On-road Vehicles and Engines
Motorcycles
August 1, 2014: EPA withdrew its approval of the import and sale of over 28,000 gas-powered highway and off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles because the agency believes that it received either incomplete or falsified certification information. All vehicles imported into or manufactured in the United States are required to have certificates of conformity. EPA issued the vehicle certificates from 2007 to 2011 to CFMoto. As a result of a lengthy investigation, the agency believes that the applications for the certificates contained fallacious information and must be voided. This notice follows actions in April 2013 and October 2013 in which EPA voided certificates from Snyder Computer Systems dba Wildfire Motors, American Lifan and Jonway which impacted up to 70,000; 61,000; and 39,000 vehicles, respectively. The applications were submitted by Michael Johnson of System Launch Associates who has pled guilty to wire fraud and submitting false statements under the Clean Air Act and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Consumer Information
- Information for Motorcycle Owners (PDF) (10 pp, 127K, EPA420-F-03-045, December 2003, reviewed September 2012)
- Used Oil Management
Related Topics
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This web page provides information on controlling emissions from highway motorcycles. For information regarding off-highway motorcycles, ATVs and utility vehicles, see the Recreational Vehicles page.
Regulations and Related Documents
See the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) for the full text of current regulations that apply to highway motorcycles:
40 CFR Part 86, Subpart E | Emission Standards and Certification Requirements |
40 CFR Part 86, Subpart F | Chassis Exhaust Emission Testing Procedures |
40 CFR part 1051 | Evaporative Emission Standards and Test Procedures |
- Procedures for Testing Highway and Nonroad Engines and Omnibus Technical Amendments (published July 13, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: Regulatory Announcement: Changed Test Procedures for Nonroad Engines and Heavy-Duty Highway Engines (PDF) (4 pp, 134K, EPA420-F-05-036, July 2005)
- Final Rule (PDF) (193 pp, 7.48MB)
- Technical Support Document and Summary & Analysis of Comments
- See Proposed Technical Amendments for the proposed rule and supporting documents (published September 10, 2004)
- Final Rule for Cleaner Highway Motorcycles (published January 15, 2004)
- Fact Sheet: EPA Finalizes Emission Standards for New Highway Motorcycles (PDF) (4 pp, 116K, EPA420-F-03-044, December 2003)
- Fact Sheet: Information for Motorcycle Owners on EPA's New Emission Standards for Highway Motorcycles (PDF) (10 pp, 132K, EPA420-F-03-045, December 2003)
- Final Rule (PDF) (48 pp, 462K)
- Final Regulatory Support Document (PDF) (215 pp, 724K, EPA420-R-03-015, December 2003)
- Summary and Analysis of Comments (PDF) (152 pp, 644K, EPA420-R-03-016, December 2003)
- See Proposed Emission Standards for the proposed rule, supporting documents, and advance notice.
- 1998 Amendment to Increase the Allowable Vehicle Mass for 3-Wheeled Motorcycles (published March 11, 1998)
- Final Rule (PDF) (4 pp, 168K)
- 1994 Amendments (published September 21, 1994)
- Final Rule (PDF) (68 pp, 3.68MB)
- Original Emission Standards for Highway Motorcycles (published January 5, 1977)
- Final Rule (PDF) (41 pp, 4.58MB)
Certification Guidance
- Major Steps of Certification and Compliance for 2006 and Later Model Years Highway Motorcycles (PDF) (22 pp, 307K, March 2005)
- Certification Procedure for Battery Powered Electric Highway Motorcycles (PDF) (5 pp, 63K, EPA-420-B-09-044, December 2009)
- The Verify submission template for Battery Powered Electric Highway Motorcycles can be found here.
- Recommended Application Format for Certification of Highway Motorcycles (PDF) (11 pp, 192K, March 2005)
- List of Questions for New Manufacturers (PDF) (2 pp, 18K, March 2005)
- Scooter Alert (PDF) (6 pp, 292K, March 2005)
- Highway Motorcycle Certification Review Sheet (PDF) (5 pp, 47K, March 2005)