Big Increase in ATV license in Michigan

[hublake]

Effective March 1, 2014 the cost of an ATV trail permit in Michigan went from $16.25 to $36.25. You can get a permit for $26.25 to ride on the roads. If you want to use designated ATV trails you have to pay an extra $10.00, which makes the total $36.25. Our politicians say that it will allow for better upkeep of trails and the construction of new trails You can go to the State of Michigan web site and enter ATV License in the search . I guess I will only get 1 permit this year.

[clmeue37]

I was planning on getting three of them...thanks for the heads up. I guess it'll just cost me another $50 or so. You think they'll actually put more funds into trail upkeep?

[hublake]

I was planning on getting three of them...thanks for the heads up. I guess it'll just cost me another $50 or so. You think they'll actually put more funds into trail upkeep?

I doubt there will be much money going to trail upkeep or new trails.

[clmeue37]

I doubt there will be much money going to trail upkeep or new trails.

Yeah that's my thinking as well. I'm only getting 2 I think.

[Rider414]

I don't mind paying the extra money if it means the trails are maintained better.

I really dislike whooped out messes.

[redsox]

in Massachusetts its $20 bucks a year, there are NO trails to ride, the proceeds go to the general fund that fuels a completely abused welfare system, and there is always a chance the state will steal your kid. i wish i was making this up.

[Rider414]

That's a bummer redsox. Could imagine not having some killer trails around.

[bigdaddyvw185]

Pittsfield Mass is a pretty nice place, iv only been to pittsfield and beartown state forest in MA but beartown was extremely Rocky.... I pay $30 for one year for 2 machines in MA, I am forced to Register out of state because CT is a freakin joke.... it seems like alot of the MA guys Register and ride in NH and the CT guys are forced to go to MA or NH... Here in CT they want you to register just to ride on your own private property, this state does not even offer a legal area besides your own property / private property with written permission which must be carried with you while riding.

I need to Register up in NH and join in with all of you guys for one of these New England rides! Redsox you interested in a pittsfield ride when the trails open up may 1st???

End of the day its just another way for the state / states to get some more of our $$$ i guess....

[briano]

hublake, isn't that crazy. There are very few atv designated trails around me. I'm supposed to have that ORV sticker on my Grizzly to drive 2 miles down an unplowed county road in the winter to get to camp. This road is basically a 2 track dirt road that is never maintained by the county at all. The only time I drive my Grizz out there is a few times in the winter, that's why I have tracks on it is to plow my yard and get to camp.

The DNR is going to make more people stop buying stickers with that big of a price jump. Same with our hunting and fishing license this year.

[ebaccm26]

I don't ever ride trails anyway, just the back roads. Not supposed to ride the roads down here but no one bothers you if you are just cruising on the 3 wheelers and they can feel free to bother me if I'm riding the raptor. Can't see a reason to buy a pass but if I did need them I sure wouldn't be happy with that price increase.

[M.Pargiello]

Yeah it really sucks for those of us who tag multiple machines each year.

If we tag everything we normally ride throughout the year, it will be a couple hundred between my brother and I alone. Sucks.

[clmeue37]

My brother has always used a removable plate to attach his sticker to. Just bolts it to the machine he wants to ride. Not saying it's right but we're gonna see a lot more of that I would think.

[RoscoW]

I'm going to play Devils advocate here. Coming from Ontario, I'll gladly pay that per year for the trails you guys have in Mi. I have to pay $20 per day to ride here and there is no trail "system" until you get about 5 hrs away to the East and frankly it sucks compared to Mi. trails (No offence to the Eastern Ont guys) . All we have local is a few broken up areas with a few km's of trails each.
I do agree on the trail maintainance thing, We rode Rose City / Meadows / Bull Gap a lot last year and found that over the coarse of a week they were progressing south with a trail groomer. What a difference a groomed trail is, no center hump from the quads, whoops flattened, widened out to about 72", all those little stumps that hide in the bank and catch rear tires gone........what a difference. I really hope they step up this aspect of the trail system as well as a route numbering/ signage upgrade. Everything seems to be county based and some Countys have amazing maps and signage (Bull Gap for one) and others are about as bad as it could get (Rose City / Ambrose Lake). I would like to see a state wide system put in place so all trails were similarly marked / signed, something common between all trails. I think Michigan has potentially some of the best trails on this side of the Country and with a few upgrades / standardization could and would turn it into a huge tourist ATV destination that a lot of counties could benifit from in these depressed times. It worked for West Virginia with the Hatfield Mcoy trail system and I know Mi has way more to offer.

Ross..

[BOB MARLIN]

It's $50 here in California. They use the money to make signs that say No Off Road allowed.

[hublake]

I'm going to play Devils advocate here. Coming from Ontario, I'll gladly pay that per year for the trails you guys have in Mi. I have to pay $20 per day to ride here and there is no trail "system" until you get about 5 hrs away to the East and frankly it sucks compared to Mi. trails (No offence to the Eastern Ont guys) . All we have local is a few broken up areas with a few km's of trails each.
I do agree on the trail maintainance thing, We rode Rose City / Meadows / Bull Gap a lot last year and found that over the coarse of a week they were progressing south with a trail groomer. What a difference a groomed trail is, no center hump from the quads, whoops flattened, widened out to about 72", all those little stumps that hide in the bank and catch rear tires gone........what a difference. I really hope they step up this aspect of the trail system as well as a route numbering/ signage upgrade. Everything seems to be county based and some Countys have amazing maps and signage (Bull Gap for one) and others are about as bad as it could get (Rose City / Ambrose Lake). I would like to see a state wide system put in place so all trails were similarly marked / signed, something common between all trails. I think Michigan has potentially some of the best trails on this side of the Country and with a few upgrades / standardization could and would turn it into a huge tourist ATV destination that a lot of counties could benifit from in these depressed times. It worked for West Virginia with the Hatfield Mcoy trail system and I know Mi has way more to offer.

Ross..


Ross,

I agree with you on the upkeep, signage that type of thing. A lot of the problem in the Rose City-Bull Gap areas is that some of the trails are on State land and some of the trails are on Federal land. I have seen that those on Federal land are in better shape than those State land. The two governments can't seem to work together. I think that those trails around Bull Gap and the Meadows are on federal land and the Rose City-Ambrose trail is on State land.

[HairyJR]

I have 10 bikes that get OHV registered for $52 each every 2 years. The politicians raised it from $22 some years back with the same lies. Only thing that happened is they stole the added money claiming the state was broke, added it to the General fund and then funded building walking/hiking and bicycle paths ( no registrations fees paid on there part ). Then you add cost of weekly $50 or season $150 permit passes for your tow vehicle just to enjoy our favorite ride area "Imperial Sand Dunes". Yes I believe registration is a necessary evil, helps curtail thieves from stealing bikes, more than they do now. Our Senator's continue there campaign to close more Off-road areas. End of rant....

"HJ"