QWR's Factory Plated 500 EXC Dual-Sport
QWR has been getting a number of questions from riders in
California asking about the purchase of a dual-sport motorcycle or doing a
dual-sport conversion on a “Green-Sticker” off-highway motorcycle.
In the late 1990s, the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) determined that it was illegal to register off-highway motorcycles for street
use unless they were CARB or EPA certified for highway use. QWR believes that decision was based on an
ever changing regulatory climate that has become a foundation block of this
state.
Today, the dual-sport enthusiast has only two legal
options in the State of California. One,
they can purchase a street-legal dual-sport that came from the factory as
such. Or, they can purchase a used “Green-Sticker”
off-highway motorcycle that was purchased new by December 31, 2003 and where
the owner had initiated its dual-sport conversion with the DMV no later than
January 31, 2004.
The 1st Land-Use Battle Bike - a 1995 Honda XR600 that was
Plated BEFORE the DMV Deadline
QWR believes that travel management and other land-use
restrictions has increased the demand for street-legal dual-sport motorcycles
so that riders can connect various trail networks that are separated by paved roads
where non-street legal motorcycles are prohibited.
Based on that demand, the Industry has responded with a
wide variety of factory plated dual-sport motorcycles. QWR urges riders who are getting into the
dual-sport market to do their research and find that new or used dual-sport
motorcycle that both meets their need and complies with California law.
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