age and requirements to ride on trails | GTAMotorcycle.com

age and requirements to ride on trails

Offroadandrc

New member
I want to ride on trails arould my house what is the required age to ride a dirt bike on trails and what plates ect would I need to be completely legit
 
There's no required age, but unless you are riding on your OWN property, you must have a licensed bike and liability insurance. A regular street plate and insurance will work, but for dirt bikes you'll typically have an "off road only" plate with green lettering, which is cheaper and easier to get than a street plate (you don't need a safety inspection, etc, and it doesn't expire). The off road only liability insurance is also much, much cheaper than street insurance.

The licensing and insurance are the easy part - usually the hard part is determining who owns the trails and whether you are allowed to ride there. Just because you see people riding on the trails doesn't mean that they (or you) are allowed to be there, and the OPP may show up if the owners get fed up with trespassers.

If the land is private property, you need the permission of the owner(s), or belong to an organization that has negotiated permission with the owners. If it is owned by the municipality there will often be bylaws prohibiting offroad vehicle use. Crown land is generally open to everyone, but some areas may be restricted due to environmental concerns. So it can be difficult to figure out where you can legally ride. The OFTR site has some guidance on popular legal riding areas.

Even in the areas that are legal for you to ride, there is probably a local trail/ATV association that maintains the trails and who will insist that you belong to their club or an umbrella organization in order to ride.
 
A few more points, if I may:

As sated below if it is a municpal trail, (such as a rail trail), which is open under a bylaw for ATV's and sleds they are often NOT open to dirt bikes, or dirt bikes mayhave "limited access". The best example of this is the Kawartha Lakes. The rail trail is open to atv's and sleds for it's entire length. But dirt bikes are omly permitted on the section from Burnt River to 11th Concession, (close to Kinmount).

As for an ATV organization maintaining trails we do so BUT, we direct dirt bike owners to OFTR for a permit we, (KATVA) do NOT sell permits to dirt bikes, although we welcome you to use and enjoy the trails we maintain. We have a working relationship with OFTR, and OFTR contributes to some trail projects on shared trails. I am unaware of ANY ATV club requiring a dirt bike to buy a membership to use trails. OFTR, does encourage riders to buy permits even for crown land as most places in southern Ontario these trails at some point also cross private lands.

As for permission on private property as stated it is 100% required, (but it is not sufficent to just have "verbal permission" If a complaint is made you arereuired to show WRITTEN proof of permission otherwise the police "may" lay a charge if requested by the property owner. The other poster is 100% correct just because people "ride there all the time" doesn't mean it is legal probably the best examples of this is the Raglan Pits and the OPG property south of the 401 in Clarington. Police often lay charges there.

Go look at the OFTR website and join the org, they do a LOT for off road bike riders. The membership is VERY reasonable, and they will provide maps and guidance where you can ride legally.
There's no required age, but unless you are riding on your OWN property, you must have a licensed bike and liability insurance. A regular street plate and insurance will work, but for dirt bikes you'll typically have an "off road only" plate with green lettering, which is cheaper and easier to get than a street plate (you don't need a safety inspection, etc, and it doesn't expire). The off road only liability insurance is also much, much cheaper than street insurance.

The licensing and insurance are the easy part - usually the hard part is determining who owns the trails and whether you are allowed to ride there. Just because you see people riding on the trails doesn't mean that they (or you) are allowed to be there, and the OPP may show up if the owners get fed up with trespassers.

If the land is private property, you need the permission of the owner(s), or belong to an organization that has negotiated permission with the owners. If it is owned by the municipality there will often be bylaws prohibiting offroad vehicle use. Crown land is generally open to everyone, but some areas may be restricted due to environmental concerns. So it can be difficult to figure out where you can legally ride. The OFTR site has some guidance on popular legal riding areas.

Even in the areas that are legal for you to ride, there is probably a local trail/ATV association that maintains the trails and who will insist that you belong to their club or an umbrella organization in order to ride.
 
we ride the Northumberland forest, I am led to believe that having a valid trail permit in mandatory in this area, OFTR. (we have them) we do have green plates and insurance. OPP monitor these trails as we have had our paperwork checked....
 

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