AMA DEFENDS TWO-STROKES AT EPA HEARING

AMA DEFENDS TWO-STROKES AT EPA HEARING

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- At a public hearing yesterday in Virginia, Ed Moreland,
Vice President of Government Relations for the American Motorcyclist Association
(AMA), presented the Association's position on regulations proposed last month
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The new regulations, contained in
the EPA's "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Control of Emissions from
Nonroad Large Spark Ignition Engines and Recreational Engines," could signal the
end of two-stroke off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) by
2006.

The EPA has proposed national emissions standards covering off-highway
motorcycles and ATVs only slightly less stringent than the restrictive
requirements now in place in California. Currently, there are no national
emissions standards governing off-road motorcycles and ATVs.

"We believe that the EPA's analysis of recreational off-highway vehicles'
contribution to air pollution is overstated," said Moreland. "The four-stroke
engine shouldn't be the only path to reducing emissions, and AMA opposes any
regulations that would end the availability of two-stroke motorcycles and ATVs."

In his testimony, Moreland commended the EPA's proposal of a performance-based
emissions standard, rather than one based on engine design, and urged the EPA to
allow manufacturers every opportunity to meet a performance-based standard
through research and development.

The full text of Moreland's testimony is available on the AMA's website:
www.AMADirectlink.com.

The AMA urges motorcyclists to ask the EPA to create separate emissions
standards for four-stroke and two-stroke motorcycles and ATVs, considering
safety, cost, and performance. The comment deadline is December 19, 2001.

Using the AMA's Rapid Response Center, available at www.AMADirectlink.com,
motorcyclists can send comments to the EPA with a click of the mouse. Comments
can also be submitted by writing to Margaret Borushko (Docket No. A-2000-01),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality,
2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; or by sending an e-mail to
nranprm@epa.gov.

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The American Motorcyclist Association, founded in 1924, is a 270,000-member
non-profit organization. The Association's purpose is to pursue, protect and
promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members.
For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com, or call
1-800-AMA-JOIN.