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View Full Version : How dead would you be if you hadn't leared to ride when you were a kid?



Dude! Sweet!
03-23-2009, 09:51 PM
http://www.mic.org/stoptheban.cfm

Petition and info to lift the ban on kids motorcycles and ATVS. If I hadn't learned to ride when I was a kid (got my first bike when I was 7), there is no question that I still would have bought my GSXR when I was 19, and no questions that I would have stuffed myself under a car a week later...

Here's the details on this... Basically everything's been pulled off the shelves. Dealers have these bikes sitting in storerooms. They've had to eat the inventory (on top of kids not having bikes).

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was signed into law on Aug. 14, 2008. The law increased the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and, among other items, imposed new documentation requirements, new testing requirements and established new permissible levels of several substances, lead among them, for consumer products intended for children 12 and under.
Most of the components making up youth powersports products are in compliance with the new law. But some parts unavoidably contain small quantities of lead in excess of the CPSIA limits, such as the valve stems on the tires, aluminum in some brake components, and the terminals on the batteries. Lead in these components is necessary, either because small amounts of lead are needed for safety (such as machining the deep grooves on tire valves, which is needed to assure tire air retention) or functionality (such as the lead in battery terminals, which is needed to conduct electricity).

For weeks, the MIC and SVIA urged the CPSC to grant (and for members of Congress to support) petitions for temporary exclusions so that youth models could continue to be sold. The powersports industry demonstrated in the petitions, through the scientific analysis required by the CPSIA, that the lead-containing parts of youth ATVs and motorcycles pose no risk of increasing the lead levels in children aged 12 and younger.

The powersports industry was unable to seek exclusions until the CPSC issued proposed rules in January 2009.

HaxbySpeed
03-23-2009, 10:08 PM
I'm with you! I bought my first bike with paper route money when I was 11.
I know those skills learned early on have saved me and my passenger more then once..

Bobcat
03-23-2009, 11:09 PM
fug ,we had sh i t hole mini bikes, those things taught you how to crash, crappy law, love the curious george avatar:biggrinjester:

Ratickle
03-23-2009, 11:41 PM
They keep making more stupid laws so "nobody" will get hurt. Poor babies.....:(


Kids have no fun anymore. Next you'll have to wear a helmet to walk to the mailbox.:boxing_smiley:

Scarab KV
03-24-2009, 12:53 AM
Then they wonder why all they do is play video games

Tony
03-24-2009, 07:03 AM
If they want to make a real law that will save a few lives, how about X# of years offroad experience absolutly required before buying anything with 2 wheels. If you wanna see a gross display of no respect for the machine, go to any local venue with a bike night and watch theese idiot 20 year old kids parading around on their rice rockets.

Wardey
03-24-2009, 07:51 AM
I've been riding since I was 8 years old. Raced motorcross until I was 14 or so. My son has been riding since he was 4. My daughter since she was around 6. The whole family rides.Some of the best memmories I have is riding with my son. Even the time I broke my collar bone on my 250F WAY back in the woods. When we got back to the truck/trailer, my son say's, "Dad, Aren't you going to ride anymore today"??? LOL The laughs we had that day and still this day are priceless. I'll sign the petetion. Dave

Knot 4 Me
03-24-2009, 09:25 AM
I started riding at 8. Ran some enduros (sp?) back in the 70's. Key is good adult supervision and proper saftey gear, both of which I had in spades. I'm a firm believer in starting young at anything you want to do well.

Magic Medicine
03-24-2009, 10:44 AM
Absolutely retarded law, these decisions need to be left up to a parents discretion. I agree that respect for machines are learned at a young age with proper parental supervision! I guess the used market is a option.

Boss252
03-24-2009, 11:58 AM
I have been riding since i was 8. bought my son his first bike when he was 5 and then my daughter rode it when she was 7. Has saved myself a few time riding my Harley in town when some idiot pulls out in front of you. The whole family rides ATV's now and it is our family time when not on the boat

HiPerf2000
03-24-2009, 12:19 PM
Message sent to congress.

I have my girl riding the 900 already :03:

Big Time
03-24-2009, 12:21 PM
I probably got on my first ATV around the age of 4 or 5.....rode my first snowmobile around the same age (Kitty Cat, then a Sno Scoot and finally the moved up to the big dawg, otherwise known as the Bravo). Not only was it a blast but I gradually worked my way up and was able to handle the next step up only after I mastered the machine that I was on. I also think a lot of the skills learned translate to the road as well. I can't tell you how many times I had the back end of an ATV or Snowmobile come out and I was able to react and turn into the slide and pull myself out. The saem principles and react time come into play on the road and I know it has pulled me out of some situations that someone with less experience may not have been able to react in the same way. Also, I learned the art of back up a trailer on an ATV at a young age when as a kid I would back our conoe in on a trailer right at the beaches end.

Dude! Sweet!
04-02-2009, 09:07 PM
Thought I'd bring this up again since Speed is reporting that the CSPC is planning to shoot down the moto exemption...

http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/article/ama-cpsc-recommends-against-exempting-youth-bikes-and-atvs/

Sign up, email your elected officials and tell your friends to do the same!