ONE of the region's leading quad bike dealers is frustrated by misconceptions regarding the industry's impending reform.
Tamworth Auto Moto Garage's Andrew Kings believes farmers are confused about which brands of quad bikes will be available for sale in Australia, after federal government reforms come into effect in 2021.
"A lot of farmers are unaware if they are even going to be able to buy quads, such is the confusion going around at the moment," Mr Kings said.
"They will be able to buy from any of the manufacturers until the new guidelines begin, provided the bikes meet the new requirements or they buy remaining stock.
"There has been a lot of misinformation getting around about people not being able to buy quad bikes at all and the honest truth is that isn't true at all."
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Mr Kings said while brands including Honda and Polaris would be exiting the market due to the new reforms, others were "not going anywhere".
"We carry the full range of CFMoto quad bikes and they will be adapting to the new guidelines and staying on the market," he said.
"Farmers who have their preferences of other brands will be able to still buy them until stock runs out or those brands adapt to the new legislation and continue bringing out new products.
"Failing that, they can still buy their favourite brands second hand because the new legislation only applies to new models and I think it's really important people know they have options."
Shooters Union president Graham Park didn't share Mr Kings' optimism about the future of quad bikes, saying the new legislation could bring an end to the equipment in Australia.
"I don't think the people making these laws realise just how big the Australian bush is, or how their well-meaning but poorly implemented regulations are going to affect hundreds of thousands of hunters and farmers," Mr Park said.
"Essentially removing them from the market is going to make it incredibly difficult for hunters, pest controllers and primary producers to do their jobs - not everyone can ride a motorbike and they're not always the right choice for the terrain, animals being pursued, or climate."
Mr Park said quad bikes were not inherently unsafe and the Shooters Union had questions over the ACCC statistics justifying the new regulations.
"We do not believe their statistics take into account factors such as reckless behavior, being driven by people under 16, or having extra passengers," he said.
"If people wish to retrofit safety devices like rollbars to their quad bikes, we fully support them in that choice - especially if the government wants to subsidise the cost of doing so.
"We join the calls for the federal government to re-evaluate these regulations and listen to the manufacturers, hunters and primary producers who know these machines and the environments they work in best."