More CA info

akyramoto

Member
Local time
1:20 AM
Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
54
I called DMV directly & asked them what was needed legally to ride a 'motorized bicycle' ( I was still a littl confused but I wanted to make sure on all the stuff that I've read) this is what I got

-need M2 license
-some models do not need registration
-may or may not need insurance.

nice how the last two are really not that clear......
he also mentioned that the motorized bicycle really limits you as to where you can ride.........as far as I know where ever you can ride a bicycle you can ride a motorized bike - except bicycle trails. but I don't care much about those when I have a motor!!

also you would have to bring your motorized bike in for the M2 riding test.

I'm going to call some insurance companies in CA to see what they say about insurance. I'll post more soon

just trying to get this all figured out as I dont really want any trouble down the road - literally lol.
 
just got off the phone with my boss' state farm agent. becuase you are NOT riding like a motorcycle or a scooter - i.e. you're in the bike lane, you're not an actual 'vehicle'

If you were to ride on the road 'with' the cars, thats when you would need insurance.

I think this pretty much clears everything up for me. that particular agent said he's been getting alot of calls about scooters & such.
 
akyramoto --- Hi -- good old Ca. DMV ! I called them last week and asked if I needed a M-2 license or any kind of drivers license to ride my 1.6hp gas bicycle -- first person that I talked with read all of the information from the Motorcycle Handbook 2007 and said NO --- just to make sure called back the next day and they said YES license required... Seems to be kind of a grey area when DMV can't seem to always get it right.. Old Mountainman with no Ca. drivers license
 
hehe, ya I could probably call back & talk to someone else & get a totally different response. it was kinda funny he kept pointing out how I would be really 'limited' to where I could ride - hehe thats not quite true in my mind. I keep thinking about that guy that rode from Washington to Michigan on his Whizzer. you can go anywhere!!!

I need to talk to my friend - he was in an accident (he's ok,whizzer is at simpson motorbikes for repair) - I haven't gotten the details yet - but I'm pretty sure he doesn't have an M2 ( I could be totally wrong) & has been riding his whizzer. I need to find out if he got warned or cited for not having the license.

honestly after I get my plates I may start riding, I will still try to get the M2 though. I think it really depends on how you drive though, I use hand signals & everything.
 
ok. i went to the DMV today to take my M2 permit test. I told the lady what we were there for her reply was 'we've phased out the M2, now it's only M1' then we told her that it was to ride a motorized bicycle ( Steve actually said 'moped' but stated that it actually had pedals) her response was 'you don't need a license for one of those'

i was ready to walk out & go ride my whizzer right then & there, that was good enough for me!! haha, but we stayed becuase we figured that we may as well it least have the permit in case we did get pulled over.

She said the cops call them all the time asking about people riding on motor thingy's with 'pedals'

we also talked about how they're ridden in the bicycle lane & she said we were pretty much bicycles.

so still really confusing, ride without anything I guess, but if you want to be uber safe & 'grey' law abiding, get the permit or the motorcycle license, then they wont give you any trouble.
 
Way back in the '80's I took a motorcycle safety class at a junior college. It only cost $40. They even supplied us with 250cc & 500cc motorcycles to train with. We were taught how to panic stop, do u-turns w/o laying a foot down (hint: your bike will follow where you turn to look ahead), weaving around cones, figure-8's with 8 other riders, being super-aware of cagers and even riding over a 4" x 4" piece of wood at 45 mph. I got to ride a 250cc Honda Rebel, one of the most comfortable and best-handling bikes in that size, up to 400-500cc's. Well after the 4 week class, the DMV came to the college and we took the test in the parking lot. That's how I got my M1 license.

Just to be on the safe side and because I can hit 30mph on my GEBE, I applied for the moped/motorized bike registration. In about 6 or 8 weeks, I should have the plate. The laws are so grey, I don't want to take chances.

I hope you got your M1 :)
 
Last edited:
The one time Calif. MB plate -- Even though I had read that it is best not to go directly to DMV so as to attain said plate -- less hassle by mail -- thinking that in my situation (no drivers license) I needed the plate asap -- I went to DMV anyway.. Well ones were right -- the two DMV employees had no clue what I was talking about -- even though I had the downloaded form. But in some time -- with them trying many different codes into their computer -- they found it -- paid 18 dollars -- got my temporary papers -- plate should be comming in the mail.. Happy Riding from - Mountainman
 
Last edited:
Good effort, Mountainman! I did it by mail to avoid hassles. It depends which DMV you go to. The DMV up in Chico, California are nice people and they know what they're doing. Whereas the DMV in Westminster, California they are so stressed out by the sheer number of people, they cannot take the time to do what they did for you at your place. Congrats, keep riding and be safe :)
 
Here is a CHP website that quotes the legal code related to the different classes of motorcycles, scooters, motorized bicyles etc. It also tells you whether you need a Liscense, what kind of helmet is required. I had to read it a couple of times before I realized that in CA they make a distinction between electric and gas powered bicycles and have different helmet and licensing requirements for each. http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/motors.html. Hope this is helpful.
 
Xxpect -- I checked out the CHP site -- they have it broken down pretty well -- of all the MANY different sites that I went to while looking into these laws in Calif. - I don't remember seeing that exact site - although I did see other CHP sites.. Well - I am using the wrong helmet and don't have a drivers license -- what I do have is a couple of statements from law enforcement agencies (in Calif.) stating that my 1.6 hp (gas) should be treated as a bicycle -- to obey all bicycle rules... Years ago a friend was riding a bicycle with a motor attached - on a trailer - got a ticket - went to court and the judge wrote on the ticket -- not to be writing any more of these - then handed it back to him - so as to show the next officer if needed.. WITH THE RIGHT OR WRONG POOOLICE -- I AM PROBABLY IN TROUBLE !!! Happy Riding from - Mountainman
 
Back
Top