Riding a dirt bike (not plated) on the street

[ballisticexchris]

I'm hoping this thread can stay here awhile.

I am hearing a LOT of horror stories from my friends on getting their plates pulled by the DMV, rangers and the CHP, impounded bikes, 2500.00 fines etc, etc.....

What if I ride my 300EXC red sticker in the mountains/desert, get off the trail just to connect other trails/get gas and get pulled over. I have done this many times in the desert and mountains with my 600R, 650R, and 300EXC and have yet to be hassled.

I just do not want to hassle getting a plated dirt bike. I am willing to budget the price of a ticket if it's not to much. I know it used to be about 50 bucks when caught in the city. I am willing to budget a couple hundred bucks for a ticket if need be.

I know my luck is bound to run out one of these days. I have been doing this many years with no problems. To me it's a waste of time and money to get a plated bike just so I can connect a few trails and get some gas.

I know times will and do change. So maybe I will HAVE to go with a plated dirt bike someday....

[tmartinLVNV]

In most states it is legal to cross a paved road at a 90 degree angle to get to trails. Riding along the road is not legal.

[tdamore]

I wouldn't sweat it too much if you are okay with getting the ticket and budgeting for it. Just be careful you aren't in a zero tolerance town like Hesperia where they impound your bike if you get caught.

[Cpres]

How exactly does this hesperia thing work. Impound on first infraction or on own property.

Best of luck I have been lucky also.

[kiethco]

I think the impound thing is an option in any town. It's just like riding a Nascar car on the street. I do think your behavior will probably dictate your sucess. If you're just connecting trails and are discreet and stealthy with a sensible pipe, you will probably have better luck. Wheelieing across the street probably isnt a good idea. You could always walk it across the street if you knew there was someone around, I know it's hokey but it might save you a ticket.

A couple years ago we had a group of 10-12 in Kenedy Meadows. we were on the Menache Jeep trail when some of the kids started running out of gas and energy. we decided to take the mountain road back to Troy Meadows overflow. We rode single file right past the ranger station. We were sort of on the shoulder and riding relatively slow. We were just going to plead our case and ask for mercy if we got popped. We heard later the rangers mobilized to catch the rogue group of dirtbikers, but we were safe in camp by then. You pays your money and you takes your chances in life!

[moose offroad]

I'm hoping this thread can stay here awhile.

I am hearing a LOT of horror stories from my friends on getting their plates pulled by the DMV, rangers and the CHP, impounded bikes, 2500.00 fines etc, etc.....

What if I ride my 300EXC red sticker in the mountains/desert, get off the trail just to connect other trails/get gas and get pulled over. I have done this many times in the desert and mountains with my 600R, 650R, and 300EXC and have yet to be hassled.

I just do not want to hassle getting a plated dirt bike. I am willing to budget the price of a ticket if it's not to much. I know it used to be about 50 bucks when caught in the city. I am willing to budget a couple hundred bucks for a ticket if need be.

I know my luck is bound to run out one of these days. I have been doing this many years with no problems. To me it's a waste of time and money to get a plated bike just so I can connect a few trails and get some gas.

I know times will and do change. So maybe I will HAVE to go with a plated dirt bike someday....

It helps when you have a headlight,ride slow on the shoulder,be quiet and wave to people,around here,if no one complains 5-0 dont hassle us.As far as fines go,some county land we ride on is illegal but the fine is only 50.00 bucks,so after 10 years of not getting caught,I figure 50.00 bucks is a good deal.....moose. ?

[fivepointnine]

I know out in the desert the gravel shoulders (im thinking the 14 here) are wide enough to ride on anyway, and alot of the distance from jawbone past dove springs has trails that run along the highway so technically you are not on the road

[ajd187]

In NY a non street legal dirtbike is classified as an ATV so you are subject to the following tickets (don't ask me how I know ? ):

Operating an ATV on the road

Equipment tickets for mirrors, signals, lights, tires

Towing fees since the vehicle isn't safe to operate on the road

Unregistered operation of a motor vehicle if you don't have teh bike registered.

In other words a stack of tickets. I would imagine other states are similar.

[never59]

Don't forget insurance and if you don't have a motorcycle endorsement they can get you for that too!!

If they really want to stick it to you it will be way more than a few hundred bucks. Don't forget motorcycle tickets count against your driving record for your car too:thumbsdn: Insurance increase.....

I know you don't want to deal with getting plated but if you run into some real a-hole cop you are gonna be in a world of trouble. Chances you get caught are probably slim but to me the piece of mind knowing your legal would be worth the hassle.

In NY a non street legal dirtbike is classified as an ATV so you are subject to the following tickets (don't ask me how I know ? ):

Operating an ATV on the road

Equipment tickets for mirrors, signals, lights, tires

Towing fees since the vehicle isn't safe to operate on the road

Unregistered operation of a motor vehicle if you don't have teh bike registered.

