I would say over 90% of the places we know of DO NOT allow riding out of camp. DW and I have a very small list of campgrounds where riding is OK.
Owning a TH allows you to boondock, however in our state they are cracking down on this too. Our friends don't have TT or TH so they need a campground. We usually have the friends tow a trailer for taking the quads/mc's to a trailhead.
I bought an XR650L because of this very reason. I also feel fortunate to have lived in a time (35-10 years ago) when this was not an issue. It was so much better and easier to camp back then. The govt/tree huggers/powers that be are doing a dis-service to the minority group that rides like us.
Yep, plated bike for me! But there are some campgrounds that state no motorcycles PERIOD. I boycott them for the principle, even if I leave the bike at home.
I was in a National Forest campground in Big Bear, CA a few years ago with my plated dirt bike. First the campground host came over and told me to make sure my "dirt bike" stayed on the pavement and that I could not ride it in the campground. I pointed to the plate and informed him, nicely, that it was not a dirt bike, it was an on road motorcycle, legal to ride on the street; he was cool. Then the next day I was riding out the gate with all my gear on and the lady ranger at the entrance kiosk jumped out to flag me down about riding my dirt bike, she saw the plate and smiled and told me to have a nice ride!
I would say over 90% of the places we know of DO NOT allow riding out of camp. DW and I have a very small list of campgrounds where riding is OK.
Owning a TH allows you to boondock, however in our state they are cracking down on this too. Our friends don't have TT or TH so they need a campground. We usually have the friends tow a trailer for taking the quads/mc's to a trailhead.
I bought an XR650L because of this very reason. I also feel fortunate to have lived in a time (35-10 years ago) when this was not an issue. It was so much better and easier to camp back then. The govt/tree huggers/powers that be are doing a dis-service to the minority group that rides like us.
Yep, plated bike for me! But there are some campgrounds that state no motorcycles PERIOD. I boycott them for the principle, even if I leave the bike at home.
I was in a National Forest campground in Big Bear, CA a few years ago with my plated dirt bike. First the campground host came over and told me to make sure my "dirt bike" stayed on the pavement and that I could not ride it in the campground. I pointed to the plate and informed him, nicely, that it was not a dirt bike, it was an on road motorcycle, legal to ride on the street; he was cool. Then the next day I was riding out the gate with all my gear on and the lady ranger at the entrance kiosk jumped out to flag me down about riding my dirt bike, she saw the plate and smiled and told me to have a nice ride!
I ride the Arrowhead and Big bear areas their really enforcing all of that C R A P ! That's why I had my 04 CRF 450 R Red Sticker Bike Plated in AZ so I can cruise down those fire roads and campgrounds. P.S. the Rangers can STOP you but the camp Host can't stop you. What campground were you in?
Having had friends encounter this very issue while at Moab UT, I set about finding my own fix. What I setteled on was a "Diamond Back" ATV rack that is a side loader (with folding aluminum ramps) and carries both of our 700 Arctic Cat ATV's. It installs easily by clamping the center section to the bed then both forward and aft sections hing to the center section. The rack provides lockable weather proof accessable storage within the truck bed. I can install or remove in about 15 minutes by myself. My 5th wheel hitch (Companion) remains in place. When it comes time to get on the road, the 3 sections of the Diamond Back stow on the top bunk in the garage and the ramps ride along side the hitch in the truck bed.
the bear II wrote: Don't take a chance. We once rode our non-street legal dirt bikes across a highway to get from one trail to another. A highway patrolman saw us and luckily didn't give us a ticket... but we did get a stern warning. He said it would have been ok if we had walked them across.
I would trailer them to the trail head and make sure the trailer is locked to the truck and the truck has an alarm. Thieves know you won't be back for awhile if they see an empty trailer at a trailhead.
Typically, you're allowed to CROSS a highway, just not allowed to drive down the highway.
Best recommendation is to check with local authorities prior to your visit. In Calif, where we off-road pretty regularly, you can in all cases cross the highway/road in perpendicular fashion. Riding paralell to the road on the edge/shoulder may be a violation depending on how far away you are from the road itself. Call the local ranger, warden, or sheriff's office first, they'll inform you. Another resource is local campgrounds, often the owners or managers know the local customs that apply.
We haul 2 'full size' ATVs. When we got our TH I also bought a cheap boat trailer from Harbor Freight or other such store, weighs about 150#, comes in 2 7' sections, only 2 bolts to mess with. Intent was to load one ATV in TV bed, other on ex-boat trailer. Have single loading ramp, load ATV on TV then use ramp as 'floor' of ex-boat trrailer for 2d ATV. Ex-boat trailer easily fits in TV bed around 5er hitch. But where we've gone so far haven't had to use it.
Before buying the ex-boat trailer toyed with idea of using couple of cut-to-size ramps mounted/clamped on TV bed rails, carry the two ATVs side by side over the TV bed. Yes, TV is full 8' bed.
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