Do You Know the Oregon Laws for Motorcycles?

For bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts, there’s nothing like the freedom of getting on that bike and riding down the open road. Unfortunately for them, that freedom is not quite totally free, especially in the State of Oregon. Oregon laws for motorcycles have been around for quite some time now, and have only increased in scale and scope throughout the years. While many may see this as a hindrance to the riding experience, it doesn’t change the fact that these laws are important to rider and public safety.

Motorcyclists in the State of Oregon began to get acquainted with motorcycle laws in 1967. The year before was when the Interstate Highway System was constructed and it was in 1967 that the Federal Government required states to put into action helmet laws if they wanted to qualify for specific safety programs and highway construction funds. Of course, the ploy worked. It didn’t take but a few years for practically all of the states to adopt some kind of universal helmet law, including Oregon.

Today, Oregon laws for motorcycles have expanded quite extensively from the simple helmet laws that were enacted nearly forty years ago. Today, motorcyclists in the state need to be aware of several laws and regulations regarding not only helmet use, but also motorcycle insurance and motorcycle equipment.

Here are some of the basic things that riders and enthusiasts need to know in order to ride legally in the State of Oregon:

• All riders are required to have a valid motorcycle-endorsed license or instruction permit.
• All riders are required to wear a helmet that is DOT-compliant
• All riders are required to accurately register their bike and display the license plate on their motorcycle.
• All riders are required to have liability insurance with an established provider (25/50/20).
• All riders are required to have their license and proof of purchase in their possession while riding.

These are some of the simplest of the requirements for riders today; however, there are additional Oregon laws for motorcycles that take into consideration motorcycle equipment. In terms of these regulations, these are the things that riders need to have on their motorcycles in order to be considered street legal:

• A minimum of one red taillight with a stop lamp,
• A minimum of one rear red reflector, one white light for the license plate, a rear-view mirror and one horn,
• A minimum of one white headlight that is on at all times of operation,
• Fenders on each of the wheels,
• A minimum of one brake that is operated by either the hand or the foot,
• A valid license plate that is mounted correctly on the bike and easy to read from the back,
• Turn signals that are functional if it is a newer model bike, 1973 and after, and
• An exhaust system that is in working condition and constantly operating in order to prevent visible emissions and reduce noise levels.