[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58127-58128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28176]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA 99-6093; Notice 2]


Italjet S.p.A.; Grant of Application for Temporary Exemption From 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 123

    This notice grants the application by Italjet S.p.A., an Italian 
corporation, through Italjet USA (``Italjet'') of New York City, NY, 
for a temporary exemption of two years from a requirement of S5.2.1 
(Table 1) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 123 Motorcycle 
Controls and Displays. The basis of the request was that ``compliance 
with the standard would prevent the manufacturer from selling a motor 
vehicle with an overall safety level at least equal to the overall 
safety level of nonexempt vehicles,'' 49 U.S.C. Sec. 
30113(b)(3)(B)(iv).
    We published a notice of receipt of the application on August 24, 
1999 (64 FR 46225) asking for comments, but received none.
    Italjet has applied on behalf of its Torpedo 125, Formula 125, 
Millenium 125, and Millenium 150 motor scooters (``scooters''). The 
scooters are defined as ``motorcycles'' for purposes of compliance with 
the Federal motor vehicle safety standards. According to Italjet, its 
scooters have a peak motor output of 26 hp and a top speed of 60 miles 
per hour.
    If a motorcycle is produced with rear wheel brakes, S5.2.1 of 
Standard No. 123 requires that the brakes be operable through the right 
foot control, though the left handlebar is permissible for motor driven 
cycles (Item 11, Table 1). Italjet would like to use the left handlebar 
as the control for the rear brakes of the scooters, whose peak motor 
output of 26 hp produces more than the 5 hp maximum that separates 
motor driven cycles from motorcycles. The gear ratio of the vehicle is 
fixed, and ``there is no need for the rider to shift gears, as on a 
standard motorcycle.'' Because of this, the scooters are ``equipped 
with neither a

[[Page 58128]]

clutch nor a clutch lever, and the left hand of the rider is free to 
operate a brake lever.'' Italjet states that it prefers this design, 
given its focus on European and Asian markets ``where rear brake 
controls for scooters of all horsepower ratings are typically mounted 
on the left handlebar.''
    Italjet argues that the overall level of safety of the scooters 
equals or exceeds that of a motorcycle that complies with the brake 
control location requirement of Standard No. 123. It believes that 
``the prevalence of the left hand operated design in Europe and Asia is 
one strong indicator that a vehicle designed in this way can be 
operated safely.'' It believes that ``vehicle safety might be somewhat 
enhanced with the left hand brake lever, as the hand (bare or gloved) 
is generally more capable of sensitive modulation of the braking force 
than the foot.''
    Italjet intends to field test a small number of the scooters in the 
American market in Fall 1999 to assess the design, and without an 
exemption it would be unable to do so. It wishes to consider whether 
the United States' scooter market offers sufficient sales potential to 
justify the creation of a design specifically for the United States 
that incorporates the right foot brake pedal. Alternatively, it may 
petition for rulemaking to amend Standard No. 123 to allow the hand-
operated brake control on motorcycles with more than 5 hp.
    Italjet anticipates sales of not more than 2500 scooters a year 
while an exemption is in effect. It believes that an exemption would be 
in the public interest and consistent with the objectives of traffic 
safety ``because it would maintain an acceptable level of safety while 
accelerating the advancement of an important new class of vehicles for 
use by consumers and businesses.''
    The application by Italjet is substantially similar to that by 
Aprilia, S.p.A. which we granted on August 13, 1999 (64 FR 44264). 
Aprilia also requested an exemption from the rear brake location 
requirement of S5.2.1 (Table 1) of Standard No. 123 pursuant to 49 
U.S.C. 30113(b)(3)(B)(iv). On August 20, 1999, we also granted an 
exemption from this requirement to Vectrix Corporation for its electric 
scooter pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30113(b)(3)(B)(iii), on the basis that it 
would make the development or field evaluation of a low-emission 
vehicle easier (64 FR 45585).
    As we observed in granting Aprilia's application, we must find that 
an exemption is consistent with the public interest and motor vehicle 
safety (49 U.S.C. Sec. 30113(b)(3)(A)), and that compliance with the 
brake control location requirement of Standard No. 123 would prevent 
Aprilia from selling a motorcycle with an overall safety level at least 
equal to the safety level of a nonexempt motorcycle (49 U.S.C. Sec. 
30113(b)(3)(B)(iv)).
    Aprilia correctly identified our principal area of concern: the 
standardization of motorcycle controls. In adopting Standard No. 123 in 
April 1972, effective September 1, 1974, we justified standardization 
of motorcycle controls as a means of minimizing operator error in 
responding to the motoring environment, saying that ``a cyclist, 
especially the novice and the cyclist who has changed from one make of 
machine to another, must not hesitate when confronted with an 
emergency'' (37 FR 7207).
    We asked Aprilia to comment on our concern that a left hand lever-
operated rear brake may contribute to unfamiliarity and thus degrade a 
rider's overall braking reaction beyond what would exist on a 
motorcycle with conventionally configured controls. At the request of 
Aprilia's U.S. sales subsidiary, Aprilia U.S.A. Inc. of Woodstock, 
Georgia, Carter Engineering of Franklin, Tennessee, prepared a report 
on ``Motorscooter Braking Control Study'' (Report No. CE-99-APR-05, May 
1999) comparing braking response times of riders using the left hand 
control of the Leonardo 150 and the right foot control of the Yamaha 
XC-125 Riva. We have placed a copy of this report in the Aprilia 
docket, Docket No. NHTSA-98-4357. Aprilia U.S.A. commented that 
``[o]verall, the test subjects'' reaction times on the Leonardo were 
approximately 20% quicker than their reaction times on the conventional 
motorcycle.'' Aprilia believed that ``a less complex braking 
arrangement like that of the [vehicle for which it sought exemption] 
will improve rider reaction in an emergency situation.'' We interpreted 
the report as indicating that a rider's braking response was not likely 
to be degraded by the different placement of the brake controls, thus 
directly addressing and meeting our safety concern.
    With respect to the public interest and consistency with objectives 
of motor vehicle safety, the available information suggests that 
Italjet's request to operate the rear brake with the left hand instead 
of the right foot may not degrade the rider's braking response. By 
allowing exempted vehicles to be sold on a temporary basis for two 
years, it will be possible for us to gather data on operators' 
experience with this alternative rear brake control. This information 
would allow us to make a more informed decision about locations for 
motorcycle brake controls.
    In consideration of the foregoing, it is hereby found that to 
require compliance with Standard No. 123 would prevent the manufacturer 
from selling a motor vehicle with an overall level of safety at least 
equal to the overall safety level of nonexempt vehicles. It is further 
found that a temporary exemption is in the public interest and 
consistent with the objectives of motor vehicle safety. Accordingly, 
Italjet, S.p.A. is hereby granted NHTSA Temporary Exemption No. EX99-11 
from the requirement of Item 11, Column 2, Table 1 of 49 CFR 571.123 
Standard No. 123, Motorcycle Controls and Displays, that the rear wheel 
brakes be operable through the right foot control. This exemption 
applies only to models Torpedo 125, Formula 125, Millenium 125, and 
Millenium 150, and will expire on October 1, 2001. 49 U.S.C. 30113; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50).

    Issued on October 22, 1999.
Rosalyn G. Millman,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-28176 Filed 10-27-99; 8:45 am]
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