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Author Topic: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?  (Read 4634 times)

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Offline yo_marc

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Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« on: April 28, 2011, 01:53:37 PM »
I was combing through craigslist recently, and came across a sweet little Suzuki TC185.  I also saw the nice IT490 for sale on the site, and it had me thinking about a guy I was talking with out on the trails like, 15 years ago, who was riding a blue Yamaha dual sport two-stroke that I couldn't identify.

I've always been a fan of RD's and H1's and H2's.. and also Scramblers and vintage trailies.

It all got me thinking... I'd love a vintage two stroke trailie at some point.

Can anyone rattle off some names of some of the road legal two-stroke trail bikes imported here to the US?

Anyone have any experience or fun little stories about them?
'00 RM250
'88 TRX250R

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2011, 05:34:25 PM »
Honda MT125 & MT250 (2T only)
Suzuki TS/TC 50,75,100,125,185,250 and 400
Kawasaki KE 100,125,175 and 250 (Kawasaki had a 350 Bighorn as well)
Yamaha DT 80,100,125,175,250,360/400

Can Am TnT 125,175 and 250
Montesa Scorpion 250
Lots of Bultacos with names like Alpina,Lobito etc.
Ossa Pioneer/Super Pioneer and Explorer
Carabelas
A kazillion Italion makes

The Can Ams are the most modern and by far the fastest.
The DT360/400s are very nice on the street. ;D

Offline EJ

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2011, 06:19:10 PM »
Yamaha WR200; http://www.google.nl/search?um=1&hl=nl&rls=com.microsoft%3Anl%3AIE-SearchBox&biw=1003&bih=588&site=search&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=yamaha+wr200&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

Although I am very unsure if this is already old enough to really concider this a Vintage... ??? ::)
A future classic maybe... Like the KDX.

Offline JETZcorp

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2011, 10:37:34 PM »
Closest thing my dad has in his epic fleet (besides the blatantly illegal 360 Husqvarna with a couple of lights and a license plate) is the old Kawasaki 350 Big Horn.  Not the best bike for the trails, perhaps, because it weighs about as much as a Buick, but it's a great bike for the streets as long as you don't intend to bomb down the freeway, and on dirt or gravel roads the weight forces the suspension to absorb every slightest hint of a bump.  Plus, the thing looks absolutely amazing.


Is this Maico a 440 or only a 400?  Well in all the confusion, I forgot myself.
But considering this is a 1978 Magnum, the best-handling bike in the world, you have to ask yourself one question.
Do you feel lucky, punk?

Offline VintageBlueSmoke

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2011, 02:18:00 AM »
I am quite impressed with SachsGS list but surprised he left off any of the Penton/KTM's or any of the other Sachs or Zundapp powered machines!

You ask about vintage bikes but we've found a way to make just about ANY bike legal to ride on the street. My brother has a YZ139 fully road legal - and insured! I have a (please don't hate me!) CRF250X the same.
08 Speed Bird Quad 110, 08 KTM 144, 04 Suzuki LT-Z400, 03 Gas Gas EC, 300,97 Honda CR144, 96 Husky Boy 50, 88 Husky 400WR, 86 Honda CR125R, 80 Can-Am MX6 400, 75 Husky 360CR, 75 Husky 175CC, 73 Penton Jackpiner 175, 72 Husky 250CR, 72 Husky 125, 72 Rickman-Zundapp 125, (2) 71 Bultaco Pursang Mk

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2011, 08:41:52 AM »
I purposely left off the ISDT prepped Maico GSs.Hercules/DKW/Sachs,Zunni's,Huskys etc. and included only the "run to the corner store trail bikes". :D

I knew this guy with a plated WR426 and his wife rode a plated YZ85!
« Last Edit: April 29, 2011, 08:43:40 AM by SachsGS »

Offline EJ

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2011, 01:53:59 PM »
In the Netherlands is Jos Van vugt. (If that is his correct name..)
He can street register and plate almost any dirtbike in his MX-to-StreetLegal workshop.

Offline JETZcorp

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2011, 05:14:07 PM »
Okay, so now I'm interested.  My dad's 360 is registered and stuff but it involved a loophole that we don't really understand and that was since closed.  So if there's a mystical way to make, say, a 430CR Husky street legal, I'd love to know about it, because I think that would be just about the perfect on/off-road machine once you gear it to the moon.


