Regulations for Off-Highway Motorcycles

This page updated March 12, 1999

Changes to standards for off-highway motorcycles

At its December 1998 meeting, the Air Resources Board (ARB) revised the

regulations governing the registration and use of off-highway recreational

vehicles (OHRV). These include off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) and

all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Due to limited product availability, the revised

regulations allow ATVs and OHMs that do not meet the new emission

standards to be ridden during certain periods of the year - mainly fall,

winter and spring months - when ozone levels are low. Ozone is one of the

most health-damaging components of smog.

Sales and seasonal use of non-conforming OHRVs

The revised regulations allow the sale of non-complying, two-stroke

OHRVs. However, people purchasing non-complying vehicles will receive

a red sticker from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

which must be affixed to the vehicle. The red sticker identifies the vehicle as

non-complying and limits its recreational use in off-highway riding areas to

designated months when the ARB has determined that ozone levels are low.

The months when riding non-complying vehicles is allowed varies from

location to location. Persons who ride red-sticker vehicles during months

that are not designated for riding for those vehicles are subject to citations

and fines. The chart on the back of this page shows the riding areas and the

seasons when use of non-complying vehicles is permitted.

Mile-for mile, unregulated 2-stroke     off-highway motorcycles create smog     forming emissions equal to 118 new cars

Green Sticker program continues for conforming OHRVs

Vehicles complying with state emission standards are not subject to the

calendar constraints of non-complying vehicles. Complying vehicles are

issued a green sticker by the DMV and are allowed to ride year-round in

designated off-highway riding areas throughout the state. 

The need for off-highway vehicle standards

The previous regulations were adopted by the Board in 1994 and went into

effect January 1, 1997. The standards called for new OHMs and ATVs

with engines greater than 90cc manufactured in 1997 or later and sold in

California starting in 1997 to meet grams-per-kilometer (g/km) emissions

standards of 1.2 hydrocarbons (HC) and 15.0 carbon monoxide (CO).

New vehicles with engines 90cc or less have to meet the same emission

standards beginning in 1999.

Prior to adoption of the old standards, off-highway vehicles were

unregulated for air emissions. Sales data showed that the majority of

OHRVs, and motorcycles in particular, were powered by "two-stroke"

engines. These engines are highly inefficient and allow up to 30 percent

fuel to pass through the engine unburned. An unregulated OHM

contributes 118 times more HC emissions per mile than a new 1997 passenger car.

The history of developing regulations for OHRVs

To improve air quality in California, the ARB saw clear and compelling

reasons to adopt OHRV regulations. When the regulations were adopted in

1994, the Board concluded that manufacturers, with three years lead time,

would by 1997 be able to produce and sell in California a full line of

OHRVs meeting the new emission standards. It was anticipated that at first

manufacturers would sell OHRVs powered by cleaner four-stroke engines

(this was the case in the 1980s with on-highway motorcycles) and that

modified, cleaner two-stroke engines would later come into use. At the

1994 Board meeting, industry was, for the most part, in agreement with

ARB's proposal. Industry and trade organization testimony centered around

requests for a time extension, which ARB approved, for vehicles with engines under 90cc.

After the regulations were passed, however, OHRV user groups and dealers

began meeting with ARB staff and asking for more flexible regulations.

These requests were made at a time when it was becoming apparent that

motorcycle manufacturers were not providing a wide range and number of

motorcycles that could be certified to meet California's new emission

regulations. While a wide range of ATVs meeting the new regulations were

being certified, the number of OHMs was lacking. To date, only 10 models

of off-highway motorcycles have been certified to the new standards. This

has resulted in fewer sales and economic hardships for many dealers;

particularly those dealers selling brands where manufacturers have not

certified any OHMs for California sale.

Seasonal riding areas

California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division

Carnegie

Nov 1 - Apr 30

Clay Pit

Nov 1 - Jun 30

Hollister Hills

Oct 1 - May 31

Hungry Valley

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Ocotillo Wells

Oct 15 - May 15

Oceano Dunes

Sep 15 - May 15

Prairie City

Oct 15 - Apr 15

Mammoth Bar

Oct 1 - May 31

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Bakersfield District Office

Clear Creek Management Area

Oct 1 - May 31

Bishop Resource Area

Year-round

BLM Norcal

Fort Sage OHV Area

Year-round

Samoa Dunes

Year-round

Black Sands Beach

Year-round

Chappie-Shasta ORV

Oct 1 - May 31

South Cow Mountain RA

Year-round

Knoxville Recreation Area

Year-round

California Desert District Office

Olancha Dunes

Year-round

Spangler Hills

Oct 1 - May 31

Jawbone Canyon/Dove Springs

Oct 1 - May 31

Dumont Dunes

Nov 1 - Apr 30

Stoddard Valley

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Johnson Valley

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Superstition Mountain

Oct 1 - May 31

Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis/Gecko)

