Sacramento – State Senator Brian Jones (R-Santee) today introduced Senate Bill 1036, a measure to update state law concerning vintage motorcycles.
Older motorcycles and cars that are generally considered classics or antiques can be designated as “vintage” by the state. A vintage designation allows the vehicle to qualify for a special license plate with reduced registration fees if that vehicle is used infrequently or just for short distances, such as in parades, at shows, or at club events. Many of these vehicles are so valuable that they are rarely driven.
While current state law allows cars over 25 years old to be designated vintage, a motorcycle can only be designated vintage if it was built before 1942.
SB 1036 will simply amend state law so that motorcycles over 25 years old could also be designated as vintage, making the policy consistent with the requirements for vintage cars.
“There are many motorcycles built after 1941 that are considered classics and should be able to carry the vintage designation,” stated Senator Jones. “Marlon Brando rode a Triumph Thunderbird in the ‘The Wild Ones’ and yet is not currently designated as vintage. Same for the Husqvarna 400 Cross, which Steve McQueen rode in On Any Sunday. And believe it or not, the Captain American-Harley Davidson chopper that Peter Fonda rode in Easy Rider is not considered vintage by the state! I could go on and on but the point is there is no reason what-so-ever for the state to treat vintage cars and motorcycles differently for registration purposes.”
Need-less-to-say, Senator Jones is an active and enthusiastic motorcycle rider who introduced SB 1036 after personally hearing numerous complaints about the current state law from many other motorcycle riders.
California ranks worst of all 50 states (see below) in how it designates motorcycles as vintage or historic.
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