|
|
|
Industry News
|
Team USA has best-ever finish at Trial Des Nations. |
September 29, 2009
Pickerington, OH - The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to congratulate Team USA on its performance at the Trial des Nations (TdN), held in Darfo Boario Terme, Italy, on Sept. 19-20. Competing in the premier classification, the men's squad of Patrick Smage, Cody Webb, Will Ibsen and Keith Wineland scored fifth place overall, America's best finish ever in the world championship event.
"The world stage for trials competition is enormously competitive, and this event often features the most difficult terrain our riders face all year," said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. "The AMA is proud of both the effort and result of Team USA this year."
The Spanish team of Toni Bou, Adam Raga, Jeroni Fajardo and Albert Cabestany won the TdN this year. Defeating the Great Britain team by an amazing 65 points, it was Spain's sixth TdN title in a row.
According to U.S. team manager Kip Webb, Team USA "pretty much gave a go at each section with some very good rides. We still have a way to go to catch the top teams, but our guys didn't back down from the challenge. We finished in fifth position, which is an all-time high for an American TdN effort."
Rain on Saturday night had already left the ground greasy in some places, but when the skies opened on the second lap, the steep rocky outcrops presented a new level of difficulty. Without exception, all five teams in the top class suffered heavier point losses on their second trip through the 18 sections around the small spa town. Despite the radical change in conditions, Spain's win was never in doubt.
The American women's squad of Sarah Duke and Caroline Allen finished eighth in the Women's division while riding with only two team members instead of the usual three. U.S. member Louise Forsley was unable to attend the event due to last-minute travel complications.
"Without the third rider you just cannot make any mistakes, as every point counts," Webb said.
Great Britain won the Women's division. The team of Rebekah Cook, Joanne Coles and Emma Bristow edged the Spanish team of Laia Sanz, Mireia Conde and Sandra Gomez by a single point to claim the 2009 title.
The sport of trials involves riders navigating their motorcycles over seemingly impossible terrain. The Trial des Nations began in Europe in 1983 as a way to bring the best trials riders from each country together to compete as teams, and it has evolved into one of the most anticipated trials events of the year. Each competing country fields two teams: a men's team consisting of four riders and a women's team consisting of three riders.
For more information on Team USA and the 2009 Trial des Nations, visit USATdN.org.
Provided by the American Motorcyclist Association.
|
|
|
|
|
A U.S. House hearing is set for Oct. 1 to consider ATV ban. |
September 29, 2009
Washington, D.C. - In a surprise move, the chairman of a U.S. House subcommittee has scheduled a hearing on a proposal that would ban off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and bicycles from more than 9 million acres of public land in Utah.
The AMA is urging all riders to contact their U.S. representatives immediately to ask them to oppose the proposal, H.R. 1925, which is the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2009. Concerned riders can contact their federal lawmakers by going to the Issues and Legislation section of the AMA web site.
While U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, has yet to officially announce his intention to hold the hearing, the AMA has confirmed that H.R. 1925 will be considered on Thursday, Oct. 1.
The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey of New York, would ban motorized recreation on 9.4 million acres of public land in Utah by inappropriately designating it as Wilderness.
The devastating proposal would impact the Moab, San Rafael Swell and Chimney Rock riding areas, among others.
"The measure is totally unreasonable and completely unacceptable," said Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. "Continued responsible access to public lands is a vitally important right for current and future generations.
"This is just the latest step in a massive land grab being orchestrated nationwide by anti-access forces who are seeking to eliminate responsible off-highway riding on public lands by any means necessary," Moreland said. "They want to turn all public land into their own exclusive playground.
"It's important to note that this legislation would make sweeping changes to existing riding areas despite the fact that much of the land to be classified as Wilderness is already managed by federal agencies through local processes and decisions," Moreland added. "The best management of public lands is through local input, and the fact that a member of Congress from New York is proposing closing land in a state where none of that state's own representatives support the bill makes this measure even more unfair to those who live and recreate in Utah."
