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[deleted] t1_jdxqwk0 wrote

Why don’t we just let people register these things for the street?

Edit: Wow, spectacular downvoting. For those who think I’m just talking shit, my comment is in good faith - I think if you provide a legal pathway for these guys there’s a lot less incentive to ride in packs and commit other crimes to evade police.

Here’s the rider’s logic in a police pursuit: Option 1: get pulled over, have your bike taken, and probably get arrested if not assaulted. Option 2: Run like hell

But if your bike is legal, you at least have an opportunity to cooperate with police without losing your bike and your freedom.

Off road bikes and ATVs are a little different, but there’s no technical reason they can’t be ridden on pavement. In fact they are probably a lot safer around providence than your run of the mill 1000cc, 200mph sportbike which you can take anywhere, not to mention the hoardes of obnoxious retirees on straight-piped Harleys that descend on any place you might expect to have a quiet afternoon all summer.

It’s funny how many people here routinely cheer the destruction of public property and law enforcement institutions in the name of racial justice, but LOSE THEIR MINDS over some black kids having fun on motorcycles. Let’s not forget the cop PULLED A GUN on someone here as if that’s an acceptable deescalation tactic.

TLDR: the initial illegality of this particular kind of bike/atv adds to a culture of recklessness among people who choose to ride them. Allowing folks to register might disincentivize riding like a complete asshole to some extent.

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jjayzx t1_jdxsplz wrote

There are dirt bikes for the street, they are called street bikes. I see some around at times. It's about being road-worthy, headlights, signals, mirrors and such. Do you think these people that do this illegally as is, would when there are places to drive these legally? Or if their manners of driving would be proper versus their complete illegal behavior currently? Doubt any of it and biggest one being them even bothering to have the proper equipment or paying for registration and insurance.

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[deleted] t1_je1l5ri wrote

You can get mirrors and lights on Amazon for probably under $100. Provided everything else works that’s all you should need to be road worthy. If you have a legal bike registered in your name, not only can you enjoy it like a normal person but you might think twice next time you flip off a cop. That’s my logic

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wenestvedt t1_jdy24o1 wrote

Street-legal bikes are both less cool and more expensive (because they have things like blinkers, etc.).

These kids buy dirt bikes knowing full well it isn't legal to ride them on city streets.

As far as I know it's not legal in parks, either, or most publicly-owned woods, but they don't seem to care about that, either. Pretty much these are for privately-owned land.

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[deleted] t1_je1limg wrote

If they were legal on city streets, do you think they’d still buy them?

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wenestvedt t1_je1v9gr wrote

As long as they are loud and can be used to misbehave, I think so, sadly.

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[deleted] t1_je1ypbq wrote

Then why not collect some tax revenue from it?

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wenestvedt t1_je272sm wrote

My guess is because the DMV is only charged with managing vehicles for use on roads.

Tractors, for example, are only subject to their requirements when they are moving from field to field -- and even then they kind of get a pass, running with their flashers on.

Again, that's my understanding from growing up in an ag state.

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[deleted] t1_je0mg8q wrote

[deleted]

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[deleted] t1_je1j1ww wrote

I ride a DRZ. In many places you can get MX bikes registered if you add mirrors, horn, and appropriate lights. Just seems like if these kids were legal they’d have less of incentive to blast through red lights while being chased over paperwork/other traffic infringements.

If you’re unregistered and you get pulled over, it’s impound and maybe arrest. If you’re registered it’s a ticket. So to me the whole incentive for these guys to bolt and do dumb stuff and ride in packs is based off of the fact they are committing a misdemeanor off the word go.

Sort of like when I used to buy weed from the drug dealer I’d accidentally leave with a gram of coke and three perc 30s. Now I just go to the store and everything is kosher.

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