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legality of 'test rides'...

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Jeff S

Jeff S

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OK TWT crew: educate me again on something...

Bikes (or cars) in mid-rebuild or otherwise being worked on need test rides to check if various things are working. They might not have plates, registration, lights, other other bits to be actually kosher on the street.

I assume that's technically illegal, but as long as you're reasonable about it, no one would write you up for it....

Or, is there some legal loophole for vehicles being worked on - making them actually legal to at least putter around the neighborhood other surface streets?
 
I believe, technically, for any vehicle to be on a Texas roadway, it needs to b inspected (ending soon) registered, and insured. With that said, everything is legal until you get caught, and some people seem to be able to defy all rule and reason to operating things they shouldn't but always se to go unnoticed. My youngest son is like this. He recently ended his going 3 years without renewing registration and never got stopped for it, and when he did get stopped, the subject never came up. My luck is one third of a second after midnight the day I was suppose to get it inspected the whole department is parked at the end of my driveway waiting for me.

I would guess that how you went about a test ride would depend on how and where you did it. A test ride Tx to Vegas might now work, but around the block or down a back road I would think would be fine, considering it's not a test to see how long it will burn off the back tire.
 
With the SuperChicken off to a new owner, I have no such vehicles at this time. Just kinda curious, as there seems to be a bit of a chicken/egg situation with anything needing significant repair.... Anyway, thanks for the input..
 
charliez said:
I believe, technically, for any vehicle to be on a Texas roadway, it needs to b inspected (ending soon) registered, and insured. With that said, everything is legal until you get caught, and some people seem to be able to defy all rule and reason to operating things they shouldn't but always se to go unnoticed. My youngest son is like this. He recently ended his going 3 years without renewing registration and never got stopped for it, and when he did get stopped, the subject never came up. My luck is one third of a second after midnight the day I was suppose to get it inspected the whole department is parked at the end of my driveway waiting for me.

I would guess that how you went about a test ride would depend on how and where you did it. A test ride Tx to Vegas might now work, but around the block or down a back road I would think would be fine, considering it's not a test to see how long it will burn off the back tire.
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I owned a couple Corvettes, tried the no front license plate thing. In no time I get stopped in both, no ticket. But gives them the chance to go over everything. 2nd time Vette was brand new, had the performance tires that almost look like slicks. No milage on them but trooper almost parked me saying they were worn out. I put the plate on to stop being checked. I know many a Vette owner who have never been stopped for it. Heck I hardly ever see a Tesla with a front plate, lol! Maybe because I'm in a small town and they have nothing better to do!
 
woodsguy said:
I owned a couple Corvettes, tried the no front license plate thing. In no time I get stopped in both, no ticket.
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I've not had a front plate on a car I owned and drove daily in 25 years. I have gotten stopped for no front plate and no other reason exactly twice. It's not for lack of opportunity, believe me. My experience is that the police typically don't stop anyone unless the infraction is pretty severe. Rolling through stop signs, illegal U-turns, speeding 10-15mph over, right turn into left lane, and virtually all equipment violations like no trailer lights, missing license plates, etc., they basically let all of this stuff go. You pretty much have to have a wreck or be driving in a way that's going to cause an imminent wreck to get stopped. Again, there's the two exceptions in my own experience, but those are exceptions.

Regarding the shake-down test rides, since I have Dr. Frankenstein's scooter lab operating in my garage, I also have lots of experience with this. I wouldn't intentionally drive routinely with no plates, but I have ridden around my neighborhood a lot on scooters or motorcycles with no plates. I guess I've probably just gotten lucky to have never even encountered a police vehicle during these rides, but the reality is police officers patrolling residential neighborhoods like mine are extremely rare. And I figure even if I did, they wouldn't mess with me as long as I wasn't riding like a hooligan.
 
mr72 said:
My experience is that the police typically don't stop anyone unless the infraction is pretty severe
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Kinda agree but fact is I was making the point I'm jinxed, both times I was just unlucky enough to be front car at red light. No other infraction, just easy pickings. You validate my point, most folks never get stopped for no front plate. Both of my stops were in first month of ownership, lol. @charliez made comment on how lucky his son was for 3 years, and that he'd get caught at 1 minute after midnight with expired plate. Same luck I have.

Glad you've been lucky, may it continue for you.
 
Most shops and dealerships have dealer plates to place on cars or motorcycles for this purpose. Keeps them legal.

As far as no front plate or other minor infractions are “drunk stops.” Enough probable cause to ask if you’ve been drinking. On post only resulting in citation if it was the 2nd or 3rd time or they had some other novelty plate where the license plate should be.
 
You can get a temporary paper plate from the tax office that is good for X# of trips or X number of days. This will make the driving of said vehicle legal on Texas roadways.

Test driving/riding wirhout a plate is against texas motot vehicle law no matter if it is a test ride or driving to work/home/school.

Will you get a ticket? Depends on the peace officer.
 
No front plate or improperly located front plate in Texas gives any agency the right to stop .
Plate location shall be furthest point forward on front of motor vehicle. Not in windshield areas .

I've seen some Teslas with a factory front plate mount kit .

With today's airbags mounted in A pillar area sticking a plate up there is a bad idea. Nothing like a flying projectile.
 
Bryan L said:
No front plate or improperly located front plate in Texas gives any agency the right to stop .
Plate location shall be furthest point forward on front of motor vehicle. Not in windshield areas .

I've seen some Teslas with a factory front plate mount kit .

With today's airbags mounted in A pillar area sticking a plate up there is a bad idea. Nothing like a flying projectile.
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Yep, never denied they weren't correct, just that I got caught quick and conformed! I've got many friends that are still lucky, I wasn't but I wasn't given a ticket either time. So there is that.
 
woodsguy said:
Yep, never denied they weren't correct, just that I got caught quick and conformed! I've got many friends that are still lucky, I wasn't but I wasn't given a ticket either time. So there is that.
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As many good Leo friends tell me it's the free opportunity to stop and search . Hint of alcohol smell or anything else.
 
Scott91370 said:
You can get a temporary paper plate from the tax office that is good for X# of trips or X number of days. This will make the driving of said vehicle legal on Texas roadways.

Test driving/riding wirhout a plate is against texas motot vehicle law no matter if it is a test ride or driving to work/home/school.

Will you get a ticket? Depends on the peace officer.
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This. Every time I’ve moved the Riveteer airstream, I’ve paid something like $25 for a temp tag. Worth it for the peace of mind.
 
I got stopped and ticketed for no plate on the front of my Z06 Corvette. And even though I rarely drove fast or wildly, I put the plate on just for peace of mind when I'd pop open a beer :-)
 
I've had this conversation with people at the Arlington tax over bikes. I buy an unplated bike, I have to get it inspected to get a plate, I have to drive it to the inspection station. The people at the tax office - and frankly, my LEO friends at church - always say the same thing. "Don't worry about it; just drive carefully. If it makes you feel better, carry a letter of sale with you." It's astounding how many cars in Denver are either unplated or running on old, out of date, out of state plates.
 
^^^^^^This. I can’t recall,how many times I rode my bikes with 2 year old plates and inspection. These days LEOs seldom look at that stuff, unless they stop you for something else.
 
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