In 1964, Congress approved the National Wilderness Act that essentially set the criteria for designating land for Wilderness protection. That law was to preserve land that "generally appears to have been affected primarily by the force of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticed."
The law led to a nationwide survey of public land to determine whether it should be designated as Wilderness. Since 1964, some 107 million acres nationwide have earned the designation.
"The AMA strongly supports properly designated Wilderness areas," Moreland said. "But anti-access opportunists who oppose off-highway riding are misapplying the intent of Wilderness as a means to push responsible riders off our nation's public lands. It is a disturbing trend that, if allowed to continue, may ultimately spell the demise of responsible motorized recreation on public lands. Indeed, as we speak, there are about a dozen Wilderness bills being considered on Capitol Hill that would close about 36 million acres to off-highway riding. It's patently unfair that so many appropriate off-highway riding areas are being taken away without additional new opportunities being introduced."
Earlier this year, Congress fast-tracked a bill with little public input that President Obama then signed into law to designate as Wilderness some 2 million acres in several states nationwide.
"So with the stroke of a pen, off-highway riding was banned forever, and even more public land is threatened now with closure," said Moreland.
All riders who want to take action on this matter can immediately contact their federal lawmakers in the Issues and Legislation section of the AMA web site.
Provided by the All-Terrain Vehicle Association.
|
|
| MIC Continues Fight to Completely and Permanently Stop the Ban |
On May 12, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Stay of Enforcement Pertaining to Youth Motorized Recreational Vehicles became official. As previously reported, however, the stay provides only temporary, inadequate relief from the ban. The availability of youth model ATVs and dirtbikes will continue to be compromised until Congress provides a permanent solution by amending the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act to exclude youth powersports vehicles from the lead content requirements.
So, last week, your MIC stepped up efforts to completely and permanently stop the ban:
On May 12, MIC helped West Virginia dealer, Steve Burnside of DSD Kawasaki submit testimony explaining the impact of the CPSIA lead ban on his dealership to the U.S. House Small Business Committee for its May 14 oversight hearing.
On May 13, MIC met with staff of Representatives Shadegg and Terry to request support for H.R. 1587, sponsored by Representative Rehberg, which would exempt powersports vehicles from CPSIA’s lead content requirements. We also met with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s staff to talk about the law’s adverse impact on riders and the industry and to request a legislative fix; hear about the meeting. That same day, we were sad to report that CPSIA claimed new victims – 4-H youth seeking ATV training.
On May 14, we returned to Capitol Hill with special guests from Arkansas: dealers Ricky Floyd of Sunrise Honda/Sunrise Yamaha Suzuki Kawasaki Polaris and Sandy Stroope of Boat World Honda Polaris and the University of Arkansas’ 4-H ATV safety coordinator, Mike Klumpp, for a meeting with Senator Lincoln’s staff to explain the need for legislative relief from the CPSIA. MIC also met with staff of Representatives Baldwin, Bono Mack and Murphy to request support for H.R. 1587 and oversight hearings on the CPSIA.
Late in the day, we reunited with the Arkansas delegation for an important meeting with Senator Mark Pryor and his staff. The Arkansasans explained to the Senator their concerns with the stay and we emphasized that real relief is needed. The Senator expressed support for riders and the industry and shared his efforts to help, which are appreciated. We will be following up with the Senator and his staff.
The week ended on a bright note. In response to our “tweets” about the week’s meetings, we received the following note from a Congressman friend who follows us on Twitter:
“Keep up the pressure . . .”
We will.
Follow the fight on Twitter (http://twitter.com/paulvitrano).
|
Contact:
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America
Media Relations
(949) 727-3727, ext. 3091
|
CPSIA Lead Ban Jeopardizes National 4-H and
ATV Safety Institute Training Programs |
No Youth ATVs Means No Youth Training
for Disappointed 4-H Youngsters |
IRVINE, Calif., May 13, 2009 – The CPSIA lead ban led to sad consequences for a group of 4-H youth who were attending an annual meeting this week at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center just outside Washington, D.C.
