Mountain Biking - IMBA Alert...

This should intrest anyone and everyone who rides a mtb. Especialy if you are in CA.
Check out the links below. They concern the Wilderness Act :mad: that Sen. Barbara Boxxer is trying to pass. The first link will take you to a page that can be filled in and sent to Sen. Dianne Feinstien whose support Sen. Boxxer needs for the bill to pass.
The second link will take you to IMBA's page concerning the Act. If the Wilderness Act passes alot of trails that are now open to mtb'ers will be closed. Even if you do not live in CA. but plan on riding here at some point in the future you should help us out.
Once a bill like this passes in one state, others are sure to follow.


http://www.imba.com/news/action_alerts/ca_wilderness/wilderness_form.html

http://www.imba.com/news/action_alerts/06_02/06_14_ca_letters.html

Nothing personal to you CA people, I think CA is a cool state, but you guys need to get control of your state government! The things they do out there will eventually affect the rest of us. I remember when it all started, it was back when the smog was so bad. They needed people then to help clean it up, but from what I have read and heard it seems they have gone way too far. The main reason for 4 stroke dirt bikes is CA rules, and the main reason for even 2 stroke trials bikes going 4 stroke world wide started from CA rules. Here is part of a quote from a Sherco (trials bike) press release last year:

"This last week the FIM in a press release revealed their plans
that will for sure create the biggest change in trials since the
introduction of the two stroke powered machines by Sammy Miller in the sixties.

The new pollution standards scheduled for 2004 by the EEC makes it almost impossible for a two stroke engine to pass. The ban that California is going to place on two stroke engines will probably be enlarged to include all of the US in 2006. Because trials bikes must be street legal in Europe they must meet these new standards. The manufactures are working diligently to develop new four stroke models that will meet these tough new
pollution standards."

I realize this isn't directly related to trail closings, that's happening all over. Just try to ride around Vail, CO. But in a way it is related. Whatever your opinions on public land there is a lot of it and the fact that it is public means it is OURS. I suppose we as users are the silent majority?

Good eye for news dirtbikedude. I'll go ahead and reply to this to put it at the top of the list again so more people will see it.

Get to your local representative and give your opinion! I don't want to loose those trails.

Originally posted by MikeOK
Nothing personal to you CA people, I think CA is a cool state, but you guys need to get control of your state government! The things they do out there will eventually affect the rest of us. I remember when it all started, it was back when the smog was so bad. They needed people then to help clean it up, but from what I have read and heard it seems they have gone way too far. The main reason for 4 stroke dirt bikes is CA rules, and the main reason for even 2 stroke trials bikes going 4 stroke world wide started from CA rules. Here is part of a quote from a Sherco (trials bike) press release last year:

"This last week the FIM in a press release revealed their plans
that will for sure create the biggest change in trials since the
introduction of the two stroke powered machines by Sammy Miller in the sixties.

The new pollution standards scheduled for 2004 by the EEC makes it almost impossible for a two stroke engine to pass. The ban that California is going to place on two stroke engines will probably be enlarged to include all of the US in 2006. Because trials bikes must be street legal in Europe they must meet these new standards. The manufactures are working diligently to develop new four stroke models that will meet these tough new
pollution standards."

I realize this isn't directly related to trail closings, that's happening all over. Just try to ride around Vail, CO. But in a way it is related. Whatever your opinions on public land there is a lot of it and the fact that it is public means it is OURS. I suppose we as users are the silent majority?

Valid points, but I wonder, are 2 stroke engines subject to any emissions controls at all?

, are 2 stroke engines subject to any emissions controls at all

They are not. The gov. agencies just ban them from being used at designated areas.
Unless the laws have changed, you can still ride a 2 stroke if it was produced before '96. Any later models can only be used on closed courses.

I understand 2 strokes are limited in certain areas, and in certain parts of the year. This is a big topic on the dirt bike forums. 2 stroke dirt bikes may possibly be a problem when the weather is very hot, but as for trials bikes, they could never be. There are so few of them. It just goes to show you that there is never a simple answer to a complex problem, and unless the politicians are reigned in everybody will lose.