Will new Auto Tariffs impact dirtbikes?

SrfNdirt
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3/27/2025 9:42am

Maybe the Cannondale will come back 

12
Spoonguy
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3/27/2025 9:43am
Spoonguy wrote:

I wouldn't get too excited. Relatively speaking dirt bikes are cheap and where money comes from is not a secret. We will all be OK.

soggy wrote:

This would not be the take if the old admin was trying to implement these tariffs. Take the blinders off. 

Perhaps you are right, I can't be certain friend. I try to be apolitical. I do know making extra money is not as difficult as people make it out to be though.

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MPJC
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3/27/2025 9:45am
burn1986 wrote:

The OP started this as a “bait” thread. It is vaguely moto-related, but primarily political.

It worked. Perhaps the OP is a master baiter. 

17
Nairb#70
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3/27/2025 9:54am Edited Date/Time 3/27/2025 9:56am
Steve125 wrote:
I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk...

I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk 700.. etc)

If the same holds true this time, even the Maico 700 is safe. 

European dirt bikes were a major topic with this tarrif. Never went through but was threatened several times. AMA stomped it out every time. Might sound crazy but true.

1

The Shop

Village Idiot
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3/27/2025 10:04am
Steve125 wrote:
I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk...

I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk 700.. etc)

If the same holds true this time, even the Maico 700 is safe. 

Yep, it was the "Save HD Tariff".

I bought the new-model-for-1986 VFR750F.

For 1987 it became the VFR700F.

7
3/27/2025 10:12am

I understand wanting to bring manufacturing back to the US . But that will take years. A single term is not long enough to shift manufacturing to the US in large amounts. It would have to be a common goal among both parties and a majority of the people. Couldn't they accomplish the same thing with a pledge made by manufacturers to start making stuff in the US by a certain date or then there would be Tariffs ? 

 So many things are made with parts that are made years before.If You started to build a factory out now, that might take a year or 2 between permits, engineering and building the building. I have no idea how long it takes to outfit a factory with robots and machines, say another couple months . But then there is the issue of how far ahead stuff is actually made. You may be able to have some 2027 model year bikes . 

 Manufactures working multiple model years in the future.  

 

I have started to see some suppliers sending emails notifying me of price increases on  some of the items we sell here that are not bikes. That are Tariff related increases.   

22
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soggy
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3/27/2025 10:26am
Spoonguy wrote:

I wouldn't get too excited. Relatively speaking dirt bikes are cheap and where money comes from is not a secret. We will all be OK.

soggy wrote:

This would not be the take if the old admin was trying to implement these tariffs. Take the blinders off. 

Spoonguy wrote:
Perhaps you are right, I can't be certain friend. I try to be apolitical. I do know making extra money is not as difficult as people...

Perhaps you are right, I can't be certain friend. I try to be apolitical. I do know making extra money is not as difficult as people make it out to be though.

In this political climate I think we can be certain. 

3
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Dudley
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3/27/2025 10:42am

The best you can do is Email your representatives and let them know you don’t support this on recreational dirt bikes. (If concerned) 

If I have to pay more to ride, I’rather give the extra money to tracks that are struggling to keep gates open. 

6
KurtJ99
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3/27/2025 10:53am
Steve125 wrote:
I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk...

I'm old enough to remember Reagan's tariffs on import Motorcycles. Anything 750cc and above. Many manufacturers then came out with 700c bikes. (Yamaha Fazer, Honda Nighthawk 700.. etc)

If the same holds true this time, even the Maico 700 is safe. 

I worked at a dealership at that time in the 80s, and IIRC it was about giving Harley (who was in bad shape at the time) an exemption on big cc bikes. Didn't have much effect, if you didn't already ride a Harley you weren't going to switch over the import tax rules.

1
kxking
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3/27/2025 11:01am
I understand wanting to bring manufacturing back to the US . But that will take years. A single term is not long enough to shift manufacturing...

I understand wanting to bring manufacturing back to the US . But that will take years. A single term is not long enough to shift manufacturing to the US in large amounts. It would have to be a common goal among both parties and a majority of the people. Couldn't they accomplish the same thing with a pledge made by manufacturers to start making stuff in the US by a certain date or then there would be Tariffs ? 