The one-day ATV training portion of the event was cancelled for the 4-H youth participants under 16 years of age as a result of the CPSIA lead ban on youth-sized ATVs. The CPSIA has branded these vehicles 'banned hazardous substances' due to their minimal lead content. The lead ban made it impossible for event organizers from the ATV Safety Institute (ASI) to procure appropriately-sized youth model ATVs to use in the training.
“The continuing ban resulting from the CPSIA now has claimed other victims – 4-H youth seeking ATV training,” said Paul Vitrano, EVP and general counsel for the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). “And what’s happening here is a microcosm of what’s happening nationwide.”
“We contacted dealers and ASI Instructors in four states and could not find anyone willing or able to lend us the necessary youth category ATVs that are required in order to train students under 16,” said Tom Yager, vice president, safety programs for ASI. “Because of the CPSIA lead ban, youth models were not available from dealers. Plus, no one knows if they can get replacement parts or servicing, so that’s another major impediment to obtaining loan vehicles for training purposes.”
“The other perverse effect of the CPSIA lead ban is that the unavailability of youth-sized vehicles could result in children riding adult-sized ATVs, which is a warned against behavior and the leading cause of youth injuries on ATVs,” Vitrano continued.
Although the CPSC implemented a Stay of Enforcement on May 12, 2009, the stay provides only temporary, inadequate relief. “The availability of youth model ATVs will continue to be compromised until Congress provides a permanent solution by amending the CPSIA to exclude youth powersports vehicles from the lead content requirements,” Vitrano said.
The 4-H youth who were forced to forego ATV training this week were members of local 4-H groups that had been awarded community-based grants sponsored by SVIA that focus on ATV safety awareness. At the MIC Communications Symposium held in November 2008, guest presenter Roger Olson, National 4-H Council vice president for rural and agribusiness development, lauded the successful, growing partnership between 4-H and ASI to develop safety education and training programs that target the six million youth served by 4-H.
Olson called the 4-H ATV Safety Program one of 4-H’s most successful programs, noting that for more than 24 years, 4-H has shared ATV safety awareness information with 18 million youth and adults through workshops, exhibits, fairs, community events, physical education classes, after school programs, and club meetings.
“What’s especially sad is that these 4-H youth look forward to this event all year,” Vitrano said. “They’re committed to spreading the word about ATV safety in their communities, but were unable to experience important hands-on training. Both they and we were disappointed that unnecessary regulation caused us to lose this once-a-year opportunity.”
SVIA/MIC statements, news releases, video testimonials, news articles, and additional information regarding the CPSIA are available at www.StopTheBanNow.com.
Immediate updates are available via Twitter by following paulvitrano.
About SVIA
Since 1983, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America® has promoted the safe and responsible use of All-Terrain Vehicles through rider training programs, public awareness campaigns, and state legislation. The SVIA also serves as a resource for ATV research, statistics, and vehicle standards. SVIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop the standard for the equipment, configuration and performance requirements of ATVs (www.svia.org). The SVIA, based in Irvine, Calif., is a not-for-profit trade association sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki, Tomberlin, Tomoto and Yamaha. For membership information, call 949.727.3727. For safety information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.atvsafety.org and click on “Online Enrollment” or call 800.887.2887.
About ASI
The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute®, a not-for-profit division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America®, was formed in 1988 to implement an expanded national program of all-terrain vehicle safety education and awareness. The ATV Safety Institute’s primary goal is to promote the safe and responsible use of ATVs, thereby reducing crashes and injuries that may result from improper ATV operation by the rider. For safety information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.atvsafety.org and click on “Online Enrollment,” or call 800.887.2887.
About MIC
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. It is a not-for-profit, national trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories, and members of allied trades such as publishing companies, advertising agencies, insurance firms and consultants. The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office adjacent to Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914.
