Cycle News

Powersports Leaders Bring Industry Concerns to Capitol Hill P owersports industry leaders from across the country gath- ered in Washington, D.C., on June 19 for the 2026 Powersports Capitol Hill Fly-In, where dealers, manufacturers, aftermarket com - panies, allied trades and leaders representing the Motorcycle Industry Council, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America met with lawmakers to discuss federal policy issues affecting the industry. By the end of the day, attend - ees had completed 114 meetings with congressional offices in just seven hours, including 66 House meetings and 48 Senate meet - ings. The event drew 73 attend- ees representing companies and organizations from 35 states. "This year's Fly-In was a tre - mendous success, and the level of participation speaks to how seriously the industry is taking the issues ahead," said Scott Schloegel, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for MIC, ROHVA, and SVIA. "These conversations are important because policy decisions being made in Washington have direct consequences for powersports businesses and the communi - ties they serve." Trade policy dominated many of the meetings as additional tariffs on powersports products and raw materials continue to place pressure on the industry. "A lot of uncertainty still exists across the business environment for powersports companies," said Derek Brooks, MIC Board Chair from Yamaha Motor Corpora - tion, U.S.A. "Trade policy, access issues, and regulatory concerns all affect the industry in different ways, but what stood out during this year's Fly-In was the number of companies that attended the event and how engaged they were across every segment of powersports. There was a shared understanding that these conver - sations matter to the long-term health of the industry." Other key issues discussed during the Fly-In included the following: Public lands access and trail funding, including support for the Recreational Trails Program and concerns surrounding trail closures and restrictions affect - ing off-highway recreation. PFAS regulations, including concerns that federal proposals could sweep youth powersports products into juvenile product restrictions. PFAS chemicals remain a currently unavoidable use in certain vehicle parts that must withstand high tempera - tures and complex chemical blends. Industry representatives urged lawmakers to take a mea- sured approach, warning that a de facto ban on youth vehicles could push younger riders onto adult-sized machines. Transportation policy propos- als, including measures that would alter the federal definition of motorcycles or require VIN etching on catalytic converters, creating potential registration WIND IN THE P26 Powersports industry leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the Motorcycle Industry Council's 2026 Powersports Capitol Hill Fly-In, meeting with lawmakers to discuss federal policy issues affecting the industry.

• Cover