American Honda Motor Company extends heartfelt congratulations to the many individuals—off-road riding enthusiasts, powersports industry members, consumer groups, legislators and more—who have extended relentless efforts to gain an exemption for youth Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, known as the lead law. On August 12, 2011, H.R. 2715 became law, exempting youth OHVs from the restrictions of the CPSIA so that parents and children can once again enjoy motorized recreation as a family.
The CPSIA, which went into effect on February 10, 2009, banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contained more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part, such as cylinder heads, carburetors, and tire valve stem, regardless of whether they presented any real risk of lead exposure. This, in essence, created a ban on the sale of youth motorcycles and ATVs. The enactment of H.R. 2715 to exempt youth off-road recreational vehicles stands as a great accomplishment for the millions of riders who advocate safe and responsible OHV recreation.