 So many things are made with parts that are made years before.If You started to build a factory out now, that might take a year or 2 between permits, engineering and building the building. I have no idea how long it takes to outfit a factory with robots and machines, say another couple months . But then there is the issue of how far ahead stuff is actually made. You may be able to have some 2027 model year bikes . 

 Manufactures working multiple model years in the future.  

 

I have started to see some suppliers sending emails notifying me of price increases on  some of the items we sell here that are not bikes. That are Tariff related increases.   

Most of those robots and machines come from overseas (so tariffs) with 1 year lead time. If you started the process today, the first bike to roll off the line would be a 2028/29 best case scenario.

7
3/27/2025 11:05am
thearc wrote:

News say 25% Tarrifs on all non US made vehicles and parts. Is off-road included in this? Couldn’t see anything about that specifically. 

burn1986 wrote:

Maybe this will spur manufacturers to make motorcycles in the US.

are you saying ATK and cannondales are coming back ?

2
2
3/27/2025 11:21am
I understand wanting to bring manufacturing back to the US . But that will take years. A single term is not long enough to shift manufacturing...

I understand wanting to bring manufacturing back to the US . But that will take years. A single term is not long enough to shift manufacturing to the US in large amounts. It would have to be a common goal among both parties and a majority of the people. Couldn't they accomplish the same thing with a pledge made by manufacturers to start making stuff in the US by a certain date or then there would be Tariffs ? 

 So many things are made with parts that are made years before.If You started to build a factory out now, that might take a year or 2 between permits, engineering and building the building. I have no idea how long it takes to outfit a factory with robots and machines, say another couple months . But then there is the issue of how far ahead stuff is actually made. You may be able to have some 2027 model year bikes . 

 Manufactures working multiple model years in the future.  

 

I have started to see some suppliers sending emails notifying me of price increases on  some of the items we sell here that are not bikes. That are Tariff related increases.   

kxking wrote:
Most of those robots and machines come from overseas (so tariffs) with 1 year lead time. If you started the process today, the first bike to...

Most of those robots and machines come from overseas (so tariffs) with 1 year lead time. If you started the process today, the first bike to roll off the line would be a 2028/29 best case scenario.

Thats what I figured . And I would imagine that if all of a sudden there was an increased demand like it might be if all of a sudden You have the need for twice the amount of robots to be produced that timeframe may even be longer. I was being VERY optimistic on the 27 model year bike. I really should have said 28 in a best case, moving very fast somehow.   I've seen some BIG buildings go up insanely fast over the last year or 2. Giant warehouses that are still empty in some cases.  In the town I grew up in. A warehouse that covers 15 acres was put up so fast last year. They went from raw land. A horse farm with mile oval. to finished , paved etc. finished looking on the outside. in less than a year. Crazy fast.

4
Moto Nomad
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3/27/2025 11:28am

Trump is a master bluffer. I doubt this is made permanent.

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731chopper
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3/27/2025 11:29am
HondaSM wrote:

Calls me ignorant, tells me to calm down 🙄

We’re all ignorant of certain things. Nobody knows everything. 

2
burn1986
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3/27/2025 11:37am
scott_nz wrote:

are you saying ATK and cannondales are coming back ?

No. Other manufacturers 

Nairb#70
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3/27/2025 11:40am
Moto Nomad wrote:

Trump is a master bluffer. I doubt this is made permanent.

The art of the deal.

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soggy
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3/27/2025 11:48am
Moto Nomad wrote:

Trump is a master bluffer. I doubt this is made permanent.

Nairb#70 wrote:

The art of the deal.

You can only bluff so many times. 

29
4
3/27/2025 11:59am

Auto Tariffs eh... do Tesla manufacturer cars in the U.S🤔

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

6
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MPJC
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3/27/2025 12:18pm

Auto Tariffs eh... do Tesla manufacturer cars in the U.S🤔

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas...

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

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byke
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3/27/2025 12:38pm

Auto Tariffs eh... do Tesla manufacturer cars in the U.S🤔

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas...