Printable PDF (Left-click to open; right-click to save)
|
Contact:
Motorcycle Industry Council
Media Relations
(949) 727-4211, ext. 3027
Mediarelations@mic.org
|
Representative Michael Burgess Addresses Motorcycle Awareness
and the CPSIA |
On May 5, 2009 Congressman Michael Burgess R-Texas, co-chair of the Congressional Motorcycle Safety Caucus, delivered the following statement during consideration of H. Res. 269 on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The statement addresses the ban on youth sized ATVs and dirt bikes, noting that CPSC's stay of enforcement is inadequate and urging support for legislation (H.R. 1587) to permanently stop the ban.
Transcript of Michael Burgess Statement
I want to offer a special thanks to the Motorcycle Industry Council and the American Motorcyclist Association for their help with this endeavor.
$300. That’s what I paid for my first motorcycle. Then there was another $20 for the helmet. The freedom, the fresh air, and exhilaration the bike afforded me: priceless.
There are a lot of bikers out there who know exactly how I feel about riding along the open road in a place as beautiful as my home state of Texas. And with better weather heading our way, more people across America will start using their motorcycles to get to work…to the store…to travel… or just go for a ride.
Yet, as ridership increases, so does the risk for everyone on our roads. Last year in the Lone Star state alone, preliminary numbers reveal more than 9,100 motorcycle crashes accounted for more than 400 deaths.
As a doctor, I’ve been in plenty of emergency rooms and trauma centers. Take it from someone with nearly 25-years’ experience in medicine: you don’t want to be involved in a crash of any kind, especially one involving a motorcycle.
As the old saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For bikers, prevention is riding the right way – and that is responsibly. That means getting trained… wearing protective gear… and being aware of the cars and trucks around you.
For other drivers, prevention means keeping your eyes open and staying alert. Something as simple as chatting on your cell phone or comforting a crying child is a dangerous distraction that can lead to a crash as well.
Abundant caution for all drivers is essential and encouraged. But, accidents happen. When they do, people need to receive the proper medical care to treat their injuries. That’s why I have introduced a bipartisan bill to fix a loophole in the HIPAA health care law that that allows insurers to deny payment for injuries sustained while engaged in certain recreational activities like motorcycling. That bill, HR 1253, the Health Insurance Source of Injury Clarification Act, passed the House of Representatives on March 31, 2009. I am hopeful the Senate will take up this important bill so it can be signed into law by the President.
The original point of this law was to make health plans more accountable to the people they cover. Now these same provisions are hurting the people they intend to help!
Congress is charged with making laws to protect people. When these laws have the opposite effect, we also have a responsibility to fix them immediately. This loophole has been a problem for more than 10 years. The time has come to finally fix it.
And as I stand here in support of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, I am extremely cognizant of the current problems the Motorcycle Industry has been having with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, specifically with the bill H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
It has been reported today that President Obama intends to provide the CPSC with 71% more resources then what they had before to enforce three sweeping laws passed by the 110th Congress.
No law was more sweeping than the CPSIA. Unfortunately it has swept up businesses Congress did not intent to be swept up.
Yesterday, the CPSC issued a Federal Register notice providing a stay of enforcement for the Motorcycle Industry, but a stay is not enough.
I introduced H.R. 1587 to permanently exclude the ATV, motorcycle and snowmobile industry from the application of the CPSIA because what child under the age of 12 will get lead poisoning from an ATV? In fact there is a potential for more harm to a child by having them ride an adult ATV then the risk of a child licking a battery and perchance getting more than 600 ppm of lead in them.
So while I applaud President Obama for trying to give the CPSC more resources, what the CPSC really needs is leadership. I would ask President Obama to nominate an Administrator for the CPSC so they can provide the leadership to winnow through Congressional intent.
If ever there was a bipartisan issue which both Republican and Democrat can agree to, it is that the CPSC needs a new Administrator, and common sense needs to be applied to the act we passed in the last congress called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
Finally, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this resolution recognizing May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and supporting the goals of motorcycle safety.
# # #
Printable PDF (Left-click to open; right-click to save)
|
|
|
