[Batwing]

There is currently a bill in progress to effectively ban the Michigan SOS from titling, or registering (plating) our machines.
Please contact your representatives and tell them to oppose this bill!
Michigan Legislature - Senate Bill 0491 (2013)
Condensed:
(1) The secretary of state shall refuse issuance of a registration or a transfer of registration upon any of the following grounds:
... (H) THE VEHICLE IS AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANUFACTURED
EXCLUSIVELY FOR OFF-ROAD USE AS SPECIFIED ON THE MANUFACTURER'S CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN, OR AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE, USING EITHER THE ORIGINAL VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OR A VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ASSIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED EXCLUSIVELY FOR OFF-ROAD USE AND MODIFIED FOR USE ON THE PUBLIC ROADWAYS. AS USED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, OFF-ROAD VEHICLE INCLUDES A GOLF CART AND DOES NOT INCLUDE A MOTORCYCLE.
and...
(2) The secretary of state shall refuse issuance of a
certificate of title or a salvage certificate of title upon any of
the following grounds:
... (D) THE VEHICLE IS AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANUFACTURED
EXCLUSIVELY FOR OFF-ROAD USE AS SPECIFIED ON THE MANUFACTURER'S CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN, OR AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE, USING EITHER THE ORIGINAL VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OR A VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ASSIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED EXCLUSIVELY FOR OFF-ROAD USE AND MODIFIED FOR USE ON THE PUBLIC ROADWAYS. THIS SUBDIVISION DOES NOT PROHIBIT OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE TITLING OF OFF-ROAD VEHICLES AS PROVIDED IN PART 811 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT,
1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81101 TO 324.81150. AS USED IN THIS
SUBDIVISION, OFF-ROAD VEHICLE INCLUDES A GOLF CART AND DOES NOT INCLUDE A MOTORCYCLE.
UPDATE 11/14/2013:
Bill passed in the Michigan senate 38 to 0.
Moved over to the Michigan House and was read a first time, and referred to the committee on Transportation and infrastructure.
Summary link: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/docume...SFA-0491-F.pdf
Link to Michigan House of Representative contact page: Michigan House of Representatives
UPDATE 11-19-2013 - INTENT & RATIONALE ADDED:
SB0491: ANALYSIS AS PASSED BY THE SENATE (Date Completed: 11-19-13) - OFF-ROAD VEHICLE REGISTRATION
Excerpt:
RATIONALE
There is concern that off-road vehicles that have been modified for on-road use pose a risk to public safety. Currently, an off-road vehicle owner can modify an exclusively off-road vehicle so it meets the basic requirements for on-road use, such as having lights and windshield wipers, and seek a registration plate from the Secretary of State (SOS), and the SOS must provide that vehicle owner with a plate. These vehicles do not undergo the same type of testing as vehicles that are designed for on-road use, and could pose danger to the modified vehicles' passengers and other motorists. Therefore, it has been suggested that the Secretary of State should be required to deny registration for off-road vehicles.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to require the Secretary of State to refuse to issue a registration or title for an off-road vehicle (ORV) that was manufactured exclusively for off-road use, including one that was modified for on-road use.
The Code specifies grounds under which the SOS must refuse to issue a registration or transfer of registration, and grounds under which the SOS must refuse to issue a certificate of title or a salvage certificate.
Under the bill, these grounds would include an application for a vehicle that was an ORV manufactured exclusively for off-road use as specified on the manufacturer's certificate of origin, or an ORV, using either the original vehicle identification number or one that the SOS assigned to the vehicle, that was originally manufactured exclusively for off-road use and modified for use on the public roadways. "Off-road vehicle" would include a golf cart and would not include a motorcycle.
Link to Michigan House of Representative contact page: Michigan House of Representatives
Michigan Senator lookup page: Michigan Senate: FYS by Address

 

[toodeep]

Welcome to the forum Batwing and good luck on your fight.

 

[Moose]

Good luck Batwing. More and more regulation is something that makes these vehicles less and less fun to own.

 

[mr.smith]

Is this really a problem that needs a law made to remedy the situation? This will stop you from driving the Pioneer on back roads, or to the corner store, or anywhere really. Hope that you guys can mobilize enough to vote down this bill.

 

[OLT]

AT this point i'd expect Honda or some other side by side maker to step in, this would cut into their sales and cost them a good amount of coin

 

[Batwing]

Thanks for the welcome, I have been reading all the different forums and think the Ranger would work great for us after reading this forum. I can not express how mad this law will make me if it passes. I live in mid west MI with a lot of two tracks but the government has closed a lot of them to the public the last few years (I can not express how mad this made me also). We may look for a Polaris that already has a license but would rather have the pioneer.
Ron

 

[ckhenshaw4]

I understand that this is a couple months old, but I did just e-mail our Senator, Mr. Rick Jones, and let him know that I thought this would be a STUPID bill to pass. Not to think that it would change their minds though.
Trying never hurts though.
And I also wrote our Representative Ken Yonkers an e-mail.

 

[Springer]

I would like to send a messag as well. Are there specific Senators to send to, and e Mai addresses?

I would think a SXS if much safer when properly modified for he road than a scooter or other small motorcycles. I would hope they take that into consideration

Also, with the SXS market gaining in popularity they would be an additional source of revenue for the state and the small businesses that benefit from them.

 

[ckhenshaw4]

Springer,
If you go to the top of this post, you will find the links to click on, to get the Reps. in your area that you need to write to.

 

[ckhenshaw4]

Well, believe it or not, I did get a response from Mr. Yonkers:

Curtis,

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts on UTVs. Previously it was illegal to drive a UTV on the road, and the legislature left it up to the locals to decide if they want to make it legal to allow UTVs on the road. We tried to get the government out of this issue and leave it up to local units of government who can put it to a vote of the people in their city or township.

If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

At your service,
Ken Yonker
State Representative 72nd District
Phone: (517) 373-0840
Fax: (517) 373-7590

Not that it answered any of my questions, but he did at least respond. And it probably WON'T do any good.

 

[mr.smith]

Its good news that your representative got back to you. That isn't a very informative response though. Is he basically telling you to call you municipal government instead?

 

[Springer]

Thanks for pointing out the contact links

I sent an e mail to Senater Joe Hune expressing my opposition to this bill

Let see if I get a response

 

[kojackson]

any updates on this? I've been waiting to see what pricing comes out for the Honda SxS's, and I want one but one side goal would have been to get it street legal. I have a friend with a RzR that is street legal and apparently the SOS is now turning away any vehicle that has the manufacturer certificate or origin as off road use only.

What kind of MCO do the pioneers come with?

 

[Batwing]

I was informed Michigan passed a bill last week that unless a UTV comes with a title from the company you will not be able to put a plate on it. I was told Honda will not do a title due to the liability.
Ron