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

The other guy prior to the current guy also put 100% tariff on foreign EV''s. He also put tariffs on solar stuff at a time when they're pushing people towards renewables, kinda fucked up imo. Two things always seem to be roughly true, which is that tariffs are a money grab and no people/party/whatever to date has been exempt from their money grabbing ways. The other is, whenever the question is, "will ____ cause the price to increase?" the answer is almost always yes. Pretty much any opportunity a corp has to fatten margins while getting people to fight with each other about it instead of look at them, they're taking that opportunity.

6
2
3/27/2025 1:35pm

Auto Tariffs eh... do Tesla manufacturer cars in the U.S🤔

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas...

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the Chinese EV's are really really good, and THAT was a big reason they( They being non Chinese auto makers who lobby and have influence on policy makers) did not want them to be able to be imported  and sold at retail so cheaply.  It would likely drastically impact the sales of US brands if they really are as good as it seemed in the video. And at the prices that they would be.  

 

If anything I would say the US auto makers are behind the Tarif's on the Chinese cars because they are getting so good, and would be able to sell them so cheaply.  

 

It goes back to what I have been saying about electric Vehicles , that they have the potential to be really inexpensive compared to gas vehicles.  All it would take is a couple brands that have a large range of vehicles they can spread R&D over and share the same basic motors and batteries over the entire range of vehicles. That cuts the number of parts that need to be made down dramatically and the number of model specific parts goes down. So the cost of building the vehicles go down. And if prices stay the same as current ICE vehicles then profit margins go way up. 

 

  I forgot to add to my original post about the cars, the Electrics  also have a lifetime warranty on the battery and motor.  

 

 In this case I can understand the reasoning behind the Tariffs . They help the US auto makers.  

1
MPJC
Posts
2019
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5/18/2017
Location
CA
Fantasy
3/27/2025 1:45pm
There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas...

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the...

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the Chinese EV's are really really good, and THAT was a big reason they( They being non Chinese auto makers who lobby and have influence on policy makers) did not want them to be able to be imported  and sold at retail so cheaply.  It would likely drastically impact the sales of US brands if they really are as good as it seemed in the video. And at the prices that they would be.  

 

If anything I would say the US auto makers are behind the Tarif's on the Chinese cars because they are getting so good, and would be able to sell them so cheaply.  

 

It goes back to what I have been saying about electric Vehicles , that they have the potential to be really inexpensive compared to gas vehicles.  All it would take is a couple brands that have a large range of vehicles they can spread R&D over and share the same basic motors and batteries over the entire range of vehicles. That cuts the number of parts that need to be made down dramatically and the number of model specific parts goes down. So the cost of building the vehicles go down. And if prices stay the same as current ICE vehicles then profit margins go way up. 

 

  I forgot to add to my original post about the cars, the Electrics  also have a lifetime warranty on the battery and motor.  

 

 In this case I can understand the reasoning behind the Tariffs . They help the US auto makers.  

Sorry if it came across as a criticism of you. I didn't mean that you were vilifying Trump. I meant that a lot of people vilify him while not seeming to care at all when someone else does the same thing. I was just quoting your post since you were discussing Chinese EVs. 

5
3
3/27/2025 2:23pm
MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the...

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the Chinese EV's are really really good, and THAT was a big reason they( They being non Chinese auto makers who lobby and have influence on policy makers) did not want them to be able to be imported  and sold at retail so cheaply.  It would likely drastically impact the sales of US brands if they really are as good as it seemed in the video. And at the prices that they would be.  

 

If anything I would say the US auto makers are behind the Tarif's on the Chinese cars because they are getting so good, and would be able to sell them so cheaply.  

 

It goes back to what I have been saying about electric Vehicles , that they have the potential to be really inexpensive compared to gas vehicles.  All it would take is a couple brands that have a large range of vehicles they can spread R&D over and share the same basic motors and batteries over the entire range of vehicles. That cuts the number of parts that need to be made down dramatically and the number of model specific parts goes down. So the cost of building the vehicles go down. And if prices stay the same as current ICE vehicles then profit margins go way up. 

 

  I forgot to add to my original post about the cars, the Electrics  also have a lifetime warranty on the battery and motor.  

