Appealing to OHV?

[Hillclimb#42]

Hey Guys,
  I got another question that may fall on deaf ears, but why not ask? I have a place to ride, actually where i learned to ride. Its a former coal mine, since re-worked into many 800- 1000 ft hill climbs. All very daunting when I was new to riding, but since I had no ideas of alternatives, I thought everywhere must be Hillclimbing in deep woods, around hidden lakes and across shallow streams. Well, eventually our free riding paradise was shut down, by conservationists and neighboring property owners. They were backed with only erosion concerns for the local waterways. I still don't know how sand and dirt falling into a creek hurts any surrounding wells that are probably a mile away. It got pretty goofy at the end. I was stopped by DNR and got a written warning about not having my bike registered with the state and to push my bike across or down gravel roads. It took four months to get the registration and when I went riding there next time, still got a $125 fine ( so did about 10 buddies)less than a mile into the woods. Apparently, they had since shut down all OHV activities and I was to be an example for anyone I might know. Usually, the DNR guys are easy going, but you'd have thought I just robbed a baby and kicked a puppy. The dude was all mad. And I had my bike registered??
  Anyways, now they are re-opened up as a State Operated OHV Park as a Trial or Model for possibly getting some others going as well. I looked into going, and they want $10 bucks a day(great price) but they are back to the registration and plating of OHV as a requirement. Its not even a state requirement like other states. A dealer just gives you a bill of sale, there's no title. For my bikes, getting the title now and registering them with the state is not worth it, maybe not even possible. Plus its the only State OHV Park. Ohio has similar rules to what they are implementing here in Indiana, but Ohio State Law requires that you register your ATV's and Motorcycles. I have sent Redbird's motorcycle Rep an E-mail to get some dialogue going of some kind, but wondered if you guys might have some suggestions.
  Other places are charging $20 and sign a release/ waiver. I pointed that out to them. Of course, they know about Indiana Laws, but what other things might I say or type to persuade them to  make the trails accessible to as many as possible? If you are interested in contacting them for yourself, it is the Redbird OHV, like I said Indiana.  Thanks for any suggestions, as always.

[Johnniespeed]

In Michigan, it costs $16.25 to purchase an ORV sticker. This is required on most motorized vehicles when driven off road, even Jeeps and trucks with license plates. The dual sport must also have the ORV when driven off road.
  The sticker can be purchased anywhere a fishing or hunting license is sold. No proof of ownership or anything else is needed to buy a sticker.
  Michigan has over nine hundred miles of mapped, groomed and completely legal trails that motorcycles can ride,provided you have a spark arrestor,supposed to be 96 decibles or less, helmet, eye protection and that ORV sticker.
  There are a few private riding areas that charge a daily or yearly fee, but those are on private land and have private rules.
  The state trails are patrolled by DNR officers and Police officers, when anyone is stopped the VIN is checked always, and a drivers license is required.

[Hillclimb#42]

 I fought the law and the law won. I will have to get that on my gravestone. After some e-mailing, I found some answers and questions. First, the property was shut down due to so many riders trespassing onto surrounding private properties. The erosion complaint just helped their cause. I can't say that I blame them really, for not wanting people riding through their yards, when they are out in rural country side for some R&R. Next, a registration, a spark arrestor and a daily pass is all you need. No plates(except jeeps and trucks obviously). The registration deal is worked out also to where you get it back in a few days instead of a few months. Also, the requirement for a notorized bill of sale has been altered a bit. You can also just get a policemen to do a vin# check and that paper is just as good. Its only 30 bucks for three years to get the registration sticker. Also, its maybe State Operated, but they are getting Federal Funding. Thats the reason the rules are the way they are. They are Federal rules and allow tracking of OHV demand and participation. That ultimately decides the amount of grant money the park receives to operate. Finally and probably the best news, Redbird has aquired almost 2500 acres of bad a## property, now.
  My questions for you forestry riders are;
-can you make a spark arrestor out of a regular silencer?
-who's the best person to contact to get fitment right for the Sparky's on aftermarket silencers?

We have a couple Sparky's now, that fit stock silencers on our 250's. I am trying to put one on a 03 ktm 85,(it has a 105 stroker kit), and a 98 yz 125 that has a PC 304 "factory sound." I have seen the replacement cones, where you just change out the end cone, but they were for the new Hondas. Do they have them for these other bikes? The nice spark arrestors seem to be for bikes that are 5 years old and newer, but I know I'm just not finding the correct resource.
 I did search first, Danger. Can't wait to report on the area. Hopefully, I'll get a cam like Turtle's and show you guys some Indiana Coal Mine Property.

