and the reality of most riders usage, motorcycles would have a luxury tax put on them.

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You are my point exacty. Because of your ideology and the pretense that bikes can only be recreation we will never be taken seriously. And gas guzzling suv's will continue to dominate the roads detroying the environment and smashing into us without any criminal charge.

Knightslugger said:

I think that they should be taxed. where else are we going to get money for programs like public education, Infrustructure development, and alternative energy R&D?

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Foolishness.... First off education should be privatised because government schooling is a dismal disaster. cutting taxes on bikes would increase the sales of fuel efficient bikes thus forcing large auto makers into a frenzy to beat the competition and create more fuel efficiant automobiles. You have to stop relying on the government to take care of you. This is capitalism let the market work itself out.
The goverment is not the solution. the goverment is the problem!

criminal said:

Foolishness.... First off education should be privatised because government schooling is a dismal disaster. cutting taxes on bikes would increase the sales of fuel efficient bikes thus forcing large auto makers into a frenzy to beat the competition and create more fuel efficiant automobiles. You have to stop relying on the government to take care of you. This is capitalism let the market work itself out.
The goverment is not the solution. the goverment is the problem!

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I understand that. but when schools become privatised, tuition skyrockets exponentually. I very much doubt that cutting taxes on motorcycles would increase sales dramaticly enough to push manufactures on both sides to start pushing out FEVs. I agree that CUREENTLY the government is the problem, but government is the answer so as long as it's responcible.

At least give us a break or an incentive then, rather than totally take away the tax.

Like insurance, you know, you claim if you are going to recreationally ride or ride to work. And people would probably lie, but that is up to them. People lie everywhere.

it would be great if we got a government incentive if we drove XXXX amount of miles in tax year whatever on our bikes, recreational or no.

But of course, sportbike riders are violent criminals and deserve nothing in their eyes, while SUV drivers should probably get tax breaks since the soccer moms drive around so many kids...

********.

Being serious here, it's public knowledge that sportbike riders break the law.

Well, don't we go through tires a whole lot faster then cars? Also, we burn less gas, but I think what comes out of our exhaust is a little dirtier then a ulev.

Aside from that, a lot of us take these bikes out for aimless rides and redlining through curves. That isn't exactly environment friendly. Another thing is that these bikes aren't the most environment friendly, are they? The rr's and r6/r1's are like the sports cars and should pretty much have the gas guzzling tax. Everyone should be on the ex250's and <500 cc bikes if you want a tax break.