the us Environmental Protection Agency (epa) has kickstarted the cleanup drive for highway motorcycles by revising their emission standards after two and a half decades. The new norms, which are more stringent, were notified on December 23 and will come into effect in 2006. When implemented fully, they are estimated to reduce hydrocarbon (hc) and oxides of nitrogen (no_x) emissions by about 54,000 tonnes a year.

"The new rules considerably advance pollution standards for motorcycles. (These vehicles)