[OUTERLIMITS]

Originally Posted by culcune

I remember you documenting that bike. Seemed 'sad' that you had to do what you did, but it wasn't like you could ever get a plate for it.

There were loopholes in the mid-00's in which I would see plated Chinabikes sold on Craigslist in California. I remember a member here who lived in No. Calif. plating a Roketa and stating how easy it was and thought other California members were crazy or something (I am exaggerating a bit ) that they couldn't just walk into their local DMV office and plate their mail-order Chinabike. For comparison, it seems like it was similar to Georgia and the Hawk--several members here had no problems plating their Hawks in certain counties; the catch is, from what one member posted, you HAVE to use your local county's DMV, so one couldn't close the loophole by driving a little extra and using a nearby county's office. Anyway, back to California--they cracked down on all bikes that are Chinese (actually from everywhere because I remember reading how they were retroactively taking license plates back from KTM's and other plated Euro bikes mentioned on a different forum; Advrider or Thumpertalk)

The Hawk is a no-go, for now; according to the EPA off-road list, it is certified, and has been for a few years now, as '49 state'. I have a feeling that California would require the distributor to remove all street-legal equipment, which is a phenomenon I remember a few years ago. When the direct ancestor to the Hawk was the Hensim 250 Enduro, I do recall seeing a few on sites like Superiorpowersports and Powersportsmax as looking almost like their street-equipment GY200/GY250 cousins, but the holes for the headlight and the holes where turn signals would be were all one piece of plastic. The bikes looked a little funny, in other words. Rather than making them look like the Xmoto or the Apollo off-road bikes, they took all the streetable 'stuff' and used plastic that resembled what would be found on the street bikes. I think that might have been the DOT calling for that due to all the bikes that were supposed to be off-road only, but getting plates across the nation. Obviously, there must not be an issue like they (thought) they had anymore, because the Hawks are sailing right through, nowadays!! My guess is there were 'fudged' MCOs, however, back then. But the bottom line is--RPS is not even bothering with CARB off-road for the Hawk, so you guys 'need not apply!'

I think the best case scenario right now, if you want one in California, is to register it with both your name and the name of a relative or friend that lives in another state that will allow it. You would register it in that state, insure it in that state, but ride it in California. If ever stopped, you explain that you are co-owners and it is registered with your relative/friend's address info. Technically you are both co-owners in different states and you have to pick one state or the other so you chose his for easier registering purposes.