Kansas Motorcycle Laws

Kansas Motorcycle Laws and Regulation Overview

• Motorcycle Regulations
  • Your motorcycle must have at least one headlamp that is between 24 and 54 inches from the ground
  • Your headlamp must be illuminated whenever you are riding on a highway
  • Your motorcycle needs at least one reflector that is between 15 and 60 feet from the ground, and a tail light that is between 15 and 72 inches from the ground
  • Your motorcycle must have a white license plate light that makes your license plate visible from at least 50 feet away
  • Your motorcycle must have at least one mirror that is located on the left side of your motorcycle
  • If your motorcycle was manufactured after January 1, 1975, it needs turn signals
  • The back wheel of your motorcycle needs to have a braking system
• Rider/Passenger Requirements
  • All riders and passengers under the age of 18 must wear a helmet when they ride on a motorcycle
  • Riders and passengers must wear eye protection, unless the motorcycle that they are riding is equipped with a windshield
  • Your motorcycle must be equipped with a passenger seat and footrests if you are carrying a passenger
• Insurance Requirements
  • $25,000 of bodily injury coverage for one person involved in a crash
  • $50,000 of bodily injury coverage for multiple people involved in a crash
  • $10,000 of property damage coverage
• Riding Laws
  • Riding between two adjacent lanes of traffic (“lane splitting”) is illegal in Kansas
  • Two motorcycles can ride abreast in a single lane

Motorcycle Safety Tips

Riding a motorcycle can be fun and adventurous, but before you start riding you should know some basic safety tips:

1. Become comfortable with your motorcycle before you start to ride it regularly. Most motorcycle crashes happen within five miles of where the motorcycle was started. This is because some novice riders do not take the time to practice riding with their motorcycles. Attending a motorcycle safety course would be a good way to sharpen your riding skills and become comfortable with your bike.
2. Wear protective clothing. You will be exposed to all that the road has to offer, for better or worse. Wear durable clothing that will keep you warm and offer protection in case you accidentally slide your motorcycle (leather jacket and jeans are considered to be good protection). Make sure that your helmet fits snuggly and that it covers your entire head. This will provide the most amount of protection, reduce the likelihood of brain injury and keep your helmet from falling off if you crash. Wear heavy boots that come up above your ankles. This will make it easier to shift gears and could save you from a broken foot if you crash.
3. Don’t just carry the minimum amount of insurance. There are some situations that could end poorly if you do not have the right kind of insurance, or not enough of it. Consider adding the following coverages to your policy:
   1. Comprehensive coverage. This will pay for damages that were not caused by crashing into another vehicle (like theft and weather damage).
   2. Under/Uninsured motorist coverage. If you are involved in an accident with someone who does not have insurance, or whose insurance company won’t cover all of your damages, this coverage will compensate you for medical and property damages.
   3. Additional medical and liability coverage. This should be considered a necessity because not having enough liability or medical coverage could put you under a large amount of financial debt.