This article appeared in the Ft Lauderdale, Fl Sun-Sentinel this morning. We must be vigilant about the issues brought up in the article if we are going to continue to enjoy this sport. We are our own worst enemies. Interesting comments about some of the products being sold.

ATV Safety

 

The link isn't working for me.

 

Try it now. Had typo in the link.

 

So kids my age wont even be able to ride quads bigger than 90cc. Banning quads for 16 year
olds from younger people is dumb. Just because some people are retarded on quads doesnt
mean they should take them all away from younger riders. Like a yamoto 150 or bigger
is that bad. Please. And what about younger riders who already own these quads? And
their not going to know if you're under 16 while you are riding. And training courses
are dumb, who takes training courses? Are they making this law in all the states? Thanks
for posting this article.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The wrong way to approach this is by stating that a bunch of people getting hurt were acting like retards. This is exactly why this groups think they have to step in and dictate what we can ride because we are too stupid to make the right decision ourself.

I actually agree with a training course for all children under the age of 16. Lets face it most of us on this board have enough common sense to teach our kids how to ride and buy the appropriate size machine for our childrens ability. But then there is that % of people who have no common sense, never touched a quad before, going out and buying little 7 year old Jimmy that 150 or 250 bike and throwing him on it and watching him ram it into the back of the nearest parked car. This is the fuel that is igniting this type of legislation.

My wife is a primary care provider in a rural emergency room and you would not believe some of the stupid stuff parents let there kids do. All of her ATV injuries she has seen in the last 3 years were because of parent neglect. Not having the proper safety gear or having a child on way to big of a bike. Of course this is the same group of parents that do not have youngsters in car seats and state that seat belts in cars kill more people than they save. (When is the last time you saw a Nascar driver refuse to put on his seatbelt and helmet before a race?)

So if us common sense people have to have our kids go through a training course to make sure that the children with idiotic parents get some good safety advise I think it is a small price to pay and might decrease some of the stupid accidents.

 

Yea I guess you're right about the training course. But still you know that 90cc limit for ages
under 16? They should change that a bit, because there's no way kids my age can fit on
a 90.

 

I totally agree with you.
I have no idea how they came up with their ratings. I was so disappointed in the power of the Raptor 50 I bought for my kids. Thanks to everyone on this great site I have been able to mod it and get it to where it actually has some power to do something with.

I personally know of several 14+ year old boys pushing 6' tall and close to 200 lbs and I am sure everybody else does to. The Raptor 80 frame is the same size as our Raptor 50, I have to laugh at the visual image of a person 6' tall trying to ride this quad.

Limiting CC size by age is not the right answer. Education, safety gear, adult supervision and mostly common sense is.

 

It is kind of funny that car seat usage/qualifications is going away from age requirements to heght and weight requirements, but quads are not. Also, I could put my 7 y/o on whatever size dirtbike I want, but he is limited by cc on a quad. He can ride many of the adult rides at the local amusement park, but I can't put him on an 80cc quad? Daytime running lights come standard on many cars and street bikes these days for safety, but not on a mini where increased visibility is a safety plus? The CPSC has had its' head so far up the nether region for so long they are getting those cave dwellers eyes. I guess we all should put our kids on a cr 85 and let them rip, lol.

 

I live in Florida and saw the article in the local paper...

The way I read the article is that their point of concern is kids riding adult sized ATVs, not neccessarily the smaller size quads, but I know if you get law makers and inch they will take a mile.

They also mention an increase in injuries, but not the increase in regards to the increase in riders? Of course if the amount of riders double so will the number of injuries. This article seems to leave out some of the info that is required to make an educated opinion. Now everyone that reads it will just say "no more atvs" and feel like they did something good.....

I see too many adults that let their kids ride without gear and unsupervised....I just shake my head and feel bad for the child.....then I walk over to the parents and give them my concerned warning and offer the extra gear I carry in my trailer for their child to use. I usually get an excuse of some sort, but I just tell them that it only takes that one time and that it is not my business, but I want to know that I at least offered advice based on my experience.

My son has been riding ATVs since he was very young and has always been taught how to ride and respect, along with always wearing safety gear.

I do think that the age "recomendations" for ATVs is out of whack for sure and age doesn't dictate riding ability.

I have asked this question numerous times and nobody has replied "Why does the AMA sanction ATV races for 4 yr olds" if the government says 6?

It is just a question and not something I am against.....I am just was looking for some responses

 

As you can see by my profile I do teach ATV safety course , and if I can have a 40 year old adult learn something out of my course ,I definately know that a kid under 16 years old can learn some thing .