996r Legality In Usa - Ducati.ms

Neil996R · Jan 25th, 2007, 8:54 am

Hi Folks

Just a quick question - I have posted this here because "Superbike" owners in the USA will be best placed to answer.

When the 996R came out it was not a road legal bike in the USA. If I am not mistaken, a road legal version was then made avaliable for USA customers, but it was not ever to become road legal in California.

First question: is the above correct i.e. that none of the USA 996R's are road legal in California?

Second question: I am going to California next month for 6 months, and am thinking of taking my 996R with me. This is a fully road legal bike in the UK, road taxed, licensend, insurec etc ect .... Can someone tell me for sure what the situation is i.e. will I be allowed to use this bike on California roads?

Many Thanks folks - and if their is anyone out there with 996R who wants to meet up, drop me a message and lets see what we can do.

Oh, and if I stay in the USA (which is a possibility) , this bike might be put for sale as part payment towards a 1098S

Thanks guys

Neil996R

Bong · Jan 25th, 2007, 9:38 am

Hi Neil,

All USA 996R's were sold "non street legal". They came with no lights, signals, sidestand nor plate bracket. Even the sticker on the frame says "For competition use only".

As for your euro 996R, I don't know what the legal status is for USA use while visiting. I have seen euro cars with euro plates running around with temporary window plates so I imagine you could do the same with your R.

996R's are very desireable here in the States, I just sold mine to a fellow member here and have got a 1098S on order. You will have no problem selling here if you decide to do so. (that is if the title can be accepted here in the States)

And welcome to the States, hope your stay is enjoyable!

Bong

Neil996R · Jan 25th, 2007, 10:13 am

I see no prob's with the "title" - there is a standard procedure for registering vehicles in the USA (road use or track/race use) and I'll just follow through with that. However, I do take note of your obseravtion that none of the USA 996R's came to the USA with lights, horn, ect ect .... which explains why they were not good for the road. That I was not aware of.

The question rather then should be: will the customs guys at LAX look up 996R in their little ref book, and simply conclude - no, not eligable for road use, or will they be able to distinguish/recognise that the UK version was produced with for road use with lighting, indicators, horn ect ect ....

Can someone give me an answer on this - or, can someone tell me who I should be contacting in the castle of "officialdom" in California to get the definative answer.

Thanks guys - and thanks for the kind words Bong, appreciated buddy.

Neil996R

ducat · Jan 25th, 2007, 10:18 am

what your going to have there is called a "gray market vehicle" and while these can under many circumstances be registered in the USA it can somtimes be a lengthy and expensive exercise.

Neil996R · Jan 25th, 2007, 10:35 am

Ducat

Yes, that would be correct, but my reasoning as far as selling it is concerned is road legal or not it is a very desirable bike in the USA and if someone wants it, then they will jump through the hoops (whatever they are).

The good thing about getting this 996R road legal would be that I am told that the only thing that would have to changed is the headlamp from the current Uk left hand type to the USA right hand type (which is the same as the European continent right hand type). Other than for that, it has on everything on it out the factory that complies with USA road registration requirements and it meets USA emission regs, which in the UK are actually tighter than the USA (and so are our noise regs - hell, I wish we had nosie regs like you guys have in the USA!!).

So getting this bike road legal would be a damn side easier than getting a USA spec 996R road legal - which my reasoning tells me, would add to its potential "attractiveness" (or am I dreaming to optimistically).

The way to go about it would be first to get it into USA road legal state (most is done already), and then go for USA registration (treat them as two entirely seperate processes).

Hey Bong - in November last year you posted on this forum elsewhere that you road legalised a 996R in Washington state, Correct, well then it must be possible, if not in CA then at least in other states. There is nothing to stop you riding a Washington state reg vehcile in California, or is there?

And for what it worth - I attach a picture of said road UK road legal version of the 996R

Neil996R

Bong · Jan 25th, 2007, 5:05 pm

You can ride a non-california registered vehicle in california...as long as your are not a permanent resident there.

They only give you a limited time to register your vehicle's if you reside there. My 996R was licensed in the state of WA by the original owner. He installed all the street gear and somehow got it passed our local DMV (dept of motor vehicle) agency.

I say bring your R over here and work on getting it licensed if you decide to stay. The euro version may be a little bit of a hassle but is worth a shot. Your R is definitely sought after and you will have no problem selling here.

foggy123 · Jan 25th, 2007, 5:34 pm

In my experience, a R (998) was easy to register with the MSO (even the racing MSO) in WA state. No inspection, no hassle but taxes and registration. Still working on getting it quasi street legal.

A foreign title would be a completely new and likely experience.

DukeDesmo · Jan 25th, 2007, 5:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil996R

Ducat

I am told that the only thing that would have to changed is the headlamp from the current Uk left hand type to the USA right hand type (which is the same as the European continent right hand type).

You don't need to change the headlight, you can just replace the reflector plate which is inside the dip-beam headlight.
My 916 was a Euro bike and I did just that to convert the dip to UK spec.

The Euro/US curved reflector part is just the mirror image of the UK one,

Euro/US type;

UK Type;

Neil996R · Jan 26th, 2007, 7:56 am

Thank's Bong - your quite certain of this?

Neil996r

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bong

You can ride a non-california registered vehicle in california...as long as your are not a permanent resident there.

They only give you a limited time to register your vehicle's if you reside there. My 996R was licensed in the state of WA by the original owner. He installed all the street gear and somehow got it passed our local DMV (dept of motor vehicle) agency.

I say bring your R over here and work on getting it licensed if you decide to stay. The euro version may be a little bit of a hassle but is worth a shot. Your R is definitely sought after and you will have no problem selling here.

Neil996R · Jan 26th, 2007, 7:59 am

DukeDesmo

That answers that then - any idea DD where I can get said part - is it orderable from Ducati?

Ive checked out the noise regs already - god, you guys in the USA have comparably very lax noise regs to the UK, and as for emission, well ours are also tighter here - but there again, no offence, the road fuel you guys have in the USA is also not as clean as the fuel we get in the UK (a non issue as far as I am concerned - so long as I dont have to retune).

Neil996r

Quote:

Originally Posted by DukeDesmo

You don't need to change the headlight, you can just replace the reflector plate which is inside the dip-beam headlight.
My 916 was a Euro bike and I did just that to convert the dip to UK spec.

The Euro/US curved reflector part is just the mirror image of the UK one,

Euro/US type;

UK Type;