You cannot ride a traditional dirt bike on the road, never mind get a licence for it. There are some varieties of dirt bikes, however, that you can ride on the road and these are known as Dual Sport bikes. These are treated in the same way as any other vehicle in as much as they have to be registered and titled before they are legal. Some examples of Dual Sport bikes are the Yamaha TW 200; the Kawasaki KLR 250 and the Kawasaki KLR 650.
The main reason why dirt bikes are so popular is that riding them is an exhilarating experience because the terrain poses challenges that riding on the road just does not present. There is opposition to this kind of riding though (not just for bikes, but for any off-roading) because of the damage that it causes to the environment.
Riding at speed through natural terrain destroys habitats and poisons the area with toxic fumes, whether this is in the countryside or the desert. There are those who argue that they only ride in areas where the landowner has given permission, so they are not destroying places not designated for this purpose. That may be so, but someone giving permission does not mean that damage is not caused, and those who oppose the practice just see it as yet another example of hedonistic people doing as they please with little regard for what is around them.
There is a growing trend for younger and younger people to own and ride dirt bikes, and subsequently there have been more serious accidents on them. If you are considering buying a dirt bike for a young person, there are some crucial rules to follow, and one of them is to make sure that the bike is not too big to handle. This is not one of those instances where ‘he can grow into it’ - he may not get the chance!
The main reason why dirt bikes are so popular is that riding them is an exhilarating experience because the terrain poses challenges that riding on the road just does not present. There is opposition to this kind of riding though (not just for bikes, but for any off-roading) because of the damage that it causes to the environment.
Riding at speed through natural terrain destroys habitats and poisons the area with toxic fumes, whether this is in the countryside or the desert. There are those who argue that they only ride in areas where the landowner has given permission, so they are not destroying places not designated for this purpose. That may be so, but someone giving permission does not mean that damage is not caused, and those who oppose the practice just see it as yet another example of hedonistic people doing as they please with little regard for what is around them.
There is a growing trend for younger and younger people to own and ride dirt bikes, and subsequently there have been more serious accidents on them. If you are considering buying a dirt bike for a young person, there are some crucial rules to follow, and one of them is to make sure that the bike is not too big to handle. This is not one of those instances where ‘he can grow into it’ - he may not get the chance!
