Since it's inception the myth and mahem surrounding Recreational Registration has gone from bad to worse, so at the request of one of our esteemed industry colleagues we attempt to set the record straight, or as stratight as we can anyway.
The "Official View" in Vic is in summary is as follows:
Recreational registration allows motorcycles to be used on forest roads numbered 3000-3999 (as shown in the current VicRoads Country Directory) and local roads outside built up areas.
Riding to and from these roads on a Rec reg Bike is not permitted.
Download the Vic Rec Reg Guidlines Here
OK so what does that mean:
Here's the real Deal
Along with the roads coded 3000-3999 you can also ride on roads that have no VicRoads Country Directory classification as long as they are not in a built up area and the speed limit is not less than 100k's
eg, You can ride to Dargo but not into Dargo Itself. Once you hit the 80 zone your breaking the law.
The Nitty Gitty
Vic roads imposes a noise limit on Rec Reg Bikes being 92db for new bikes and 94 for 2nd hand. So for those 2 strokes and aftermarket pipes you take the baffle plates from beware, although they currently don't test for DB's there is talk of retrospective testing for renewals.
From State to State:
Victoria
The Victorians seem to have it the best.
VicRoads have implemented the quite useful ‘Recreation Motorcycle registration’.
Any bike, ADR complianced or not, can access this form of rego.
It is simple, cost effective and worthwhile.
A licenced rider on a Rec. Reg’d bike can ride on almost 100% of bush trails and even many secondary roads.
Importantly, it comes with full Transport Accident Commission insurance cover.
If you crash, they not only pay your medical bills, but even up to 80% of your wages whilst you are off work!
As well, you go to the top of the hospital waiting list.
Bargain!
Cost is not prohibitive.
The yearly registration fee is $50.
Initial costs include bike set – up (lights etc.if it doesn’t already have them), stamp duty and thirty – odd bucks for a number plate and booking fee.
You can ride day or night.
To work out where you can ride with Rec. Reg, you should check out the Vic Roads State directory.
Roads in Victoria are coded with a four digit code number.
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Any road with a code between 3000 – 3999 is accessible.
More importantly, secondary roads and tracks are mostly uncoded.
You can ride on any uncoded road.
That includes almost all bush tracks and most dirt roads in the state, even some bitumen roads, yes sportsfans if it's uncoded or in the allowed coded area it could be gold coated or yellow brick who cares.
Only a few gazetted tourist roads are off limit.
The other parameter is the speed zone of the road.
If the speed limit is under 100 Km/h, you can’t ride there.
This is designed to keep Rec. Reg’d bikes out of towns.
The default speed limit on all bush tracks is 100 km/h, unless otherwise signed.
How many speed signs do you see in the bush? Right, none.
So Rec. Reg suits a bloke who trailers his bike to the bush and doesn’t need to ride through, or into a town (such as to refuel).
Many riders who live out of town may find they can ride from home to the bush on a secondary road.
Just check the Vic Roads directory first for the roads’ code. It’s not that hard.
Some lights, a horn (pushbike one will do), a mirror and a cover over your front sprocket (standard type is fine) and you’re away.
It’s not hard or expensive to obtain.
Given the insurance aspect alone, it makes for a wise choice.
Vic Roads have also proven to be quite sensible and flexible in relation to use of the registration for certain events.
They decided that they are able to set the rules for conditional registration.
So after being approached in 2004 as to whether Rec. Reg. could be run at specific events such as the Gormandale Enduro and the Blue Light Rally, they consented, much to the organiser’s delight.
It is refreshing to see a government department using such a common sense approach.
Vic Roads have an information bulletin that explains all aspects of Recreation Registration, available from any of their offices.
You must be 18 years of age to obtain a learner’s permit to ride a motorcycle in Victoria.
The potential downside of the Victorian system is noise.
Currently, the regulations require that each bike must comply with the ADR noise level, 92 db.
However, in practice, this is not occurring.
Old mate can get his CRF 450 registered without question, with the standard exhaust.
The noise issue is one of our biggest detractors.
Hopefully, a crackdown by VicRoads will run hand in hand with local production of simple aftermarket baffles, such as Staintunes ‘bung’.
Our CRF450 uses a Leo Vince aftermarket pipe distributed by Steve Cramer and complies with the DB noise levels see http://www.eatmydirt.com.au//reviews/1678 for more info.
Tasmania
These guys are rider friendly!
Basically if you have Vic Rec Reg you can Ride in tassie but you need to follow their rules:
Whilst not having quite the flexibility of the Victorian system, theirs has plenty of merit. Their Land Transport Safety Division allow any motorcycle, ADR compliant or not, to obtain Restricted Registration.
There is no need for any lights, mirrors etc. and there is no vehicle inspection process.
To compensate, they allow daylight use only.
A licenced rider can use the bike in any area listed in their booklet, ‘Ride around Tasmania’.
The booklet is a result of cooperation between the government agencies involved, Police, Roads, Parks etc. It lists a whole series of places where off road bikes with Restricted Registration are welcome.
It even includes maps and tips!
If you want to ride your Restricted bike in other off road areas, not listed in the book, you have to apply for a specific permit for that trip.
So like the Vic. system, it would suit the person who will trailer their bike to the ride, not the person who wants to ride from home in suburbia.
Cost is reasonable. Around $237 and you’re away.
It even includes 3rd party, personal injury insurance. So if you prang and are injured, they will pay all your medical expenses and up to 80% of your wages whilst you’re off work.
However, if you’re riding where you shouldn’t, or don’t have the appropriate learners or licence, they drop you like a hot rock and the bills are all yours.
Where the apple isle have it over the Vics is that four wheelers can access Restricted Registration also.
