Four Dirt Bikes Seized After Riders Tear Through North Shore Trails; Minors, One Father Ticketed

A man riding dirt bikes with his teenage son through the Pine Barrens near Route 25 in Middle Island left the encounter last week carrying 12 separate summonses and without his motorcycle. Officers from the Suffolk County Police Department's 7th Precinct seized both machines as part of a single-day enforcement sweep on April 2 that netted four off-road vehicles and drew citations against adults and parents across two separate North Shore locations.

The other two seized bikes came from a pair of minors operating on the Rails-to-Trails corridor and on Westchester Drive in Rocky Point, a multiuse path used by cyclists, hikers and families. Motorized off-road vehicles on shared trail corridors create direct collision risks for pedestrians and can permanently damage trail surfaces maintained for non-motorized use.

In Middle Island, officers tracked the father and his teenage son to the Pine Barrens north of Route 25, near a former Kmart property that police identified as a known access point for unauthorized riders. The Central Pine Barrens is protected land where motorized recreational vehicles are prohibited, but the region's vast acreage and scattered entry points have made enforcement a persistent challenge for local agencies.

The 7th Precinct described the four confiscated bikes as "now officially off the streets" and delivered a pointed message to anyone inclined to ignore posted restrictions: "If it says 'no,' it probably means 'no.'"

Under Suffolk County's off-road vehicle code, Chapter 822, parents and legal guardians are financially liable when a minor under 18 is found guilty of a violation. The two sets of parents whose children were riding in Rocky Point were cited at the scene. A first conviction under Chapter 822 carries a fine of $250 to $500; a second violation within five years escalates to $750 to $1,500; a third or subsequent offense within that window rises to an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail.

Impoundment adds a separate layer of consequence beyond the summonses. Under county rules, a seized off-road vehicle can ultimately be ordered forfeited, and any ATV not transferred to a county agency is destroyed. Riders who have had a vehicle forfeited are barred from purchasing one from the county.

For those seeking legal options, Moto 1 Long Island operates a 13-acre, three-track motorsports park at 449 Edwards Avenue in Calverton, though it functions as a private membership club. The Long Island Recreational Trails Conservancy maintains a private riding property in Quogue, open to members on scheduled dates, with separate areas designated for kids and adults. New York State law also requires all ATVs to be registered with the DMV; riders crossing private property must carry written landowner permission.

The 7th Precinct covers a corridor of eastern Suffolk running from Shirley through Middle Island and Rocky Point and has indicated it will continue patrolling Pine Barrens access points and multiuse trail corridors where unauthorized riding has been reported. Residents who observe illegal off-road activity can contact the precinct's non-emergency line rather than attempting to confront riders directly.