[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7841-7842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2186]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2000-8699]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL Motorcycles Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL motorcycles are eligible for 
importation.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL motorcycles that were not 
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards are eligible for importation into the United 
States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were 
originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that were 
certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, 
and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is February 26, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice 
number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh St., S.W, Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 
5 pm]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards shall be refused admission into the United 
States unless NHTSA has decided that the motor vehicle is substantially 
similar to a motor vehicle originally manufactured for importation into 
and sale in the United States, certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and of 
the same model year as the model of the motor vehicle to be compared, 
and is capable of being readily altered to conform to all applicable 
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR Part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice 
in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is 
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in 
the Federal Register.
    Milwaukee Motorcycle Imports, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
(``MMI'') (Registered Importer 99-192) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether non-U.S. certified 2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL 
motorcycles are eligible for importation into the United States. The 
vehicles which MMI believes are substantially similar are 2001 Harley 
Davidson FX, FL, and XL motorcycles that were manufactured for sale in 
the United States and certified by their

[[Page 7842]]

manufacturer as conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle 
safety standards.
    The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL motorcycles to their U.S. certified 
counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with 
respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    MMI submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate 
that non-U.S. certified 2001 Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL 
motorcycles, as originally manufactured, conform to many Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards in the same manner as their U.S. certified 
counterparts, or are capable of being readily altered to conform to 
those standards.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 2001 
Harley Davidson FX, FL, and XL motorcycles are identical to their U.S. 
certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 
106 Brake Hoses, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 116 Brake Fluid, 119 New 
Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars, and 122 
Motorcycle Brake Systems.
    The petitioner also states that vehicle identification number 
plates that meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 565 are already 
affixed to non-U.S. certified 2001 Harley Davidson, FX, FL, and XL 
motorcycles.
    Petitioner additionally contends that the vehicles are capable of 
being readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated below:
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: (a) installation of U.S. model headlamp assemblies which 
incorporate headlamps that are certified to meet the standard; (b) 
replacement of all stop lamp and directional signal bulbs with bulbs 
that are certified to meet the standard; (c) replacement of all lenses 
with lenses that are certified to meet the standard.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Vehicles other than 
Passenger Cars: Installation of a tire information label.
    Standard No. 123 Motorcycle Controls and Displays: installation of 
a U.S. model speedometer calibrated in miles per hour and a U.S. model 
odometer that measures distance traveled in miles.
    The petitioner states that when the vehicle has been brought into 
conformity with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, 
a certification label that meets the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567 
will be affixed to the front of the motorcycle frame.
    Comments should refer to the docket number and be submitted to: 
Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590. It is requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the above address both before and after 
that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing 
date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the petition 
will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated below.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: January 18, 2001.
Marilynne Jacobs,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 01-2186 Filed 1-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-M