Yes, quads and dune buggys are in too. Their Rego. cost is around $15 more than a two – wheeler. You can obtain a motorcycle learner’s permit from the age of 16 years in Tasmania and you’re away.
However, a four – wheeler is considered a car. As such, you must hold a provisional licence, which you need to be 17 to obtain.
Queensland
The Queenslanders have access to conditional registration, but it’s different to the southerners. Any vehicle, including 2 wheelers and quads, that is not ADR compliant, can access the rego.
The vehicle must only have a working brake light and indicators.
There is no vehicle inspection process to ensure compliance.
It can only be used on Gazzetted roads and the rider must have permission from the road owner. The road owner may be the local shire, Parks Dept. or a private owner.
They must also get a police general permit.
The route must be specified and riding is daylight hours only.
Riders must hold a motorcycle riders licence, or an ordinary car licence in the case of quads.
The permits are free of charge.
The Rego. costs $149 and comes with third party insurance.
This means that the insurance will cover the expenses of the person you hit.
The rider of the conditionally registered bike is not covered.
In the past, Queensland Transport agreed to insure kids,, unlicenced, riding conditionally registered bikes on public tracks under certain conditions.
The fantastically popular Dalby Moto trail rides were a good example.
They’ve now got cold feet and their trail rides that involve kids will have to be confined to private property in the future.
They will still be great rides, but will be limited to the one property.
However it’s not all bad news.
Hard work by FOHVA has determined that conditionally registered vehicles can still access many places.
They have run a quad ride along the sand at Rainbow beach. Up to the high tide mark is a gazetted road and run by the local council.
Get a permit and off they go!
Same with Cape York. Much of the country is National Park.
However, gazetted roads that run through the cape will allow access to a Quad tour in the near future, quite legally with FOHVA.
Western Australia
The sandgropers don’t have it quite so easy.
Yes, they have a form of off road registration, but it comes without insurance of any kind and only allows use at a limited number of venues.
Their Control of Vehicles (Off – road Areas) Act lists seven properties, all within 100 Km or so of Perth, that allow off road vehicles. No licence is required.
Many of these areas would seem quite small to a Victorian or Taswegian.
Any vehicle, ADR compliant or not, can be registered. The fee is around $6, with another $6 for a number plate.
Any motorcycle ridden on any type of road must be fully road registered and the rider licenced.
They also have another form of registration that allows enduro riders to conditionally register their bikes for use when racing.
It gives them insurance cover when on the transport sections of endures. It does not, however, permit them to take their enduro mount trail riding, so has nowhere near the appeal of the Victorian system.
Other states
New South Wales
NSW has conditional registration that at first glance appears to mirror the Queensland system.
However it’s legislation refers only to a ‘designated area’ and not a ‘designated route’.
The upshot is that conditional registration can only be used at Stockton dunes, so you can take your Vic rec reg and ride in the Stockton Dunes, Check with the Servo at Lavis Lane (Williamstown) or the Ampol Service Statuion at Anna Bay for permits and conditions.
South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory
These States have no form of off road registration NT usually don't care what you do as the expanse is too great. If Some other State is prepared to say your OK then they can live with that.
Use in other states
This is where it all gets murky.
The Tasmanians and Victorians will recognise each others off road registration. But there’s catches.
If you go to Tassie with Vic. Rec. Reg., you must abide by their rules. So you can’t ride on any bush track, only the ones listed in their booklet.
All the other states do not recognise Victorian or Tasmanian recreational registration for use on any of their roads, including bush tracks.
Western Australia and New South Wales will allow you to ride only in their gazetted off road areas (eg: Stockton Dunes at Newcastle).
Not much of a help, really.
The Northern Territorians are different.
They state that they will recognise Victorian and Tasmanian conditional registration.
However it is a grey area, as they have no firm method of working out where you can and can’t ride in their state.
They confirmed that you could not, of course, ride on main roads, but that a sensible rider doing the right thing in other areas should be okay.
Also, as in Vic., you could of course not ride in a built up area. It seems that your plight would be up to the attitude of the policeman who pulled you over.
The matter is complicated by the fact that many Territory main roads are unsealed. So, nationally, the laws are all over the place.
A rider from the Murray border, in Victoria, can ride all over the Victorian high country, miles from their home.
However they can’t ride anywhere just over the border in NSW, maybe a few hundred metres from their home.
A rider from New South Wales, who’s bike is garaged in Victoria, can get Vicco Rec. Rego. and ride in the Victorian hills, but not in his home state!
The bottom line
Victorians and Tasmanians are very fortunate.
Their systems are so easy to access and reasonably priced, that any rider would be crazy not take advantage of their recreational registration.
You get to enjoy your riding, complete with medical and income insurance and a reduced chance of police fines.
It is obvious that all states should adopt a national registration and licencing strategy.
They came close in 1998, when many traffic laws were adopted universally by the states. However, for some reason, licensing and registration was left out.
As well, the whole safety issue has become topical with all government departments. This may, in the future, see changes in the way they deal with licencing and registration.
Some state motoring bodies are already suggesting the implementation of ‘off road licences’ for all off road vehicle users, whether riding on public land or private property.
Education, in terms of safety and harm minimisation, for the rider, all persons potentially affected by his actions and the environment, is being seen as the smart way to go.
Hopefully, they work together to achieve a sensible, workable solution that will improve safety, reduce complaints about off road bikes and assist to guarantee the future of our fantastic sport.
If you want to see our sport survive and prosper, ensure that you do the right thing. Keep the noise down, respect other bush users and convince your mates and others to do the same.
Thanks to our old mate CRF Mounted Officer of the Law and Tour Operator Rod Lay for his help in our research, Check out http://www.onlinemotorcycles.com.au/tours/index.php