As an Affiliate Associate DirtBikeNewb.com earns from qualifying purchases.
Riding a dirt bike is incredibly exhilarating. You can feel the wind whip through your hair, drown out all the sounds around you, and explore places normally not as accessible. They also provide great transportation and recreation options, which are the two main purposes bikes are used for. On the other hand, there is nothing worse than being woken up from a deep sleep by the scream of a dirt bike going back and forth in front of your home. These vehicles come with their own pros and cons, so it is important to enjoy yourself while still being considerate of the people around you.
Riding a dirt bike in a neighborhood is almost always illegal and can additionally cause issues with neighbors in the area. It’s better to ride dirt bikes on OHV tracks, personal property, or state trails. The consequences for riding a dirt bike in a neighborhood range from fines to jail time, depending on your local laws.
Let’s jump into the specifics of riding a dirt bike on the road and off the road. Learning the laws of where you live and making sure that you are following them will make riding dirt bikes much more enjoyable. Plus, you won’t have to worry about running from the long arm of the law.
Where Are the Best Places to Ride?
Oftentimes, it can be extremely difficult to find a place that you can ride your dirt bike, especially if you live in a residential area far away from mountains or deserts. No matter the situation though, you can search online for places to ride your bike, and normally you will be able to find a place or two. Some of the best places to look for are OHV (off-highway vehicle) trails, private property, ATV trails, or a track.
- OHV trails can be fun and exciting and can be found everywhere. Depending on where you live, you can find amazing views from these trails. You can find mountain overlooks with beautiful trees and vegetation, or you can find cliffs overlooking a sandy beach below where you can hear the waves crash, or you can find a sand dune or two. Rivers, rocks, cliffs, trees, and other great things are all easily accessible on one of these trails. Just ensure that before you go, and as you start riding, that the trail is marked as OHV. This way you will not get yourself into any trouble while riding on it.
- Private property can also be a great place to ride off into nowhere, just so long as you have permission. This is one of the few places you will find that doesn’t charge you a day-use fee or some other sort of fee, but it does require the permission of the landowner. You’re free to do as you please on private property, but you should still make safe decisions that will keep you and your bike in good shape.
- ATV trails are mostly accessible to dirt bikes as well. Just as with other places though, there are still laws you will have to abide by, like wearing a helmet and being old enough to ride. Really, the regulations depend on the state, so look up the rules in your specific state to ensure you are keeping all the laws of the land. It is smart to always wear a helmet and have your driver’s license on you.
- Motocross tracks are also a great place to ride your dirt bike. They are more specific to racing and practicing for races but are still a viable option. In some cases, they will require a fee and proper equipment in order to use the track, and you will likely be encountering other people frequently.
Keep in mind that most of these places are generally far off the beaten path and away from people. Regardless of how far they may be, it is quite possible you will still run into people who don’t want you and your loud noises there, so be courteous and kind to people that you meet. Pay the fee if it is requested and always wear your helmet!
What Does the Law Say?
In most places, it will be illegal to ride a bike in a neighborhood or around city streets. This can change depending on where you live, but for the most part, you should stick to the places mentioned above. The more you ride a bike in residential areas, the more likely it is that your neighbors will be calling the police on you. Even if they do let you ride on city streets, they will require your bike to be street legal and for you to follow the laws and have the proper license and safety equipment.
For example purposes, these are the laws in the state of Idaho concerning dirt bikes on forest trails although they’re fairly well representative of many other states in the U.S. Below are some guidelines that dirt bike owners should follow to comply with residential laws.
- Must have a valid Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation OHV certificate of number sticker. These defer depending on your being a resident or non-resident. Generally, this sticker costs about $12.50 if you are a resident.
- A DOT (Department of Transportation) approved helmet if you are under the age of 18.
- An approved muffler and spark arrestor. The muffler has to be at or below 96db at the half-meter test.
More information on the above mentioned laws can be found here.
If you are riding the bike on state or federal roads, there are normally additional rules that must be followed, as would be the same in most states. These are Idaho’s laws for state roads, in addition to the rules mentioned above, also found here.
- If you don’t have a driver’s license, you will need to have an OHV Education Certificate. You must also be accompanied by a licensed adult operator.
- A valid driver’s license is necessary.
- Liability or Alternative Insurance is needed as well (see what dirt bike insurance costs here).
These laws, if met, mean you can ride on state, federal, city, and country roads if your bike is street legal. There are a variety of ways you can ensure that your bike is street legal, and we will talk about that further in the article.
As you have come to see, you can ride your bike in a lot of places if you are keeping all the laws associated with a particular area. What is hard about neighborhoods and residential areas is that it causes noise that people often complain about.
Consequences of Riding in a Restricted Area
The consequences of riding a bike in a restricted area vary depending on which laws you are breaking. Is your bike registered? Do you have a driver’s license? Are you wearing a helmet? Is your bike street legal?
