Offroad Liscence Plates - an FYI

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by SuziCrazy
From what I understood from the Manager at the MTO, there's Offroad, and then there's "Buggy". (Depot that's why I posted my findings). He said that registered under the "buggy" has no restriction, he acctually refered to a buggy ranging from a modified shopping cart to a fully custom made tube truck. So I think that leave us with a lot of room to play with.

Is there a link or something on paper bout this ? Reason I ask is cuz it seems like no one really knows the rules. What they say at the MTO office is different from what the MTO inspectors say and it may be different from what the cops say. The fukn system is so unorganized, it's rediculous.

[SuziCrazy]

Off topic but interesting non the less

"How big is the off-road vehicles industry?
Off-road vehicles are outselling snowmobiles in Canada by approximately three to one"

and here's a link to guide books

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pub...and/carvan.htm

[vanbdan]

I know that a couple of you guys have gotten this info already,but would it be worth it for me to try and go talk to them at the mto on monday.I think it would be time well spent,and I'm not doing anything anyways(e.i.).What I mean Is get some clear and consice(sp?)information,as to what exactly the real regulations are?And to find out if there are any written guidelines,that cover ORV with out lumping us in with three and four wheelers.As MM said the office info,and the website info,and inspectors out on the roads all have varring opinions of what is what...This could also open a big can of worms,...I'll let you decide before I really pursue it.I would really like to talk to some one farther up the food chain in the mto,and see where we stand,but in doing so this could tighten the regulations,-food for thought.

[Depot]

yah, thats how mine is plated - as a buggy - i never caught onto the difference between ORV and a buggy. When liscencing office was issuing my plate they have a list of all these catagories to fit u into and they put me under "dune buggy" - close enough I guess. As far as im concerned, just hving that plate or some valid plate on the truck will go a long ways. For those of u with real plates and valid stickers and regular insurance, from what i can tell u got no worries.

That link for the mto info re 4 wheelers was intersting though.. stuff about insurance - gotta have it... u have to submit proof of it within 72 hours of being requested to - guess they dont expect u to carry it with u.... I'll see if I can dig up anything more on it as it pertains to us.. if anyone else can help, please do

l8r

D

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by Depot
That link for the mto info re 4 wheelers was intersting though.. stuff about insurance - gotta have it...

Thats right, otherwise the only benifit of the plate would be for your issue with the neighbors.

[Zukinator]

Any new news on the insurance part?

That is the biggest issue for me, I would like to have it plated, but don't want insurance....

[Tippy]

The police I run into want to see Ownership and Insurance. One cop told me they do it to protect the land owners from lawsuits.

[Depot]

even with an offroad plate, law says u gotta have appropriate insurance for it. Dunno exactly what that entails, call ur brokers up. But with an offroad vehicle, u have 72 hours to produce ur paperwork, its not on the spot like regular vehicles.

D

[drtysuzuk]

if your rig is registered as fit but the e-test is stopping you from getting a sticker, just get a trip permit. i carry inssurance but cant pass the test,so if i,m going to travel far i go get a trip permit. only $15 and you can get as many as u need.
i only get one and keep it nice and clean and ready for re-use.

[lil beast]

Originally posted by drtysuzuk
if your rig is registered as fit but the e-test is stopping you from getting a sticker, just get a trip permit. i carry inssurance but cant pass the test,so if i,m going to travel far i go get a trip permit. only $15 and you can get as many as u need.
i only get one and keep it nice and clean and ready for re-use.

They limited me to 2 trip permits for the same vehicle. There are dates as to when they are issued and when they expire so if you get pulled over with an expired permit your fuked.

[Zukinator]

So for the insurance part, does anyone reccomend a company to have good rates for these "buggies"? Mine doesn't insure this type of vehicle

[Tippy]

The Goverment promise to reduce insurance rates on cars is making the Insurance Companies raise bike and other recreational rates. At the end of the day these guys want to make the same profit. I found it cheaper to sniff it, plate it, insure it and never sticker it again. Good for offroad only, I tow mine but you can still get a trip permit.

[The Grump]

They limited me to 2 trip permits for the same vehicle. There are dates as to when they are issued and when they expire so if you get pulled over with an expired permit your fuked.

