Youth Dirt Bikes, ATVs Hit Hard By Lead Ban
New Law Hurts Central Florida Businesses
POSTED: Monday, February 23, 2009
UPDATED: 2:04 pm EST February 24,
2009
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A new federal law designed to keep children safe from lead has banned certain models of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes for those younger than 13, and its impact is hitting youth bikers and Central Florida businesses.Congress recently passed the law, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission is enforcing the lead ban, which went into effect Feb. 10. Now riders and affected businesses are hoping to have the vehicles removed from the list."The only thing I know is to ride, so I don't know what else I would do," said 14-year-old Kyle Piveral, one of several children who frequent the Bithlo Motorsport dirt track to practice jumps between races. "Five years ago I was diagnosed with (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and riding for me -- I could just get away from it, I did not have to think about being sick at all."The ban was designed to protect children from dangerous toys."I know a child either licked or swallowed something with lead in it from a motorcycle part and now the government has recalled all the parts because of lead," Piveral said.Dirt bikes have high levels of lead in the battery, tire valve stems and other parts, and strict rules have been put in place to protect riders, which means if certain part were to break, their bikes could not be repaired."I mean, who licks a motorcycle? Why would you," Piveral said.But the ban is also affecting local businesses."Right now, about 18 to 20 percent of our business has just evaporated or is not available for sale, said Kirby Mullins, owner of Seminole PowerSports, who said he has had about 100 dirt bikes placed into storage. "Every one of these were on the floor."Mullins said he's already lost money because of the ban."We have actually turned down sales on the floor. We couldn't even sell one of these units currently to a 25-year-old person," said Mullins, who added he's hopeful the ban's limits will be refined. "I would ask that they just again use common sense. I think brushing the entire toy market with a big broad brush is really not going to solve their issues of lead content in toys. These obviously are not toys.""It is sad because it is a bigger sport than people realize, especially here in Florida," said Conrad Eigenmann, whose son races. "I just feel that we should have a choice to be able to make that choice if we want our child to ride something that somebody else deems as dangerous. I should have that option.""I don't know what I would do. I do not like anything else like I like motorcross, so I do not know what I would do," Piveral said. "We do not get to ride as often as we like, so when I come, it is special."Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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