Joined Jul 2007
5K Posts | 1K+
unda cheese
Lawmakers apparently are not paid to think or the motorcycle industry just
can't afford the same lobbyists as other industries. As a knee-jerk reaction
to small children getting sick from leaded paint found in toys from China,
Congress and President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Act into law
in August 2008. Part of the law states the lead content for toys designed
for children under 12 can't surpass 600ppm (parts per million). Lead is one
of the many metals used to make aluminum alloy parts for all engines.
Starting tomorrow it is illegal for motorcycles and atv's, new or used,
designed for children (this means all of them) to be sold.
So apparently the government is concerned with your kid sucking on the engine of his dirtbike or 4 wheeler.
Here's a copy of a letter sent out yesterday to all Honda dealers
February 6, 2009
Dear Honda Dealer.
This letter provides an update on the status of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
(“CPSIA” or “Act”) lead content regulations as they relate to the sale of your new and used
inventory of TRX90, CRF50F, CRF70F, and CRF80F models.
Significant efforts continue, including your efforts and communications with legislators, to
exempt small motorcycles and ATVs from these provisions of the Act. The second page of this
bulletin explains some of the larger efforts that industry has undertaken.
We believe that the exemptions from the CPSIA’s lead content regulation necessary to sell small
motorcycles and ATVs ultimately will be granted and, at that time, you will be able to conduct
business as usual. Unfortunately, it does not appear this will happen before February 10, 2009.
Therefore, in order to comply with the Act, American Honda and each Honda dealer must take
specific actions upon opening for business on February 10.
American Honda will send you a list of actions at the end of the day on February 9. This list will
require your immediate attention and action to:
• Stop sale of all new and used CRF50F, CRF70F, CRF80F and TRX90X units.
• Cease all marketing and advertising efforts for these models.
• Remove all display and point of sale materials for these models.
• Stop sale of some replacement parts for use on these models.
In addition, Honda will provide assistance to offset flooring expenses of your inventory for 60
days while we work to ultimately secure exemption.
American Honda would like to thank each of you who have taken action to contact your
legislators to communicate the negative impact of the Act on your business and our customers
without providing any corresponding benefit for children’s safety. Please continue to take action.
It is critical that the wholly unnecessary, negative impacts of the CPSIA be made clear to
legislators so they can take all necessary actions to resolve this matter.
Again, American Honda is continuing efforts to obtain an exemption in order to support the
decades of customers that have purchased and enjoy these models from your dealerships.
With best regards,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Ray Blank
Senior Vice-President
Motorcycle Division Bulletin # 09-0078
Here's what the manufacturers are trying to do about it
Industry Petitions - two petitions, one on behalf of Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris,
Arctic Cat, and Bombardier, and a second on behalf of the MIC and SVIA, have been filed with
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) seeking exemption of certain alloys
containing lead from the CPSIA’s lead content restrictions. These petitions rely on fact-based
science and expert toxicology research that show that the small amount of lead in these alloys do
not present any health risk under real world use (and abuse) conditions. We are quite hopeful
that the CPSC eventually will rule favorably on these petitions; unfortunately, such positive
action is not likely to occur before February 10.
NAM Petition - the National Association of Manufacturers, representing 61 different industry
organizations (including the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) and the Specialty Vehicle
Institute of America (SVIA), both of which Honda is actively involved), submitted a petition to
the CPSC requesting that it issue an interim final rule to delay the effective date of the lead
content provisions of the Act. Unfortunately, on the morning of February 6, 2009, the CPSC
Commissioners denied the petition, asserting that only Congress, and not the CPSC, has the
power to delay the effective date of the CPSIA’s regulations. In doing so, CPSC Acting Chair
Nancy Nord recognized that, as a result of the lead content provisions, “millions of safe products
are legal on February 9 and illegal on February 10.” “Congress,” she continued, “has never
before enacted such a sweeping consumer product provision in a retroactive manner and the
disruptive results of this provision are now being seen in painful ways,” including “inventory . . .
being pulled from shelves because compliance [with the lead content limits] cannot be
confirmed.”
Letter from the AMA - the American Motorcyclist Association, representing more than 200,000
motorcyclists nationally, has recently joined the effort and is urging the CPSC to take immediate
action, or risk the safety of young riders who no longer would be able to purchase, maintain, and
ride appropriately sized ATVs. Youngsters riding on adult-sized ATVs has long been
recognized by the industry and CPSC alike to be a leading cause of injuries sustained by our
young riders. This is yet another example of the unintended consequences caused by the
requirements of the Act.
Other - lobbying efforts, media outreach, and discussion with those in positions capable of
influencing change is gaining momentum on a daily basis. For those of you who have taken
action to contact your Congressional delegation and Senators, a measure of appreciation is due.
