from everything the 3 dealers told us before buying a rzr it is legal to ride on national forest trails where atv's aloud. the rules say it must be 50in or less and thats all they say,but last week we got a writen warning from a forest ranger and were told it was illegal. i call the ranger station and the head ranger told me that according to the posted rules it was legal ,but they are now charging there posted rules to say a atv has to stratled and have handlebars. i don't think they should be able to makeup rules as they go. it would be in polaris's best interest to fight this on a national level to increase sales. i have 4 friends that want one now,but won't buy them if they are not legal on national forest trails. has any one else had this problem? i have already emailed polaris .

 

Welcome to the fight. In my state, Virginia, not only do they have the '50 inch rule' they also have a weight restriction of 600 lbs; which no sidexside can meet. I have congenital cerebral palsy, and can only ride a sidexside. I looked into suing the U S Forest Service for violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by mandating the above restrictions and discovered a funny little fact. The federal government, i e the Forest Service, is exempt from the ADA Act. As is all other Federal agencies. You cannot sue the government to make them comply with the ADA Act. The law only applies to private businesses.

Fortunately for me I live within driving distance to the four largest private ATV parks on the East Coast. Hatfield McCoy Trails in West Virginia, Black Mountain ATV Park in Kentucky, Windrock in Tennesee, and Carolina Adventure World in North Carolina.

I don't know here you live, but I would find a private place to ride, and leave the national forest lands to the hike n bike crowd. I know that sucks, but they are better organized and funded than the ATV groups are. If you are in a state where the majority of trails available to ride are on federal land, join an ATV club. Google for ones in your state. At least then you have the strength and lobbying power of the club.

Good Luck to you.

Hefty

 

heftylefty, i live in va. also. the national forest has never enforced the 600lb rule in my area. if they ever do it makes most 500 and bigger atv's illegal. my 500 x2 weighs 833lbs but they let me ride. when they told us to leave and not bring the rzr back,the ranger got pissed because he couldn't give us a ticket for being over width,he was sure the rzr was wider then 50. after that he started making up rules as he went,but nothing they have posted makes it illegal. except weight ,but they don't enforce it on other models either. they want the rzr off the trails because it looks different.

 

Contact the Washington-Jefferson Supervisors office in Roanoke,VA at 1-888-265-0019. Tell them of your incident and (politely) ask the supervisor to write you a letter granting you permission to ride the trails.

Politely mention that you understand the RZR is a brand new vehicle, and that there may be confusion among the forest rangers as to whether it is a legal vehicle, and that you want proof in writing that it is; and so you will have something to show the Ranger the next time you are stopped by one. Put it in a ziplock bag and carry it with you when you ride.

That's what I would do.

Good Luck

 

Good reply HeftyLefty
I like the idea that we do not just roll over on this. Your Polite idea may just work....

 

The roanoke office had already been contacted, they just definded a atv as 'having handlebars and being stradled by the rider'. this is not posted anywhere in rules for national forest trails,so they are making up rules as they go also,it sucks. polaris built this atv to be trail legal .polaris should stepup and fight this battle for us.


right now i have a freind that has spent 10,000 on a atv he was told was national forest trail legal,and also 4 more friends wanting to buy the rzr .