Rocky Cycle Co. v. United States

62 Cust. Ct. 550, 1969 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3466
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedMay 20, 1969
DocketC.D. 3825
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 62 Cust. Ct. 550 (Rocky Cycle Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rocky Cycle Co. v. United States, 62 Cust. Ct. 550, 1969 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3466 (cusc 1969).

Opinion

WilsoN, Judge:

The 'official papers were received in evidence without being marked. The Special Customs Invoice and the Packing List show the numerous items imported and contain the statement “Motorcycle Parts and Accessories.” The merchandise was exported by Asia Machinery Trading Co., Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, on June 23,1966 from Kobe, Japan, and was entered at the port of San Francisco, California, on August 1,1966.

The protest relates only to the items invoiced as “200 pos. A4540 * * * Tandem Folding Foot Pegs” and “300 pcs. A6522 Honda Tandem Seats: Black, without Honda Name.” The protest was severed as to the tandem seats and a new protest was filed therefor. Accordingly [552]*552this case only affects tlie classification, as agreed by counsel, of the A4540 Tandem Folding Foot Pegs. They have been classified under item 657.20, Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS), for articles of metal not more specifically provided for elsewhere in the tariff schedules, articles of iron or steel, not coated or plated with precious metal, other articles, other, and assessed with duty at 19 per centum ad valorem.

The protest claims that these foot pegs are properly classifiable for “motorcycles and parts thereof * * * parts” under item 692.55 TSUS and subject to duty at 12 per centum ad valorem, or as hinges, fittings, and mountings, not specially provided for, designed for motor vehicles under item 647.01 and subject to duty at 8.5 per centum ad valorem. Plaintiffs’ brief contends that these foot pegs contribute to the safe and efficient operation of motorcycles and that they are fittings, and mountings, designed for motor vehicles “since these foot pegs (1) are properly considered to 'be ‘parts’ of motorcycles (2) attach to and become a part of the coachwork of a motor vehicle and (8) are specifically enumerated under the provision for hinges, fittings and mountings in the Brussels Nomenclature.”

Defendant’s brief contends that the foot pegs in issue are for use of a passenger on the rear portion of the motorcycle and are not used by the driver in the '■'‘ordinary operation of a motorcycle”; that in the light of definitions of tandem and tandem bicycle (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, 1963, the description in the invoice (Tandem Folding Foot Pegs) “constitutes an admission by plaintiffs that these foot pegs are for use by the rear passenger and not the driver.”

The tariff statutes of the United States under consideration are as follows:

Classified under:
Schedule 6, part 3, subpart G.
Subpart G.-Metal Products Not Specially Provided For.
Subpart Gheadnotes:
1. This subpart covers only articles of metal which are not more specifically provided for elsewhere in the tariff schedules.
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ $
Articles of iron or steel, not coated or plated with precious metal:
* * * * -1: * *
Other articles:
if: * if: # * ^ *
[553]*553657.20 Other_19% ad val.
Claimed under:
Schedule 6, part 6, subpart B.
Motorcycles and parts thereof:
•!• >!• M í» ^
692.55 Parts_12% ad val.
Schedule 6, part 3, subpart D.
Hinges; and fittings and mountings not specially provided for, suitable for furniture, doors, windows, blinds, staircases, luggage, vehicle coach work, caskets, cabinets, and similar uses; all the foregoing, of base metal, whether or not coated or plated with precious metal:
Not coated or plated with precious metal:
Of iron or steel, of aluminum, or of zinc:
647.01 Hinges, fittings, and mountings, designed for motor vehicles_8.5% ad val.

The plaintiffs introduced four exhibits and the testimony of Mr. Jerry Cooper. The defendant introduced the testimony of Mr. George Gudbranson.

Mr. Cooper identified two pieces of the involved A4540 tandem folding foot pegs, exhibit 1, which are imported placed two in one bag. He placed a circle around such pegs on a picture received as exhibit 2. He also circled item A4540 on a picture of a BSA motorcycle, received as exhibit 3. He identified certain saddles (seats) Nos. 6550, 6560, A6501 and A6502 on a picture received as exhibit 4, which seats are used with model M 5135 and BSA motorcycle.

Mr. Cooper supervises retail sales throughout the United States to franchised motorcycle dealers and repair shops for Pocky Cycle Co., Inc. He has owned and repaired motorcycles and has been familiar with them for 12 or 13 years. He rode them for sport, pleasure and in competition, and many times rode between San Francisco and Los Angeles. He also rode as a passenger on the rear seat. He is familiar with the installation of foot pegs.

Mr. Gudbranson, a customs agent, is familiar with motorcycles and drove them for about 14 years. From time to time he owned them and repaired them. He rode Hondas, Harley-Davidsons, BSA’s, and Triumphs and saw exhibit 1 on them as well as on a Ducati motorcycle, used in the rear for passengers.

There is substantial testimony of both witnesses that the imported tandem folding foot pegs are used in the rear of tandem motorcycles for the passenger. Plaintiffs’ witness also asserts that the imported tandem folding foot pegs are used in the front of tandem motorcycles for the driver and also by drivers who race motorcycles in competition; that hundreds participate in racing motorcycles and he did so until [554]*5541967 in northern and central California in District 36 Sportsman. He stated that in his opinion it is for safety because if people are hit with a stationary foot peg it would do a lot of damage by dragging the person, or another motorcycle, along the track, whereas a folding foot peg would fold while the motorcycle keeps going. He testified that foot pegs are something that a rider or passenger puts his feet on when riding a motorcycle; that when installed on the rear for a passenger it is usually installed with a swinging arm, and when installed on the front for the rider it is installed on a bracket that usually is attached to the frame. The foot pegs serve as foot rests. He stated that when mounted for use by the driver it is essential for safe operation of the motorcycle.

Defendant’s witness testified that he saw folding foot pegs in use in the rear for passengers on the Honda, BSA, Triumph and Ducati motorcycles for use of the passenger but has not observed such pegs in front for the driver. He stated that the purpose of folding foot pegs, primarily, is to rest the feet on when sitting in the rear, and to get them out of the way when not in use. He also stated that when the folding foot pegs are used by passengers, it was, in his opinion, essential to the safety in riding on the motorcycle.

The defendant’s contention in its brief that the rear foot pegs in question do not contribute to the safe and efficient operation of motorcycles is in conflict with the testimony of its own witness, Mr. Gud-branson, who testified as follows:

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63 Cust. Ct. 367 (U.S. Customs Court, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
62 Cust. Ct. 550, 1969 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3466, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rocky-cycle-co-v-united-states-cusc-1969.