New Brunswick Dirt Riders Association – Home
Why can’t dirt bikes ride managed atv trails? This question is asked often enough that it deserves an explanation as to why dirt bikes and street/trail bikes are legally not allowed to ride managed atv trails.
The information for this post was copied from the O-1.5 – Off-Road Vehicle Act (gnb.ca)
A managed atv trail is defined as:
“all-terrain vehicle managed trail” means the entire groomed or otherwise maintained surface width of a trail, or any portion thereof, that is identified as an all-terrain vehicle managed trail by signage posted or erected in accordance with the requirements established in an agreement made between the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development and the all-terrain vehicle trail manager;(sentier géré de véhicules tout-terrain)
An atv is defined as:
“all-terrain vehicle” means (véhicule tout-terrain)
(a) an amphibious vehicle,
(b) a utility vehicle,
(c) a side-by-side, and
(d) any other off-road vehicle, other than a snowmobile, that
(i) operates or travels on three or more tires or has been adapted to operate on four tracks,
(ii) has a seat designed to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, and
(iii) has handlebars for steering the vehicle.
7.7(1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate an all-terrain vehicle on an all-terrain vehicle managed trail unless
(a) an all-terrain vehicle trail permit that is a decal is permanently attached to and conspicuously displayed on the all-terrain vehicle, or
(b) an all-terrain vehicle dealer trail permit is attached to the ignition key inserted in the ignition of the all-terrain vehicle.
In short, the Off Road Act states that an atv trail permit is required to ride managed atv trails, and only vehicles meeting the definition of an atv’s can be sold a trail permit.
The governing body for dirt bikes is the New Brunswick Dirt Riders Association, NBDRA for short. Their web page can be found at this link New Brunswick Dirt Riders Association – Home (nbdra.ca) and specific questions regarding legal access to trails or where in the application process the association can be asked there.
The NBDRA is the organization that is lobbying the provincial government to change the wording in the Off Road Act to legally allow dirt bikes to access managed atv trails or act as their own trail manager.
In addition, the NBDRA is working with dirt bike and street/trail bike owners to educate them on the proposed changes and how they will be affected.
Quad NB and the NBDRA are both supportive of shared trails and are collaborating with Government to meet this objective.
The club will try to present the most current information and legislation, but information changes and it is your responsibility to confirm this information.