i dont know anyone that has got in trouble yet so sorry if to you this is a dope question

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--Jake.

It depends on the laws in your country/state/county/city

I believe in arizona, a quad can be registered as a motorcycle.

In my state, you can't drive on roads, and if you get caught they can arrest you, impound your quad, charge you with various infractions from driving without insurance to various other traffic offences. Don't just trust your local cop though!!! Most cops go to 4-12 weeks of training where they learn 99% of the law that they are ever going to learn. You really need to do the reading yourself. Unfortunately, in my state, there are no ATV laws, but I havn't found an insurance agency that does insurance for Jetmoto Quads =(

The laws here are so murky that I'm not sure what exactly I can and can't do. Any cop will tell you there is no way you can drive one on the road. There is however a website with info on ATV laws. Google search for "ATV LAWS" and you will find it.

-JNY

They don't bother me. I live in a rural community in KY, where they do allow atv on road operation for ag purposes. I put a chain saw in the mount so it looks like I'm working, and of greater importance - I don't act irresponsibly. Muffler is in good shape, and I have radial tires that don't make a lot of noise. Don't cut across other people's land. I don't give my neighbors any reason to complain, and on occasion, have helped saw up trees that fell across the road.

From what I've heard, most ATV busts here come from someone being annoying to the residents. The police are busy, they have other things to do. If you're responsible, don't tear up someone else's land, and don't draw attention to yourself, they'll usually leave you alone.

that makes sense ,

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--Jake.

JohnO: Very good points. The fact is, that if you use your head and don't act like a pissed off teenager, you might not have a problem. I haven't had any issued, as I also live in a rural area, and people I know in the neighborhood also make short trips across our paved road to get to the dirt road near my house that goes back into the woods. It's not been a problem, however my brother isn't exactly smart, and drove a Kazuma Falcon 110 right in front of the police station on the shoulder of a major 50mph highway. He went to jail and the quad got towed. Genius!

-JNY

here in florida atv's are allowed on any unpaved road. except in one county(walton county)the county i live in. they are trying to get that reversed though. until then the cops usually just talk to you to make sure your not.causing trouble. if they geta complaint they will come out and tell you to get it off the road. but using your head keeps that from happening. now if your dui on a atv here they will treat you the same as if you were in a car.

The DUI thing is the same just about everywhere. The only way you will not get a DUI while on the road is if you are considered a pedestrian (like if you are in a powered wheelchair.) Bicycles/mopeds/etc are NOT considered pedestrians. One guy in Germany actually got stopped while drunk in his wheelchair and going down the middle of a highway. All they could do there was put him in the drunk tank overnight. haha

Don't drink and drive ANYTHING! Life is not a video game. We have basically no laws in SC on ATVs, but I'm really unclear about some of the local laws. They are conflicting and vague. I hope to get to the library soon and read the ATV laws again and see what exactly the rules are. Best I can understand, you can't have an ATV on any road, at any time, legally.

-JNY

Here in my county, you can't ride on any numbered HWY, but other roads are OK if you are over 16yrs, wearing a helmet, and the ATV is registered and insured. 50km/h limit (30km/h in subdivisions).
If you're tearing up and down the streets like a jackass, and somebody takes offense, you will get hassled.

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'02 Big Bear
Supertrapp IDS2
K&N
26" Mudlites
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'06 Bruin 350 4x4
25" Mudlites
-SOLD-
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'06 Her Chee 90 (DS90)
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'07 Rhino 660
K&N
RAIS Powertube
EPI Clutch Kit
Hunterworks Tri-Fire CDI
26" Mudlite XTRs
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'08 Grizzly 700FI EPS
HMF Penland Pro + Optimizer
Twin Air Filter
FPS Clutch Kit
26" Mudlite XTRs

Wow, that is a pretty cool setup for the laws. You can't get insurance (as far as I can find) on a jetmoto quad, or I would get it just for theft, etc. I wish we had laws like yours, although I don't expect to get hassled. It would be nice to be able to drive mine 1 mile down my (paved) road to the gas station instead of having to fill up a gas container and haul it around.

-JNY

Grab some gears and run. (unless is a auto)

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07 Can-am Renegade800
29.5outlaws/vinson rims, Warn 2500 winch, HMF pipe/EFI chip, Twin Air, Moose H&T warmer, Dalton clutch

"grab some gears" What do you mean by that? Downshift?

Yeah, there are NEVER cops on my road, but just in case I happen across one, I wouldn't want to get towed and jailed for that. I bought a 5 gallon tank because I wanted to make sure it would last for a while (my ATV tank is only like 1.3 gallons or something) but it's only a 250.

