Becoming Street Legal
To ensure that your dirt bike is fully legal for use on public roads, you must have both the necessary paperwork and the appropriate equipment. In California, the following basic requirements apply for making your dirt bike street legal: Dirt bikes are classified as motorcycles under CVC 400 and therefore must have all equipment that is required of other motorcycles on record with the California Highway Patrol. For your dirt bike to be eligible for registration and obtain a motorcycle license plate, you will need to possess a valid OES-17 Police Special Equipment Inspection Permit. This permit signifies that your dirt bike meets all necessary safety standards and has been approved by the CHP.
If your dirt bike was previously registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and you have all necessary paperwork from the sale available, you can apply for an original title, as well as obtain license plates. If you have lost any paperwork, it is essential that you replace those items through the DMV before attempting to register your dirt bike . In order to meet DMV requirements, you must provide a Bill of Sale for Off Road Vehicles, a Bill of Sale for Off Highway Motorcycle or ATV or a Certificate of Title for vehicles requiring a VIN Verification form, see: form REG 62. After you have obtained all relevant documents and passed through the DMV, you can register your dirt bike and receive registration stickers and license plates. Once you have acquired all the necessary registering documentation, it is time to focus on the equipment you will need in order to make your dirt bike street legal. For starters, you will need to grind down your stock throttle stop, as well as equip your dirt bike with a handlebar mirror, street tires and turn signals. You also must possess a motor vehicle operator’s license in order to operate a dirt bike on public roads. Additionally, your dirt bike must be equipped with an exhaust system that has an EPA label and the engine configuration must comply with EPA regulations. If your dirt bike does not already meet these requirements, you may be able to make alterations in order to comply.
Why You Need CARB
The California Air Resources Board, or CARB for short, is responsible for protecting the public from harmful emissions, including both to air quality and human health. In order for a dirt bike to be street legal in California, it must comply with CARB regulations. If you plan to ride your dirt bike on state highways, local roads and city streets in California, it is imperative that it meets all emissions standards set by CARB. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will conduct inspections to make sure emission standards are met when you apply for a street-legal designation for your bike. Once you receive the designation, CARB will issue you a Certificate of Compliance. If you are considering purchasing a new dirt bike and plan to ride in on-road and off-road environments, it is best to ensure that it is already CARB compliant. As of 2017, all new motorcycles purchased from a certified dealer in California must be CARB approved. To check if the dirt bike you are considering is CARB compliant, visit the CARB website and conduct an online search to see if it is already registered. If you have an older dirt bike that you think may be eligible for a street-legal designation, you will have to go through an after-market system test to prove that it meets CARB regulations. You can also purchase an aftermarket racing system that may not be CARB compliant to ride off-road but then switch it out for a CARB-compliant one to ride on-road. If you don’t have a CARB-compliant dirt bike and you plan to ride on City of Angels roads, you may want to reconsider. A COP will definitely issue you a citation, in addition to other fines given by the DMV and CARB itself for non-compliance with emissions standards. If you purchased a dirt bike without realizing it wasn’t CARB-compliant, you may be able to return it for a full refund within 30 days. When shopping for a dirt bike, always check to see if it’s CARB-certified to save yourself thousands of dollars in DMV and CARB fines. Even the most basic bike will meet CARB standards. If you’re unsure, consult with a trusted motorcycle mechanic in your area.
Obtaining a VIN Verification
Registering street motorcycles, mopeds & scooters is pretty straightforward. However, if you are trying to make your dirt bike street legal in California there is one more step that needs to be done first.
Most authorized motor vehicle dealers can obtain a VIN verification for you on your behalf. You may also be able to get it through an authorized service provider that has a bonded agent. There are a few inspections stations you can go to, but they have to be approved for this.
Also, I have heard that the DMV can end up doing VIN verifications at some of its offices as well. However you choose to get your VIN verification, all of these avenues will require the same verification form that we will provide for you.
If you are already a DMCA client, and have given us a copy of the motorcycle title (unladen) and your DL, our office will prepare and send you the VIN verification page for your bike. If you are not already a DMCA client, just email us a copy of the motorcycle title (unladen) and a copy of your driver’s license.
Registering the Dirt Bike
The process to register a dirt bike for street use, like most aspects of that process is largely specific to the state you live in. In California, registering a dirt bike or motorcycle may not be too difficult, but it also may not be cheap. Unless you purchased a street legal dirt bike or motorcycle and are simply transferring your registration, you may have to pay some sort of fee to convert your dirt bike from off road use only to off road use and street use. One example of this is the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) motorcycle inspection. The CHP motorcycle inspection verifies that the motorcycle meets all the requirements of law, including emission requirements. If you missed the first part about how to make your dirt bike street legal, click this link for some of the more common requirements for making dirt bikes street legal. You will have to gather specific information so that the inspector can verify that your motorcycle meets these requirements. If the motorcycle does not meet specific requirements, the CHP will issue a refer that directs you to an authorized licensee to perform the repairs. To avoid any problems, it is best to get any necessary work done before you bring the motorcycle into the CHP for inspection. But, you will also need certain paperwork that includes "proof" that you completed the work.
There are several fees that you will need to pay to obtain the necessary certification for your dirt bike. So, what are those fees? Here’s a list:
Here’s another potential cost. If you did not get the inspection and certification and instead obtained a homebuilt certificate from the DMV, the DMV has a $60 fee for registering the dirt bike.
