Anyone running a street legal motocross bike?

[TheLastByte]

So every so often my local classifieds will spit out some weird build where someone has managed to register and street legalize a two stroke motocross bike, usually Japanese machines from the late 90's / early 2000's. I've always wanted to get me one of these relics from the two stroke's golden age but I neither have any easy way to get a bike to my local trails without riding it briefly on the street, nor any local trails long enough to make a trip out worth it if I can't connect them via pavement anyway. 

 

Getting a street legal two stroke seems like an obvious solution. I know that riding such a bike on pavement won't actually be very much fun (at least compared to riding it on dirt), but I'm not too concerned about that since I'll only be using it to connect trails. However I am concerned about the narrow ratio transmissions most of them feature. Is it possible to gear a old mx bike like a cr250 or kx250 low enough to be enjoyable to ride in singletrack while still retaining the capability to cruise at 55 for a few minutes without damaging anything? Any other concerns or things to keep in mind before I buy? 

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2018 by TheLastByte

[I'm trying]

11 minutes ago, TheLastByte said:

So every so often my local classifieds will spit out some weird build where someone has managed to register and street legalize a two stroke motocross bike, usually Japanese machines from the late 90's / early 2000's. I've always wanted to get me one of these relics from the two stroke's golden age but I neither have any easy way to get a bike to my local trails without riding it briefly on the street, nor any local trails long enough to make a trip out worth it if I can't connect them via pavement anyway. 

 

Getting a street legal two stroke seems like an obvious solution. I know that riding such a bike on pavement won't actually be very much fun (at least compared to riding it on dirt), but I'm not too concerned about that since I'll only be using it to connect trails. However I am concerned about the narrow ratio transmissions most of them feature. Is it possible to gear a old mx bike like a cr250 or kx250 low enough to be enjoyable to ride in singletrack while still retaining the capability to cruise at 55 for a few minutes without damaging anything? Any other concerns or things to keep in mind before I buy? 

 

 

 

I guess you could gear it higher. But then you'd have to be doing a lot more clutch work on the trails to keep from stalling. Cruising at 55 on pavement though is going to kill the tires. 

[TheLastByte]

1 minute ago, I'm trying said:

I guess you could gear it higher. But then you'd have to be doing a lot more clutch work on the trails to keep from stalling. Cruising at 55 on pavement though is going to kill the tires. 

Do I actually need to gear it higher though? I'm not looking to cruise down the interstate here, just on back roads for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. 

[I'm trying]

3 minutes ago, TheLastByte said:

Do I actually need to gear it higher though? I'm not looking to cruise down the interstate here, just on back roads for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. 

I guess you don't need to. Depending on what and how you're riding. Tight single track or more relaxed trails. All about compromise. I wouldn't worry about back roads at say 30-40mph. But just keep in mind higher revs equal more wear on the engine and the pavement is not so good for knobbies. You can compromise with taller gearing and less aggressive tires that will work better on the street. Depends on what you want out of it.

[I'm trying]

I found this a while ago looking CR500's. I really wanted to know how he got it street legal. If I was going this route though I'd put a bigger tank on for sure and some sumo rims for the street and save the the knobbies for the trails and have different gearing for both.

[EmpireofDerp]

Do I actually need to gear it higher though? I'm not looking to cruise down the interstate here, just on back roads for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. 

No, you don't, my 99 yz250 cruises at about 50 just fine with stock gearing.

[TheLastByte]

1 hour ago, I'm trying said:

I found this a while ago looking CR500's. I really wanted to know how he got it street legal. If I was going this route though I'd put a bigger tank on for sure and some sumo rims for the street and save the the knobbies for the trails and have different gearing for both.

Holy &%$#@! man, that's an expensive bike. If that's typical for your area you have my condolences. 

[TheLastByte]

18 minutes ago, HevyRotashunz said:

1 hour ago, TheLastByte said:

Do I actually need to gear it higher though? I'm not looking to cruise down the interstate here, just on back roads for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. 

No, you don't, my 99 yz250 cruises at about 50 just fine with stock gearing.