-JNY

I live in Mississippi and they might let you slide if your on a utility atv and doing something that has to be done. But if they see hauling butt on a sport atv doing 60-70 they will impound your atv and you will have to pay a fine to get it back. I don't think they will send you to jail though.

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2006 Honda 400EX
1998 Yamaha Timberwolf

This stuff all depends on where you live. Take Western PA, for example. My cousin lives by the strip mines a few blocks away from his house in West Pittsburg, but they don't have a police department. So now they have state police patrol around there. They don't really mind if you ride the road soley to get to your riding spots. I live in Ellwood City. I usually take a road that is hardly used, but I went another way, a cop saw me, and it was over. Good thing my dad knew him. So now, I had to spend $70 on a giant chain and a lock, and have to keep it at my dad's friend's house, outside, with no garage. So I bought some tarps and some bricks. And now I'll have to rent space for my quads for the winter. Bull.

When I see a cop I dont know what he does. I dont look back. That would be admission of eluding! Maintain course and speed to the nearest trail and dont look back. Never had a problem. Never even knew if a cop ever chased me.LOL

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ride it like you stole it

86 honda 250r 39mm Sudco racing carb, ported, milled head,paul turner ELIMINATOR pipe, 208psi, 110 octane. I just love the smell of race fuel and toasted 4 strokes in the morning

03 660 craptor
the slow machine

86 honda death trap
250r frame/929rr motor
Never made it past 4th gear. Its just too fast, things just get crazy at 110 on an atv LOL

why did you bring a knife to a gunfight, mine has 4 cylinders

Where I live if they see you on the road they would stop u if they could catch u. They would give u a warning the first time and the second time they catch u u get a ticket and they impound ur bike. It really sometimes depend on the cop if hes a bitch or not. But really they give u a warning the only time they impound ur bike is if u do something really stupid like try to run.

Here in Western NY, it all depends on the cop. I see ATVS buzzing down roads sometimes, always fast. When I ride I ride on the SIDE with my lights flashing (like hazards, I click my lights on and off). I usually only ride a short ways. However, in NY the DMV laws say you CAN ride on roads only if it's a must, and only for short times. I have never been pinched for it.

However, in the more rural parts (Appleton) I ride a lot on the roads, and I see a lot of ATVs on the road.

Anyone here in NY or WNY have any experience with riding on the road?

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1986 TRX250 Honda
1986 350x Honda
1986 Big Red 250 Honda
2002 Honda Foreman 450ES

After a 12 pack, I become invisible and the cops can't see me

Seriously, the individual states make the laws and set the requirements. Each county and/or city CAN have their own laws and regulations, but they CANNOT BE LESS STRINGENT than state laws. Bottom line is, ATV on-road use is illegal in all but about five states. If counties and cities are letting you get away with riding on the highways, it's not because of any local law. It's because they are CHOOSING not to enforce the existing laws.

HERE is the link to state specific requirements.

Please ride safe and legal

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2007 X2
Vision 160 Wheels
Xtreme 3000 Winch
3 Headlight Mod.
Work Light Mod.
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XR70R - "The Clown Bike"

I agree, as long as you ride on roads sparingly and not IN traffic/ AS traffic responsibly most will let it slide or warn you.

Here in NEw York, the laws only state to stay of of Highways, not residential roads.

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1986 TRX250 Honda
1986 350x Honda
1986 Big Red 250 Honda
2002 Honda Foreman 450ES

Forgive my stupidity, but what's the difference?

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2007 X2
Vision 160 Wheels
Xtreme 3000 Winch
3 Headlight Mod.
Work Light Mod.
------------------------------
XR70R - "The Clown Bike"

Wouldn't a highway be high volume route? Unless according to the law it's simplified into one term ease. I wouldn't consider the road my house is on a highway since there's like 5 cars a day on it. However, perhaps to the law it is the same. I have always wondered if they count streets, alleys, terraces, cul de sacs and drives as "Highways".

I don't know, I would think they would say "public roads" instead of "highways".

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1986 TRX250 Honda
1986 350x Honda
1986 Big Red 250 Honda
2002 Honda Foreman 450ES

Yeah, there is no difference. The only roads (or highway or county roads or cul de sacs or motorways) I can legally ride on are certain forest service roads inside a National Park that is designated for ORV use. Even then I am only allowed to drive to and from the trailhead.

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2007 X2
Vision 160 Wheels
Xtreme 3000 Winch
3 Headlight Mod.
Work Light Mod.
------------------------------
XR70R - "The Clown Bike"