AUGUSTA, Maine — Motorcycles in Maine will soon have to display vehicle inspection stickers for all to see.
Come March, a new state law goes into effect requiring motorcycle owners to place their inspections stickers on the upper left corner of their license plates. Previously, inspection stickers didn’t have to be displayed.
The new rule will be phased in over the coming year.
To accommodate the change, all motorcycle registrations will be changed to a fixed March expiration. Starting in April, when a motorcycle is registered, the expiration date will be changed to the following March.
Registration fees will be prorated for the correct number of months.
another way for the pigs to invade our privacy good luck seing my sticker i refuse to put more stickers on my motorcycles i will take the ticket if they can catch me
What is your problem? The bike is supposed to be inspected, just like cars and trucks. That is not new, nor is it invading your privacy. I think putting the sticker on the registration plate is a very fair comprimise. I did not want to put a sticker on my paint or chrome. Kudos to whomever suggested the plate.
People like you are the reasion others have to defend themselves from bad stereotyping. Your comment only leads me to believe that you don’t get your bike insprcted anyway.
One more thing: they WILL catch you. Maybe not immediately, but they will catch you. Get caught enough times and you become designated a habitual offender. Enjoy that title.
Absolutely agree. I cant tell you how many times I’ve lost that damn thing…and yes…I keep it with the reg.
I see no problem at all sticking it on the plate because I certainly did NOT want it stuck to my crome or paint…not even on the frame or forks due the money I spent on powdercoating.
This is a very fair compromise.
I agree, it seems a very fair compromise…
Invasion of privacy? Not at all.
Okay, Then park it. What right do you have to drive?
I hope the inspection stations have the brass to not inspect motorcycles with straight or loud exhaust. Why is loud exhaust ok on a bike but not on a car. I know, I know they claim they need the noise to be seen. Most of the ones with the straight pipes you can smell coming.
Well at least you know your hearing and nose works.
Loud pipes saves lives!
Bullcrap! Not one study out there proving that, but there is plenty of studies that determine helmets save lives, but you big bad Harley men won’t wear one, so what is your point?
I wear a helmet so whats your point?
Plenty of Harley riders where helmets. Sweeping generalizations make you seem very uninformed.
Do you drive a large truck ? Most of them are much louder than motorcycles. How about a law against those rivet pounding raidos in cars , we’ve all been disturbed by them at traffic lights. I see clearly by your comment that this is not a safety issue but a noise issue. Why target motorcyclists for the actions of a few?
You are so right! These loud bikes ruin our summers and ruin it for the considerate quiet bikers. The air pollution is awful too. We hear one coming and say “Listen! Another bad boy riding his toilet to town!” Humor is the only way we can deal with it.
What do you say when truck drivers rolls by, your neighbor mows his lawn, screaming kids, or any other noises you deem inconsiderate?
BTW, you do realize not every biker is seasoned criminal and many of the people you’re judging as “bad boys riding their toilets” are also law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and EMTs?
You sound like a bitter person that wouldnt know how to enjoy a summers day unless you had something to complain about.
truck drivers are doing something productive.
lawnmowers aren’t that loud and they’re not oppressively constant.
Loud pipes are only for attention seekers that didn’t get enough love as children.
grow up.
Bitterness and jealousy is such an ugly color :)
BTW, our police chief has one of the sharpest loudest bikes around.
What a tool, LOL
carry on…….
I’m a rider myself, over 70,000 miles experience (a fair amount when you live in Maine and have only been riding ten years)…You don’t NEED loud exhaust pipes ride safely. Ride defensively (like you should), and don’t be offensive in the first place, you don’t need it.
Anyway for the COPS to make more money. Talk about a Police State.
The “COPS” aren’t making a penny on this. Nobody is making any more on this than before. Unless you take into account all the bikes that have not been inspected. Then the only people making money from this are the inspection stations with the influx of previously uninspected bikes.
I’ve been riding Harley’s since 1968. Call me what you will. Know that I don’t care!!! I do object to having to display a sticker on my show piece of a scooter. I would never ride the bike if it was not safe-HELLO!!! At some point we have to be responsible for our own actions, and I don’t like the State DMV telling me if my bike is safe to ride by their standards. I know mine are much higher. Here’s the kicker, though, if we don’t display the cutsie color every Spring, it gives the man an excuse to shake us down-This isn’t rocket science, just more big brother.
Do you display the license plate? If you read the article and get past the headline, you will see that someone has made a great compromise. The inspection sticker will be put on your license plate. That is unless you have that chromed also.
I am glad that you do, but how is everyone else supposed to?
Ehhhh…you’ve been riding far longer than me, 1MG. I’m not dis-respecting that. But I ride too. I do really see what the big deal about putting a sticker on the plate is. If they wanted it affixed to the bike itself, the windshield, front fork or something, I’d agree. But having it on the plate itself seems like much ado about nothing, really. It’s already required to be inspected anyway?
I want all bicyles to have inspection stickers
I agree. If the bicycle loby can demand right of way on the highways then they should all be required to have their bicycles licensed, inspected and insured.
Bicycles have to follow the same right-of-way laws as motor vehicles and pedestrians.
The bicycle lobby had legislation passed that makes it mandatory that motorists give bicycles 3′ clearance when passing them. Many of our roads are narrow with no shoulder. If you catch up with a bicycle on a hill and there is traffic comming the other way, you are supposed to crawl along behind the bicyclist until there is clearance.
