Alabama Biker Tax

Yep, if you are a biker in Alabama you must pay a sin tax just the same as on cigarettes or liquor. Or maybe they would fraise it as a luxury tax because no one needs a motorcycle to go to work or anything important. That’s what I was told when I paid 60% more taxes for my motorcycle tag then on my 3 year old car and my Valkyrie Interstate is a 2000 model. My car’s fare market value is thousands more than my motorcycle so that’s not the reason either for paying more taxes. I ask the people at the DMV, how does two wheels and less then half the weight wear more on the state's roads then a car or truck? And if it's just a luxury then it's not taken out on the roads but on the weekends as common since would assume.  So how would that justify paying more taxes because a luxury motorcycle would certainly not be using more of the states resources.

Yeah, we bikers are a sinful bunch of drifters with a wallet full of cash just busting at the seams so we deserve to be ripped off!

I was told by the people at the DMV that the reason is a motorcycle is just a luxury and subject to higher taxes. I told them at the DMV I do use my 5 year old motorcycle for riding to work, the grocery store and even the dentist. But I was told it was just a luxury and not necessary so it was taxed accordingly. Well groceries are not a luxury but Alabama taxes them too! And I would say food is a necessity wouldn’t you? With gas prices so high I expect to see more motorcycles on the road and I told the people at the DVM all that but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

I am outrage of this type of discrimination against motorcycle riders. I was wondering if anyone else has the same bug that I do about this unfair motorcycle tax. Does anyone know if the AMA is aware of this unfair tax against motorcycle riders or doing anything about it if they are aware of it?

Is anyone else as ticked as I am about this biker bum luxury tax?  Does anyone know of anyone who is doing anything about this unfair tax? Or how can I / we protest and or petition against the outrageously high motorcycle tax?
:explode:

[Valker]

They should be made aware of this.:explode:

[MrBones]

Absoulty horrible. If you find someone to write to let me know and I will.

[rodeo1]

pack up and move to colorado, we luv bikes here !!

You ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait 'til Hilary "THE ICE QUEEN" becomes MR. PRESIDENT. Then we all will be paying that tax and more. Higher taxes on smokes, gas, hotels, to pay for more of her social(ist) programs. Then she'll get her Socialist, er, I mean "Nationalized" Health Care plan. Just watch your money go to Washington then. Higher taxes on "unhealthy" foods. WHAT, you eat red meat? Oooo.. sorry your not covered under the new system. Oooo... you drive a motorcycle? Not any more! Too risky. I bet we will have to buy our own Vaseline. You can laugh but it's right around the corner, and there is nothing and nobody who can or will stop it. Like the song says, "Take Paradise, put up a free(sic) clinic" The future's so bright I want to gouge my eyes out.

What you said, Joaquin!

AMA is the place to start your protest.  Easy to find on the web.  Isnt' it ironic that we have the highest gas prices in history and record sales of SUV's and RV's, but Alabama chooses to ding the motorcycle rider for owning a vehicle that it saves fuel and causes little damage to highways. Under their rationale, anyone within two  miles of a rapid transit stop shouldn't need a car either.  Don't think that one will go very far.

I'm guessin' the motorcycle manufacturers haven't  bought enough politicians yet.

[Sludge]

Well, I was fooled. I thought all the southeastern states had reciprocity with eachother on concealed carry issues.  I guess AL just has a problem with you Texans.  They honor ours up here in NC.  Oddly New Mexico doesnt honor any of us either.  I wouldnt have figured that.  I strictly limit my travel plans to states that honor my license.



FYI if ya havent checked it out   http://www.packing.org has updated reciprocity maps for CCW.   You probably already know about that though ...

H Sludge, unless Al has changed in the last couple years, they do not honor Texas CHL's.  I always check with Packing.Org when I travel and if I am still in doubt, I call that state's State law Enforcement agency.  Actually, several states do not honor other states's permits, however a great many states have an in car travelers law.  This allows you to carry as long as the gun is kept in the car and not carried when out of the car.  As I remember, New Mexico is one of these, but not sure. Many states require it to be locked, some unloaded, and have vaarious laws.  The nut-case laws of Al are the only ones I found that have gone to extreme except for uncivilized areas such as The Peoples Republic of Kalifornia., N.Y., and N.J.  to name a few.
Like you, I avoid states that do not believe in the 2nd Amendment and make sure they do not get any of my tourist money.
Even now, that I can carry legally anywhere in the U.S, under the retired LEO federal law, I still avoid those states.

I happen to live in Alabama and am a programmer by trade.  The system I work with happens to be an automobile leasing system.  Some states allow something called "tax on tax".  Say you lease a nice vehicle, you pay $500 a month on the lease, $100 of that could be the lease use tax.  Then you could have to pay $10 tax on the $100 tax you just paid.  When did I vote for that!  

I was shocked when I found this out, and Alabama is not the only state that does this.