The last tariff I personally remember was the 1983 motorcycle tariff signed by Reagan. The Yamaha Virago was seen as such a threat to Harley-Davidson that they pushed for and got a tariff imposed on imported motorcycles over 700ccs engine displacement. Yamaha’s answer was to reduce the engine displacement from 750 to 699cc. The 250cc Virago is still in production today, though they install a straighter handlebar on it and call it a “V-Star 250.”
The last tariff I personally remember was the 1983 motorcycle tariff signed by Reagan. The Yamaha Virago was seen as such a threat to Harley-Davidson that they pushed for and got a tariff imposed on imported motorcycles over 700ccs engine displacement. Yamaha’s answer was to reduce the engine displacement from 750 to 699cc. The 250cc Virago is still in production today, though they install a straighter handlebar on it and call it a “V-Star 250.”
Targeted tariffs are regularly used for specific reasons. We just don’t normally go all AoE with tariffs.