And your point is what? That’s not a right-of-way issue.
In that situation, who is cedeing the right of way?
The right-of-way rules are the same for both vehicles.
I don’t think you know what right of way means. Your just talking about when its safe to pass. Same with any car that is going slow.
Having driven well over 3 million miles in my life time, I think I know the difference between cedeing right of way or obstructing traffic. If a bicyclist is on a narrow 2 lane road, of which we have no shortage in this state. They for one thing are putting themselves at risk. I can not tell you how many times I have seen cyclist riding the white line, even when there is a 6 to 8′ shoulder. These people are at risk to themselves and others.
Nope, Slow down, wait for a time to pass and go around, No risk, Just safe driving. Have you ever riden a bike on the 6″to 8″ shoulder? No, well they are not very safe, all sorts of pot holes and other crap. Should slower cars have to drive in the shoulder? It is safer to ride on the road then the shoulder. Slow down, its very simple. Last time I checked You have no right to a road, nor do you have any right to drive as fast as you want. The roads are shared by all, we all pay taxes for them. See a person on a bike, slow down and go around when it is safe. If you have to slow down to 5 miles per hour then so be it.
When bicycles are licensed and pay highway use tax then maybe they deserve to ride on the highway with everyone else. Till then I will give them a break if it is safe for me to do so. They should also keep in mind that they are moving at a snails pace compared to the other vehicles on the highway. I was taught that when I got my first bicycle. If I were still riding I believe I can still remember to use common sense. For my saftety, if for no other.
Considering they do virtually no damage to the roads, that doesn’t make sense. You sound like you don’t want to be bothered when you drive. Slow down, pay attention. Its no really that hard. You make it sound like it is some great inconvenice and so unsafe. It really is not. How do they not use common sense? Swarve between the yellows?
Those who drive Bicycles are to drive as far right as safely possible, if they are riding the white line, there better be a crumbling or no shoulder. Otherwise they are supposed to be out of the way unless they are turning.
Unfortunately, it has been my experience that they don’t like to ride that close to the edge of the paving because of lose stones and the danger of getting a flat tire.
I agree. Also, there really should be inspection stickers for shoes worn in public, since people might not be smart enough to know if their shores are safe enough. They could trip and fall and hurt themselves, or worse another pedestrian.
Glad you agree
Since when did the police departments make laws or profit from them? I believe that there is something called a general fund where the money is collected, and the municipalities have no hand in that cookie jar. So, if you don’t like the laws, and don’t like the fines, perhaps you could redirect your hatred of the “pigs” to the ” fat cats” who work in Augusta.
How many cops will push this law because it cost the police depts. money every time they go to court were they don’t get any part of the fines .
What’s the big deal? You always had to have it inspected anyway. Now you don’t have to dig out your wallet or whatever to find it (if you didn’t lose it), it will be right on the plate. Sounds like a no brainer unless like stated, you never had it inspected before.
Yeah,it’s no big deal,you have to display on all other vehicles. It’s on the license plate anyway.
I ride a motorcycle and I agree with the law.I don`t really understand why some have an issue with that or wearing a helmet.But what does get me is texting while driving.It is hard enough to be seen on a bike as it is without that distraction.And unlike a driver under the influence who most of the time will be on the road in the evening when the bars close,texting is constant.
Inspection stickers are a thing of the past, myself and thousands of others are at awe that the Great free State of Maine clings to this archaic system, it must be the $.
Soon people in cars will be required to wear full faced helmets to prevent face and head injuries from the air bags……then there will be some real whining.
we should all really wear helmets every where we go in case we fall down, it would be safer for all that way.
NOTICE: Inspection stickers are NOT required for Any vehicle in the BEE U T FUL State of Florida !!!
FYI !!! = Year ’round BIKING !!!
PLUS…………No potholes, just Speed bumps, but what the HEY,,, Peace Out!!! 357!!! ;<)
Also they don’t have Maine winters that require large scale plowing efforts every year.
Dear Mr. Knightcross, FYI, Our Beloved Police Force of this Great State of Maine are Taxpayers, Family folks & in realty, just as responsible to abide by the Laws as the average citizens are.
Also, they are Overworked, Under Paid & thanks to “SOME PEOPLE” (that will remain Nameless) are not granted the Respect that is Deserved ! I Will admit that a few “Bad Apples”= (Badge Heavy ego’s) ruin the Brotherhood.
So, if you so desire to deride our Force in Blue , then DO NOT bother to expect them to assist you in your unexpected time of need, ’cause what goes around, comes around.
“RESPECT”,,,,,,,,,or the Lack of in some cases! Think ’bout it !?!?
Peace & Love,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,357………… ;<)
With the price of gas going up you will see more motorcycles on the road
Loud pipes lose rights.
People that cause should lose there rights .
I don’t mind dispalying the sticker i hope its not a huge sticker, good law though : )
Loud pipes suck.
Loud pipes blow.
It will be interesting to see some poor local policemen trying to stop 80 Harleys at once. Oh sir, sir -could you and the other 79 gentlemen please pull over?
When was the last time a person had an accident on a bike that was caused by a defect ?
Does that include the operator?
No im just talking about the bike
There is one major problem with the timing. It isn’t always good enough to ride in March. But the government wants us to take our bikes out at a time of year that is iffy at best. May would be better. Way to go…