http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/…and-Motorcycle-Sales.aspx
Ein paar Kommentare von heute:
_____________________________
First off, the ban is not just motorcycles and ATVs. This has been in the works for over a year or so. The new law which just went into effect restricts lead content in anything and everything that could come into contact with children. Everything from textiles to motorcycles has to tested. I understand that every book currently on library shelves (in any children's area) must be tested.
For some reason these pending (now implemented) laws have been out of main stream media. Just in the last month or so, reality has hit and people are voicing public reaction.
The intent of the law is good. Keep lead out of access to children under age 12. However, it is extremely poorly written. For example the motorcycle issue. It is completely unrealistic that a kid old enough to ride a dirt bike would be chewing on the levers and valve stems (among other components thought to have trace amounts of lead. Because of this, various youth racing series have been shut down because of lack of new bikes being available. It is completely crazy and a perfect example of good hearted, yet un-informed politicians gone out of control.
_______________________
It really looks too far fetched to be correct;
Aside from battery terminals (just a supplier issue) and maybe carb bodies, levers.. as you say; who (intentionally) chews on any of that..
The bit about steel alloys sounds nuts; how much lead could be in that and is there no recognition of it being firmly bound in an alloy?
Lord help any adults wanting to grind any of that..
Nuts if it really comes to that. As you say; good idea for Thomas the Train-set.. Do we now keep kids in a bubble until coal plants quit puking out mercury??
___________________________
Discussions on several websites have given me the impression one of the major areas that can't pass the testing is engine cases. Several of the manufacturer websites show all youth models as "unavailable for sale" and the links to those models are disabled. My local KTM dealers have removed their 65cc bikes from the showroom. Warning - extreme danger of uncontrolled rant approaching - Lead content or not, it looks like a carefully managed backdoor effort to stop the youth market from a "dangerous" activity that may not be "good for society". I feel sorry for my grandkids (oh wait - they're already all in college, never mind).
___________________________
I've been following this too, after a post by a WSMCer who owns a Kawa shop. His post was nigh-on hysterical, but he
tends to the hyperventilation talk-radio mode. He thinks he has to pull every kids bike off the showroom floor, and not
sell any parts either.
other dealers seem to be paying no attention.
I searched the Wall Street Journal and NYT and Bloomberg and Google News and some MC news, and also came up with hardly
any articles.
My conclusion: MC biz folks are not as savvy about CPSC stuff as say, toy manufacturers. Well why should they be? The
CPSC couldn't possibly regulate the vast number of products which appear to be covered under this law, so they are
putting off almost all non-toy non-baby enforcement until they have hearings etc etc ( read: give Congress a face-saving
way to modify).
It also appears to me that merely saying " not for use under age 10 or 12 " exempts you just like games with small
choking pieces.
I agree with Julian about the narrow interpretation - what possible reason is there to allow lead in anything that you
chew eat or breathe? Race gas, crystal glasses etc. We already got it out of solder. of course there are many other
problematic compounds out there too.
I'd like to hear any info if somebody comes up with something.
______________________________
In Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Augusta, they have TV advertisements about lead.. Was your hands before you play with your kids, before cooking, when you get home take off your shoes, etc.. Mainly because or the huge amount of lead everywhere.
They dont call them "pencil dick" for nothing.. Maybe some council member pushed for it nation wide ?
Honestly, i dont think its a bad thing, but yes, when will it stop.. next thing all 2 strokes will be banned, even tho we dont register them, and all track bikes will require a brake light..
_____________________________
And on a side note, what about fishing shops ?
dad "oh im sorry son, you cant come fishing with me, i have lead sinkers, so you cant handle the line.. next year.."
boy " BUT DAAAAD, im 11 and 3/4, im almost 12.. its only a few weeks off"
dad "sorry son, its the law.."
__________________________________
yeah its not consistent.
OTOH I once had a crew with a crazy cabinetmaker. Turns out he once ran a shooting range and used to re-load ammunition
from the spent bullets. Sucker was absolutely forbidden to touch any lead by his Doc - truly a Mad Hatter. Not to
mention the 70 yr old painter I knew in NYC - guy used to mix white lead with his hands. He looked like something out of
Hogarth and could barely talk anymore. I've handled it a lot too in paint chips, pipe, and lead-lined walls. and sinkers.
________________________________
The new law 600 ppm of lead today & goes down to 100 ppm soon. Many Al casting alloys contain 0.15 % lead. That is 1500 ppm. Same for many steels. FWIW, zinc casting alloys are lead free - as far as it can be measured. For whatever reason, if there is any lead in zinc it won't flow.
