Now that WA has pulled its head partly out of its butt about ATVs on non-highway roads, I'm working on a street legal makeover for my ACE.
WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Licensing wheeled all-terrain vehicles
Despite their best effort to make the law non-ambiguous, I am not sure where the ACE fits in.
It does not quite fit either of the two descriptions. It nearly fits the first section, but does not have handlebars.
It nearly fits the second section, but (when stock) it weighs less than 900 lbs and is less than 50 inches wide.
With the mods, tools and gear, it is 50" and weighs more than 900, but I am not sure if they go by stock or "as it sits".
So I am going to meet the requirements of both categories and call it good.
It already has head lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, brakes, spark arrester, muffler, seat belt, and does not need a full windshield because I wear glasses, goggles, or a face shield.
I already have the horn installed.
First up: Mirrors
I picked up a tip on rzrforums.net: I can buy electrical conduit brackets for about $1 each at my local Home Depot, which enables me to mount just about anything on a roll bar.
I picked up a set of motorcycle bar end mirrors for $22, took the handlebar insert off, shortened the screw a bit, added a nut and lockwasher to mount the mirror to the bracket, and added a nylon locknut to make sure the bracket stays tight. I also put a little strip of rubber around the roll bar. A bit of black spraypaint, and it no longer looks like an electrical conduit bracket.
The bracket is tight, and the rubber will keep it from going anywhere, but I can still reach up there and rotate the mirror out of the way if I get on a tight trail. If it gets smacked by a tree, it will likely rotate itself rather than snap.
I have installed one of these on each side (utility-type vehicle requirement).
The irony is that I can see a wider field of view, and further to each side, more clearly, with my convex rear view mirror than with these tiny side mirrors.
But vehicle safety and transportation laws have rarely been about function more than form. Just ask anyone who has replaced the factory seat belt in their car with a 5-point harness, and gotten a traffic ticket for not wearing a seat belt.
View attachment 544
TO BE CONTINUED...
The reflectors and turn signals are on the way.
