Any reason to register your bike?

[GeoffM24]

I just called the DEP and asked them WHY would I register my bike?

It does NOT need to be registered to ride on your own property or on other property where you have permission to ride.

Since I will NEVER be riding at the 8 parks listed as open here in Mass I don't see any point in getting registered.

It seems that unless you are planning on riding in those State parks registration is pointless because everywhere else is legal or illegal regardless of registration.

Am I missing something.

P.S. There is no Insurance available in Mass registered or not.

 

[NVR FNSH]

You can't liabilility or fire/theft/vandalism insurance? I register my bikes because it's the law out here in good ol' CA.

Brian

 

[XRpredator]

also good in case of theft, ol' Elkster can track it better

 

[GeoffM24]

Currently there is no way to insure a dirt bike in Mass legally because no one offers coverage due to restictive Mass insurance laws. So registered or not insurance is not an option.

 

[mx547]

have you tried just registering it as a motorcycle? don't tell them that it's off-road only. is that possible there? when i insure mine, i just give them the vin and the make and model and buy the minimum insurance required by the state (okla).

 

[Jackpiner57]

If you want to participate in a Turkey Run, you need to either be registered or at least have an offroad sticker? I'm not sure in Ma.

Turkey Runs are great fun. New England Trail Riders Association(NETRA) can help advise you on what you need to participate.

 

[Can Can Kev]

in california you have to to ride at the parks and thats almost all the places to ride except privatly owned tracks.... in norcal (prarie city) (hollister hills) is where i ride and every OHV park requires registration.. shoot i havent had a bike yet that isnt registered or that i registered....

 

[GeoffM24]

Originally posted by mx547
have you tried just registering it as a motorcycle? don't tell them that it's off-road only. is that possible there? when i insure mine, i just give them the vin and the make and model and buy the minimum insurance required by the state (okla).

It doesn't work because you can't get the needed paperwork from the registry to get insurance.

Someone mentioned the idea of getting it registered in Vermont then taking the paperwork to Mass and try to switch registrations and then go to your insurance agent but that is expensive, a real PITA, and illegal to boot.

 

[GETMETOCA]

In CA, you cannot enter any sanctioned races without your registration sticker or paperwork to prove. At the Bearfoot, I had just registered the kTm, but did not slap the sticker on the bike yet. The Ranger asked me to go get the paperwork to prove the bike was registered before he would let me go through tech.

 

[john stu]

i live in mass and i stoped registering after the cops gace me a $100 for riding a registered bike that had mud on the plate they gave me a $100 fine for obstructed plate (you could still make out the plate number!)after also paying $300 sales tax to register and my buddy that was with me was never registered or paid sale tax got a $25 fine for being unregistered so no more!i will never pay sales tax or register again there not getting any more of my money to pay some ballbuster to bust me mass epa sucks the big one!!!

 

[MX-727]

It sounds like in MA the answer is no if you aren't going to ride on public land. In UT, you can get a ticket for transporting an unregistered bike, so in UT and CA, it's cheaper to register than pay the fines, plus you open up a vast network of public land.

 

[a454elk]

Like Pred said, even though it would gointo the system as stolen, if it isn't registered, I've seen it where they have a tough time finding the owner due to no registration. I guess if you aren't planning on using it on public lands, it wouldn't matter much. Reg fees are for using it on public property or if you transport it in an open bed to a private area, closed trailer, no problem.;)

 

[Eiswald]

The problem I see in all this registration,ORV stuff is that the money does not go to help the riding areas. They are closing down some of the ORV parks around here and still want more money. My bikes are all CASH and no taxes paided.

 

[POZOS]

If you or someone on this forum wants to come and ride with us in MONTERREY Mexico, (You are very welcome to come) You will need to have you Bike Registered on your name to get the permit to cross the Border.

If someone wants to come, you are more than welcome.
MONTERREY, MEXICO it's just 140 miles south from Laredo Texas.
Please let me know and we will organize a ride with you and your friends to some of the great mountains we have arround.

rpozos@axtel.net

 

[DENNY]

The number of registered motorcycles is what the DEP uses when questioned about public riding areas. It is easy to close down a riding area when the numbers are low and the chances are the registration cost less than one good case of beer. You are lucky to have 8 riding areas and when the private ground is gone you may need them. So show your state officials that OHV popularity is huge and growing.

 

[GeoffM24]

The thing with Mass and Connecticut is most of the land is privately owned and we don't have the huge state areas like you do out west and in other parts of the country.

I'm also a hunter and you need to have friends with land to hunt most places since it almost all private property.

I have decided not to register because it will cost me roughly $180 for nothing.

 

[a454elk]

180 CLAMS!! Holy cow, I thought our 20 bucks was steep. Don't you have just an OHV registration or is that $180 include street use as well?

 

[MX-727]

Wow, $180! That's more than I pay for four bikes and two (of three) cars and a trailer combined.

 

[GeoffM24]

Well let me clarify. It is $35 for two years and the rest is for sales tax.

Sorry for the confusion but that is what I would have to pay to register for the 1st 2 years.

 

[MX-727]

Gotcha! Whew... I knew the Kennedy's were expensive to support, but couldn't believe they were in need of that much support. ;)

 

[a454elk]

Geoff, let me explain, not to make you register it though, that's up to you. I've delt with bikes that have been recovered which were stolen. When a bike is stolen, it goes into a stolen vehicle system, nationwide. If that bike is found somewhere, anywhere, it can be run and the stolen status will be found. Some PD's will recover the bike but fail to contact the owner, for whatever reason. The tow company will then get the bike on impound and start a lien sale on it. It's their way of taking ownership of the vehicle when no one claims it. A lien sale company will then do the paperwork and run the vehicle in the system to see if there is an interested party. If it has not been registered, no hits come back so the bike is then given to the tow company to do what they want with it. If you really have no doubt that your bike will never be stolen, then forget everything I said.;) I just hate to see a guy not get his ride back. I've gone to great lengths to find an owner, I'll even find the original dealership and see who they sold it to. It gets tough when there isn't a registered owner on file, makes for sticky situations. Like I said, I'm not trying to convince you to register it cause you're all the way across the US from me and your $$$ won't do me any good.:) I just wanted you to know what the possibilities are so you have the facts. It sounds like your reg fees aren't more than ours it was just the tax from the purchase. My .02 cents.
Elk