10 news this morning

[Erick 0]

http://www.10news.com/news/20653809/detail.html

2 SD Motorcycle Dealers Fined For Illegal Kits

GP Motorcycles, Mota Forza Fined For Illegal Conversions

POSTED: 2:39 pm PDT August 31, 2009

UPDATED: 2:40 pm PDT August 31, 2009

SAN DIEGO -- Two San Diego-area motorcycle dealers were fined a combined $180,000 from the California Air Resources Board for selling dozens of off-road motorcycles illegally converted into what they called street-legal models, the regulatory agency announced Monday.

GP Motorcycles of San Diego and Moto Forza of Escondido will each pay $90,000 in fines, according to CARB.

CARB investigators following up on a tip received in 2006 confirmed that GP Motorcycles and Moto Forza were selling Husqvarna off-road motorcycles illegally converted to street-legal models.

According to the CARB, many of the bikes were outfitted with so-called "street legal" kits, which are illegal in California.

"Companies that deliberately flout the law are often assessed higher penalties," said Mary Nichols, who heads the CARB board. "Playing by the rules from the start is the most cost-effective, smart business plan any company can follow."

The CARB revoked the registrations for the motorcycles. The owners were told to turn in their license plates and get off-road stickers and plates. California bans a number of motorcycles and scooters that are street-legal in other states.

[dirt dame 561]

Wow, that sucks for both the shops and the people who bought the bikes, but on the other hand, this state is so uptight about those sorts of things that the dealers should have been on their best behavior. It's a shame, and I hate to see them get the big fines.

[tlking6 0]

uh oh, I bought my Husky from Moto Forza. I'm going postal if they take my plate.

[kiwi 0]

"Playing by the rules from the start is the most cost-effective, smart business plan any company can follow."

Oh yeah, she has so much experience running a small business in Kalifornia! Big gov' going after the little guy again. I closed my small business in Ca because I could see big brother was going to make it very very hard to make a profit with all of its 'controls' and restrictions. I dont agree with cheating the system, but playing by the rules can quite often mean no profits, just losses. I wonder why so many small and large business are leaving Ca?

[tlking6 0]

I wonder which models they were selling illegally? The TE line is suppose to be 50 state legal and anytime I have been in there that is all he has had plated. He had some 09's in there that he said he was having to wait on because of a lack of a sticker.

[toddrh 0]

CARB is nothing more than a state bureaucracy that bleeds California citizens of their hard-earned money.

[dirt dame 561]

CARB is nothing more than a state bureaucracy that bleeds California citizens of their hard-earned money.

And stops us from having more fun. STOOPID RED STICKERS.....

[Bagstr 288]

$90k. Is that an appropriate fine for a small business? Is their goal to put them out of business?

I sincerely hope there is an appeal process to lower the fine to something survivable.

[darylhunter 1]

I know of at least one guy with a Husky from GP, who was asked by the DMV to turn in his plate - he declined.

But, facing a fine from the DMV, GP bought the bike back from him and gave him a schwell deal on a new TE model. I don't recall what his original model was.

I'd also heard of some dealers - don't know if MF or GP were involved - unrestricting the TE models right off the floor as a courtesy to customers.

As a dealer, that sounds like a nice service to your customers, but a risky practice given the CARB/DMV Nazis.

[dirt dame 561]

$90k. Is that an appropriate fine for a small business? Is their goal to put them out of business?

I sincerely hope there is an appeal process to lower the fine to something survivable.

Somebody mentioned that the fine is $5000 per machine, meaning that they sold about 18 bikes at each shop, or so it would seem.

I am worried about them staying in business too, as these are our only two real Husqvarna shops in the county and Motoforza is about 2 miles away from my house. I like dealing with the parts guy there.

[dirt dame 561]

I'd also heard of some dealers - don't know if MF or GP were involved - unrestricting the TE models right off the floor as a courtesy to customers.

As a dealer, that sounds like a nice service to your customers, but a risky practice given the CARB/DMV Nazis.

It would be a little harder to track down and prove, since there wouldn't be any "paper trail", or at least there shouldn't be any.

[tntmo 904]

I wonder which models they were selling illegally? The TE line is suppose to be 50 state legal and anytime I have been in there that is all he has had plated. He had some 09's in there that he said he was having to wait on because of a lack of a sticker.

If I remember correctly, 2007 was the first year the entire TE line was 50 state legal. I had heard that GP was selling plated models prior to that, guess I wasn't the only one who heard it.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Maybe the shops could petition to have the fine paid from the green sticker money....if it hasn't been used for Arnold to take his entourage to the Kennedy compound. Not to be irreverent but that trip costs over $200K.

