Illegal to sell kids ATV and Motorcycles in Washington?

Ok so I was looking at a local TV site and found this, made me laugh and shake my head. This is from KXLY in Spokane http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=9861456

New lead laws punishing local retailers

Posted: Feb 17, 2009 05:15 PM PST
Updated: Feb 17, 2009 05:49 PM PST
Also See:New lead laws punishing local retailers

Story by:McKay Allen / KXLY4 Reporter




SPOKANE -- Lead poisoning from an ATV? That's apparently the federal government's worry because of small amounts of lead in ATV and motorcycle parts its now illegal to sell a child's ATV or motorcycle in America.
This stems from a bill passed into law last summer, and which the entire Washington Congressional delegation supported, which was designed to punish toymakers using lead based paint. Instead of punishing toymakers, the law is now punishing retailers who sell motorcycles and ATVs.
"I've noticed kids don't put ATVs in their mouth. So I don't think your gonna get lead poisoning from an ATV," Scott Schmidtman with Westside Motorsports said.
Westside Motorsports used to sell about 50 kid-sized motorcycles and ATVs a year. Now not so much.
"It became illegal for dealers such as ourselves to sell children's ATVs," Schmidtman said.
It became illegal because some components of these bikes and ATVs like the brakes and tire stem contain more than 600 parts per million of lead. According to the new law that's over the limit for a children's product.
So now those bikes and ATVs are illegal.
"We had to take them off the showroom floor, can't even show them for sale to make sure we don't make a mistake and sell one," Schmidtman said.
"To have just a nonsensical federal regulation interfere at this time is just crazy."
Sales are down sharply anyway and now because of the new federal regulation Westside is having to turn potential buyers away.
"When you tell them, 'We have them in stock, but we can't sell them to you' they're incredulous at first. Then you explain ... they just leave shaking their heads," Schmidtman said.
So every day their illegal inventory sits, and with each passing day they're losing money. Now in Washington State if you're riding a motorcycle or ATV you need a helmet. The problem is, Schmidtman has plenty of helmets and other protective gear to sell to children but due to this new regulation they can't sell that gear either.
The reason? According to federal regulations even the safety equipment has too much lead.
"Its one more insult to business we don't need right now," Schmidtman said.

 

WOW...
I agree 100% with this comment:
"I've noticed kids don't put ATVs in their mouth. So I don't think your gonna get lead poisoning from an ATV," Scott Schmidtman with Westside Motorsports said.

 

Looks like our congressmen and women are once again, hard at work. Smashing little kids dreams of riding an ATV in the great outdoors.

 

No just putting atv's in thier mouths

 

Yep, I know my boy lives to teardown his engine and eat pistons

 

damn i wonder why my stomachs upset i shouldn't be chewing on my brake rotor last night. they can all die a horrible death for stupid shit like that.

 

So I went to the local bike show this weekend and talked to a couple of dealers. They told me the ban was nationwide not just local and that they cannot even take the bike from me on a trade in. Kinda suprised me, also he said the two items with the highest lead concentration were the valves and the brake pads. Oh well off ot look at a Kawasaki 140 for him I guess.

 

What are they calling a kid??? Under 18? What are they calling a "kid's bike"? Under 80cc? Under 100cc? Anybody have a link to the law?

My son has a Suzuki LT 80 but I'll be trading up for a 125 in about a year (he'll be 11). I wouldn't even take him in to buy it once we pick one out if that's the case. I'll just go in & get it.

 

My son has a Yamaha TT-R90E so I think anything that small and down to the Pee-wee sized bikes. I will be going to the dealers this week and I'll let you know what I find.

 

This also governs childrens safety gear. The dealer was saying that on helmest the item with the highest level of lead was actually the DOT sticker on the back.

 

I read a few articles on line.....one said Polaris was changing their 90cc bikes to read "For ages 13 & older" Read to that Yamaha was sending labels and hang tags to the dealers for the smaller 80 & 90's to read "FOR ADULT USE ONLY" so looks like they're may be a way around it all. It's targeted at bikes for 12 & younger which in NM 80cc & under are rated at 12 & under.

This law is a crock...it's saying even parts are banned.....hope my son's doesn't brak between ow & the time he needs a new one.

 

Hopefully the dealers can just change the wording on the bikes and redefine who they are targeted twards. This is just retarded, the one thing I get to do with him all summer just the guys and the government screws it up.

 

My shop removed all affected units off the show room floors! We can not even sell parts for the affected models,only simple maint items,tires,oils,etc. NO hard parts.

IT IS a bunch of B.S.

 

Here is the law - Public Law 110–314
Here is a link to the law - http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.Pdf

FYI

 

That's ridiculous! So does that mean that no kids mow the lawn? All riding mowers have the same batteries in them as motorbikes, thus where did this theory that children would poison themselves on motorbikes come from?

 

i LOVED my LT80 when i was a kid! great little bike. rode the piss outta that thing for like 4 years w/o any mechanical issues other than the chain was non-adjustable. eventually i got too big and snapped the rear axle jumping it great bargaining tool for my parents. if i f'ed up, the key to my beloved four-wheeler went bye-bye for a while.

it's nice to see our government doing what they do best. i wonder if lead would still be so evil if there was a "lead tax". sounds to me like someone was trying to get some press for themselves as the "public safety crusader" i'm not fooled...our government could not care less about us...till it's time to vote anyways.

 

So I guess that the tire stems for bicycles DON'T have lead in them???
I swear the whole left-coast is NUTZ!

 

I was told this is actually a federal law

 

I stand corrected then, the whole country is NUTZ!