Bob Johnson's home on John's Peak is only a short distance from "No Trespassing" signs riddled with bullet holes, old mattresses chucked over a ravine, and a network of trails carved out of the hillsides by motorcycles.

"You cannot control a motorcycle," says Johnson, who has battled for 25 years to protect his property next to this popular off-road-vehicle area. "It is an impossible task."

The 58-year-old owner of 42 acres of a mountaintop visible to the northwest of Medford is alarmed at the Motorcycle Riders Association's bid to purchase 730 acres surrounding his property.

Johnson says he believes the MRA is a professional organization that generally means well. But the association's claim that it can patrol the area to prevent motorcycles from invading private property is unrealistic, he says.

Over the years, gates have been installed on John's Peak Road only to be pushed over by trucks or cut down with welding torches, he says.

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His wife, Karen Johnson, says, "Our main concern is the erosion and the trails they create. They use the driveway to do jumps and create ruts."

The Johnsons have been fighting the designation by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management of the John's Peak-Timber Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area.

To make sure that the MRA doesn't purchase land around his house, Johnson says he's considering buying about 240 acres of the 730 acres that LaMinora Properties Inc., a subsidiary of Forest Capital Partners, is selling for $1.82 million.

Bob Johnson objects to using "John's Peak" to designate the riding area, saying it gives the impression that the land is wide open to motorcycle use. Johnson says the MRA and the public don't have an easement to traverse John's Peak, contrary to popular belief.

A neighbor, Mary Alice Reis, says the motorcyclists ignore "No Trespassing" signs and some have even ridden in her front yard. "Their attitude is that they have been doing this for 20 years, so why should they stop," she says.

Her husband, Tony Reis, says the motorcycle club is generally well-behaved, but that organization doesn't represent all off-road vehicle users. "I don't consider the MRA the problem," he says.

He says alleged drug and alcohol use there and a reputation as a party place adds to the dangers in this rugged, forested area. "It leads to unsafe shooting," says Reis.

If the MRA purchases the parcel, Reis says it likely will concentrate more motorcycle use on John's Peak and make the spot more popular than ever. "I don't think I want a big parking lot next to my property," he says.

Reis, Johnson and other property owners routinely collect trash dumped around John's Peak and pay to dispose of it at the county refuse center, a situation they worry could worsen if the riding area gains a stronger foothold.

The MRA already owns 506 acres closer to the reservoir near Jacksonville, and both Reis and Johnson agree that the motorcycle riding should be confined more in that direction than around John's Peak.

David Lexow, president of the MRA, disagrees, saying motorcyclists have been using the area for 50 years. "Bob's house is new and our use is old," he says.

Lexow disputes Johnson's claim that the MRA can't use John's Peak Road for access. "We have a legal easement to the entire road," he says.

Despite the easement dispute, Lexow says the MRA's goals answer many of the homeowners' objections.

He says he supports paving John's Peak Road as long as a separate trail can be built to allow access for off-road vehicles.

A management plan needs to be in place so someone can be hired to patrol the area, helping to keep motorcycles and off-road vehicles off private property and to prevent continued use of trails in sensitive areas where erosion is a problem.

Lexow says a patrol would cut down on illegal dumping. The MRA currently conducts annual trash pickup events in the John's Peak area.

"We're trying to bring millions of dollars into the county to manage the open space," Lexow says. "We're trying to propose solutions, not whine about problems."

In keeping with MRA's goals, the group wants the land available for the entire public, including hikers, mountain bikers and off-road vehicle users.

Last week, county commissioners refused to sign off on a state all-terrain vehicle grant that would have paid for the purchase of the Forest Capital property.

In order to get the grant, the MRA needs to find a government entity willing to act as a successor for the land.

"The search is on," Lexow says.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or dmann@mailtribune.com.