Enduros › Getting street legal

This article is courtesy of Chuck Marler, Hughes Network Systems and is posted with his permission.

You don’t have to have a “street legal” motorcycle to race a “closed course” enduro, but some enduro events use public roads and streets to connect different trail sections.

To protect the event organizers and host clubs from liability, and to get permission from local and state authorities to hold the event, some enduros, and especially East Coast enduros, require that the motorcycle and rider be “street legal”.

Some of the trail sections are connected to each other and to the camping access by public roads and therefore the host club must verify at sign up that you have a valid registration, insurance, and license.

They are also required to have technical inspections prior to the start to verify you have a valid license plate, a spark arrestor, pass a -95 db sound test and are carrying all of your valid paperwork.

The host club does not have the luxury of assuming the liability of a rider who gets pulled over by a trooper while participating in an enduro event.

If a rider gets a ticket during an East Coast enduro event, the rider will be automatically disqualified.

With that being said…You need three things:

  1. Valid motorcycle license
  2. A valid insurance card
  3. A valid license plate and registration card

…getting a plate is pretty easy…You can contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles to find the inspection and registration requirements for your state, and then go about getting DOT (Department of Transportation) approved tires, headlights, lighting coils, turn signals, brake lights and switches, horn, mirrors, etc…. by purchasing and installing them yourself, or you can buy a “dual sport” kit from Baja Designs (by clicking this link) or by calling them at (858) 578-9111.

You also need valid insurance..

As long as you have a motorcycle license, insurance is very cheap for basic liability.

Call PROGRESSIVE insurance 1-800-274-4499 or click this link to go to Progressive.com

These are great folks, who insure a lot of motorcycles. I think they have a 50 dollar annual policy premium minimum however.

It’s not as painful as it sounds, I just try to give you all the information you will need. Once you are street legal, you will LOVE enduros!