Also even if you get it certified by the CHP you may still have to pay this $60 fee. According to the DMV, current registration card, original owners certificate (if it is a bonded title vehicle), a R/A (reconstructed/assembled) title, two inspections for certification, a completer operation form, an $18 inspection fee, and a $72 cal-id fee ($60 of which goes to the CHP), as prescribed by the Vehicle Code 44013, and DMV regulations 2253, 2239, 2237, 2230, 2237.
If you do get it certified by the CHP, you will also need to visit your DMV local office. DMV offices are adamant that this is illegal and that you must go to your DMV local office to make such changes in person, this has not been universally followed and in fact there are many websites that argue that the DMV form simply must be signed and mailed to the appropriate DMV office. Good luck.
You may also want to obtain a motorcycle endorsement. The cost for a motorcycle endorsement on a driver’s license is $32. The application for a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license is DMV Form DL 389 but you can simply provide your DMV with your existing driver’s license and they will provide you with a new one with the motorcycle endorsement.
Getting Insurance for Your Dirt Bike
Navigating the world of insurance requirements for dirt bikes can be confusing, especially if you’re transitioning from off-road riding to the streets. For a California street-legal dirt bike, the most important forms of insurance are liability and medical coverage. The state requires riders to have a minimum amount of liability insurance to cover any damage they may cause to others, but going above and beyond that with higher coverage limits is always a good idea. Beyond that, riders are also encouraged to carry medical payments coverage in case of personal injury while riding. This type of coverage ensures that you will be compensated for medical expenses regardless of liability , making it an important rule-of-thumb to have at least the minimum amount of medical coverage.
Another tip for choosing coverage is to make sure that the policy will cover your bike for both on-road and off-road riding. This is especially important if you intend to use your bike for both types of riding. It’s also a good idea to look for discounts, such as multi-bike discounts, to save money. Before you make a decision, it’s best to explore your options with different providers and ask as many questions as possible, ensuring that you choose the plan that’s right for your unique needs.
Common Modifications to Consider
One of the first things that riders often have to modify is the actual wheels and tires that are on their bike. A dirt bike typically has knobby tires and spokes wheels, and a street motorcycle generally has what’s called a cast wheel with a road tire on it. The rim assembly is a cast wheel of an alloy product that is welded to another alloy product of the rim, generally a two-piece assembly with the hub. That is the type of assembly required for a street legal motorcycle; a dirt bike will simply not pass inspection. The typical modifications needed are to change the spokes wheel and knobby tires to a cast wheel with a road tire.
The second thing that people would want to change is the exhaust system, to enable the rider to be able to pass a sound decibel test. On a dirt bike, the exhaust system is very loud because it has no baffle to contain the amount of sound reaching the rider’s ears. Generally, one would want to install an exhaust system that is quieter than the one that came on the dirt bike, to bring the noise output down to a level that would pass the decibel test. Depending on the authority where they get the inspection done, some riders may be required to go even further by adding a catalytic converter to your exhaust system to help reduce carbon emissions.
The third thing that one would typically want to change would be the lighting system. Street legal motorcycles need to have a front headlight and rear tail light, and the fourth item needed on a motorcycle generally is a license plate light, to be able to not only identify the number but to illuminate the plate as well.
Oftentimes, people will get outliers on their motorcycles, so there are various different types. There’s a stick-on light where the reflective material on the end acts like a laser, and when the headlight strikes it, it lights up. There are antennas that have a neon-type wire that give off light, and there are actual light strips that can be installed on certain areas of the motorcycle that will illuminate in different colors, depending on how they’re wired to the battery.
Legal Issues and Safety Concerns
California law is particularly stringent about noise control as dirt bikes make their way through the recreational riding landscape. In fact, California has taken its noise laws so seriously that they cannot only affect the volume of your dirt bike’s exhaust, but also will influence other aftermarket products like pipes, headers, and even air filters. A bike that is not fitted with the proper aftermarket accessories is often said to have been "uncorked," as its original components have been replaced by more open aftermarket options. If you have an after-market pipe or other component, you’ll need to ensure that those are compliant with substantial research on what kind of silencer is needed. Campgrounds and other areas with noise ordinances may utilize noise sensitive meters. Be that as it may, just because your dirt bike contains an aftermarket silencer doesn’t mean that you are in the clear.
California law dictates that a first-time offender be fined $100. Repeat offenders could pay up to $250 to the state. While riding a non-compliant dirt bike on public roads and collecting fines could be the least of your worries. The Southern California mountains provide a number of dangerous places that aren’t compatible with unprotected riding or even an unlicensed rider behind the handle bars . The Sierra Pass in Inyo County is considered among California’s most dangerous and strenuous off-road dirt bike trails in California. The combination of jagged rocks and steep cliffs makes for treacherous riding conditions.
According to the Inyo County sheriff’s office, there were seventy-one reported motorcycle crashes in 2011. Over half of these accidents were on dirt bikes and ATVs. Twenty of them resulted in fatal injuries. Calfire in San Bernardino County reports that, during the same year, another sixty-eight motorcycle crashes were reported, all of which came from off-road riding, particularly exploring the "hills." There were forty-five serious injuries and six fatalities as a result of these crashes.
Concern over months of wildfires in California, bike riders on public roads and trails face additional scrutiny. Exploring trails that have been burned from wildfires in the past twenty years, can make for unsafe riding as well as a fine from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Calfire.) In short, the monetary implications of riding a non-compliant dirt bike on public roadways make dirt bike owners subject to ticketing. The risk to life and limb riding a dirt bike on public roadways or trails is significant and deserves proper equipment, including safety gear, a street legal conversion kit, and an abundance of caution.