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Police busting enduro riders


buildit

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I was down in McArthur scouting trails when the Baby Burr riders started returning to the fairgrounds from their enduro. This is an AMA sanctioned event that has been going on for a while. Apparently the armed revenue generators (police) decided to start pulling unplated bikes as they returned. Not sure how to feel about this since all my bikes are plated. I just hate to see an organized event harassed this way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LnJvzXetNo

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I would have to agree.

I haven't read the AMA sanctioning guide, but I'd assume it says somewhere in there about bikes being prepped and legal for the event that they're competing. If some of the event is run on public roadways, then the bikes need to be plated, unless otherwise sanctioned by the local officials - which apparently isn't the case.

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I don't see this as harassing. They should have plates.

I know, but as I said a lot of enduros are run by riders without plates because they can't/won't get their bikes plated. This is part of a larger problem facing offroad riders as areas available continue to shrink and be closed off or cut into pieces forcing riders onto public roads. The temptation of a long ride linking many areas together is enough to draw a lot of MX and dirt bikes. These events also help local communities with people who camp, rent out rooms, and eat at the local dinners. It seemes like harrasment for the police to wait for them at the end of their ride.

On the flip side Zach is correct. All AMA santioned events require bikes to meet guidlines for noise, spark arresting, and be street legal if traveling on public roads. However, all you need to do is drive around a town like McArthur to see the ATVs that are never street legal being used by locals on the road. Are the police stopping and ticketing them too? I don't know. But if they are it certainly isn't effecting the use of ATVs on public roads. :wtf:

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There isn't a single legally owned bike that can't be plated in ohio.

exceptions are not reason enough to ignore the laws.

the fact is, most of those guys would go around saying, "no i don't have a plate, it's never been a problem..." oops.

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There isn't a single legally owned bike that can't be plated in ohio.
:wtf: There are lots of bikes that are not sold with head lights or tail lights and don't have a stator big enough to run either.
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:wtf: There are lots of bikes that are not sold with head lights or tail lights and don't have a stator big enough to run either.

i didn't say that they could be registered in stock form.

and getting a title is a bitch in ohio in MOST cases on dirtbikes

not true.

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zach is right. it takes about 5 mins and 6 dollars to do, if u are refering to getting it switched from offroad to motorcycle.

but if ur meaning that most dirtbikes only have a BOS then i have no idea.

Doesn't matter if it takes 6 months and a thousand dollars, you know it what it needs to be street legal and how much it will cost you.

Either make your bike legal for road use, or keep it off the road. It's pretty straight forward and simple. For my first 3 months in Ohio I did not have my concealed permit so using common sense... I didn't carry my concealed!

Now that I moved to CA I once again don't have a state legal concealed permit, so the concealed stays home until I do.

Can't get upset over folks getting cited for breaking a known law.

Edited by AOW
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There isn't a single legally owned bike that can't be plated in ohio.

exceptions are not reason enough to ignore the laws.

the fact is, most of those guys would go around saying, "no i don't have a plate, it's never been a problem..." oops.

I can get a fully lighted, street ready Aprilia RS125 2-stroke with a stamp on the frame that says, "for offroad use" legally. Can I get it plated in Ohio then?

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I really understand what each of you is saying and I have even gone to the expense of transforming my YZ426 into a street legal ride with turn signals and everything just so I can go between trails around McArthur. Like I said, I'm not sure how to feel. Part of me is really pissed they would hit them right at the end of the ride like that knowing they'd be coming back through. Bit like ticketing a bunch of parade floats and Shriners in their little clown cars at the end of the parade for not being street legal. :lol:

But I know these guys are all warned about needing to be street legal. It's just the first time I've ever seen law enforcement ticket riders for not obeying. Hell, at the Peace Pipe in Greenville I've seen police block off the road so riders can transition from one area to another. Granted a lot of Greenville riders DO follow the rules and have plates on their bikes, even if the plate is not for that bike. :)

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I think it's a little idotic. They are there for a race, what changes (besides making nieve people happy) by adding that little plate?

The intent of the law is lost here. These people are probably safer to be on the streets than most everyday drivers. Why do all the laws suddenly need to change when a tire touches pavement?

Did they break the law? Yes. Is it a stupid law? In this case I believe so, it does have it's place though.

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I've done this ride in past years and alot guys tie their street-bike plate on, throw on a rear-view mirror, and don't have any problems. I'm not saying it's right but it makes sense to look legal ? My WR isn't technically street legal, but my DT400 plate makes it all look legit ! A lot of locals jump in on the trails and tag along for free. The AMA does look over each bike at the start for head-light , tail-light , plate , mirror.

These events are not races .... they are "rides". (and they are a blast)

If your not a C+ , B rider .... your not gonna make the A-lines.

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I think it's a little idotic. They are there for a race, what changes (besides making nieve people happy) by adding that little plate?

The intent of the law is lost here. These people are probably safer to be on the streets than most everyday drivers. Why do all the laws suddenly need to change when a tire touches pavement?

Did they break the law? Yes. Is it a stupid law? In this case I believe so, it does have it's place though.

I hate to break it to you, but the law doesn't have a line that says "If the person is experienced they don't need a license plate"... Hey, drinking and driving is illegal, unless you're a really good drunk driver, in that case it's fine.

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LAWS ARE SO LAME. The govt wants it share of $$$$ brought to them by the AMA event. Yea they broke a law and will pay the price. They are out there trying to have fun and keep the 2 wheeled love alive! Cops should be out catching bad drivers and stopping crime not picking on an event where"dirt" machines have to be plated.

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Attached from another forum from someone at the event.

this was an ACES enduro (I'm a member of one of the ACES clubs and involved somewhat with the ACES organization as well) which is AMA sanctioned and it is well published/known that all ACES enduros are "open course" and require a plate and lights. ACES as a whole has been easy on the riders in that we don't check registration/insurance/MC endorsement like some other areas. At tech, we check to see if you have a plate, but we let people get away with mounting them to their chest protectors or bolting them to the top of the rear fender instead of requiring proper mounting under the taillight. We don't cross check the plate to the registration paperwork and VIN of the bike.

As to this particular race and why we went through town, the start/staging area is in the town at the county junior fair grounds. It wasn't a situation where we started elsewhere and showed up unannounced. This was the 52nd annual race, so it is well known. Has been a National many times back in the day, so the town has seen large turnouts and longtime residents know who we are and welcome us with open arms. Another aspect that needs to be known is that this is a small town, maybe a population of 3000. Not exactly a 1 stoplight town, but it's not a booming metropolis. This is southeast Ohio where the 2 major industries are strip mining and logging.

At the end of the day, the only thing the cop was checking was valid registration, insurance, and MC endorsement. He wasn't concerned about lights, signals, mirrors, or the rest. He didn't like it when the plates were registered to the rider's Harley at home in his garage and not the KTM that was being ridden.

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