In other words a stack of tickets. I would imagine other states are similar.

[Chas_M]

These are just some of the reasons all of my dirt bikes over the past 40 years have been plated......if only for piece of mind.

[gottaski]

I know out in the desert the gravel shoulders (im thinking the 14 here) are wide enough to ride on anyway, and alot of the distance from jawbone past dove springs has trails that run along the highway so technically you are not on the road

but, technically, they can still ticket you. i think they call it the "right of way" of the road. same ticket.

[don87xr600]

no insurance- $1200

[ttmojo1]

Dont have those california probs here in mississippi (much).

Here, you can pull up to the rangers car and mooch a free doughnut:p

As others stated, your attitude dictates your legal fees.

Tony

[Switch540]

FYI for some people. In Canada ( and maybe some states as well) you can buy an offroad license. This entitles you to ride along the right of way of any road ( outside of a towns limits)as long as you aren't on the road itself or the shoulder and cross any road within 75 feet of a crossing.For myself I just find a gas station near the hi-way and push my bike across the road and in.I'm not sure how that works in the states but just a notice for any Canadian riders viewing this.

[Beyond The Pale]

A couple years ago we had a group of 10-12 in Kenedy Meadows. we were on the Menache Jeep trail when some of the kids started running out of gas and energy. we decided to take the mountain road back to Troy Meadows overflow. We rode single file right past the ranger station.

I got a ticket for this. We were further up on the Smith meadow road. I was leading a group and one of the riders with a separated shoulder. They didn't get me though, they got an uninjured rider at the back of the pack. He got a $100 ticket for no plate. After the injured guy was on his way to help, I went back and they had let the rider leave. He told me that they were searching for me to bust me. Not wanting to worry about that I went to the ranger station and turned my self in. I explained what was going on. They still gave me a ticket because by that time there was a posse out looking and it had been reported on the radio. I'm sure that with a short discussion with a judge I could have got out of it, but it was only $100 and the court was several hours travel from my home. You can bend the rules a little when someone is hurt.

The forest rangers can only give you a $100 ticket, or it used to be only $100. Not sure if these laws have changed. If you are on the main road it is more expensive. Both the sheriff and the highway patrol make at least one trip through there on the weekend. The highway patrol will not be easy on you. Not plate, equipment violations, no insurance, and no license could add up to over $2000.

If you get caught with your kids in tow, the result could be a real disaster. I would not put it past this state to take your children away for the pile of violations you could receive.

Anyway, the bottom line is riding on or next to a road can cost you as much as $2000. Riding on the dirt shoulder is just as illegal.

[396]

You feeling lucky? A cop with a bad attitude can really cash in on that:

No street registration

Equipment violations

No MC driver license

No insurance

He can impound it on the spot, and put a 30 day hold on it. You pay towing & storage

[ballisticexchris]

You feeling lucky? A cop with a bad attitude can really cash in on that:

No street registration

Equipment violations

No MC driver license

No insurance

He can impound it on the spot, and put a 30 day hold on it. You pay towing & storage

I have an M1 endosment as well as an insurance card (which insures anything I ride or drive).

So I guess it will be business as usual. I will continue to ride pavement to connect the trails and roll to the gas station when I need gas.

I have noticed a lot of the guys with so called legal dual sport bikes block off the smog stuff, run non DOT tires, loud pipes, illegal turn signals, no mirrors, etc. trying to be sneaky. It's no wonder they are getting popped with big fines.

At least I'm upfront and not riding like an idiot. So I will continue to do so. As soon as I get a ticket for over 200 bucks, only then will I consider going "legal" dual sport.

[396]

The M-1 endorsement and insurance card will save you some grief. You could likely talk yourself out of the ticket.

But.....

If he is out to get you, he WILL impound the bike for not being street registered. The ticket might be only a couple hundred, but the impound and storage fees could be a lot more.

I drive a tow truck & have had to do the deed several times. Usually it is some kid blasting thru his neighborhood, pissing off the neighbors.

Remember though, any cop anywhere in Cali. has the authority to impound on the spot any vehicle that is not street registered. He has some discretion, but if he has already called it in, he is obligated to have it towed. The CHP are least likely to cut you any slack.

I have never seen one impounded for equipment violations, but have personally pulled a lot of cars and bikes off the road for lack of registration or DL.

[the bodj]

is it legal to ride on the side of the road like where there is dirt?

[alex211]

Yes its illegal to ride on the shouler of a road. Where I live in Western PA on a dirt backroad we get more atv/dirtbike traffic than cars. I still stay off the road because I don't feel like spending all my money on fines. Plus there is so much woods I can make a trail anywhere and no one cares.? Also I don't know if this is true but most off my friends say they have been pulled over by a cop and were just given a warning to stay off the road. Can any of you confirm this?