Features

Feb. 8, 2010: ATV Digest

MIC supporting lead law flexibility
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is supporting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recommendation to Congress to give the agency more flexibility to grant exclusions from the lead content limit to address certain products.
The commission requested this flexibility in its Jan. 15 report to Congress, according to a MIC press release.
“We are encouraged that the consensus report of all five commissioners specifically mentions ATVs and dirt bikes, recognizing the dangers to riders caused by the current ban on youth motorcycles and ATVs,” said Paul Vitrano, MIC’s general counsel.
“It is clear that the CPSC strongly believes that the ban on youth model ATVs and motorcycles needs to end,” Vitrano said. “MIC calls on Congress to draft legislation as soon as possible to either grant a categorical exemption for these products, as provided by H.R. 1587, a pending bill with 55 bipartisan co-sponsors, or to give the CPSC the flexibility to do so.”
Vitrano noted it will again be critical for enthusiasts and the industry to mount a massive grassroots effort targeting Congress to advocate for one of these amendments to the CPSIA. In the coming days, MIC will be launching advocacy campaigns through www.stopthebannow.com.

Thousands take advantage of atv e-Learning Course
Last June, the ATV Safety Institute (ASI) unveiled a suite of free interactive online safety courses. Since then, more than 5,000 ATV riders and prospective enthusiasts went online to participate in the beta training program. The online courses will move from beta to production at the end of Q1 2010.
The ASI ATV Safety Online courses, available at www.atvsafety.org, are custom-designed for specific target audiences: adult, teen (12-15 years old) and youth (6-11 years old). The adult e-course also includes tips and advice for parents and guardians to coach and supervise youth throughout their ongoing learning process.
“We realize how critical the Internet is to the educational process, and what an essential communications tool it is for American families today,” said Paul Vitrano, executive vice president of the ATV Safety Institute. “We’re very pleased with the strong response to the beta-launch of ASI’s e-Learning courses. Day or night, weekdays or weekends, adults, teens and children can prepare in advance for the hands-on ATV RiderCourse or brush up on skills and safety information after taking the course. The combination of the ATV RiderCourse and online e-courses provides an expanded learning experience that enhances rider safety.”
Each self-paced ATV Safety Online course runs about two hours and focuses on ASI’s Golden Rules and the fundamentals of the ATV itself and riding, with an emphasis on risk management and avoidance.

Parts manufacturer produces cargo rack for RZR
All Terrain Research, a designer and manufacturer of ATV and motorcycle parts, has introduced a Polaris RZR Cargo Rack.
The product is height adjustable, quickly removable and tilts up to access your spare or additional gear underneath. The Cargo Rack is adjustable from 9 inches to 11.5 inches in height between the RZR’s bed and the bottom of the rack. Cargo Rack uses ATR’s tube clamps to mount to the spreader bar behind the seats. The factory “lock and ride” mounting holes are convenient for some things, but not strong enough to bear the weight of items such as a loaded full-size cooler or camping gear.
ATR’s cargo rack allows the rider to effectively double the footprint of their bed storage area, and the tube clamp mounting is strong enough to hold just about anything you want to throw on it. Once the tube clamp mounts are installed, the Cargo Rack can be quickly removed by pulling the four stainless ball pins.
For more information visit ATR’s Web site at allterrainresearch.net or contact them at 903/581-0008.

NOHVCC CREATES VIDEOS TO HELP RIDERS PROTECT TRAILS
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) has created a Public Land Advocacy Video Workshop series with help from Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. via their access initiative, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), the Specialty Vehicle Institute of American (SVIA), and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA).
The workshops are designed to give riders the skills they’ll need to keep trails open in their areas, covering everything from planning a trail system, writing effective comments, moving forward from route designation, and much more.
The series consists of 14 sessions ranging from 15-30 minutes each. The content is based on NOHVCC’s successful onsite workshop sessions with NOHVCC topic experts. The sessions are designed to give the people who can’t participate in an on-site workshop or a webinar the tools they need to help keep their trails open.
Russ Ehnes, executive director of the NOHVCC, said “These are tight economic times and we need to take advantage of technology to help riders get the information they need. This program is helping us reach thousands of OHV activists and riders who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to take part in a NOHVCC workshop.”
To order a DVD, e-mail trailhead@nohvcc.org or call 800/348-6487. The DVD will be shipped free of charge, courtesy of the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative.

New report Shows Decline in ATV Fatalities, Injuries
A report released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows a continuation of the decline in fatalities and injuries associated with ATV use.
According to the CPSC, total ATV-related injuries in 2008 decreased 10 percent from 2007, with injuries to children under 16 declining 6 percent.
The CPSC also reported the risk of injury per 10,000 four-wheel ATVs in use declined by 15 percent from 2007 to 2008. This is the seventh straight year that injury risk for ATV riders has decreased, and it is now lower than at any time since CPSC began calculating this injury risk in 1985.
“The CPSC report again shows that the commitment of the member companies of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) to rider education, parental supervision and state legislation is working,” said Paul Vitrano, executive vice president of SVIA. “Since 1984, the major manufacturers and distributors of ATVs in the United States have worked closely with the CPSC to implement ongoing safety
initiatives.”
In 2009, the industry’s voluntary standards were made mandatory as a result of federal legislation. The mandatory standards require all ATV manufacturers and distributors, regardless of where the product is manufactured (imported or U.S.), to adhere to the same safety standards and training programs established and followed by the SVIA member companies for more than two decades. This includes newer companies in the U.S. market that had previously elected not to participate in safety programs developed by established manufacturers and in some cases targeted inappropriate models to youth riders.

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