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We have 7 or 8 of us right now.. My neighbor has a house up in altoona .. i think we are parking there then riding to big scrub..If cell phones work ill email you my #..

ATV Company to Pay Nearly $1M Settlement

ELIZABETH WOLFE

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Polaris Industries Inc. has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to settle allegations it belatedly reported defects and hazards on some of its all-terrain vehicles, the first such penalty involving ATVs, the government announced Thursday.

The defects were linked to dozens of accidents and at least 25 injuries from December 1998 to February 2001, including burns, torn muscles, scrapes and bruises, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Two separate CPSC investigations found that Polaris, based in Medina, Minn., allegedly made engineering changes to certain ATV models after receiving injury and accident reports, but before informing the government of any problems, as federal law requires.

Polaris said in a statement that it "vigorously disagrees" with the allegations and denied any wrongdoing, but that it agreed to the $950,000 settlement to avoid continuing legal costs.

In an interview, CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton said he hoped the penalty would serve as a deterrent to other companies seeking to avoid reporting substantial product hazards.

According to the commission, between December 1998 and May 2000, Polaris received 88 reports of throttles sticking in the controls of three of its ATV models - the Scrambler, Sport and Xplorer 400 - a defect that can prevent the machines from slowing or stopping.

Seven injuries were reported, including a dislocated hip and a broken shoulder. After three engineering changes, the company reported the problems in May 2000, prompting a recall that August, CPSC said.

The second case involved Xpedition, Trail Boss and Magnum 325 models, which had oil lines that blew off, disconnected or loosened, resulting in spraying of hot, pressurized oil, CPSC said. Between March 1999 and February 2001, the company received nearly 1,450 reports of such accidents, including 42 fires and 18 injuries. As before, Polaris allegedly made engineering changes before reporting problems to the CPSC, and eventually announced a recall.

The CPSC has been criticized for dragging its feet on monitoring the ATV industry. While sales of the vehicles - designed to travel over dirt, rocks and trails - are in the hundreds of thousands and increasing annually, consumer and health advocates doubt their safety for children under 16 and have urged the government to regulate sales to younger riders.

The commission has reported more than 5,000 ATV-related deaths since 1982, with children under 16 accounting for about a third. Stratton said new 2003 data would be released this month.

"We are facing an epidemic in the country and we need the CPSC to show strong and effective leadership, and that has not happened yet," said Rachel Weintraub, assistant general counsel for Consumer Federation of America.

The federation and several other consumer and physician groups filed a petition in 2002 asking the CPSC to make it illegal to sell adult-sized ATVs intended for children. Stratton said he hopes to respond to the petition soon, but could not give a timeframe.

Without revealing how the commission might rule, Stratton said: "We can pass a regulation that said that. Now, whether we can enforce a regulation like that is a whole different kettle of fish."

In the interview Wednesday, he addressed the broader issue of safety measures riders can take to avoid accidents, including wearing a helmet, riding solo on one-seater vehicles and staying off pavement.

R1 are nice im just really uncomfortable on them.. i even put heli bars on my 1000..

Yeah .. the biggest decision for me was the $$ the honda costs me  500 less .. Im not really a brand guy ive had em all ( street bikes)

thx for all the replies .. i always  think its kinda funny that everyone says theres is faster ... theres always going to be the guy with more money to spend on his no matter what brand it is...

yeah i was thinking HMF myslef  or two brothers..

ill be gettinr my trx450r tommorow and planning on going to big scrub on saturday .. two of my neighbors and thier kids are going as well..

I bought the TRX450R  the dealer is like 3 miles away .. and it started in the first kick..  they have to build it tommorow moring then they are goign to deliver it to me  .. cant wait now...

Yeah im figuring that after talking to a buddy up north.. Looks like im between the Yam and Hond .. $6600  for trx and the YFZ $7000.. THink the Yam is worth the extra bucks..

i got a good deal on the pred about $500 off msrp .. yamaha didnt want to budge...

think ive decided on the troy lee predator..

Yeah im pretty much narrowing it down to the Predator and the YFZ450.. I like the extras on the Predator ..

OK narrowing it down some more .. Im between the Raptor, YZF450 and Predator..Thnx for the help

Hey how about a BOMB DS650??

Hows the torque on the 450's ??

Same deal with sportbikes.. all you ever hear about is the dumbass doing wheelies in traffic and then dieing cause he was being a fucktard then the rest of us pay cause now everyone thinks everyone on a sportbike is doing wheelies in traffic..

Doesnt really matter to me if i shift or not.. Do enough on my Gixxer.. Just want something pretty fast that handles the sand decent. and has reverse ...

signed it .. i ride in OCN hope that isnt next..

OK wich bike does everyone think will be better for Ocala National forest riding..  i was leaning toward the honda  but the 450r has KICK  .. Is there anywhere i can find the HP specs on all of em ??  I guess reverse isnt that important.. OK IM really undecided.. too many of em..