Can replacement parts still be sold?
"No, replacement and aftermarket parts and accessories will be included in the ban."
Wheels are one of the possible target areas to contain lead. Manufacturers will have to fully test their machines in order to meet the tightening restrictions.
What components contain the lead?
"Motorcycle and ATV components containing lead include lead battery terminals, tire valve stems, fittings and connectors made with brass or copper alloys, brake and clutch levers, throttle controls, engine housings, carburetors made with aluminum alloys, steel fasteners, and frames or structural components made with steel alloys."
What are the OEMs doing to combat this?
"MIC and SVIA, along with member company manufacturers, filed a petition for temporary exclusion of motorcycle and ATV products from the new lead regulations. We strongly encourage all stakeholders, dealers, and enthusiasts to support our petition by contacting the CPSC and their respective Members of Congress urging them to enact these temporary exclusions."
How long will an appeal process take if the ban sticks on Feb 10? How long before kid bikes can potentially be sold again?
"There is no current timeline for petitions for permanent exclusions. If the temporary exclusions are not granted, it could be several months before any further action to petition permanent exclusions can commence."
All of the Big Five manufacturers make a significant portion of their sales in the youth bracket. Can you imagine life without the
Honda CRF50? Not only that but the 70, 80 and 100.
Kawasaki’s ultra-popular KLX110 and the KX65, the only competition for
KTM’s 65SX. Let’s not even get into the Orange lineup. The Austrian brand, which already escaped the
beef-related ban, has more goodies to entice kids than Disneyland. The Boys in Blue have a wide-ranging TT-R lineup and
Suzuki offers mini bikes and quads also.
Will backyard racing become a pastime solely for adults?
“From this point on all products will need to be tested and certified,” says Suzuki Communication Manager, Glen Hansen. “Some of the stuff that may include traces of lead would be the wheels, as it helps provide a good seal for the tires, and possibly some of the other metals, I’m not totally sure. Though none of it could be ingested and it’s in such small levels that it would never affect children.”
Keeping lead away from children is certainly a worthwhile concern which no industry bigwig or enthusiast parent will argue. However, unless lawmakers take a realistic look at the nature of ATVs and motorcycles, this blanket policy will be extremely disruptive in our already unstable economy. Obviously, losing the ability to sell motorcycles and ATVs to youths would be devastating, at least until the OEs can re-engineer the equipment to pass standards.
Yamaha National Communications Manager, Bob Starr explains
Yamaha’s approach like this. “We at Yamaha sent a release to our dealers this week asking them to stop selling any current or old TT-R50, TW50 and Raptor 50 models after February 10th when the law takes effect. Anything currently in the pipeline for those models will not be allowed to be sold after that date. We are seeking to get compliance for those models in the future. Also, as of February 10th, hang-tags and labels will be placed on all PW80, TT-R90, TT-R110, YZ85, Raptor 80, Raptor 90 and Grizzly 80 models explaining that are not for use by children under the age of 12 and production will continue on those as normal. We have our legal department doing all they can, but we need to comply with the law and ask the dealers do so as well.”
Help keep our kids involved. Send your letter to as many legislators as you can.
Make sure to use the sidebar and write your own letter to the CPSC. You can also research your state and local representatives’ contact info and send them the same letter. If you don't already know how to contact your reps, use the following websites to find your state legislators and bookmark them for when the next issue arises.
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US Congress Directory
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US House of Representatives Directory
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US Senate Member Directory
Official US Government Website
www.usa.gov