It’s hard to think of a “good use” for a vehicle whose only purpose is to ride in places you aren’t supposed to go on a motor vehicle.
I wonder if the confiscate and crush jet skis too.
They are illegal because they don’t have turn signals, brake lights, horns all that safety stuff. If you upgrade to an enduro (which has all that, but on a dirt bike) you can get a plate and insurance and drive it on the street.
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“officials say eight people have died in dirt bike or off road vehicle incidents in the first quarter of this year, and at least 350 were injured during the same time period.”
Wait until they find out about how many people were killed or injured by cars! Man, they are going to have to do a lot of crushing… 
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Yeah, I’ve been known to do that. If nothing else, it made me feel better…
A week or so ago I saw one in the shoulder of I-395 where it crosses the Potomac. “How the hell did someone wind up here on a scooter?!” Its possible someone dropped it over the barrier from the pedestrian walkway, but I can attest that those things ain’t light – can’t imagine hoisting the thing over a that high a wall, no matter how delicious the spite.
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I’m torn on this one. On the one hand this is essentially broken windows policing, focusing on something not so much because it is inherently dangerous but because it is associated with dangerous people. And we can all read between the lines of “dangerous people”.
On the other hand, it is quite threatening to be confronted with a gang of them, knowing that their lawlessness has so far gone unchallenged.
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NYC doesn’t really have a problem with asset forfeiture, does it? It looks like they significantly restricted that statute several years ago:
Are you referring to a specific case?
You’d want to ship them far West and unload them there. Just moving them to NJ means they’ll be sold right back.
I wonder what the cost tradeoffs are about selling them in bulk and getting some money back for the city, as opposed to crushing them, and then also having to pay for disposal.
For people wondering why dirt bikes are illegal [to ride on NYC streets] and what the difference is between a “dirt bike” and a regular motorcycle:
Dirt bikes and ATVs cannot be registered as street-legal motor vehicles because they lack safety equipment like brake lights, turn signals and mirrors.
Uh, “inherently dangerous” isnt sufficient for you?? They shouldnt be on city streets. Pedestrians are already an endangered species, and need to be protected as much as possible.
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Privately owned ranches come to mind. There are also places with tracks and ramps designed specifically for dirtbikes. Just not in NYC, apparently.
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This. I mean, if you already know you shouldn’t ride without a street-certified vehicle, WTF are you buying it for in the first place?
My scales seem to be tipping way over toward “toxic masculinity” more than racism.
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With a careful eye, one can still find NYC business frontage architecture that evidence previous existence as stables, and wrought iron details at dwelling entrances that still have the thingy that allowed one to scrape mud – and horse droppings – from one’s shoes.
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Do you think they were bought or stolen?
But are they? For sure they are not roadworthy but that is because they are sports equipment.
Even I could do a quick google and confirm there are totally legal dirt bike tracks in New York, and of course there are. That means there are people having a legal use for dirt bikes and I am sure some would pay a reasonable sum for a second hand impounded bike.
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Irritating, this is a problem of traffic law and it’s enforcement. Not about the “kind of bike”.
In Europe dirtbikes are perfectly legal (as long they pass safety and technical regulations, otherwise you don’t even get a license plate ) to drive.
But you can only drive on regular traffic, private property or designated area.
Everything else gives tou a hefty fine (but it wouldn’t matter then if you’d ride street bike, a dirtbike or a motorized sofa)
It remindes me of the gun discussion where it is considered a problem with “technical kinds of items” instead of people and the overall legal framework (licensing bike and rider, gun and owner)
A bike build as a dirt bike (crossmotor) for off road use can’t really be also street legal.
Although local regulations differ within the EU differ things like light, mirrors, indicators, mud guards and reflectors are required for traffic use and would be unnecessary weight or too vulnerable for off road racing.
We had a scourge of dockless share bikes a few years ago. Throwing them into a ravine would have been a lost opportunity for public art.
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What are you insinuating?
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On Manhattan Island, the law is about the kind of bike, as well as what you do with it. Headlights, turn signals, licensing, the whole bit. Dirtbikes are better adapted for trick riding, which is what these young guys are all about, which puts much of the public in danger, not to mention the “in your face” attitude they appear to foster.
Of course, it would be nice if these young people could “ride nicely” on dirtbikes, but it doesn’t seem to be what they’re being bought for.
A quick Google search here brings up many, many dirtbike trails in New York STATE, but still one could do like horse people and rent storage and shop space at the facility. If you can afford a place to store your bike in Manhattan, you can afford to rent space at a facility.
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I was asking your opinion
It is relatively easy to steal a dirt bike and it is difficult to prove ownership, so they can be sold on and if they are going to be used illegally why risk a routine purchase.
I really am not sure. I guess if you’re willing to risk an NYPD-style beatdown, you’d be willing to take additional risks (riding a stolen/mismatched vehicle). 
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The people who ride these in NYC could not possibly be more selfish.
