Can You Make A Dirt Bike Street Legal 2023 [Conversion Kit]

Making a dirt bike street legal might not be as complicated as one might think. Granted, it is a bit more complicated if you think you just need to attach a head and tail light to your dirt bike. The required attachments for transforming your dirt bike into a street legal vehicle vary from state to state.

Some states require that your dirt bike have side mirrors, turn signals, a head and a tail light, a speedometer, and a horn, while some just require a horn, a tail, and a headlight. In the following article, you will find every component required, and it is advised that you attach the said components so that your dirt bike is street legal everywhere.

• Mirrors

Mirrors are important for the safety of the driver. They are designed to get a view of the traffic behind the rider. A large number of states only require a single mirror, preferably on the right hand side, but a few states do require two side view mirrors.

If you aren’t a fan of mirrors but, given the law, have to install one, then instead of saving money buying a less expensive, non-functional mirror, invest in something that terminates any blind spots.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, about 10% (which is about 530,000) of motorcycle accidents are caused due to bad lane-changing habits; a big part of this is the drivers’ stubbornness to not make use of a mirror. So it is safe to say that using a fictional mirror can be lifesaving. Most bikes have the capacity to support two mirrors (the cavities to install them are present on the handlebars). On the off chance that your bike doesn’t have such capabilities, then ‘Bar-end mirrors’ can be clamped onto the handlebars.

• Turn Signals

Most states don’t require turn signals on dirt bikes for them to be street legal. However, the rider is required to use hand signals (done when the rider intends to change lanes or take a turn, the rider extends his arm in the direction he intends on going).

Even while not required by law, turn signals are preferred over hand signals due to a number of reasons. The systematic flashing of the yellow lights alerts the driver behind the rider better than hand signals and particularly at night.

Moreover, the use of turn signals is more hassle-free than using hand signals as turn signals only require the push of a button, while extending out an arm can be both tiresome (especially if your route has a lot of twists and turns) and dangerous as the chance of hitting or getting hit by something is ever-present.

In addition, while changing lanes or taking a turn, using hand signals would require the rider to take his hand off the handlebar, thus lowering the control of the bike.

The use of LED turn signals would help to lower the load on your battery, which not only would extend the battery life but would also require fewer charge-ups.

• Speedometer

At the time of this writing, a speedometer is only legally required in Indiana. A speedometer, as the name suggests, informs the rider about his current speed, which can help them avoid getting a ticket when riding their dirt bikes on the streets.

If you aren’t against adding a speedometer, then installing an odometer instead of a speedometer can be more beneficial for a number of reasons.

An odometer displays the vehicle’s current speed, RPM, mileage, and engine temperature. Additionally, the odometer would keep you up to date with your gas availability, thus ensuring you never run out of gas (which is a common problem for dirt bike riders).

• Headlight

The headlight is one of the most crucial elements in order to make your dirt bike street legal and is something that is required in almost every state. A headlight, required for street legality, is one which:

• It is visible yet not so bright that it blinds the oncoming traffic.
• Its beam can be switched between high and low
• It can be lit during the day or nighttime

A headlight, however, would constantly draw power from your battery and so it is highly recommended that a LED headlight be used instead of the regular one. LEDs would help to minimize the load on your battery (thus extending battery life).

The switch to change the beam from high to low must be, according to certain states, easily accessible and visible to the rider, so either on the left or right side of the handlebars.

• Taillight

Another important element in making your dirt bike street legal is the taillight. If you install the proper tail light, you can check out four requirements with a single installation. These requirements include the tail light, license plate light, brake light, and turn signal.

Some states have deemed it essential that the taillight must be connected to a battery, which must have the capacity to power the light for 20 uninterrupted minutes. Similar to the headlight, using a LED taillight would help to reduce the load on the battery.

• Horn

While a horn is a necessity when it comes to making your bike street legal, the nature of the horn varies from state to state. Some allow a non-electric horn, while others accept nothing other than an electric one. Keep in mind the safest option is just to use an electric horn.

• License Plate

Every state requires vehicles on roads to have their number plates properly displayed. For bikes, plate brackets are available that display the plates in a way that is acceptable in nearly every state.

As mentioned in the taillight section, a license plate light is necessary to drive in certain states. If your taillight doesn’t get the job done, then an LED strip can be used as the light source.

• Tires

The last thing needed for street legality is department-certified tires. If your tires are certified, it would say so on the sidewall of your tires. If this isn’t the case, then you would have to spend money on acquiring department-certified tires (which isn’t a big hassle).

Final words

Street bikes aren’t legal as they don’t have signals, headlights, and other legal components. However, you can make your dirt bike street legal by following the above-mentioned process. Make sure to take the bike to a nearby professional mechanic, as you will be driving the bike on the streets. So, having proper modifications is essential to ensure your safety.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Are Dirt Bikes Street legal in New York?

Dirt bikes aren’t legal on New York roadways and sidewalks as these bikes are made for off-road riding only.

• Do you need a license to drive a dirt bike?

You don’t need an operator license to ride your dirt bike in all states of the United States. However, there are age restrictions on dirt bike riding.

• Where can I ride my dirt bike legally?

You can ride dirt bikes legally on off-road Riding Park, private property, motocross tracks, and state trails.