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While waiting to recieve a CHL is it permissable to CC on a motorcycle, is that considered to be the same as having a concealed weapon in your vehicle?

wconn33 wrote:While waiting to recieve a CHL is it permissable to CC on a motorcycle, is that considered to be the same as having a concealed weapon in your vehicle?

That's a good question.... You can carry on your person under MPA while inside your car, and between your residence and your car, and between your car and your place of business; but I don't know if the law is so clear when it comes to motorcycles. The problem, of course, is that if you're carrying on your person inside a car, it is fairly easy to disarm and conceal the gun in the car without it being seen by anyone else. Not so easy on a bike.

I do know a couple of different guys who do not have CHLs and who "carry" a gun on their bikes concealed in a tank bag or saddle bag, but they have the same problem if they are on a Saturday morning ride for breakfast somewhere. What do you do with the gun when you get there? It is presumably safe, locked in a saddlebag. Not so much if left in a tank bag on the bike, and if you carry the tank bag into the restaurant with you, then you're carrying concealed without a CHL...

In the truck my gun rides between the seats beside my right leg for easy access, on the MC I cant see it being very effective to have to dig in my saddlebags if i ever need it. I am getting my CHL just waiting for work schedule and class schedules to line up.

wconn33 wrote:In the truck my gun rides between the seats beside my right leg for easy access, on the MC I cant see it being very effective to have to dig in my saddlebags if i ever need it. I am getting my CHL just waiting for work schedule and class schedules to line up.

I agree. In fact, one of the guys I know carries his Kimber in a trunk on the back of his Goldwing. Not exactly easily accessible.

For whatever my counsel is worth, I would counsel patience. You have a CHL application in process. You should have plastic in hand before spring is over. Still plenty of good riding weather after that. I wouldn't try to push the limits of MPA during this period. If things were to go against you in an encounter with an LEO, it could lead to revocation of your application/CHL. You can currently carry in your truck. Be satisfied with that for a temporary period. If you must have a gun on your motorcycle, do nothing in the interim that a cop could interpret as a violation of MPA.

That's just my 2¢. Your mileage may vary.

Another 2¢ (pretty soon you can get a soda water...)

I carry on my person (CHL) when riding. That way I can avoid leaving the weapon in the vehicle, and have more options for deployment if necessary. Waiting for CHL is best, IMHO.

I never carried MPA prior to CHL on the bike, because deployment would have been impossible due to access issues. Securing weapon (I have locking hardbags) was still not satisfactorily secure for parked areas.

TAM is wise.

I agree with TAM and you're looking at this correctly: be sensible, patient, and don't break the law and complicate things. I ride and have tried several different options, and none, IMO, are very effective. I have no desire to carry on my person while riding for several reasons, e.g. comfort, poor concealability, and primarily I don't want a chunk of steel digging in my ribs or hip or anywhere else if I go down.
If I'm traveling, I often carry in a lockable hard bag, but access is an issue and you'd basically have to be stopped to have any chance of being effective. Leaving a firearm locked in a hard bag on a motorcyle is not secure enough for me either. Honestly, I figure I'm a sitting duck in many ways when on two wheels, short of the fact that if I saw them coming, they'd have to catch me. When I arrive at my destination, then I switch to whatever concealed carry holster best works and I'm good to go.

i carry mine in my tank bag since i ride a sportbike with no other storage options. its not like your going to be able to use it while your in motion though really.

cbr600 wrote:

alvins wrote:i carry mine in my tank bag since i ride a sportbike with no other storage options. its not like your going to be able to use it while your in motion though really.

I think speed and maneuverability are more likely to save my bacon when I'm riding, but there are times where I'm in restaurants, hotels, et cetera, especially when touring.

IANAL so my opinion on MPA+MC is irrelevant.

oh yea never had trouble getting away from someone dropping a gear and whacking the throttle open and going between a few cars and watch the bozo disappear in the mirrors.lol

PC §46.02. UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS. (a) A person commits
an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries
on or about his or her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club if the
person is not:
(1) on the person's own premises or premises under the person's
control; or
(2) inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned
by the person or under the person's control.

The statute says "motor vehicle" not automobile. The part of the law that had me confused was "inside of or directly en route to" since you can't be inside of a motorcycle I thought it might get a little sticky. I called DPS and asked for a clarification. I was told that ANY motor vehicle as defined by the Texas penal code qualifies you to carry under MPA. I followed that call up with a call to my local PD (Rowett) and my neighboring PD (Rockwall) and was told the same thing.

Hope this helps.

Yeah I just wasnt sure if that meant I could have the weapon on the motorcycle or on my body. So if I am carrying a weapon I am good as long as I stay on the bike the trouble would start if I went into a store to eat or pay for gas correct?

Under MPA the weapon would have to remain in the vehicle, I would think, as you are not licensed to carry. As mentioned before, securing it in the vehicle while away from it poses other issues. IANAL

wconn33 wrote:Yeah I just wasnt sure if that meant I could have the weapon on the motorcycle or on my body. So if I am carrying a weapon I am good as long as I stay on the bike the trouble would start if I went into a store to eat or pay for gas correct?

It can't be on your person unless you are on the vehicle or "Directly en route to" your vehicle. Getting off your bike does pose a problem or two.

For some of you Harley riders, there may be a way to properly secure your weapon on the bike.

http://consolevault.com/harley-davidson ... vault.html

Arming or disarming discreetly is another story.

HotLeadSolutions wrote:

wconn33 wrote:Yeah I just wasnt sure if that meant I could have the weapon on the motorcycle or on my body. So if I am carrying a weapon I am good as long as I stay on the bike the trouble would start if I went into a store to eat or pay for gas correct?

It can't be on your person unless you are on the vehicle or "Directly en route to" your vehicle. Getting off your bike does pose a problem or two.

The law actually says inside of a motor vehicle. I'm not sure how you can be "inside" a typical motorcycle, so I guess that's what's causing folks concern.