You could be given anything from a simple citation to impoundment, a fee, lengthy probation, or even jail. Riding in a neighborhood is very risky. Numerous problems could come around from it, including the punishment of the law, complaints from your neighbors, a citation for the HOA (Home Owners Association), and a variety of other punishments.
Possible Citations for Riding in Neighborhood & Off-Road:
- No License on Vehicle
- Noise Violation
- Dust Violations
- No Spark Arrester
- Reckless Operation of Motor Vehicle
Source
When people were asked about their experiences riding dirtbikes in residential areas on quora.com, there was a variety of responses. This wide range of answers means that every state and neighborhood may vary in their specific rules. Make sure you research each area thoroughly before taking your bike for a spin! It may be legal in some cases, but it won’t always be a popular decision.
For instance, many HOAs have strict guidelines about what is and is not allowed in their neighborhood. Many of these organizations include rules about vehicles, noise levels, etc. all of which could be applied to a dirt bike. You don’t want to annoy your neighbors and get a visit from the police, so it’s usually better to stay away from residential riding in the first place.
WHAT ABOUT SIDEWALKS? So we know we can’t ride up and down the streets in our neighborhood, but what if you just stick strictly to the sidewalks? After all, why would you need to be “street legal” if you aren’t in the street, right? Take a look at the article all about if it’s legal to ride your dirt bike on sidewalks here for very important information you’ll want to know before you try it.
Some Specifics
On forums across the internet, people have talked about different aspects of staying legal and questions associated with them.
On thumbertalks.com, a few people started talking about taking a bike off of an OHV or ATV trail onto the main road just to fill up with gas. From this discussion, there were a few findings that shed some light on the “grey areas” of residential birt bike riding.
For example, it was usually legal to cross a road at a 90-degree angle if you’re trying to get to a trail on the other side of the road. This situation often arises for regular bikers, so it makes sense that dirt bikers would have a similar question. As long as you make sure there is no oncoming traffic and you cross as quickly as possible, it is generally legal to quickly crossroads. You cannot ride along the shoulder or in the lanes though. Safety always comes first though, so don’t make any risky decisions just because it’s “technically” legal.
If you are pulled over or stopped by a police officer, pay attention to what they say so you can avoid making the same mistake in the future.
How to Make a Dirt Bike Street Legal
As we are sure you have come to see, it can be incredibly helpful and important to make your bike street legal. Having it street legal would mean a lot less stress about citations and breaking the law. This is quite the process sometimes, and depending on where you live it can be a big deal.
For example, in Idaho, there is specific equipment you need in order to have your bike be street legal. These are mainly safety features that will make you more visible to other drivers.
- Brake light
- Headlight and taillight after dark/poor visibility.
- Horn audible at 200 feet.
- Mirror showing roadway 200 feet behind the OHV.
- A license plate
- Registration
- OHV Decal
- Inspection Certificate
For more details, you can visit the full requirement list here.
As you can see, you’ll have to add a lot of features in order to make your bike street legal! Depending on your state, the requirements could change to include more or fewer stipulations. Some other laws that you may have to abide by in other states are:
- One OR TWO (depending on the state) rearview mirrors.
- Turn Signals
- Certain states want highlights that can be set to have high beams and low beams.
- DOT Approved Tires
- DOT Approved Gas Tank
You can see a really cool guide Jim Harmer made on this site about how to make a dirt bike street legal for really cheap (less than $100) for some great ideas on how to do this on a budget along with some additional requirements you might need to meet.
There are a few other things that will definitely help you be legal, even if they are not completely required by states. An example of this is a speedometer. The only state that currently requires them for dirt bikes is Indiana. They also only need it for dirt bikes that are street legal, so if you’re just riding for fun, you won’t need to worry about it.
This doesn’t mean that you are immune to the speed limit though. It would be pretty frustrating to be pulled over only to learn that you were going 10 miles over the speed limit without even knowing it. It can be really helpful to have one. If you don’t have a speedometer, you can also gauge your speed by watching the other drivers around you and matching their movements.
Also, be sure to grab a license plate holder! Sometimes these even come with tail lights attached to them. That means you could kill two birds with one stone!
Conclusion
As we have seen, there is a variety of consequences that can be incurred if you are not careful in preparing, maintaining, and riding your dirt bike. Always be sure to check local laws and hold yourself accountable to uphold them so that you don’t get a big citation, make all your neighbors get angry, or get your bike impounded.
Throughout it all, be sure to be kind to any officer or neighbor who questions you because you will get a better reaction than if you are rude and refuse to change your behavior.
More Helpful Info
- Best Dirt Bike Gear: My Battle-Tested Picks – If you’re looking for the right gear to get, including some important tools you’ll want to pick up which you’ll need to not only convert your dirt bike to being street legal, but even just for regular maintenance tasks, check out our recommended gear page!
- Where to Ride Dirt Bikes: World Database of Tracks and Trails – We also have a cool directory on this site of places to ride that readers have submitted. It may not be an all-inclusive directory, but you can find some cool spots you may not have known about!
