Riding Off Road

A new season of riding brings a new batch of legislation off-road enthusiasts may need to abide by
A look at sales figures for the off-road segment shows the wave of people discovering the joys of outdoor recreation is growing larger with each passing year.
An estimated total of 294,015 off-road motorcycles, 19,956 dual purpose bikes, and 603,089 ATVs left retail showfloors during 2003, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. Off-road bike sales were up 7.6% from 273,368 units in 2002, ATV sales jumped 6.2% from 569,073 units, and dual purpose bike sales dropped 3.2% from 20,613 units.
As more folks discover powersports, land use increases, bringing people into closer contact and allowing conflicts to arise more easily.
Of course, finding a solution to conflict is the job of lawmakers who have been chosen to act on the behalf of their constituents, whether they be for or against off-highway vehicle(OHV) use.
In this issue of Powersports Business, we take a look at some of the off-road related legislation being debated in different parts of the nation, glimpse legislation through an easy-to-read state by state list, and follow it all up with a muli-page product showcase highlighting some of the neatest new parts, garments and accessories available from the industry. psb