The future of motorcycling is dead.

[R.Markus]

I hadn't seen a thread on this yet, suprisingly...

I've been watching this new law come to pass. I didn't think it would actually happen, but it has. The impact is not big for sport touring because we are all adults (some may question that   ), but for adults wanting to watch their children learn to ride a small motorcycle it has a great impact.


The US Consumer Products Safety Comission has single handedly banned any motorcycle or ATV that is intended for use by someone under 12 years f age from legally being sold in the US. Further more, it is retroactive and also bans anyone from selling parts for the vehicles. This inlcudes motorcycles from approximately 125cc down (Depending on the manufacturer. Honda is still selling the CRF100, but Kawaski is no longer offering the KLX110).

The ban went into effect last Tuesday.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09115nord.pdf

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09115moore.pdf

Look at the Honda website, which no longer lists the sub 100cc dirt bikes or ATVs...

http://powersports.honda.com/offroad.aspx

The Yamaha site states their 50cc bikes are temporarily unavailable...

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modeloverview/cat/2009/59/model_overview.aspx

Kawasaki can't sell you the KLX110 or anything smaller...

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/Product-Specifications.aspx?scid=11&id=339

...and the list goes on to include all manufacturers.


I went to our Honda dealership today to pick up some parts i had ordered and found that they were given a list of parts that they were no longer allowed to sell. They had also been told to pull all the smaller cc vehicles off the floor and are no longer able to sell them. They were rebuilding my SL70 engine, but now they don't think that parts for it will be legal to purchase anymore.

This may no end up being permanent, but it's bad enough as it is.

[ironmike]

This will only create a "black market".... i.e.; Prohibition, the "War on Drugs", teenage abstinence...    

[Tar Snake]

This is about phthalates, the stuff the makes plastic soft.

I would think the pulling of products is temporary until:

A: Testing is in place
B: Phthalates free plastic bodywork starts being produced.

It's not time to panic yet!

[CBR_Rod]

Certainly is sad, and seems so stupid.  Went to the local dealer yesterday knowing about this.  They didn't remove the offending items from the floor, they did place 'not for sale' signs on them.

[R.Markus]

This is about phthalates, the stuff the makes plastic soft.

I would think the pulling of products is temporary until:

A: Testing is in place
B: Phthalates free plastic bodywork starts being produced.

It's not time to panic yet!

It's more than the plastics. It's the frames, engine cases, wheels, and various other items.

[Flyer]

The "Nanny State" is alive and thriving.
Won't someone please think of the children?  

[squeezer]

This is about phthalates, the stuff the makes plastic soft.

I would think the pulling of products is temporary until:

A: Testing is in place
B: Phthalates free plastic bodywork starts being produced.

It's not time to panic yet!

Yeah, let's get clear about this.  The OP has given misinformation.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission has NOT, has NOT banned motorcycles and ATV's for kids.  

What actually happened is that the U.S. Congress passed a law in August called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.  That act banned products for kids that contain more than 0.1% of certain phthalates, which are chemicals that make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.  Motorcycles and ATV's got caught up in that ban because those compounds are used in many places on bikes.

The law is the typical kind of moral panic/overreaction we get out of Congress, this time in response to lead contaminated Chinese made toys.  

Now, go ahead and wax poetically about the end of the world if you want to, but at least do it over the correct thing.

[CBR_Rod]

I don't know why parents can't keep their kids from chewing on their motocycles!  Mine don't.....

 

[DogBoy]

I've already sent letters to my congressional reps.

AMA Direct Link

[USMCUSAFbiker]

Sounds temporary, or at least I hope so. My kids are going to be totally bummed about this one. Now I wish I would have bought one sooner. Not like I would be able to get the parts to fix them now though. I guess it is just a wait and see what happens with this one.

[CBR_Rod]

So what will this do for the private used market I wonder?

[BuckeyeInNC]

Unless I am missing something, the documents posted by the OP do not appear to back up the statements.

As pointed out above, it is not about banning motorcycles that may be used by youngsters, rather it is about banning anything containing a specific amount of lead that may in contact with them . . .

FURTHER, the document published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission states that they are NOT ENFORCING the law until February 10, 2010.

Am I missing something, or are some folks around here wearing tinfoil hats?

[ZREXER1]

I have seen a few articles on this on various sites. I had to double check it was not April 1st, because it seemed so outlandish it had to be an April Fool's joke.

How did any of us born in the 60's survive until adult hood? Probably had lead paint on the crib I was in, no car seats, no helmets when riding a bicycle and on and on.

Usually laws this stupid and misguided are from Canadian governments, although I think the US will see more of this kind of stupid legislation with it's new government.

Hopefully common sense will prevail. Markus is right though if you make it tougher to introduce young new riders, the ultimate number of adult riders will decrease. Certainly the case in hunting. So many gun laws, many of the people I know have sold off all of their guns in frustration.

[atadaskew]

pshh.  Everyone knows the perfect beginner bike is a Japanese 600 supersport. Getting rid of those weedy little bikes will not make an ounce of difference.

[lizard]

Guess that means the kiddies all are supposed to start on Gixxer 1000's and be squidly!

No kids and none planned, so it doesn't impact me directly. If it stands as a permanent situation I think you are correct as eventually the number of bikes sold in the US will drop below the threshold for most manufacturers to fuss with. Honda is already ignoring the US market by letting models die off, not updating many US models, and not bringing newer models from other markets. If sales drop by 50% in the future they will probably walk away from the US market as a business decision.

[DrD]

The "Nanny State" is alive and thriving.
Won't someone please think of the children?  

That reminds me......

FOCUS ON YOUR OWN DAMN FAMILY.

[jay547]

the local honda/ktm shop has removed their minibikes from the floor.

[automag928]

Man that is ridiculous.  My brother in law bought a little suzuki 70cc dirt bike for his son who is 4, and it has training wheels and a governor on the throttle.  He loves riding it and has to "gear up" before hand, great way to get the kids outside and active instead of sitting inside watching TV.  I was planning on getting my son one since he'll be 4 at the end of this year, but looks like I'll be waiting to see what happens with this ban.

[phoenix]

I've already sent letters to my congressional reps.

AMA Direct Link

thanks for the link, that made it easier on me.  

I sent a letter to my state reps and then forwarded it on to a few friends that have kids and are probably interested.

[Zerosum]

What actually happened is that the U.S. Congress passed a law in August called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.  That act banned products for kids that contain more than 0.1% of certain phthalates, which are chemicals that make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.  Motorcycles and ATV's got caught up in that ban because those compounds are used in many places on bikes.

Um... okay.  So I shouldn't let my kid chew on the plastic fender?    I guess he shouldn't drink the contents of the crankcase, too.  Where's the warning label for that?!

Seriously, WTF?  When will the world be "safe" enough?  Reminds me of that George Carlin rant:



Today's kids are way too soft, for one thing there's too much emphasis on safety. Child proof medicine bottles and fire proof pajamas, child restraints and car seats, and helmets bicycles, skateboard, the baseball helmets, kids have to wear helmets now for everything but jerkin off. Grownups have taken all the fun out of being a kid . . . . It's pathetic. It's pathetic. What's happening is these baby boomers, these soft, fruity baby boomers are raising an entire generation of soft, fruity kids who aren't even allowed to have hazardous toys for chrissakes. Hazardous toys, shit, what ever happened to natural selection, survival of the fittest, the kid who swallows too many marbles doesn't grow up to have kids of his own. Simple as that. . . . .