I can't speak for Tom, and I don't know if his announcement was rushed into being because of some heated discussion going on. But the main thing is that as members, we have to carefully nurture this movement in the right direction before motorbike engine kits get legislated out of existence. The HT engine fits the bill for a lot of people for several reasons, including lower cost. Catalyst exhausts are now becoming available from China for these kits, I'm told. I'm not saying that HT owners need to run out and buy these exhausts, but it's a good idea for the vendors to consider bringing these in as part of their kits, in an effort to move the engines towards EPA compliance. It may cost more, but it's a step in the right direction if we want to keep the government off our backs. We certainly don't want to invite them to police us any more than they already do, and I feel that improper importation of kits without the catalyst will make government interference more likely. To some, compliance might be a dirty word, but I feel that it's the only way the motored bike movement can move forward and stay healthy.
So, in short, I'm not saying that the HT engine needs to go away. Not at all. But it needs to move towards compliance with the inclusion of the new catalytic exhaust if we want to be able to continue enjoying them. I feel it's incumbent amongst the vendors to steer this favorite little engine in the right direction.
