Standerdize cc and watts and make a reasonable speed limit.

[reb1]

I believe that we should lobby for at least 50cc. I do not agree with the limitations of 2 brake horsepower. If you go by this than your choices are very limited. If you use anything bigger than a 35cc motor than you would be breaking the law. One size does not fit all. The fed made a 750 watt limit on electric based on a 170lb rider. Is everybody less than this weight. 20mph is the max speed the motor can propel you on level ground. Start reading all the convoluted additions that many states add to this and you realize that people still hate bicycles motorized or not. I suggest that 35mph be the maximum for gas or electric. I believe that you should only get a speeding ticket if you speed. Not have your property impounded for collateral and pretend that you are a full size dangerous car. I also believe that the fines should be based on what actual danger you are to people and property. In other words when I drive my tractor trailer down the road the bond to insure is based on $1,000,000. When I drive a car down the road it is more like $20,000. Besides the greedy part, insurance is based on the destructive power the vehicle is to property and life. $2,000 + in tickets is a hate crime not a law.
Who higher up could we contact to work on change. The people who make these rules are not making them based on reason. They are making them based on emotion.

 

[BiMoPed]

You are in California, right?
Are you talking about changing CA motorized bicycle law?
You sound a little confused and misinformed. Do you even
know what CA law says?

CA has some of the best laws for motorized bikes out of any of
the other States.

You are never going to get all the States to agree.

I believe that we should lobby for at least 50cc. I do not agree with the limitations of 2 brake horsepower. If you go by this than your choices are very limited. If you use anything bigger than a 35cc motor than you would be breaking the law. One size does not fit all. The fed made a 750 watt limit on electric based on a 170lb rider. Is everybody less than this weight. 20mph is the max speed the motor can propel you on level ground. Start reading all the convoluted additions that many states add to this and you realize that people still hate bicycles motorized or not. I suggest that 35mph be the maximum for gas or electric. I believe that you should only get a speeding ticket if you speed. Not have your property impounded for collateral and pretend that you are a full size dangerous car. I also believe that the fines should be based on what actual danger you are to people and property. In other words when I drive my tractor trailer down the road the bond to insure is based on $1,000,000. When I drive a car down the road it is more like $20,000. Besides the greedy part, insurance is based on the destructive power the vehicle is to property and life. $2,000 + in tickets is a hate crime not a law.
Who higher up could we contact to work on change. The people who make these rules are not making them based on reason. They are making them based on emotion.

 

[reb1]

I am not confused. I would like to ride a MB like I drive my car or ride my touring bicycle from state to state and not need 200 hours of research on a computer to see if I am in compliance with the law of this or that one horse town and the local sheriff. I am going to motorize my tandem and with wife and a large cart will be using a motor to assist with a combined weight of 500 to 700 lbs. I will be pedaling all the time like I usually do. The wife will be moving her legs like she usually does. She does help but I do not want a noisy two stroke or an underpowered 35cc weedwacker motor. I like the 50cc motor but my dad lives in AZ and I am under the impression that they are not happy with motorized bicycles. My mom lives in Ohio. Do you get the picture.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Well, reb1, all I can say is - get used to reality.

There is NO FEDERAL LAW CONTROLLING ENGINE SIZE, POWER, OR SPEED for "motorized bicycles. None at all, except the Dept of Commerce definitions of what constitutes a "motorized bicycle" for purposes of INTERSTATE COMMERCE ONLY.

The definitions of vehicle classes, allowable speeds, and required equipment are set by the states with their individual legislative acts. There is some uniformity in some vehicle classes, and rather less in others. What constitutes an allowable "motorized bicycle" is one of the most variable categories of them all. For example, Oregon says 35 cc is the maximum engine displacement allowable, whereas CA says 50 cc, and NY says 0 - no power allowed, period.

 

[reb1]

50cc is not a problem while I am in CA but I could only find a limit of 2 brake horse listed in CA. I could not find where they say a cc limit. Is this some city law. I am going to put a 50cc Honda on my Tandem and If I need to get a ticket or go to court over it while I am traveling so be it. I will just have to through my self on the mercy of the court. Other than fighting one ticket in Michigan I have never been in court. They list the Motor as a 2.5 Horsepower. but the manual says to only run it at 80%. The manual also says that it is a 2 brake horsepower motor. My father lives well north of Tucson so I will Probably not have a problem with the law.

 

[Scotchmo]

... whereas CA says 50 cc ...

Wrong. California has no cc limit for mopeds/motorized bicycles.

 

[loquin]

AZ's size limit is 48cc, and there's the 20 MPH limit; above which they can consider the bike an unregistered moped.