• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

No Mo M'cycle Inspection in N.J.

P

Peter_Krynicki

Guest
Just got the notice from DMV. Now I can fess up. I stopped taking my bikes to inspection years ago. Cars, yes. Bikes, nope.
 
I'm also in NJ. Glad to see that requirement go down the tubes. I think I went once with a motorcycle in the late 70s. I recall it was a bit of a useless undertaking. The people at the inspection station didn't seem to know what to do with a motorcycle. "Ride it halfway down the lane and come to a stop." That was about it.

I know of several local police departments that seem to enjoy stopping bikes for the inspection sticker check. About 5 years ago I was riding south on Rt 9W in NY state toward the NJ state line and one of those towns' police officers were checking every motorcycle that rode south. One police officer walked up to my bike while I was stopped at a red light and looked at the vacant spot on my Montana where the inspection sticker should have been, then he looked up at my 50 yr old face, back to the bike, back to may face, and then just turned and walked away. Don't know if he was targeting crotch rockets or loud Harleys, but I guess me (old fart) and my squeaky clean and 100% stock R1200C Montana didn't fit the day's profile!
 
meanwhile, in MA inspections are tightening up... the most significant change being linking inspections to registrations in ze registry database.

-tp
 
I'm also in NJ. Glad to see that requirement go down the tubes. I think I went once with a motorcycle in the late 70s. I recall it was a bit of a useless undertaking. The people at the inspection station didn't seem to know what to do with a motorcycle. "Ride it halfway down the lane and come to a stop." That was about it.

I know of several local police departments that seem to enjoy stopping bikes for the inspection sticker check. About 5 years ago I was riding south on Rt 9W in NY state toward the NJ state line and one of those towns' police officers were checking every motorcycle that rode south. One police officer walked up to my bike while I was stopped at a red light and looked at the vacant spot on my Montana where the inspection sticker should have been, then he looked up at my 50 yr old face, back to the bike, back to may face, and then just turned and walked away. Don't know if he was targeting crotch rockets or loud Harleys, but I guess me (old fart) and my squeaky clean and 100% stock R1200C Montana didn't fit the day's profile!

Hey dude what exit, man? :laugh I see it's your 1st post Welcome aboard!
 
meanwhile, in MA inspections are tightening up... the most significant change being linking inspections to registrations in ze registry database.

-tp

In TX...no liability insurance...no plate or inspection... a great revenue stream for all involved...the state and the insurance Borg.
Back in the days inspections were $2...now $12.50 and you get to honk your horn:brow
 
$12.50?

In TX...no liability insurance...no plate or inspection... a great revenue stream for all involved...the state and the insurance Borg.
Back in the days inspections were $2...now $12.50 and you get to honk your horn:brow

NJ bike reg is 66 bucks. Welcome to Jersey... :banghead
 
Inspection

I'm also in NJ. Glad to see that requirement go down the tubes. I think I went once with a motorcycle in the late 70s. I recall it was a bit of a useless undertaking. The people at the inspection station didn't seem to know what to do with a motorcycle. "Ride it halfway down the lane and come to a stop." That was about it.

They don't even make you ride it anymore. You go to the side or the back, they check your horn, turn signals, Hi Beam and Docs. That's it. Oh yea, they look to make sure you have reflective tape on your helmet. I could never understand the point of this excersize. Oh and BTW, we don't go to inspection anymore but alas, I don't believe our registration fee will be reduced.
 
Good riddance.

The NJDMV used to force riders to have 4 square inches of reflective tape on each side of the helmet worn in the inspection line. No reflective tape? Bike failed.

Those that did their duty each inspection time owned an "inspection helmet" with this tape on it worn one day a year. Often they were borrowed.

My last NJ bike inspection was in 2000 when I had a Honda 750 Nighthawk.

Had to BUY reflective tape after failing and then got a lecture from the inspector that the bike was too "big" for me, and I shouldn't be riding it at all.

I chewed my tongue off just to get the sticker.

That was my last trip through NJDMV for a motorcycle inspection.
 
Reflective Tape

I actually found a site that had Black reflective tape in many shapes and sizes. I bought some and put it on a spare helmet I have and use that to go through inspection. Of course, that is no longer an issue! :clap
 
Peter - the problem is - inspection has moved to the jurisdiction of the police. They are tasked with inspecting bikes.. when and where they feel like it. You can no longer point to an inspection sticker as proof the bike conforms to all the NJ regulations if an officer stops you.

Sort of out of the pan and into the fire IMHO. Inspection for the past 10 years has never taken me more then 5 minutes. The inspection station is on my way to work, you pulled up to the back door, and 3 times out of 5 - the inspector walked out, asked for my documentation, walked inside, walked back out with a sticker, and said "Have a nice day.." The other two times I had to toot my horn and flash my flashers. The helmet reflective tape went away when Parsons took over inspection from the state.

It was as painless as I could imagine, and I suspect lots less painless then being caught in a police dragnet looking for rocket-racers or loud-pipes.
 
Peter - the problem is - inspection has moved to the jurisdiction of the police. They are tasked with inspecting bikes.. when and where they feel like it. You can no longer point to an inspection sticker as proof the bike conforms to all the NJ regulations if an officer stops you.

Sort of out of the pan and into the fire IMHO. Inspection for the past 10 years has never taken me more then 5 minutes. The inspection station is on my way to work, you pulled up to the back door, and 3 times out of 5 - the inspector walked out, asked for my documentation, walked inside, walked back out with a sticker, and said "Have a nice day.." The other two times I had to toot my horn and flash my flashers. The helmet reflective tape went away when Parsons took over inspection from the state.

It was as painless as I could imagine, and I suspect lots less painless then being caught in a police dragnet looking for rocket-racers or loud-pipes.

logical, much too logical, kinda spoils the whole rant thing, you should be ashamed...


:laugh

RM
 
Back
Top