The quad bike tax is a controversial tax imposed on many quad bikes or ATVs that has many quad bike fans and riders up and arms. Many of these small bikes are being classed as small cars and being taxed accordingly when hybrids are being taxed a significantly smaller amount.
Why Quad Bike Owners Are Upset
The theory on the lower tax rates for hybrids is that it will encourage people to consider buying them for the lower tax rates as they are more environmentally friendly than their other four-door counterparts. The flaw in this thinking is the fact that choosing to drive a quad bike is far more environmentally friendly than even the mighty hybrid.
All of this stems from a graduated Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) introduced in 2001 which determines what class a vehicle will be considered based on carbon emissions and what type of fuel is used. Since road legal quads fall into the Private Light Goods (PLG) tax class, they are taxed based on their engine size instead and type of fuel isn’t taken into consideration. According to most quad bike owners, that just isn’t fair.
Under the graduated VED, motorcycles have their own classification. Although being somewhat similar, meaning quad bikes are more similar to motorcycles than cars – quad bikes do not fit into the motorcycle classification. It just so happens that vehicles that fall under the motorcycle class are taxed much lower than vehicles that fall under the PLG class.
The Backlash
Angry quad bike owners have taken to the internet to vent their frustration over what seems to be an unfair arrangement. Online petitions have steadily gathered signatures and internet message boards are filled with angry posts regarding what many see is the unfair quad bike tax. Government officials are trying to explain, but somehow, the answers always seem to come up short. What a surprise.
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