Nowadays, it is no longer uncommon to see buggies on the road. Well maybe, you wouldn’t get to see road legal buggies on highways very often, because those being currently sold in many stores are not designed with that in mind. However, these vehicles in general are pretty much in use on rough or dirt roads and trails and for purposes of recreation.
Short for All Terrain Vehicles, ATVs have characteristically smaller, low pressure tires in sets of 3 or 4, and are intended for use by a single person. Indeed, such are quite a common sight in campsites and other vacation getaways. Police officers use them while they are on duty. Lifeguards do as well while they are watching the people on the beach.
If you intend to use your buggy on highways, then you need to get one that is road legal, meaning, it has met the safety standards set forth by the state. The laws and regulations may not be the same in every state, so make sure to make necessary inquiries with the concerned agency operating in your own state before anything else.
In many cases, to get the approval of the Transportation Office, the buggy or quad has to come with headlights, backlights, rear view mirrors, brake lights and so on. Road legal buggies must also have more than just one seating capacity. This is one big difference between the road legal quad and the non-legal ones. Road legal buggies have to come with more than just one seating capacity while non street legal bikes are characteristically merely one-seater vehicles.
There are a couple of likely scenarios if you insist in taking your non-road legal buggy on busy streets – either you get into an accident or have a row with the authorities, none of which presents a pretty picture. Better stay on off-road areas, on beaches, in the woods, on rough trails or rough roads. In the first place, it is for these types of area that ATVs are designed.
Or, if you have a good hand with tools, you can customize your road legal buggy so that it will meet the requirements of a street legal one; subsequently, you should have your customized buggy egistered as safe for use on highways.
Since buggies are intended for off-road racing or rough riding, you can expect them to have all speed and power. In addition, these vehicles come with exceptional control and suspension, and the fact that they are lightweight makes maneuvering them so easy. They can be a bit pricey, but there are marketplaces where you can get some pretty nice deals.
Be a smart shopper, though, and always be mindful that cheap does not necessary make an item a good deal. Double check the credibility of the seller from whom you are buying from. If the seller tells you that the buggy is road legal, don’t just take his word for it. See to it that he can present to you all the necessary papers and documents to prove that it is indeed street legal.