Off-Roading In Mass - WTF?!

[Hammerspur]

Someone told me that one must have some variety of ORV permit to legally ride off-road in MA
even if riding a registered street legal dual sport...?!

Is this true? Pretty lame if it is!
I thought ORV regulations were only pertinent to non-street legal machines, ATV's, quads and such.

Is this all bunk... or does it include plated vehicles as well?

[Sheppo]

You must have a ma orv plate and be in approved area's or orv plate or not you will get towed and or fined. That is why I ride N.H.

[Hammerspur]

Where does one get ORV plate, where do you have to mount it, how much does this excuse for tax revenue cost?

[R7]

There's an office in Fall River, probably the closest to you. I've heard rumors of being able to do it online for out of staters, but never looked into it. I believe you can also mail the paperwork in as well.

Yes, it is true you need a ORV sticker even if you have a street plate if you want to ride in the state forests that permit ORV use. That law just started last year, it's also the same for New Hampshire and is "grey" area of the laws in Maine.

What bike do you have? There's is a great forest close by in Pachaug, Ct that has a 60+ mile loop open only to street plated bikes. That forest, an ORV plate is no good in.

[Hammerspur]

What bike do you have? There's is a great forest close by in Pachaug, Ct that has a 60+ mile loop open only to street plated bikes. That forest, an ORV plate is no good in.

Bike, DR350SE and YES to Pachaug... plan to check it out for sure!

Geo. Washington Mgmt. Area In RI as well. Have been hiking there extensively this season with my buddy and our dogs.
Also rode and drove it almost daily in the late 60's - early 70's. Good spot!

See my post here if not familiar: http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...ml#post1148342

[Rossco]

Where does one get ORV plate, where do you have to mount it, how much does this excuse for tax revenue cost?

I too am interested in this. However, it's not necessarily an excuse for tax revenue, maybe in Mass, but in NH I'm pretty sure the revenue from these permits goes towards maintaining trails.

[FalArAk]

I went through the f'n nightmare of registering my KTM through the Environmental Police last week in Worcester.

1) Register it at RMV..Pay sales tax,Title and registration...No problem except for the wait...I am plating my bike for the street as well.

2) Drive down to the place in Worcester off Gold Star Blvd to get the ORV sticker.

3) Was told I need a waiver from sales tax,get that from the office across the hall.

4) .gov stooge across the hall said I need a bill of sale because the registration I just got earlier in the day that said I paid sales tax,didn't actually prove I paid sales tax.For some reason,a Bill of Sale is needed.

5) Go back to EP office and they have blank B.O.S. there.

6) Drive from Worcester to Lexington where my friend works to get his signature.

7) Go to .gov stooge again and he is questioning me on the B.O.S. form I just got filled out..Talks to me like I am a little kid..Throws his hands up in the air and curses RMV because he said I should have a title.I told him that the title was in my friends name and is no longer valid since I went to RMV and got the bike registered in my name.

8) Have to listen to this .gov stooge berate me for another 5 minutes because I didn't have the title,just the registration dated that day and in my name.

9) Bring sales tax waiver back to the EP office across the hall,pay money and get sticker...The lady there was cool.

I burned a day off for the pleasure of dealing with the state .gov...I try to be a law abiding citizen and do everything right..For my troubles I was accused of stealing the bike and forging the registration from RMV by a little 5' 3" troll looking .gov stooge that looked like he stepped straight out of the cast of Lord of the Rings.

Hopefully next year I can get this shit done online.

Rant over,going riding.

[theothersean]

even if you want to ride on your own private property in mass you must have your off road vehicle registered.

ELE (environmental law enforcement ) has the right to come on your private property with out your permission to check on your registration , and they can fine you for not having it registered .

so in other words , I own a street registered dual sport ,
I paid my sales tax,
paid for street registration
paid for title
pay insurance ,
pay excise tax ,
pay my land taxes
and I now have to pay an off road registration fee to ride that bike on my own private land .


bottom line is that it is a revenue maker for the state to collect sales tax on all off road vehicles and get the reg fee . both of which go directly to keep the ELE as a seperate entity and not become absorbed into the state police .

welcome to taxachusetts

[Kurlon]

FYI, the law isn't gray in ME, they spell out that you need an OHV reg, OR a street reg, no need for both.

[R7]

I'll have to search for the link again, but that's not true. It was something like the ORV trails that were on state owned land, you needed to have an ORV sticker to ride them. The ORV trails that went on private owned land you needed an ORV sticker or a street registration. Some trails are also ATV only, no dirtbikes! The topic was also talked about a lot last winter on NEDB with the same results. By "grey", it was more of a how do you know if you're on state or private trails?
It's really not an issue, I'd have no problem supporting a trail system like Maine has with a double registration

FYI, the law isn't gray in ME, they spell out that you need an OHV reg, OR a street reg, no need for both.

[R7]

Let me know when you want to check Pachaug out, I know most of the loop.

Geo Washington area is not legal...may be tollerated, but isn't legal.
If you want to hit up a small single track loop sometime, send me a PM

Bike, DR350SE and YES to Pachaug... plan to check it out for sure!

Geo. Washington Mgmt. Area In RI as well. Have been hiking there extensively this season with my buddy and our dogs.
Also rode and drove it almost daily in the late 60's - early 70's. Good spot!

