In Texas, riding isn't just something we doâitâs something we grew up with.
Many of us remember our first time behind the handlebars of a four-wheeler, bouncing across the back 40 at sunset. Or hauling feed in the side-by-side while your granddad barked out directions from the passenger seat. Or cruising down a dirt path with nothing but wind, dust, and the smell of summer around you.
Riding is part of who we are.
Itâs not a luxury. Itâs not a phase.
Itâs a way of life.
We ride to check fences, move supplies, feed livestock, and get from one end of the property to the other before breakfast.
We ride because itâs more efficient than hauling a truck where a UTV fits.
We ride because it's part of the job.
We ride to see family down the road.
We ride to pick up a bag of dog food from the feed store.
We ride to take our kids to the park, or just to get out of the house for a few minutes on a warm Texas evening.
Not everyone is comfortable on a motorcycle.
Not everyone can afford or justify a second car.
But a street-legal side-by-side with lights, belts, and mirrors?
Itâs the right tool for the right person.
We donât ride for the thrillâwe ride for the function, the freedom, and the feeling that no other vehicle offers.
This isnât just about ATVs.
Itâs about access, identity, and a way of life that deserves to be recognized, respected, and legalized.
In Texas, wide open space is part of the beautyâbut it also means distance. A neighbor might live five miles away. The store might be across a two-lane highway. The family property might stretch across acres of brush, woods, or open land.
We ride because it bridges those gaps.
We ride to check on neighbors, swing by a cousinâs place, or show our kids the land we grew up on. For many of us, a ride isnât just transportationâitâs time spent with people we love.
Itâs a 15-minute ride that turns into a memory.
Itâs a trail that becomes a story.
We donât ride to escape community.
We ride to stay part of it.
Some towns donât have a city bus. They donât have Uber. They barely have a sidewalk. But they have roadsâand those roads are used every day by people on UTVs and ATVs making do with what works.
A dad dropping off lunch at the school
A worker heading to the next job site
A grandparent checking the mail down the gravel road
Theyâre not outlaws.
Theyâre neighbors.
And they deserve the right to ride legally and safely.
For many Texans, the land isnât just propertyâitâs home, work, and history all in one.
We donât ride to dominate itâwe ride because we know it.
We ride because we respect it.
We ride because itâs part of us.
Ask any Texan why they ride, and chances are the answer wonât be âfor fun.â
Itâll be:
âBecause itâs easier.â
âBecause it saves gas.â
âBecause itâs what Iâve got.â
For thousands of people across this state, riding an ATV or UTV isnât just a choiceâitâs the smart, affordable, and efficient option for everyday life.
Not everyone can afford to put miles on a $70,000 pickup just to grab groceries or drive between fields. A side-by-side can do 90% of those short trips at a fraction of the fuel costâand with less wear and tear.
When you're only going a few miles, why fire up the F-250?
Less gas. Fewer emissions. Smaller footprint.
In towns and counties that embrace short-distance UTV travel, traffic drops, parking becomes easier, and people rely less on oversized vehicles for simple errands.
A side-by-side isn't just a ride. It's a:
Tool for hauling
Seat for passengers
Space for gear
Platform for hard work
Vehicle for real life
Whether you're running down the road for feed or heading to your neighbor's place after dark, a well-equipped ATV gets the job done safely, cleanly, and comfortably.
Riding isnât some reckless thrill.
Itâs a practical decision made by people who know what works.
Texans ride because it makes sense.
Itâs time our laws made sense too.
Riding isnât just something we do todayâitâs something we teach tomorrow.
Many of us grew up learning how to ride on the familyâs old four-wheeler. It wasnât just about the thrillâit was about responsibility, balance, and self-reliance.
We teach our kids how to ride the same way our parents or grandparents taught us:
How to respect the road
How to wear a helmet
How to ride smart, not reckless
How to take pride in the tools we use
Weâre passing down:
A connection to the land
A sense of control and freedom
A way to get around that isnât tied to tech or traffic
A tradition of self-sufficiency
The next generation of Texans wonât just inherit a truck or a trailer.
Theyâll inherit the values that come with the ride.
Right now, a 17-year-old with a license and a street-ready side-by-side can legally operate a motorcycleâbut not their familyâs UTV.
What message does that send?
That rules donât make sense?
That doing things the right way still gets you in trouble?
That safe riding is punished while unsafe riding is ignored?
Thatâs the wrong legacy.
We want the next generation to inherit a better system:
One where safe riders are protected.
Where clear laws reward responsibility.
Where riding is something to be proud ofânot something done in fear of a ticket.
Weâre not just riding for today.
Weâre riding for our kids. Our grandkids.
Weâre riding for what comes next.
If thereâs one thing that sets Texas apart, itâs our independenceânot just in politics or culture, but in the way we live.
We build.
We fix.
We move through this land on our own terms, in our own way.
And when the road doesnât go far enough, we make our own pathâbecause thatâs what Texans do.
We used to ride the trail on horseback. Now we ride with roll cages and LED lights.
Same spirit.
Same grit.
Same reason: because it works.
And just like no one told our grandparents they couldnât saddle up and head into town, we shouldnât be told that we canât use a safe, insured vehicle to do the exact same thing today.
Texas has always led with common sense and self-reliance.
We donât need flashy solutions. We need freedom that fits our reality.
And the reality is this:
Texans ride.
We ride responsibly.
And we deserve the right to do it legally.
We ride because this is Texas.
Because no one knows our roads like we do.
Because our land, our lives, and our vehicles deserve respect, not restrictions.
This isnât just a bill.
Itâs a reflection of who we are.
And weâre riding forwardâtogether.