Laws and license in toronto | GTAMotorcycle.com

Laws and license in toronto

Tianyu

New member
Hi~
I just came to Toronto for a month.
I am interested in dirt bike but I don't know where can play it.
If I buy a crf250, can I use it for commuting? (I live in DT and I am a student of Centennial College in progress)
Do i need m2 license or insurance?

THANKS FOR HELP
 
If you're only here for a month, the expenses and hassles involved in purchase, licensing (both you and the bike), and insurance for that period of time is going to be in no way realistic – just buy a TTC pass instead, or rent a car. Keep the weather in mind as well, we are no way out of the woods with regards to winter yet either, look at the forecast for the next 48 hours as a prime example – there will be plenty of periods that a bike will be no use to you in the next four weeks.
 
Riding on the street requires a street-plated bike and regular vehicle insurance (expensive) and a motorcycle license (M1 or better). Years ago you could legally convert a dirt bike to have a street plate and ride on the street, but they no longer allow that these days. You can still find some of those older converted bikes on the used market (look for "blue plated" in the description), but without a blue plate you will not be able to ride on the street. Even with a blue plate, you will be a prime target for police attention if you're riding it downtown, since none of these bikes came with proper street equipment like horns, turn signals or fenders.

If you just want to play around offroad, you don't need the street plate or motorcycle license. Depending on where you ride, you will need a green offroad plate and offroad insurance, but that is much cheaper than regular street insurance. There is nowhere legal to ride off road within the GTA itself though, so you'll also need a pickup truck or trailer to get the bike to a riding area (Simcoe forest or Ganaraska forest - both of which require an additional membership).

If you are just here for a short time, the best option would be to book a day or two with trailtours.ca. Use their bikes and you don't have to worry about license, insurance or gear.
 
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Pretty sure op meant he has been here for one month.

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Even with a blue plate, you will be a prime target for police attention if you're riding it downtown, since none of these bikes came with proper street equipment like horns, turn signals or fenders.

I agree with most of your post except this part - I've ridden a "barely legal dirtbike" that is completely road-legal from factory and without signals since 2008 and have never been pulled over by Toronto cops because I don't have turn signals. Not sure what bikes you are referring to, but I don't know of ANY bike that comes without fenders - and in order for a green plate bike to be converted to blue plate you NEED a horn, so if you are riding without a horn that's something you have removed since having safetied it.

My personal experience shows that cops don't pull me over just because I'm riding a bike with no turn signals and knobby tires - riding in a mature fashion is all that matters. I rode a 929 fireblade for several years, and in comparison I'm confident to say that cops are more concerned with crotch rocket sport bikes than blue-plated dirt bikes (although I can guarantee it would be easier escaping cops in the city on a dirtbike than a sportbike ;) .
 
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Fair enough; by fender, I meant a proper rear fender that actually works to keep spray off the people behind you, but it is somewhat encouraging to hear they don't bother you. I just figure that big ugly safety equipment is kind of a talisman against unwanted attention.

I had all the street legal stuff on mine when it was safetied, but most of it "fell off" as soon as I got home (as I suspect happens to many of these conversions), so maybe I'm just paranoid about being a bigger target than normal. Mine never sees the street anyway, aside from a few trips up and down my street to work out some bugs now and then.
 
I had all the street legal stuff on mine when it was safetied, but most of it "fell off" as soon as I got home

hahahah, I get that - and I think the "boonie" cops look for that more carefully than the city cops for stuff like that. One of the few times I was pulled over in the city (early in the season and the cop said they pull over almost every bike checking for valid insurance that time of year) they didn't even look at my knobbies - whereas in the boonies cops almost always check to make sure my knobbies are DOT approved and allowed for use on-road. Funny how most cops don't know easy it is to use a dremel to make off-road only tires appear to be road-worthy.
 
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Thank you very much!!!!:cool:
So you mean it doesn't ask a M2 to play dirt-bike offroad.
But I have to use truck to transmit my bike to special field.

Is there any club near the city? Can I leave my bike in the club(we always do this in China)?

^_^
 
Thank you very much!!!!:cool:
So you mean it doesn't ask a M2 to play dirt-bike offroad.
But I have to use truck to transmit my bike to special field.

Is there any club near the city? Can I leave my bike in the club(we always do this in China)?

^_^
 
Thank you very much!!!!:cool:
So you mean it doesn't ask a M2 to play dirt-bike offroad.
But I have to use truck to transmit my bike to special field.

Is there any club near the city? Can I leave my bike in the club(we always do this in China)?

^_^

The last time I was at TrailTours, they mentioned that they can store your bike for you, for a monthly fee. They aren't a club, but their rental/training facility is right beside Ganaraska forest. Their phone/email contact info is on their website if you want more details.
 
The last time I was at TrailTours, they mentioned that they can store your bike for you, for a monthly fee. They aren't a club, but their rental/training facility is right beside Ganaraska forest. Their phone/email contact info is on their website if you want more details.
nice!!! i will take a look of this!
THANKS
 
Tianyu,

If you get a dirt bike that is licensed for the road, like the crf250 you mentioned, you can ride to the trails. There are a number of us who ride to and then on the trail, then home.

If you want a bike that is much better on the trails and just for the trails... then you will need a truck, trailer, or find a place to store it for you.

As for where the trails are... wait until the nice weather arrives and join a group ride and we'll show you. The first planned ride of the year is the Bethany ride and this year is scheduled for April 17.
 

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