See my post here if not familiar: http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...ml#post1148342

[rvtjonny]

Let me know when you want to check Pachaug out, I know most of the loop.

Geo Washington area is not legal...may be tollerated, but isn't legal.
If you want to hit up a small single track loop sometime, send me a PM

I wanted to check this spot out too but told is was to rocky for my little TW200

[Hammerspur]

Geo Washington area is not legal...may be tollerated, but isn't legal.

... Dirt roads, trails, power line, pipeline... some of it "quasi-legal."

Much of the "Trails" are open dirt roads you can drive a car or truck on legally.
Registered street legal motorcycle would be no different.

[trider143]

Pachaug info can be found here:

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325070

Had not heard about this location before, but reading this thread and info about the 'enduro' trail has gained my interest.

[R7]

It's not the rocks I'd worry about, it's the water/mud holes that you'll have to get creative to avoid. Still, plenty of riding there and I wouldn't let that stop you.

I wanted to check this spot out too but told is was to rocky for my little TW200

Sorry, I just thought you wanted trails/single track seeing your main question was about Mass state forests.

Much of the "Trails" are open dirt roads you can drive a car or truck on legally.
Registered street legal motorcycle would be no different.

[Hammerspur]

Let me know when you want to check Pachaug out, I know most of the loop.
If you want to hit up a small single track loop sometime, send me a PM

Sorry, I just thought you wanted trails/single track seeing your main question was about Mass state forests.

No, I'm sorry... didn't mean to sound argumentative. Thanks for the offer, I'd really like to hook up sometime.
I'm trying to find info about as many nearby venues as possible. Variety is the spice and all that.

For the moment I'm waiting for stuff ordered to arrive and need to find time to finish the work of installing it and other stuff already received... bike sits semi-stripped right now.

Also, probably be checking out chicken-routes to reacquaint myself... been off the dirt for over 30 years!

[Chippertheripper]

it's $40 for 2 years for the mass orv stickers. The plates are history. If you plan in riding in nh, plan on paying there too.
Even if you're street reg'd, even on you're own property. (I realize you're from ri)

[Hammerspur]

it's $40 for 2 years for the mass orv stickers.(I realize you're from ri)

Do you know if that fee is only for residents, more for out of staters?
Also which department might issue them (Environmental Police, Department of Transportation, Conservation and Recreation)?

[Chippertheripper]

I take that back. You will pay $30/yr.
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/instructionspage.htm#ATV
Is it worth it to be slightly less illegal most places you'll go? That's your call.

[Stromper]

They need the sticker money to pay for the bureaucracy that issues the stickers

[Point37]

I wanted to check this spot out too but told is was to rocky for my little TW200

i'd like to check this place out sometime as well and I'm riding a tw200 as well johnny...when you want to go check it out let me know, if i can swing the time i'll def go...i haven't gotten my orv sticker yet and if it's legal to ride here with a street plate i def want to go for a rip

[gamorg02]

FYI, the law isn't gray in ME, they spell out that you need an OHV reg, OR a street reg, no need for both.

this is what i thought too. i had the epa police or whatever check my xr which is street registered (but not inspected) and they said "ok good to go".

[boosten lebaron]

I live in mass but ive been taking my dirty bikes into the state forests in ct for the last year or so. Ive never been bothered and im as illegal as humanly possible. Being on an atv is a no go though, they hate them. Usually when im riding with my friends they get stopped on there atvs and they just wave me away. Im always out in nipmunk state forest and hull state forest. Lots of woods trails.

[union]

I live in mass but ive been taking my dirty bikes into the state forests in ct for the last year or so. Ive never been bothered and im as illegal as humanly possible. Being on an atv is a no go though, they hate them. Usually when im riding with my friends they get stopped on there atvs and they just wave me away. Im always out in nipmunk state forest and hull state forest. Lots of woods trails.

I refuse to ride with atvs. They are not allowed where I go but whats worse is their attitudes to the trails are different then most that ride on two wheels. Most people Ive met on two wheels are interested in keeping the trails in good shape and open. The atv guys just dont seem to care at all. one had asked me where the trails were while I was riding. He wanted to follow me. I told him he wouldnt fit on the trails that I was going on and pointed him in the direction of trails wide enough for his atv. He replied with "I make my own trails". I think he might have made it a corner or two behind me. Never saw him again.

Franklin opens up soon. I think first Sunday in May. Ill have to check to be sure. A sticker is required to not be hassled out there. There are some fun trails. I still have a bit of exploring to do out there. I know one side pretty good. The other side I get lost pretty easy. If you want to ride out there when its open Im game.

[Hammerspur]

I refuse to ride with atvs. The atv guys just dont seem to care at all... pointed him in the direction of trails wide enough for his atv. He replied with "I make my own trails".

There is an upside to this cavalier attitude from my experience.
In unmaintained, low scrutiny areas quads have in the last few years transformed impassable brushy second growth stuff into usable entertainment.
I've hiked many of these with my dog and they should be good for 2 wheels too.

Wildlife seems to benefit as well... their bulldozing opens choked areas to new succulent growth for foraging/browsing as evidenced by the quantity of deer tracks traversing the new lanes.


Just saying...