TRUMP TAKES AIM AT MOTORCYCLE EXPORTS WITH 100% TARIFFS ON UK GOODS

Discussion in 'Anything Goes' started by Thumbs, Jul 31, 2020.

  1. Thumbs

    Thumbs Member

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    The US has launched a consultation process which lists motorcycles and motorcycle parts which could see tariffs of 100% placed on them

    The consultation began on 26th June and is part of the USA’s action that originates from the Airbus and Boeing dispute and its subsequent retaliatory tariffs.

    Previous to this consultation, motorcycles and motorcycle parts made in the UK and Europe were not listed, although they are now shown in an Annex to the document that includes hundreds of other products which could also see extra tariffs of up to 100%

    The description that applies to bikes is noted under a section of the document that lists the products as ‘being considered for additional import duties’, going on to list all EU countries including England despite us leaving the EU. The reason British-built motorcycle products are still in the firing line is that the UK is an integral part of the Airbus Consortium through BAE Systems – Airbus is also jointly owned by Germany, France, Spain.

    The exact listing that refers to bikes built in the UK reads:

    ‘Motorcycles (incl. mopeds) and cycles, fitted w/recip. Internal combustion piston engine w/capacity o/500 cc but n/o 700 cc’

    While this section may not seem to be much trouble for the UK, as we currently have a handful of full-scale motorcycle manufacturers, although should the consultation be excepted, it could spell disaster for the UK’s burgeoning aftermarket parts and accessories industry.
     
  2. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    asshole dump will be gone after next january. maybe the worst prez we've ever had except for nizxxon.
     
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  3. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    Hopefully it never happens. It's a stupid idea.
     
  4. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    This sort of tit for tat behaviour always reminds me of sort of behviour you only expect from a bunch of 1st years in the playground.


    Back in 2018 the EU announced it was imposing 31% Import duties on Harley Davidson sales in the EU, which was done in retailation to duties being imposed on EU steel exports by Trump. and so it goes on...

    That EU tariff hike promptly resulted in Harley Davidson announcing and then carrying out a plan to shift their EU production overseas (Thailand) - which eventually meant USA factory closures and jobs losses and is probably not what Mr T had envisaged his decision would achieve..

    This latest announcement may also rebound on the USA.

    Already in terms of worldwide motorcycle production for export, Asia holds nearly 60% of the market, EU around 35% and the USA about 5%.

    Whilst this latest announcement is aimed at hurting major European producers like Triumph who have seen sales in the USA soaring unlike HD who have seen their new motorbike sales dropping every year for the last 5 years. With no new HD models on the horizon which are likely to be affordable and appeal to younger riders, their target audience is diminishing rapidly and basically HD is dead even if the corpse is still twitching.

    What this tariff change overlooks is that now all Triumph motorbikes are ordered and specified entirely online to individual customer specification, meaning they can be produced at any of several factories around the planet - including Thailand. So if this extra tarif is imposed on EU produced motorbikes, manufacturers will simply switch the USA demand to their factory inThailand, and move the EU demand back to the EU. If there is any cost increase due to bringing in motorbikes from further afield, then it will of course be USA citizen who will eventually pick up the bill.

    Over many years, supply chains for virtually all motorcycle manufacturers have become multi-national. Certainly similar options to move final assembly are readily available to all the EU's most important motorbike producers like KTM (Linz Austria and Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and China). BMW motorcycles (Germany and Brazil and Thailand). Ducati can also supply bikes from Bologna, Thailand and Brazil. ...

    Perhaps this announcement is really intended primarily for a domestic audience in relation to the looming election.
     
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  5. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    ^^^ bluudy brilliant comment that is, brilliant !

    however, a 100% tariff seems like a ridiculous rumor, donnit ?
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2020
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