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With just a month to go before all new and secondhand imported ATVs bikes sold in Australia must be fitted with operator protection devices (OPD) and meet minimum stability requirements, one in six quad bikes for sale through dealerships do not meet the new national safety standards.
State and territory consumer protection agencies have been conducting surveys to examine whether suppliers were complying with stage one requirements of the Quad Bike Safety Standard, which has been in place since October 2020.
Surveillance took place in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia at dealerships which included all major quad bike brands, alongside some of the less well-known marques.
Under stage one of the Quad Bike Safety Standard, all new and imported second hand quad bikes sold in Australia must be tested for lateral static stability and have a hang tag attached to them showing the angle at which the quad bike tips onto two wheels.
They are required to carry a roll over warning label on the bike and the owner's manual must also include roll over safety information.
ACCC deputy chairman Mick Keogh said, "although roughly one in six machines, were not compliant with the safety standard, suppliers have so far cooperated with our investigations and taken steps to fix problems, including recalling non-compliant bikes where necessary".
Suppliers who fail to comply with a mandatory safety or information standard can be found guilty of a criminal offence, with a maximum fine of AU$500,000 for individuals of AU$10 million for body corporates.
When stage two comes into effect from October 11, all new and secondhand imported quad bikes sold in Australia must be fitted with operator protection devices (OPD) and meet minimum stability requirements.
These requirements have been a contentious topic for a number of years and have led to the withdrawal of several brands from the Australian quad market, with Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki planning to exit the market when stage 2 comes into force, following Polaris who have already left.
In contrast, the Australian distributor of CRMoto, Mojo Motorcycles, are one of the companies that have opted to continue supplying ATVs, meeting the stage two requirements early and fittin OPDs as standard across its entire range.
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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