Thanks, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Do you habe your yz set up for dualsport, trail riding, or mx? 

[EmpireofDerp]

Thanks, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Do you habe your yz set up for dualsport, trail riding, or mx? 

Fully trail set up. I don't ride it more than a couple miles at a time on paved road. I'll go 20 miles or more on gravel though.

[I'm trying]

10 minutes ago, TheLastByte said:

Holy &%$#@! man, that's an expensive bike. If that's typical for your area you have my condolences. 

Not typical. I liked the look of the bike as a base of something I might do with my cr250r. That's why I took the pic. This guy priced about 4-5k higher than normal for that bike. I think do to it being street legal.

[Steveharvey]

22 hours ago, TheLastByte said:

Thanks, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Do you habe your yz set up for dualsport, trail riding, or mx? 

Just passed inspection roadworthy. My 1981 Yamaha it465.  Roadworthy here in Colorado. One Headlight and one tail light with brake light. A horn and one mirror. DOT tires. And spark arrestor.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Steveharvey
Spelling xtra pic.

[6bt]

I'm getting ready to build one in a year or 2. I have a street legal 92' cr500 frame, and eline stator. I have a nice 01 500. We don't have much for nearby trails here, I just want it to ride to bike night or get ice cream lol.

I also have a plated 650r, they make a great Enduro bike.

[Shackleton]

22 hours ago, I'm trying said:

I found this a while ago looking CR500's. I really wanted to know how he got it street legal. If I was going this route though I'd put a bigger tank on for sure and some sumo rims for the street and save the the knobbies for the trails and have different gearing for both.

This is one of those that just sits on that site, while the seller waits for a sucker. Hell I have a 06 Mercedes E350 in mint cond. thats worth half of what he is asking. 

 

[willie]

The old IT, KDX and PE two stroke enduros made excellent street legal dirt bikes. They were basically MX bikes slightly detuned with a head/tail light and wider ratio transmission and spark arrestor. To register for the road would depend on local motor vehicle regulations concerning equipment requirements. As an example, the province I lived in required " Horn, head light with hi/lo beam, tail light, brake light, mirror, speedometer, and one service brake." I had a Kawasaki KDX 250 and a Canam 250 Qualifier registered for the road and used them for my basic transportation. I would get stopped occasionally by the police for no apparent reason other than check for insurance and registration and they would comment that the bike shouldn't be on the road but could not find any reason to ticket me. They would just scratch their heads and let me go on my merry way.  

[hondaxr650rrrr]

My Ex had a KTM 200 that made a great dirt oriented dualsport bike. Wide ratio 6spd, held enough fuel for 75mi.

[ridefst]

Dunno about the great white north, but in the states the laws are different for about every state.

I’ve done it in Ohio, it’s super easy. Just tell the clerk you want to convert to an on-road title, pay $5 and you’ll get a title that you can use to get a license plate.  No inspection or anything, just a paper.

Then you’ve got to do the mods, so if/when you get pulled over, everything looks good to the cop too: headlight, taillight, signals, a mirror, a horn, DOT legal tires. Pretty easy stuff, and if you do the rest, you can often slide by on the tires.

[RichieGoatGruff]

AZ is same as OH, basically... I haven't bothered with a horn, or front brake switch. If a cop does look, I'll get a fixit ticket, and have to add a horn. Haven't been looked at in too many years too count.

[DaveCR]

On ‎9‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 7:38 PM, ridefst said:

I’ve done it in Ohio, it’s super easy.

Bought a plated 380 there and had no issues plating it here. 

To the OP, if you don't mind driving a bit, picking up a plated bike out of state* will increase your number of choices.

*provided NY will register it...

[Paul Meyers]

used to ride a 1981 Maico 490 enduro 2 stroke (with lights and license plate). It was a bitch to start but a hoot to ride. Could ride up to 90 miles per hour without a fuss  with street tires on ( had 2 sets of wheels, steet and dirt)

[Padilen]

While not technically an MX bike but an Enduro.

I have a street legal GPX TSE250R. I'm in Michigan, an easier state to do this in. I even added turn signals not required.