Don't chew on that battery terminal, Tommy!

Making its way around many motorsport oriented internet e-mail groups is the news that some small dirtbikes may be banned due to lead content of some components. According to this TriCity Hearald article, off-road vehicles with 100cc engines or less that are intended for riders under twelve years old have been banned.

Apparently the concern is regarding potential exposure to lead battery terminals and other items that potentialy have lead in them. Is this a well intentioned law that had some unintentional side effects or is this the government trying to "protect us from ourselves" and attempting to get a foothold into a hobby and lifestyle that many view as dangerous?

In the words of Scott Shackford from the Desert Dispatch, "Eating your all-terrain vehicle may be hazardous to your health."