Is this Maico a 440 or only a 400?  Well in all the confusion, I forgot myself.
But considering this is a 1978 Magnum, the best-handling bike in the world, you have to ask yourself one question.
Do you feel lucky, punk?

Offline EJ

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2011, 06:55:45 PM »
It would surprise me if there was no guy in the entire US where one can road register his/her 2 stroke play-bike...

But if you get it done in The Netherlands, of course it would have a dutch licence plate from Holland, so you should have take it through border customs, some other inspections, and shipment, and having it re-registered for your area perhaps...
Also, if you have it plated in another coutry, it must comply their own local country road legal standards, wich might be somewhat different to the US. So you'll have to change it again. Plus all the shipping.
But you should only do this unless you know that you got a great bike wich you will be keeping.
Otherwise it might not be worth all these hassle...
Jos van Vugt doesn't have an official website, and it's difficult to find his phone number, but i'll keep looking.
You could try to e-mail this company MX 4 All. They also specialize in plating dirt bikes.
http://www.enduro-ombouw.nl/assets/s2dmain.html?http://www.enduro-ombouw.nl/
They know pretty much all the loopholes in laws for different countries.
They say it's impossible to road-legally insure a Yamaha YZ, so they take it to Germany where it IS possible.
Then take te YZ with german licence plate back to Holland , and then they will happily give you a dutch licence plate no problem... The whole proces might cost you around 1500-2200 Euro's. I don't know how much that is in US dollar.
For a 430CR they might give it a 450TC licence plate, and also register it as such.
As this is also the norm for many older CR500's, who are actually insured on paper as CRF 450X,
or a CR250 is also commonly seen with XR250 paperwork, and therefor legally aknowledged as such...
« Last Edit: May 01, 2011, 07:10:15 PM by EJ »

Offline VintageBlueSmoke

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2011, 01:31:23 AM »
Ok, there is basically three parts to this equation. Part one, getting a title. I am not sure of the website anymore but it is one of those lost title sites that will get you a title for just about anything. (I've used them mainely for bringing cars back from Europe to the US). This one in particular not only gets you a title, but also a Maine license plate.

That gets you on the road. Now you must meet any local inspection/safety laws. That includes lights, mirrors, horn etc. You would be surprised to know how different it is between the States. Also, some states don't require an inspection but will require compliance with the law. Others might have an emmissions requirement you'd have to pass. That could be difficult with a 2-stroke if they don't have different requirement for them - or you've direct injected it!

In Florida, you only have to have the Maine plate for 1 year, then go down to the DMV and transfer it to The Sunshine State.

I'll see if I can find that site again and post it later.
08 Speed Bird Quad 110, 08 KTM 144, 04 Suzuki LT-Z400, 03 Gas Gas EC, 300,97 Honda CR144, 96 Husky Boy 50, 88 Husky 400WR, 86 Honda CR125R, 80 Can-Am MX6 400, 75 Husky 360CR, 75 Husky 175CC, 73 Penton Jackpiner 175, 72 Husky 250CR, 72 Husky 125, 72 Rickman-Zundapp 125, (2) 71 Bultaco Pursang Mk

Offline Coop

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2011, 06:20:28 AM »
I think Vintage might be talking about International Title Service? If so, they push Vermont registrations. I talked to them about my KDX200. But since Vermont doesn't issue titles for bikes under 300cc and only a plate, I just filled out the paper work from the Vt DMV site and saved $175 by doing it myself. I have talked to a local Pa notary and they said since I now have the Vt registration, I just need something from Vt stating they don't issue titles for bikes under 300cc, then take my Vt registration, Pa drivers license and Pa insurance card and I can transfer it into Pa and get a Pa title. Technically in PA you are only supposed to ride/drive 30 days with an out of state plate once you move here. Obviously I already live LOL. But the Vt plate route is done by a lot of local enduro racers so they can meet the registration requirement many enduros have.

I do hear Vt is cracking down and refusing more than they approve, but mine went right through.
- Mike - Don't take life so seriously, nobody gets out alive.

Offline SachsGS

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Re: Vintage 2T road legal trailies?
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2011, 07:22:00 AM »
I once sold a Gas Gas to a guy in California but the bike first went to his friend in Nevada,was titled there,and then onto the guy who bought it.

Here in British Columbia they've nailed every loophole shut and good luck getting a dualsported competition bike on the street.