Category: News Author : JR Posted: February 23, 2009
Tags : atv ban, dirt bike ban, mini bike ban, mini bike ban petition, mini bike lead ban, mini bikes banned, mini bikes lead, minibike ban, minibike ban petition, minibike lead ban, minibikes lead
Bike shops across America are being forced to stop selling thousands of mini bikes–all because of a law designed to protect children from lead poisoning in toys. Now, one lawmaker is asking for your help to overturn the ruling.
Mini Bike Ban: Newly Enforced
The law leading to the minibike ban was actually passed last year, but it just went into effect last week. Many motorcycle dealers, however, say they weren’t aware their products would be affected until just recently. A full $100 million worth of mini bikes is believed to be affected.
The issue is that the bikes’ brake handles, tire stems, and battery terminals have more lead than is now technically allowed. Many dirt bike and mini-ATV models are affected. Shops also won’t be able to work with replacement parts and consequently won’t be able to complete repairs, or even buy used bikes.
“I don’t think that is what legislators intended when they sought to protect kids from lead,” Phill Morud, director of All Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota, told the Star Tribune. “I think this is a case of unintended consequences.”
“We’re hoping that they see … a difference between a children’s necklace and a motor part that has very little chance of being ingested by a child,” a spokesperson for American Honda added.
Mini Bike Ban Petition
A state representative from Missouri has started an effort to overturn the mini bike ban–at least the part of it affecting youth motorsport sales. Representative Tom Self cites the financial implications on bike shops. He also contends that with sales of mini bikes suspended, “young riders will be tempted to use improperly sized and built machines which could … lead to severe injuries.”
Self has created a form letter that can be sent to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to call for a waiver for mini bike retailers. You can read the letter and opt to send it in with your name attached by visiting Self’s Web site here.
Feb 25, 2009
In typical stupid government fashion another law was passed without first reading and understanding all of the impacts; my 12 year old started racing 65 cc dirt bikes when he was 8, not once I repeat not once! did he ever I repeat EVER! put any part of ANY ! thing of that dirt bike in his MOUTH !!!!!! ALL you have done stupid sponsors of this bill is pulled more revenue from the pockets of retailers; what you dummy”s don't seem to get is every time another store goes under because of lack of sales YOU !!!!!! get less tax revenue do you get it yet!!!!!!
Dave Zichek angry at stupid gov!
Feb 28, 2009
This is ridiculous, and stupid. Someday we're going to have to leave our houses wrapped in bubble wrap, get in our 5mph safe cars with helmets on and not go to work because the gov't has eaten up the entire economy.
Mar 3, 2009
This is a stupid ass law period. My grand son has been riding Dirt Bikes and atvs sense he was 4 and now is 11. This was his first year he was to go racing dirt bikesand
now thanks to this law he will not be able to. Once again the fat asses in washington pass something without all the facts This really piss me off. Look at all the compnny ans dirt bike dealers this will put out of business
Mar 10, 2009
Americans should be free to buy recreational equip. for their children. Along with the responsibility of protecting your children from injury on this equip. comes the responsibility of supervising them. I am fairly sure parents will not allow children to chew on valve stems or on batteries that most kids could not acsess any way. This is simply another form of control buy a powerless government that can not even handle their own affairs. But instead of stimulating the economy or providing decent healh care for these same children our government would rather steal their youth. GREAT JOB
Mar 22, 2009
this is the biggest bunch of bs i have ever heard. are we going to ban the sale of youth football helmats, bicycles, fishing poles, snow boards? and who is to say all those bikes sold are for children? washington needs to worry more about americas job losses and economy than to find another way to screw us out of something else. land of the free huh?….. o wait lets worry about some over seas country in trouble than worry about our selves. what a fu@#ed up government!!!!!!!!!!
Mar 24, 2009
just another reason why america is turning into a bunch of pussys if are four fathers would have been a bunch of pussy i would be talking with a fagish british accent
Apr 17, 2009
Yep, I'm definitely sure that my neighbor's kid will be sucking on the tire stems and battery terminals of his dirtbike. We must absolutely outlaw them before such things happen!
Give me an effin' break ….
Instead of micro-managing something that really shouldn't even be considered a problem, why don't these guys start doig something about the failing economy? Hey, here's a thought: maybe it's things like this that caused the economy to fail in the first place!
Apr 20, 2009
Well, you idiots in Washington have really out done yourselves this time ! This is without a doubt, the straw that broke the camel's back. You've taken our money with taxes, crushed our home equity, taken our retirement savings and are after our guns…but our motorcycles?!? This, I cannot forgive . I call for a for a return to government- for the people, by the people! END THE TYRANY, GIVE US BACK OUR FREEDOM! NOW!!!!!
Jul 22, 2009
Another example of Government run amok. Now lets just give them control of our medical system! I'm sure they will do as great a job with that!! And let them tax us to death as well because its sure is great to have a big brother to look after us. We are to stupid to make adult decisions anymore and don't want to face our own consequences when we do instead we want to blame others!! Only problem people is when Gov-ment controls everything your blame will fall on deaf ears!!
Jul 30, 2009
You can thank stupid Obama. Get him out of office now.