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I'm going back and forth a bit on a potential purchase of another vintage (mid 60s) bike and the seller insists that MD doesn't require safety inspection certificates for registering historic bikes. My impression has been that *all* bikes of any age require the safety inspection, but depending on vintage, requirements are less stringent (i.e. pre-70s bikes don't require turn signals). I can't find anything on the MVA site to say definitively either way. Can anyone out there confirm?

-A

Aether wrote:I'm going back and forth a bit on a potential purchase of another vintage (mid 60s) bike and the seller insists that MD doesn't require safety inspection certificates for registering historic bikes. My impression has been that *all* bikes of any age require the safety inspection, but depending on vintage, requirements are less stringent (i.e. pre-70s bikes don't require turn signals). I can't find anything on the MVA site to say definitively either way. Can anyone out there confirm? -A

Not everything regarding the MVA is on their web site. The smart things to do are:

1. don't believe the seller unless he/she has it written on an official document,
2. call the MVA and ask. If you're in MD, 800-950 1682. If you're not in MD, try 301 729 4550.

Not sure about MD, but I know that in Va the inspection really just covers the stuff you'd want to have in working condition if you were going to actually ride the damn thing! Working Brakes, lights, horn, decent tires and minimal oil leakage, all seem pretty essential to me!
but, yeah contact the DMV and don't put too much faith in the sellers claims.

RM

Adam,

Quote from MD DMV:
"Note:  A Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate is not required to register this vehicle."

Vintage do not need inspection in MD.
What RM says is on point

MD has strict rules about when and where you can drive Vintage.

If you are worried about the bike take someone with you who knows them and or take it in for a pre-purchase inspection.

redman wrote:Adam,

Quote from MD DMV:
"Note:  A Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate is not required to register this vehicle."

Vintage do not need inspection in MD.
What RM says is on point

MD has strict rules about when and where you can drive Vintage.

If you are worried about the bike take someone with you who knows them and or take it in for a pre-purchase inspection.

Va also has restriction on vintage/historic which is why I get regular tags for my 78 airhead, being new/reliable enough to be a daily ride (which it was for most years I have owned it) I didn't want to be restricted to just rides to "events" or no more than 200 miles from home. Insurance is a bit more and tags a few bucks more, but in the end well worth it. Now for anything old than a /5, or something for occasional riding, yeah I'd go with vintage tags and not have to worry about inspections so much, but again I'd still want the basics to function (unlike a certain side-car rig I recently rode!) so it wouldn't be a big issue is it was even needed.

RM

No safety inspection required.

If you plan on riding the bike much, you may want to reconsider historic plates though.

From the MVA website:

A historic registered vehicle cannot be used for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways. It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses.

Note: A Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate is not required to register this vehicle.

More info here

Thanks folks. I scoured the website and missed that one line. Need to check the eyes...

As for calling the MVA - I gave up on ever actually reaching a human being on the phone there a loooong time ago. On several occasions over the span of several years I spent way too much time waiting in vain for signs of life on the other end of the phone.

shelion wrote:No safety inspection required.

If you plan on riding the bike much, you may want to reconsider historic plates though.

From the MVA website:

A historic registered vehicle cannot be used for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways. It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses.

Note: A Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate is not required to register this vehicle.

More info here

Club activities: like the annual mileage contest, the "I've Been Everywhere" contest, maybe Ron's Saddle Sore?

Yep, I have Historic tags on Hans (my '79 R65). No inspection required.