By MadCityKen on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I am looking for information on Wisconsin’s ATV registration laws. I was told by the dealer I purchased my MAX 6X6 from, that one of our senators accepted $5 million from three of the Japanese ATV manufacturers to re-write the registration requirements to in clude “48 inch max. width” and “ a seat designed to be straddled” into the definition of ATV, thus disqualifying my ATV from registration, and use on any State land or trails system. As a person with a disability, the Max is the only machine I can ride as I need to be in a seated or semi-reclined position.

Anyone having similar problems? Do you know where to start to change a law like this one? It seems the same Senator is currently facing some thirty felony counts for miss-use of his office and other things. Seems like a good time to look into this ATV law too.

Any help is appreciated.
Ken

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Ken, I would recommend going to your Motor vehicle registration department and asking some questions. If you are told "no way", I would take whatever they give you "proving their point" to the County Attorney's office and ask them how that complies with the "American's with Disabilities Act". The other thing I would do is contact your local legislators and ask them to introduce a law to address your concerns. I'm sure you are not the only Max owner in your state and others will benefit from and support your position.

The other way to do it is to be a dis-obedient and get arrested. Then use your condition and the "American with Disabilities Act" to get some press and a change in the laws.

I recently spent quite a bit of time getting the bureaucracy straightened out to just what the laws were here in Montana. The state title bureau was trying to do it wrong.

Go to http://www.constructionweblinks.com click on state agencies to find state laws.

By Ken on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The problem with civil disobedience is that the DNR controls ATV registration, and they tend to confiscate trucks, boats, guns, ATV’s and anything else they can if you are violating a law. I can’t see making payments on my Max when the DNR takes it away from me. The DNR has powers second only to GOD in this state. They do allow special use permits for “ATVs” on state land used by the disabled, but again, I’m not an ATV by their definition.

I’m only fifteen minutes from the capitol, so I’ll start there. I have done it before. I will sit in the governor's office and request to see him. After you make the receptionist uncomfortable by sitting and staring at her/him for a while, they usually put you in touch with the right person(s). I’ll keep you posted.

By Another_Rider on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Here in Virginia, ATV registration is not required. However, there is a distinction made on what vehicles can be used on State lands. ATVs are 48" or less, 3 or 4 wheeled vehicles, straddled, single rider, blah, blah, blah.

My Argo 8, due to it's footprint and # of wheels, exceeds all the above. It is considered an OHV/ORV, Off Highway Vehicle/Off Road Vehicle, and can only be used on trails designated as such. So I'm generally riding the truck/jeep trails, which I think are far more technical than the quad trails.

The beauty is that the quad crew are not allowed on the OHV/ORV trails, they are too small.

Now, back to the real topic...

I caution you regarding what your dealer told you about the 5 million. The quad folks are well organized and lobby hard, which is a good thing. That's the way our system is supposed to work. It has been my experience that most states have the same syntax in their laws regarding what constitutes an ATV and what does not. I like the idea of forcing the issue under ADA, every rule/law needs it's exception, one size does not fit all. A seperate plate perhaps?? Bottom line is, all changes start off with just one voice. Work the system!!!

****insert end of ramble here*****

By Mike on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Ken,I believe that I heard the same story from a Max dealer is Wisconsin. It may have been the same dealer. Just north of you I suspect. I was suprised to hear his story but it made me think about how the WIDNR's definition of an ATV came to be. One thing to think about is why the DNR has ignored AATV machines. There are not that many ATTV's in WI and the state would not make much in revenue from registering these types of machines. If they registered ATTV's then they may allow them on state trails. Do you remember when 3-4 wheelers were prohibited from using the state snowmobile trails several years ago? Someone got that changed because they are using the trails now.

By A on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Ken, I heard something in the grapevine the other day. It seems that with Polaris coming out with their bigger 4x4 machines, some are too big to fall under the Wisconsin definition of an ATV. There seems to be a move by someone to get the law changed or the definition of ATV changed. This might be a good time to tap the legislators on the shoulder and introduce them to the world of AATV's and say "me too"?

By Mike on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Wis AATV owners: read the 2003 WI hunting regulations, there has been a change in wording regarding use of vehicles on State Land. The regs used to say that use of vehicles (includes atvs and aatvs) on state owned land was illegal unless posted. The new listed prohibitions also include land under state control AND (this is the big one) land enrolled in the forest crop law program and managed forest programs. These last two catagories include land parcels that are privately owned. In the case of the private land, you have to have permission from the land owner to even park on their property. This restriction includes all of your cars, trucks, SUV's busses, anything that is motorized. What most people do not realize that this does not just mean private land in the small parcel sizes, but also the large acreage tracts of up to several thousand contiguous acres that are owned by the paper companies who welcome hunters on their property( because the law requires it when they are enrolled in these programs) so they get their property tax breaks.

My point in all of this is that now it is being published because of all of the complaints that the DNR has received about the 4x4 atv crowd tearing up the forest roads. The law has been on the books for years but not realy enforced. DNR in WI can't enforce the trespass laws but they certainly can enforce the other stuff in the hunting regulations and this includes vehicle use.

Just letting everyone know.