CA DMV legal hassles (funny story)

[55373]

Anyone had any experience with something like this and can lend some legal advice for a friend in need? In all seriousness, he needs it. If nothing else, its a pretty funny story of a day riding gone waaaaay wrong...also a heads up not to use the wrong license plate on a bike in CA. The guy just bought a used YZ400 and has all the Baja Designs stuff on it to make it street legal but didn't quite get around to it...

i rode the yz400 with my XR400 plate up in mammoth

and got pulled over cuz the pigman thought i had

no mirror...then he was about to let me go then noticed i had no speedo and thought that was illegal and i told him no, so he looked it up then he called in the plate # and it was a honda so he thought i stole the bike so i got arrested ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!! I was the big bust for the day...

cuffed and bike impounded...the guy was calling all his friends bragging (sundays in Mammoth are pretty slow) ... then after 3 hours of BS i had to walk back to my campsite in the dark, really difficult, took 2 hours to get to camp only to realize a bear had gone thru all my stuff!!!

i took that as a sign that i was not wanted there so i packed all my crap and got outta dodge...left at midnight to drive to LA....

Now i just got my paperwork for the yz and can't street register it cuz i need a vin verification but the bike's in mammoth at the impound.. so to get it out i gotta register it here as a dirt bike and it'll screw me up cuz i gotta go to court on july 15th in mammoth for fraudulent use of state property (swapping license plates), which is a felony!!!!

got any suggestions on what i should do? my legal counsel is on a 6 month dual sport ride in europe now...

[YAMAKAZE]

Sounds like it's may be time for you to purchase some stock in the KY Corporation.....

Bonzai ?

[fenrus_WFO]

Find out if they will let you listen to the webcast Nationals on sundays, while you are in jail. I hear in Calif they are going to really crack down on dual sport bikes by pulling them over to check. The mirror was his probably cause to pull you over. Hope you make out ok.

[Harold_in_So_Cal]

You are scaring me. I just registured my street bike and was going put the green sticker on dirt bike that has a red sticker. Wow- a felony. Maybe you should get counsel that can represent you soon. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us advised.

[big_G]

Okay, fenrus, that's just not funny... yamakaze, that's freaking wrong dude... I laughed my *** off, but it's still wrong.

But the fact that you're logined into TT as a friggin number already.... now that's just to much dude... yer karma is totally screwed now.

Don't drop the soap...

[ June 22, 2002: Message edited by: big_G ]

[blue_beast_wins]

Yes pigs fly ........ straight into your wallet........

[tripod]

My opinion, When you go before the judge be honest,sincere, and admit you screwed up. You did not commit the crime of the century. The felony should not be too tough to get reduced to some misdameanor charge. Spend a few bucks and hire a local Attorney, they typically know which judge is the best for your case, also they have the ability to go to the DA and work out a deal before you would even go to a pre trial hearing.Be prepared for at least a fine, community service, as well as legal fees. I was in Mammoth this morning and saw huge numbers of dirt bike riding folks. We are not foregin to them, and I like to think they like us up there, however,your disposition throughout the "experience" will not only help your case but the future cases of all of us. Bottom line,stay out of jail, and keep your driving privledges on and OFF road. P.S. I am not an attorney,however, I have been in your shoes. It's a pretty good story, anybody want to hear it?

[Brian_in_Long_Beach]

Yeah, we want to hear it. Just leave out the details regarding your boyfriend.....

Brian

[55373]

by all means, please share! Thanks for the advice. I agree that humility is a good way to proceed.

[tripod]

Heres my story. Back when I was young and stupid I decided to take my recently worked on KX 250 for a quick ride to my buddies house to show off before a weekend ride. While I was returning from his house via the neighborhood I passed a black and white, and im not talking about an old TV. I must have been suffering from carbon monoxide poisioning from the garage work earlier and instead of pulling over and having him tell me to push the bike home I decided to take off. with lights flashing and siren blairing the race was on. I did make it to my house shut the garage door and ran inside. Having thought I out ran the coppers I went in the kitchen to get a drink when, knock, knock, one unhappy copper was at the door and about 5 of his buddies out in the street. To make a long story short the neighbor ratted me out and the cleaned race ready KX250 went bye, bye on a flat bed tow truck. I recieved a citation for evading, (I could have gone to jail but I passed the attitude test)and after facing the music with my attorney had it reduced to a reckless driving, I paid a few hundred in fines a few hundred in legal fees and got to spruce up the side of the freeway for a few Saturdays. Morale of the story... obey the law, have fun and don't make a bad situation worse.

[AZWR426]

Great story. Dude you even had my wife laughing at thumpertalk - which is about on par in the difficulty scale with having her ask to go along for a Home Depot run.

[55373]

Tripod, that is pretty classic.

Well written! Nothing much more humbling than picking up trash in an orange suit.