I know you are only aloud 1 trip permit per vehicle if the ownership is still in the previous owners name, fit/plated.(unless they forget to write on the ownership that they issued you one, then you can go in and get another one!!!) I have never had a problem getting trip permit after trip permit after trip permit on the same vehicle, as long as the vehicle is in your name and says fit/unplated you can get as many as you need. Even the ministry told me that. But an expired permit, ya your ****ed!! Been pulled over many times with a trip permit cause they are cracking down on people driving with expired permits.

[Zukinator]

Hey Depot?SuziCrazy

When you got your dune buggy registration and insurance set up with your Ins. co. did you need to get a safety done? My broker is trying to find a way around getting the safety, but so far no luck. They will insure it as a ORV, but needs a safety first. that is one of the main reasons I want to go this route, cause my body will never pass a safety! If you didn't what is your ins. company? what did they tell u?

Thanks
Tim

[Depot]

My insurance company wont touch my zuk.. and thats b4 I told em anything other than its an offroad vehicle. I have been unsuccessfull in finding an is co in TO that will insure a home made atv or ORV.

I heard state farm will but have not followed up on that...

anyone else have any luck?

D

[TheSarg]

Okay this is what confuses me. I have Quads with Valid offroad liscence plates and valid insurance. I can literally drive past the O.P.P. office in the local town and go to the Tim Horton's drive through providing i wear a helmut(up to the descretion of the municipality, dont try it downtown T.O.). I pay $11.75 per month in insurance for this priviledge. What confuses me is if a Zuk or any vehicle is registered as an offroad vehicle then why do A.T.V. rules not apply?

I'll call my broker @ State Farm tomorrow & ask what she thinks, cause if it falls under the ATV clause then whats the prob?

[Zukinator]

This was my question to my broker. He couldn't answer it for me. He basically agreed, but told me they still won't insure it without a safety. a couple of the other companies he deals with wouldn't even touch me as it is a modified vehicle. Not to mention I would be looking at over $50 month for liability only.. Seems high considering the use..

Let me know what SF says..

[Depot]

I was told that they wont insure passanger vehicles as ORV. They'd insure an atv as an atv and a pass vehicle as a pass vehicle but wont cross over. Its as if they dont trust my building skills to build a safe ORV/ATV? cant imagine why that would be

D

[Fullload]

My broker knows what my truck is and has seen trail pics. Everytime that i talk to him he "reminds me" that it is not insured when i wheel.
This is what he says, which is a quote from his book. If the vehicle is drivin in an unsafe of dangerous manner it will not be covered.
He also knows that i drive it on the road to and from the trails and he is cool with that, but the minute my hubs lock i am not covered. I basically have insurance so if an accident occurs on the street.
Meanwhile my broker is insuring my truck and the car and now my trailer and all of my family members. It would be shitty buisness practise on his part "as a Broker" to tell my actual insurance company what they are insuring.
Right now there is no harm and no foul. The way i see it is that if the insurance company insured the vehicle and then found out it was modified in an accient or theft claim they still have to cover me. It is at thier discresion to cancel my insurance after because of any modifications.

[Depot]

The way i see it is that if the insurance company insured the vehicle and then found out it was modified in an accient or theft claim they still have to cover me. It is at thier discresion to cancel my insurance after because of any modifications.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that is not true. It is your responsibility to inform ur insurance company of any modifications to ur vehicle especially any mods that may increase the value of the vehicle or change the characteristics like engine upgrades. Its called 'Material Disclosure". If ur ins co finds out after u put in a claim that u changed ur vehicle in anyway such that a higher premium may have been warranted if u had properly informed them, they can and in many cases do cancel ur policy from its effective date (ur annual renewal usually) - refund u back ur premiums and wish u a merry x-mas. Basically u r left as if u were not insured at all. For minor crap most ppl might say - who cares, I'll just pay for the damages and move on... but what happens if ur in an accident where u r deemed to be at fault or even partly at fault. ur ins co bails on u and now u r personally liable for potentially millions of $$.

I dont know how this works via a broker though. If u inform ur broker what mods u;ve done to the truck and he fails to inform the insurance company, then u prolly have a good claim against him.. either which way, ur stuck in court for years to come.

it really may be worth ur while to investigate this further if ur gonna drive ur zuk on the roads.

D