How could current motorcycle tabs be fair.

greenspun.com : LUSENET : I-695 Thirty Dollar License Tab Initiative : One Thread

The tabs on my Harley are $450 a year, $100 more than on my Camry. The bike with passengers weighs 1200 lbs, that's 600 pounds per wheel. Any engineer will tell you that road wear is directly related to weight per tire. A 3000 lb 4-door Camry weighs in at 750 lbs per tire.

The bike is typically driven 20 days a year and less than 5000 miles. The average car is driven 15,000 to 20,000 miles per year. How can the state possibly justify charging equal fees to bikes and cars???

-- James C. Franzen (jfranzen@solutionsIQ.com), October 12, 1999

Answers

Excise tax is not a tax based on weight or usage/wear on our roads. It is an income tax of sorts....theory being that the richer you are the more expense your cars and toys ( ie: Harley Davidson ) are. Hence you pay more taxes.

-- jeff (jef`123@hotmail.com), October 13, 1999.

we bought two 200cc duel sports the tabs are 150 a year. being that we ride them maybe 300 miles a year.we feel that it little chanch to get stopped and a ticket would be cheaper than the tabs. I'd buy them if the tabs were only $30. I feel like a cheat but that's the way they make it.

-- bruce knudson (mixedupcrazy@webtv.net), October 13, 1999.

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