I examined Kawasaki’s Ridge Restricted UTV final 12 months, and later proposed that it may change some folks’s vans. It has a sealed cabin, HVAC system, and infotainment system, however you possibly can’t legally drive it on public roads in lots of states.
Effectively, now a brand new invoice would legalize UTVs on public roads in Florida. However not everyone seems to be on board—not even some UTV producers.
The pair of recent Florida State Legislature payments would enable homeowners of UTVs who meet sure standards to drive them on each municipal and public roads, in addition to some highways with a most pace restrict not exceeding 55 mph. Sen. Tom Wright (R) of New Smyrna Seaside, is Senate Invoice 88’s sponsor. Senate Invoice 88 additionally has a companion in Home Invoice 221, filed by Rep. Richard Gentry, R-Astor. However there’s an issue.
UTVs have been initially designed to do a wide range of off-road actions. Nevertheless, they have been by no means meant for use solely as on-road autos. Nonetheless, homeowners have been bypassing legal guidelines that cease them utilizing their UTVs on roads for a while.
In accordance with Andrew Doppel, elements supervisor at RideNow Powersports Daytona, “You are able to do the correct modifications and you’ll register them in states which are non-inspection… All it’s important to do is pay a couple-hundred bucks and signal some paperwork, and hastily you’ve a machine that is happening the highway.”
Since there’s already a loophole, this invoice would seemingly simply imply that customers may now register their UTV in Florida, pay the suitable charges, after which acquire the proper licenses to drive on most public roads. In principle, making UTVs extra usable would enhance gross sales, and producers can be joyful about that. Nevertheless, that is not the case.
A letter from Honda Motor Company, requesting the lawmakers reject passage of Wright’s invoice, said the next, “(UTVs) haven’t gone by way of the identical forms of crash-worthiness exams that each different on-road automobile is required to bear… UTV tires make the most of a low stress to permit for journey on grime, sand and gravel, and different forms of off-road terrain, however wouldn’t be acceptable for asphalt or concrete.”
However I am fairly certain this letter from Honda is not solely to guard those that would drive UTVs on the highway. Though I do not imagine there’s any dangerous intent—the fact is that legalizing UTVs to be used on public roads would doubtless damage Honda, and types prefer it.
If extra states legalize UTVs to be used on public roads, then fashions from producers like Can-Am, Polaris, Yamaha, and Honda would doubtless come beneath extra scrutiny, and will then be compelled to satisfy sure security requirements that they are at the moment not required to do.
Excessive-end UTVs already value as a lot as some vehicles. Now, think about in the event that they needed to go the roadworthy security exams that those self same vehicles do—the items would value a bomb. Tell us what you consider legalizing using UTVs on public roads.