[gowen]

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=447116&store=Main&catId=&productId=p448949&leafCatId=&mmyId=2200030

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=443616&store=Main&catId=&productId=p443609&leafCatId=&mmyId=2200030

I've used the PC on my YZ125 and YZ250 and the FMF on my KX125, Kx250, and KX500. I did not notice one drop in power, but it was definately quieter. Then again, I was not drag racing in the forest.

[Johnniespeed]

I use the PC 96, mostly because it has a riveted on US forestry approval number riveted on and looks official. After about three years of use it was decibel testing at about 98, so I repacked it best I could. I didnt care for that repacking job, and will probably just buy a new one next time.
  The DNR guys that are out testing the decibels are not after the two stroke guys, they mostly are after the super loud four stroke quads. I have found the best way to comply, is to stop whenever they are checking someone and ask to have mine tested, I usually mention that I was thinking of repacking, that way if I am over the limit, they already know I plan to repack and always smile and send me off. Then the rest of the year they just wave at me and smile.
 John

[Hillclimb#42]

Its even easier than they said it would be. I went downtown to the government buliding, and it only took about 5 minutes to get my OHV sticker. Already cleaned up and remounted the sparky, last night.
Thanks for the links, they will come in handy for me and some of my internet-challenged buddies. Alright! I am stoked. It opens April 4th and I expect it to be the best area to ride that I've been to. It has been the best place to date, but I have become alot better rider since I have seen the place, and several years of weather and a few years of property management may have changed it from what I remember. 2500 acres of deep pine forest with lots of elevation changes sounds like heaven. I have been riding 700 acres of sand dunes with a small portion of wooded trails at a riding park called Badlands. I wonder how long it will be before I go back to the sand whoops.
 

[Hillclimb#42]

For anyone looking for a place to ride in Kentucky or Indiana....

Well, went out to my annual Rip-Trip. Me and a couple buddies took our 250's out for a two-day free-for all to the Land Between the Lakes OHV(in Kentucky) and a gloomy rain-day exporatory mission at Redbird OHV(in Indiana). Land Between the Lakes is a humongous Park surrounded by Kentucky Lake, between Kentucky and Tennessee. Thousands of acres of wooded trails. 15 bucks for one day or 15 bucks for three days. Thats right, 15 bucks either way. Its only 60 for an annual pass. The best trail system we have went to in the midwest. Required; spark arrestor, pay for the pass at the gate. keep arm-band on handel bars. Terrain is mostly a medium density packed dirt with small stone mixed in for easy traction, some areas are heavier concentrations of natural gravel, and some sections of lake trails are all shale or shells. It sounds like riding on broken glass along the water's edge. Trails are very well managed, marked and maintained. The only downside to LBL, is that its not closer.
  On Sunday, we checked out Redbird OHV, located in Dugger Indiana. Its a relatively new, park, although the trails are decades old. They are mid-stride in making a park out of existing trails, although a worn and eroded area. Jeeps and trucks call the place home mostly. They are said to have 2400 acres, but my research on google earth, says about 1400, but there are no recent maps of the trail system. The area is dense pine forest with many jeep and truck trails, many bike and quad only trails and still more single track goat hills. Nothing like the elevations in our mountaineous states, but plenty of trees to keep it challenging. Lots of up 50 -100 ft and then back down. There are some very steep and big hillclimbs. Ride a ridge or a valley a ways, then back to up and down single track. Lots of super challenging areas. Some areas were like 2" deep pine needles, the whole trail, others were leaf-filled rain ruts. It rained on us early in the afternoon, kinda getting us hung up in the woods in some tricky hills and valleys. Redbird would be better during good weather. They have trails alot like LBL, except in LBL trails are wider and used more often. On the other hand, no bikes or quads hardly at all, at Redbird and more of an exploratory feel to the place. Redbird requires a spark arrestor, plus bike registered in your home state, like I explained above. Its 10 bucks a day, Saturday-Sunday 9-5. They said they are looking at Thursday-Sunday depending on demand. (Noone is riding there) Both places are waaaaaaay fun, and worth checking into. Sorry no helmet -cam.