 

 In this case I can understand the reasoning behind the Tariffs . They help the US auto makers.  

MPJC wrote:
Sorry if it came across as a criticism of you. I didn't mean that you were vilifying Trump. I meant that a lot of people vilify...

Sorry if it came across as a criticism of you. I didn't mean that you were vilifying Trump. I meant that a lot of people vilify him while not seeming to care at all when someone else does the same thing. I was just quoting your post since you were discussing Chinese EVs. 

Its fine. I was just explaining that I wasn't talking about him in my post. I know the EV tariffs have been on the books for a while. It has been talked about in the Varg and some other Electric MX threads.   

 

My long reply was just to make the reason I believed to be behind the EV Tarifs. That its likely the US auto industry that lobbied for them after seeing what's coming. 

I know there are people that just hate the party that is not the one they align with. And are blinded. People tend to not mind as much when they like somebody.  I have a test I give myself whenever I see a political story. I ask myself, if the person that I did not vote for did it, would I feel the same as when the person I voted for  did it. And  that helps me keep my own bias in check. I would say that 99% of the time I end up thinking the same no matter which did the thing , if I liked when person A did it, I like when person B did it. And vice versa.  I feel like people need to be able to call out somebody in their same party if they are doing something that they would call out somebody in the opposite party for. 

I do not really align 100% with either party. And I think that 60-70% of people  are similar in that they are not tied to a party for 100% of what that party is for.

 

The EV Tariffs make sense even though I wish they would not have them .  A lot of the other Tariff stuff  seems like a way for connected people to cash in on the stock market. By being on and off. The people in power  can buy and sell stocks and cash in . 

3
Herr Lich
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Sydney, NSW AU
3/27/2025 2:58pm
yak651 wrote:

I was told the country the product is made in pays that 🤷‍♂️

The importer pays it (so in this case American or American based companies). The extra cost is then generally passed onto the consumers, again in this case, Americans. 

8
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Herr Lich
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3/27/2025 3:01pm
There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas...

There is a Youtuber Rich Rebuilds , that made a video showing some really amazing high end and affordable Chinese cars . Some electric, hybrid, gas. A Chinese magazine flew him to Alaska to drive some of them while they were testing them.  Rich is known for giving his true opinion. Good or bad. He was blown away on how nice the cars were. They had a bronco looking vehicle that was cheap. I don't remember the exact prices of the vehicles. But they ranged from $15k up to 70K US. The 70K SUV was on par with a  $200Kish  Mercedes Benz Maybach.

He was VERY impressed and the cars themselves looked amazing. Some incredible interiors. He did a video on the Dodge  EV and hated it. Dodge had flown him out there. 

 

I think that the Chinese cars have gotten too good and are too cheap.  I would love to buy the Bronco clone they had for the $15 or 24K they said it was. I can't remember exactly which car was the cheap 15 K one.  But I would say that they would sell like crazy if available at those prices. 

MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the...

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the Chinese EV's are really really good, and THAT was a big reason they( They being non Chinese auto makers who lobby and have influence on policy makers) did not want them to be able to be imported  and sold at retail so cheaply.  It would likely drastically impact the sales of US brands if they really are as good as it seemed in the video. And at the prices that they would be.  

 

If anything I would say the US auto makers are behind the Tarif's on the Chinese cars because they are getting so good, and would be able to sell them so cheaply.  

 

It goes back to what I have been saying about electric Vehicles , that they have the potential to be really inexpensive compared to gas vehicles.  All it would take is a couple brands that have a large range of vehicles they can spread R&D over and share the same basic motors and batteries over the entire range of vehicles. That cuts the number of parts that need to be made down dramatically and the number of model specific parts goes down. So the cost of building the vehicles go down. And if prices stay the same as current ICE vehicles then profit margins go way up. 

 

  I forgot to add to my original post about the cars, the Electrics  also have a lifetime warranty on the battery and motor.  

 

 In this case I can understand the reasoning behind the Tariffs . They help the US auto makers.  

It would be good if the US car manufacturers competed not through lobbying to have tariffs implemented but by building better cars. 

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3/27/2025 3:12pm
MPJC wrote:
Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian...