[dirt dame 561]

I thought that the 2006 models (last year for yellow and blue plastic) were California legal. Husky4me had a 450, and I knew another guy that had a TE250, both plated.

In fact, I have seen a few of that year model in different displacement sizes and I think that all of them were plated.

[kiwi 0]

Maybe the shops could petition to have the fine paid from the green sticker money....if it hasn't been used for Arnold to take his entourage to the Kennedy compound. Not to be irreverent but that trip costs over $200K.

There is no Green sticker money left. CARB used it to buy lunches for their business meetings trying to see how they can shut down California business's. Maybe CARB should go after the person who made the trees and brush thats burning and polluting the air. Now thats a big fine! $5000 per bush.

[rexr 0]

That sucks.. I just bought an 09 TE510 from Moto- Forza and they were great to deal with..

[Kevin 0]

There was a thread a while back addressing this issue of converting bikes in California-I hope this will put a final end to this disucssion. as you cannot convert bikes in California. Sorry goes to those that were under the impression that there's was legal via a dealer as you now have a have base for a legal case!!

[BC330 0]

All the more reason to purchase a new CARB legal KTM 450/530exc ( or TWO if you need)

No mods here.... my bike is all stock

bc

[Chief Gunner 2]

2 SD Motorcycle Dealers Fined For Illegal Kits

GP Motorcycles, Mota Forza Fined For Illegal Conversions

POSTED: 2:39 pm PDT August 31, 2009

UPDATED: 2:40 pm PDT August 31, 2009

SAN DIEGO -- Two San Diego-area motorcycle dealers were fined a combined $180,000 from the California Air Resources Board for selling dozens of off-road motorcycles illegally converted into what they called street-legal models, the regulatory agency announced Monday.

GP Motorcycles of San Diego and Moto Forza of Escondido will each pay $90,000 in fines , according to CARB.

CARB investigators following up on a tip received in 2006 confirmed that GP Motorcycles and Moto Forza were selling Husqvarna off-road motorcycles illegally converted to street-legal models.

According to the CARB, many of the bikes were outfitted with so-called "street legal" kits, which are illegal in California.

"Companies that deliberately flout the law are often assessed higher penalties," said Mary Nichols, who heads the CARB board. "Playing by the rules from the start is the most cost-effective, smart business plan any company can follow."

The CARB revoked the registrations for the motorcycles. The owners were told to turn in their license plates and get off-road stickers and plates. California bans a number of motorcycles and scooters that are street-legal in other states.

I hope it does not put them completely out of buisness, GP has been good to me.

[dirt dame 561]

I'm guessing that you haven't seen this thread from yesterday.

[KTMrad 514]

GP and Moto Forza will not be going out of business. This is sort of old news, even though the media just posted it. The alleged "illegal" registrations happened prior to 2007.

[piratemonkey 0]

Huh...I dropped a Husky fork leg off at GP two weeks ago to get it fixed. Maybe I haven't heard back from them cuz CARB seized it thinking it has something to do with the exhaust.

[dirt dame 561]

Huh...I dropped a Husky fork leg off at GP two weeks ago to get it fixed. Maybe I haven't heard back from them cuz CARB seized it thinking it has something to do with the exhaust.

Maybe they can't afford to fix it just now.....

[Kevin 0]

This page finalized August 26, 2009

GP MOTORCYCLES SETTLES FOR $90,000

GP Motorcycles is a motorcycle dealer located in San Diego, California. GP Motorcycles was issued a Notice of Violation in September 2006, for selling off-road certified Husqvarna motorcycles as on-road motorcycles, many of which were equipped with ‘street-legal’ kits, all licensed and registered with on-road motorcycle plates, both illegal in California. After settlement discussions came to an impasse, this case was referred to the Attorney General’s office for prosecution. A settlement was entered in Superior Court in April, 2009, in the amount of $90,000 for Health and Safety Code violations, and Attorneys fees.

HERE IS THE LINK

http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/casesett/gp.htm

[Spaugh 1]

This page finalized August 26, 2009

GP MOTORCYCLES SETTLES FOR $90,000

GP Motorcycles is a motorcycle dealer located in San Diego, California. GP Motorcycles was issued a Notice of Violation in September 2006, for selling off-road certified Husqvarna motorcycles as on-road motorcycles, many of which were equipped with ‘street-legal’ kits, all licensed and registered with on-road motorcycle plates, both illegal in California. After settlement discussions came to an impasse, this case was referred to the Attorney General’s office for prosecution. A settlement was entered in Superior Court in April, 2009, in the amount of $90,000 for Health and Safety Code violations, and Attorneys fees.

HERE IS THE LINK

http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/casesett/gp.htm