VIC: Mini motorbikes off the road

Published

1 Apr 2013

More than 100 banned miniature motorbikes have been seized from a Thomastown importer.

Minister for Consumer Affairs Heidi Victoria said motorbike and power tool importer Mayman Pty Ltd and its sole director, Ms Suling Ye, acknowledged selling or possessing miniature motorbikes which contravened the permanent ban order on such goods.

In July 2012, Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors seized 108 miniature motorbikes (known as mini bikes, pocket bikes, or monkey bikes) from the company’s Thomastown premises. Both road and dirt bikes were seized.

“Miniature motorbikes can pose real dangers as these are motor vehicles and must meet important safety standards,” Ms Victoria said.

“The miniature motorbikes seized are subject to a permanent ban order and failed to comply with the requirements set out in the permanent ban as their braking systems and foot pegs do not meet the minimum required safety standards.

“The business has sold 67 of the bikes and has agreed to a voluntary recall so consumers can get their money back on the banned vehicles,” Ms Victoria said.

Ms Ye, both personally and on behalf of the company Mayman Pty Ltd, acknowledged that it had contravened the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) by offering, supplying or possessing the permanently banned bikes.

On behalf of herself and the company, Ms Ye gave an undertaking to the Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria to:

refrain from offering, supplying or possessing or controlling any goods which fail to comply with the relevant safety standard, ban or information under the ACL;
publish a public product safety warning and recall notice at each of its business premises for three months and in The Australian newspaper;
issue a voluntary recall notice and pay full refunds to anyone who returned the goods;
write/email all customers to whom they had sold the banned goods, warning of their dangers and offering a full refund;
implement and maintain a compliance program designed to ensure no further contraventions, and have this program independently audited annually for a period until June 2015;
surrender to Consumer Affairs Victoria all banned motorbikes held or returned by customers for destruction and disposal by Consumer Affairs Victoria; and
provide specified training to staff.

For further details of the product recalls please visit www.recalls.gov.au

For further advice on product safety please visit www.productsafety.gov.au

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