Trump isn't the only one who uses tariffs. Canada has put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs. Of course, China has retaliated - tariffs on Canadian grain. So we have our own little trade war with China, but that gets largely ignored here while Trump is vilified as though he's doing something unheard of. I hate to stick up for Trump, but fairness would be nice. 

Bikes are already insanely expensive here. I saw a KX450SR sitting on a dealer's floor at $15,5000. Hell, even an RMZ450 is $12K here (though there's usually a $1K rebate). After a while, you get numb to it and if you really want it you buy the damn thing regardless. 

 

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the...

I did not mean to infer anything political  as far as blaming a certain person as far as the Chinese cars.  I was saying that the Chinese EV's are really really good, and THAT was a big reason they( They being non Chinese auto makers who lobby and have influence on policy makers) did not want them to be able to be imported  and sold at retail so cheaply.  It would likely drastically impact the sales of US brands if they really are as good as it seemed in the video. And at the prices that they would be.  

 

If anything I would say the US auto makers are behind the Tarif's on the Chinese cars because they are getting so good, and would be able to sell them so cheaply.  

 

It goes back to what I have been saying about electric Vehicles , that they have the potential to be really inexpensive compared to gas vehicles.  All it would take is a couple brands that have a large range of vehicles they can spread R&D over and share the same basic motors and batteries over the entire range of vehicles. That cuts the number of parts that need to be made down dramatically and the number of model specific parts goes down. So the cost of building the vehicles go down. And if prices stay the same as current ICE vehicles then profit margins go way up. 

 

  I forgot to add to my original post about the cars, the Electrics  also have a lifetime warranty on the battery and motor.  

 

 In this case I can understand the reasoning behind the Tariffs . They help the US auto makers.  

Herr Lich wrote:

It would be good if the US car manufacturers competed not through lobbying to have tariffs implemented but by building better cars. 

I agree.   I don't like the idea of the EV Tarif's .   Of the US vehicles, the Tesla EV's are the best from what I have heard. I'm not super into electric cars like I am into electric MX bikes. So I'm not as in the know.  But the people I know that have had Tesla's say that the quality is not great. The coolness, the charging network and performance seems to be what sells Tesla over other EV's.  

 I have heard really good things about the build quality on the new Hummer and Silverado EV's . 

After seeing that video, I know that a Chinese car maker can make similar quality at half the cost. And including the lifetime battery and motor warranty.  On the video they say that if the battery drops below 80% capacity while the original owner owns it, they replace the battery.  I was thinking that would be considered wear and tear by a certain point.  If not, I can totally see why the US Automakers would be doing whatever they could to keep them out. But I agree that it would be better if they made better cars and were able  to reduce the prices too. Or just make them so the price is worth it. 

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3/27/2025 3:49pm
yak651 wrote:

I was told the country the product is made in pays that 🤷‍♂️

Herr Lich wrote:
The importer pays it (so in this case American or American based companies). The extra cost is then generally passed onto the consumers, again in this...

The importer pays it (so in this case American or American based companies). The extra cost is then generally passed onto the consumers, again in this case, Americans. 

I have seen some of my suppliers pay for some of or all of a tariff for a limited amount of time. But they said that it would only be temporary and the tariff surcharges would start to show up on future invoices unless the tariffs were canceled. That was on 10 or 15% tariff's.  

 

And then there are  companies that have just stocked up on product and are hoping the tariff's go away before they have to reorder.

 

In the end, the cost will be passed onto the end user at some point. Its crazy to think otherwise. When I hear people say that its the country that the items coming from that is paying the tariff, I wonder how much that person really knows about Tariffs. And if they are just BS'ing, or really think that is the case. But it seems like  most people think its all temporary.  For the Tariffs to really impact where stuff is made. Manufactures would need to know that it was worth building factories in the US instead of just waiting them out. I don't see them having a real impact on manufacturing the way things are. 

 

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3/27/2025 4:29pm
yak651 wrote:

I was told the country the product is made in pays that 🤷‍♂️

Only if the foreign company has agreed to DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)...

image 1406

Most foreign manufactures use EXW (Ex Works), FCA (Free Carrier) or CPT (Carriage Paid To).

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