What is a Street Legal Bike?
A street legal bike is a two-wheeled cycle equipped with the necessary components that allow it to legally operate on public roadways and highways. The authorities impose these requirements to help ensure the safety of bike riders and other motorists who operate on the road. Street legal bikes are also required to adhere to various motor vehicle codes that apply to standard vehicles, including proper safety features like lights, turn signals, and mirrors to help keep cyclists visible and to prevent accidents with other vehicles. These are just a few of the different safety features that must be present to make the bike street legal. Additionally, there are various legal classifications that can apply to street legal bikes , including whether the bike has been classified as highway-legal, street-registered, or road-legal. In order to classify as a street legal bike, the bike often must first be registered and pass inspections in accordance with local laws before being given an on-road classification and permitted to drive on public highways. For many of the same reasons that they are required for standard vehicles, street legal bikes must adhere to state requirements and inspections to ensure ensure they are roadworthy and adequately protect both the rider and those around them while the bike is in operation. Street legal bikes can also differ from off-road bikes by having additional requirements for safety features, such as lights and turn signals, which do not usually apply to off-road bikes.
Basic Equipment Requirements
To be street legal, a motorbike must be equipped with certain basic equipment. Required items include a headlight, taillight, stoplight, rearview mirror and a horn. The bike must have a reflector on each side as well as a brigthening device. For any model manufactured or sold after 1985, the vehicle also needs to be equipped with turn signals. The lights must be operational during "the hours of darkness," which is defined by statute as a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, but the relevant regulations also refer to "any period of limited visibility" and "when natural light is not sufficient to clearly see a person or vehicle." Any motorbike not equipped with turn signals may still be legal if it has a steady white headlight, a white incandescent bulb on the front fender, a steady red tail light, and a steady red stoplight.
Emissions and Noise
Like many rules there are exceptions. The exceptions include restrictive provisions, or state special laws for the street legal motorcycle established by the Federal Government. The old Honda CR250R came with a pipe that is far more restrictive then the stock 2006 CRF450F exhaust system. However the emission stand rules for street bikes are typically much more onerous than what’s required for a motorcycle intended for off-road use. The street legal motorcycles have to meet certain sound limits, and in the case of a two-stroke engine, certain emission limits. Getting down to brass tax, a motorcycle is not legal for on highway use unless it meets US EPA requirements and conforms to California regulations, if intended for sale (or registered) in California. As an example, according to the Texas Motor Vehicle Code Tit. 43 Ch. 217 Art. 5 Rule 217.3 – Emission standards for motorcycles, mopeds, and ATVs no person shall operate or allow the operation of a motorcycle, moped, or ATV on any public highway unless the motorcycle, moped, or ATV meets the standards prescribed in 40 CFR Part 205, Subpart A. The Tennessee Administrative Code 1200-3-25-.04 – Emission Standards for Motorcycles, Mopeds, and ATVs also notes ‘No person shall operate or allow the operation of any motorcycle, moped, or all-terrain vehicle on any public highway unless the motorcycle, moped, or all-terrain vehicle meets one of the following standards: (1) the motorcycle, moped, or all-terrain vehicle meets the applicable standards prescribed in 40 CFR Part 205, Subpart A (Emission Standards for Motorcycles, Mopeds, and ATVs).’ Many other state’s refer to the EPA regulations regarding emissions and noise standards. But there are other actives states have taken to regulate emissions and noise from public highways. In California, for example, the State Air Resources Board established the Off-Road Motorcycle and All-Terrain Vehicle (OMR/ATV) Program to reduce emissions from off-road motorcycles and ATVs. The California Off Road Recomply Program was effective July 1, 2003, all new off-road motorcycles and ATVs must meet the California sound level standard. The OMR/ATV Program requires that all motorcycles and ATVs (except previously registered) registered after July 1, 2003 be equipped with a U.S. EPA or California ARB certified muffler. Another resource for the emissions testing standards is the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). Through its cooperative Motorcycle Emissions Program and Environmental Testing Laboratory, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has developed noise and exhaust emissions test procedures for assessing compliance with the new motorcycle environmental regulations effective January 1, 2000. Section 1.10 covers Exhaust Noise Measurement Procedures and Section 1.50 covers Exhaust Emissions Test Procedures. The noise testing procedure consists of a three speed stationary noise test, which can be performed on any model year vehicle. The noise thresholds limits are essentially the same for 1986, 1999, and 2000 or later model year vehicles. The MIC notes new disposition codes for the technical committee. The old code "U" has been replaced with "LEN", for not previously manufactured for highway operation." The new "U" code stands for "unable to test."
