61-8-359. Riding on motorcycles. (1) A person operating a motorcycle or quadricycle on public streets or highways shall ride only upon the permanent and regular seat attached thereto, and such operator shall not carry any other person; nor shall any other person ride on a motorcycle or quadricycle unless such motorcycle or quadricycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride upon the permanent and regular seat if designed for two persons or upon another seat firmly attached to the rear or side of the operator.
     (2) No passenger shall be carried in a position that will interfere with the operation of the motorcycle or quadricycle or the view of the operator.
     (3) No person operating a motorcycle or quadricycle shall carry any packages, bundles, or articles which would interfere with the operation of said vehicle in a safe and prudent manner.
     (4) "Sidesaddle" riding on a motorcycle or quadricycle is prohibited.
     (5) Motorcycles and quadricycles are to be operated with lights on at all times when operated on any public highway or street, except that if the motorcycle is registered under 61-3-411 as a collector's item, it may be operated without lights from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset if persons and vehicles are clearly discernible at a distance of 500 feet.
     (6) Not more than two motorcycles shall be operated side by side in a single traffic lane.
     (7) All motor vehicles, including motorcycles and quadricycles, are entitled to the full use of a traffic lane, and no vehicle shall be driven or operated in such a manner so as to deprive any other vehicle of the full use of a traffic lane, except that motorcycles may, with the consent of both drivers, be operated not more than two abreast in a single traffic lane.
     (8) Every person riding a motorcycle or quadricycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle except as to those provisions which, by their nature, can have no application.

     History: En. Sec. 102, Ch. 263, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 175, L. 1967; R.C.M. 1947, 32-21-105; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 345, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 35, Ch. 516, L. 1985.