Quad call to drive business decline

AN all-terrain vehicle dealership in a North Queensland town stands to lose more than a quarter of its business following the announcement of new safety standards for quad bikes.

The standards will be rolled out within two years in a bid to improve safety for consumers and reduce the frequency of rollovers.

The changes will make controversial operator protection devices (rollbars) mandatory on all new general-use model quad bikes within two years.

Burdekin Motorcycles owner David Muir said the Yamaha dealership could lose up to 30 per cent of its business.

He said dealers had received confirmation that if rollbars were made mandatory, major manufacturers, including Honda and Yamaha, would pull out of the quad bike market.

“All the major manufacturers have basically come out and said they don’t support the findings,” Mr Muir said.

“Unfortunately, people have been hurt and it is no good for anyone.

“A lot of the problem has been, in the past, unsupervised children riding quad bikes, no helmets, people being intoxicated ...”

Mr Muir said he was looking at “filling the gap” if Yamaha did pull out of the quad bike market.

“Some of those customers that ride quads will step up to more side-by-sides, so it is a bit unknown,” Mr Muir said.

“In the motor vehicle industry times are tough, so it’s affecting everyone, not just us.”

Honda Australia Motorcycle and Power Equipment director Robert Toscano said Honda would be “forced to cease supply of quad bikes in Australia” in two years.

“This is a disappointing day for farm safety and the countless farmers who rely on quad bikes every day,” he said.

Federal Minister for Housing and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said the safety standard aimed to address the high risk of rollovers.

“Quad bikes are the leading cause of fatalities in Australia of all consumer products that aren’t regulated,” he said.

Since 2011, on average 16 people a year have been killed in quad bike accidents, and an estimated six quad bike users a day present to an emergency hospital department – at least two of those with serious injuries.

The National Rural Health Alliance welcomed the Federal Government announcement.

“We’ve been calling for the introduction of operator protection devices as well as … national standards relating to design and engineering, so it’s great the Government has announced … these measures,” said chief executive Dr Gabrielle O’kane.