Tires and Brakes
Most state motorcycle laws are based in part on requirements for motorcycles as set forth in the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The federal law governing street-legal motorcycle tire specifications, 49 CFR 571.119 (FMVSS 119), which was first adopted in 1966 and has been amended at least ten times since, is quite complicated and specifies a number of different requirements related to tires such as sidewall markings and rim sizes. FMVSS 119 also requires that motorcycles manufactured after January 1, 1975 must be equipped with a parking brake.
All of the states have similar laws requiring that motorcycles be equipped with tires designed for highway use and a parking brake. However, given that most regulation is intended to prevent "the creation of messes" (such as blowing out tires or oil slicks on the roadway), most enforcement is focused on whether the tires are on the motorcycle and whether there is a functioning brake. In practice, this means that the type of tire (i.e. dual sport, street, off-road, etc.) or whether or not the motorcycle has a front brake only will not be a problem, unless the motorcycle is never occasionally used on the roadway.
License and Registration
Licensing and registration are integral aspects of ensuring the safe and responsible operation of any vehicle on the road. When it comes to street legal bikes, this process entails adhering to specific legal requirements for insurance and documentation.
Insurance is a pivotal component in the licensing process. It serves as a safety net for both the rider and the general public by ensuring that all parties are financially protected in case of an accident or incident. Licensing on a street legal bike requires insurance coverage that meets or exceeds the minimum legal limits in your area. This not only provides peace of mind but also allows the local authorities to have confidence in the fact that all street legal bikes are adequately insured. Therefore, insurance plays a vital role not just in personal protection, but in fostering responsible riding culture .
In addition to insurance, street legal bikes must also be registered. The registration process involves obtaining a certificate that serves as proof of compliance with all the necessary legal requirements. This is where documentation comes into play. All street legal bikes are required to be accompanied by official documentation that includes the make, model, and year of the bike, as well as the vehicle identification number (VIN). This data is essential for law enforcement and regulatory agencies to verify the legal status of the vehicle, and it helps promote safer and more accountable riding. Licensing and registration thus go hand and hand in ensuring that street legal bikes adhere to all safety regulations and maintain accountability while on the road.
Variations in State Law
The requirements for a street legal bike can differ from state to state in the United States. For instance, some states may have specific requirements for the size and type of tires that can be used on a street legal bike. These requirements can be important to those looking to ride a street legal bike on their local roads.
In Kentucky, for example, the law requires that the wheels of a street legal bike must have at least 14-inch tires. The tire must also be fitted to a rim that is at least 16 inches in diameter. Similarly, in the state of Virginia, the law states that the wheels of a street legal bike must have at least 12-inch tires.
In addition to wheel requirements, some states also require a street legal bike to be equipped with certain safety features, such as front and rear lights. For example, in Wisconsin, the law requires that a street legal bike must be equipped with at least one headlight, at least one taillight, and at least one brake light. Michigan, on the other hand, does not require that a street legal bike be equipped with any lights.
Finally, some states may have other requirements for a street legal bike, such as noise regulations. In California, for instance, the law requires that a street legal bike must not exceed a noise level of 86 decibels. To comply with these noise requirements, many street legal bikes are outfitted with mufflers and other noise-dampening devices.
As you can see, the requirements for a street legal bike can vary from state to state and local municipality to local municipality. It is therefore important for those looking to ride a street legal bike on their local roads to check their local laws and regulations.
Conversion of Off-Road Bike
It was easy to get a dual purpose street and off road motorcycle here in California since a dual purpose bike is both street legal and off road capable. But it gets more difficult if you are looking at a new or used dirt only motorcycle, (off-road not street legal) and want to use it as a dual purpose motorcycle. In order to make your dirt only bike street legal and equipped legally for street use, then certain equipment will be required. The following list will give you some idea of what will be required:
This list is not all-inclusive, but it gives you a general idea of what the California Highway Patrol will look for if you are stopped on a motorcycle that isn’t equipped as the law requires.
Regarding costs, you can expect to spend anywhere from around $200 for the minimum (headlight, taillight, and horn), to just over $500 for a better system, with most off road manufacturers offering a "DOT pack" that will put you on the street for around $300 to $400 . Be sure and ask them to include a DOT front tire when you order the aftermarket headlight, tail light, and horn even if that means waiting a couple of days, since the distance between the two tires will make the dirt only tire wider than the DOT tire, and make the vehicle wider than necessary since the added width of the dirt only tire will move the bike’s rear tire too far to the right to stay within the 102 inch maximum width allowed under the California Vehicle Code. These conversions will be more expensive, often costing thousands of dollars to make the off road motorcycle street legal. Some companies offer conversion kits to make a dirt bike street legal. Be sure and check with your insurance company before making the conversion to see if they will insure the conversion you have in mind.