For those who have not, we stress that it is not too late and we ask you to take action today
can't afford the same lobbyists as other industries. As a knee-jerk reaction
to small children getting sick from leaded paint found in toys from China,
Congress and President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Act into law
in August 2008. Part of the law states the lead content for toys designed
for children under 12 can't surpass 600ppm (parts per million). Lead is one
of the many metals used to make aluminum alloy parts for all engines.
Starting tomorrow it is illegal for motorcycles and atv's, new or used,
designed for children (this means all of them) to be sold.
So apparently the government is concerned with your kid sucking on the engine of his dirtbike or 4 wheeler.
Here's a copy of a letter sent out yesterday to all Honda dealers
February 6, 2009
Dear Honda Dealer.
This letter provides an update on the status of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
(“CPSIA” or “Act”) lead content regulations as they relate to the sale of your new and used
inventory of TRX90, CRF50F, CRF70F, and CRF80F models.
Significant efforts continue, including your efforts and communications with legislators, to
exempt small motorcycles and ATVs from these provisions of the Act. The second page of this
bulletin explains some of the larger efforts that industry has undertaken.
We believe that the exemptions from the CPSIA’s lead content regulation necessary to sell small
motorcycles and ATVs ultimately will be granted and, at that time, you will be able to conduct
business as usual. Unfortunately, it does not appear this will happen before February 10, 2009.
Therefore, in order to comply with the Act, American Honda and each Honda dealer must take
specific actions upon opening for business on February 10.
American Honda will send you a list of actions at the end of the day on February 9. This list will
require your immediate attention and action to:
• Stop sale of all new and used CRF50F, CRF70F, CRF80F and TRX90X units.
• Cease all marketing and advertising efforts for these models.
• Remove all display and point of sale materials for these models.
• Stop sale of some replacement parts for use on these models.
In addition, Honda will provide assistance to offset flooring expenses of your inventory for 60
days while we work to ultimately secure exemption.
American Honda would like to thank each of you who have taken action to contact your
legislators to communicate the negative impact of the Act on your business and our customers
without providing any corresponding benefit for children’s safety. Please continue to take action.
It is critical that the wholly unnecessary, negative impacts of the CPSIA be made clear to
legislators so they can take all necessary actions to resolve this matter.
Again, American Honda is continuing efforts to obtain an exemption in order to support the
decades of customers that have purchased and enjoy these models from your dealerships.
With best regards,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Ray Blank
Senior Vice-President
Motorcycle Division Bulletin # 09-0078
Here's what the manufacturers are trying to do about it
Industry Petitions - two petitions, one on behalf of Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris,
Arctic Cat, and Bombardier, and a second on behalf of the MIC and SVIA, have been filed with
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) seeking exemption of certain alloys
containing lead from the CPSIA’s lead content restrictions. These petitions rely on fact-based
science and expert toxicology research that show that the small amount of lead in these alloys do
not present any health risk under real world use (and abuse) conditions. We are quite hopeful
that the CPSC eventually will rule favorably on these petitions; unfortunately, such positive
action is not likely to occur before February 10.
NAM Petition - the National Association of Manufacturers, representing 61 different industry
organizations (including the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) and the Specialty Vehicle
Institute of America (SVIA), both of which Honda is actively involved), submitted a petition to
the CPSC requesting that it issue an interim final rule to delay the effective date of the lead
content provisions of the Act. Unfortunately, on the morning of February 6, 2009, the CPSC
Commissioners denied the petition, asserting that only Congress, and not the CPSC, has the
power to delay the effective date of the CPSIA’s regulations. In doing so, CPSC Acting Chair
Nancy Nord recognized that, as a result of the lead content provisions, “millions of safe products
are legal on February 9 and illegal on February 10.” “Congress,” she continued, “has never
before enacted such a sweeping consumer product provision in a retroactive manner and the
disruptive results of this provision are now being seen in painful ways,” including “inventory . . .
being pulled from shelves because compliance [with the lead content limits] cannot be
confirmed.”
Letter from the AMA - the American Motorcyclist Association, representing more than 200,000
motorcyclists nationally, has recently joined the effort and is urging the CPSC to take immediate
action, or risk the safety of young riders who no longer would be able to purchase, maintain, and
ride appropriately sized ATVs. Youngsters riding on adult-sized ATVs has long been
recognized by the industry and CPSC alike to be a leading cause of injuries sustained by our
young riders. This is yet another example of the unintended consequences caused by the
requirements of the Act.
Other - lobbying efforts, media outreach, and discussion with those in positions capable of
influencing change is gaining momentum on a daily basis. For those of you who have taken
action to contact your Congressional delegation and Senators, a measure of appreciation is due.
For those who have not, we stress that it is not too late and we ask you to take action today
