Blog
So You Bought a Dirt Bike – Now What?
Spring has officially arrived in Nova Scotia and the dirt bikes season is finally here.
Those who rode throughout the winter are taking studs off their tires. Others are unearthing their bikes from storage or purchasing new or new-to-them bikes.
Besides bike maintenance, what else is important to do?
Before you ride in Nova Scotia, you have some key responsibilities.
REGISTRATION
You must register your dirt bike at Access Nova Scotia. Registration is your title that you own the bike that corresponds with the VIN number on your offroad motorcycle.
PERMIT
Your vehicle must be permitted. An OHV permit (a sticker that goes on the plate) is an annual responsibility and has minimal cost for red-plated off highway vehicles in Nova Scotia. $40 of each $53 permit fee goes directly to the Off Highway Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (OHVIF) managed by the off-highway vehicle associations – NSORRA, SANS, ATVANS – as well as NS Trails and the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH).
INSURANCE
Every OHV in the province of Nova Scotia requires a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance to be operated legally.
BECOME A NSORRA MEMBER!
To support us in advocating for you, become a member of NSORRA! Go to https://nsorra.ca and click on Become A Member. We have switched to a new membership system. All members will have to register with LiveLaps. All event registrations will happen there going forward.
SAFETY COURSE
It is also the responsibility of new riders to take the dirt bike safety course offered by NSORRA. Parents who are acting as guardians of Youth are also required to have the course. Courses will be popping up under NSORRA events soon.
NSORRA Initiatives
Nova Scotia Off Road Riders Association (NSORRA) is an advocate for the Nova Scotia dirt bike community. We currently are working on the following initiatives.
STICKER PLATE
OHV red plates are currently only available as metal plates which can prove to be dangerous on a dirt bike. Many riders currently carry their plates in their backpacks instead of attached to their bikes. NSORRA is working to transition red plates to a sticker format that can be placed on the front forks of a dirt bike.
GROUP INSURANCE
Rates are all over the place when it comes to insuring dirt bikes. Not all companies carry insurance for ORMs. NSORRA is working on a group insurance rate for dirt bikes.
TRAINING
NSORRA is a leader in offroad dirt bike training. We are working with the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC) to finalize a national training program called Motorcycling 101 that we will be rolling out this season.
GET INVOLVED!
NSORRA is a grassroots association. We need your support to offer activities. If you would like to make a difference in your community, please reach out to Claudine or Susan at info@nsorra.ca so that we can find the volunteering activity best suited to you!
Published 28 March 2025