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Plaster City

Oct 1 - May 31

Imperial Sand Dunes (Buttercup Valley)

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Lark Canyon (McCain Valley)

Oct 1 - Jan 31

Rasor

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Imperial Sand Dunes (Mammoth Wash)

Oct 1- Apr 30

El Mirage/Shadow Mountains

Nov 1 - Mar 15

Rice Valley Dunes

Year-round

Parker Strip

Year-round

United States Forest Service (USFS)

Angeles National Forest

Mt. Baldy Ranger District

Dec 1 - Jan 31

Rowher Flat

Nov 1 - Mar 31

Tujunga Ranger District

Dec 1 - Jan 31

Littlerock

Nov 1 - Mar 31

Cleveland National Forest

Corral Canyon

Dec 1 - Jan 31

Wildomar

Dec 1 - Feb 28 (29 on leap years)

Eldorado National Forest

Mace Mill/Rock Creek

Oct 15 - May 31

Barrett Lake

Year-round

Inyo National Forest

Poleta

Year-round

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Kings Beach

Year-round

Los Padres National Forest

Alamo Mountain

Oct 15 - Apr 30

Ballinger Canyon

Nov 1 - Mar 15

Black Mountain (Pozo-LaPanza)

Oct 1 - Apr 30

Santa Barbara Ranger District

Nov 15 - Mar 15

Ortega Trail

Nov 15 - Mar 15

Mendocino National Forest

Davis Flat

Year-round

Lake Pillsbury

Year-round

Elk Mountain Area

Year-round

Plumas National Forest

Gold Lake

Year-round

Dixie Mountain

Year-round

Mosquito Creek/Antelope Lake

Year-round

Lights Creek/ Canyon Dam

Year-round

Deadman Springs/Snake Lake

Year-round

Cleghorn Bar/Poker Flat/La Porte

Year-round

Big Creek/Four Tees

Year-round

French Creek/Bucks Summi

Year-round

San Bernardino National Forest

Lake Arrowead Area

Nov 1 - Feb 28 (29 on leap years)

Big Bear Lake Area

Nov 1 - Feb 28 (29 on leap years)

San Jacinto Area

Nov 1 - Feb 28 (29 on leap years)

Lytle Creek Area

Nov 1 - Feb 28 (29 on leap years)

Sequoia National Forest

Tule River Ranger District

Nov 1 - Apr 30

Frog Meadow Area

Nov 1 - Apr 30

Kennedy Meadows

Year-round

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Hayfork Area

Year-round

McCloud Ranger District

Year-round

Sierra National Forest

Kings River

Nov 1 - May 31

Shaver Lake Area

Nov 1 - May 31

Hites Cove

Nov 1 - May 31

Miami Creek

Nov 1 - May 31

Six Rivers National Forest

Smith Rivers NRA

Year-round

Stanislaus National Forest

Niagara Ridge Area/Herring Creek

Year-round

Date Flat Area/Moore Creek Area

Oct 1 - May 31

Deer Creek Area/Hull Creek Area

Oct 1 - May 31

Corral Hollow/Spicer

Oct 1 - May 31

Tahoe National Forest

Foresthill OHV Area

Oct 1 - May 31

Fordyce Jeep Trail

Oct 1 - May 31

Truckee Ranger District

Year-round

Prosser Hills Area

Year-round

Downieville Ranger District

Year-round

Cities, Counties, or other Jurisdictions

Frank Raines-Deer Creek OHV Park

Oct 1 - May 31

La Grange ORV Park

Nov 1 - Mar 31

Park Moabi

Year-round

Riverfront Park ORV Area

Year-round

Co. of Santa Clara Motorcycle Park

Nov 1 - Apr 30

Black Butte Lake

Year-round

For more information

Please contact the Air Resources Board:

(800) 242-4450 (USA only) or (800) END-SMOG (California only)

To contact us in writing:

P.O. Box 2815, Sacramento, CA 95812

This info came from the following web address

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/ofhwymc.htm

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