Quote:
Originally Posted by Thumper
This is really amazing since the VIN plate clearly states "Vehicle type: Off Highway" !!
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It’s actually not if you stop and think about it. That’s an EPA plate. It passed emissions standards for off highway use for the EPA to be allowed to be imported into the country. The federal agencies can rule on the right to import from outside the country border but once it is inside the country’s border you get to the actual road worthy / registration and plating requirements that’s now a state’s regulatory domain.
Texas like other states has its own rules and requirements for on road and off road use. That’s how you see people converting off road dirt bikes to get registered and plated for on street use. If you add everything the states regulators for the states DMV requires to be registered as a road vehicle then you have passed all of that state’s requirements. Under the federated model these agencies don’t have jurisdiction outside of their mission when originally created.
Everything listed as required to be on the vehicle for it to be allowed to be registered and plated for Texas is already attached to the Templar X 250 out of the box. And the vehicle went through the states inspection requirement and the inspectors signed off on the vehicle having all the required on street gear attached and that the on street gear was tested and was found to be functioning properly at the time of testing. The annual inspection requirement for vehicles mostly catches vehicles with burned out signal bulbs etc, where the owner must make it work before it is recorded as passing in the states DMV computer registration system. By the time you actually apply in person at a state government agency or online all this is already recorded and logged for your vehicle. It’s also why you do it at the local county tax assessors office here rather than a DMV office as it’s passed all the requirements, now pay the state tax collector his due.
The NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards as well as regulations for motor vehicle theft resistance and fuel economy. Safety standards affect the manufacturing process. The EPA mission states it is responsible for creating standards and laws promoting the health of individuals and the environment.