Question for registered California Whizzers

[BruceBanner1983]

When you register a whizzer in California, do you create a vin, or does CADOT assign the vin? And does anyone know which character in the vin lists the engine type? Please only answer if you have a registered whizzer in California. Different states have different processes for registering motorized bicycles, so please don’t chime in from other states trying to guess. I need to know the correct answer to this question if someone can provide it.

 

[DAMIEN1307]

Then you want @Wrench or @mason_man to answer this for you since they are both in Southern California.

 

[Risk Man]

When you register a whizzer in California, do you create a vin, or does CADOT assign the vin? And does anyone know which character in the vin lists the engine type? Please only answer if you have a registered whizzer in California. Different states have different processes for registering motorized bicycles, so please don’t chime in from other states trying to guess. I need to know the correct answer to this question if someone can provide it.

I assume you are taking about a Vintage Whizzer and not one of the Taiwan bikes from 2000-2010 as those bikes have a VIN from the MFG?

 

[BruceBanner1983]

I assume you are taking about a Vintage Whizzer and not one of the Taiwan bikes from 2000-2010 as those bikes have a VIN from the MFG?

I don’t think all of them do. I’m talking about a 2006, and the vin plate says mfr by Che. I didn’t buy this bike from Che and don’t know who Che is. I was concerned about the fact that it no longer has a whizzer engine in it, but then I realized people swap engines all the time, so whatever the vin says about engine type is not legally binding. I only know that the bike was originally titled and registered in CA, and the title was transferred to PA by the person I bought it from. I have it legally insured and tagged.

 

[Risk Man]

I don’t think all of them do. I’m talking about a 2006, and the vin plate says mfr by Che. I didn’t buy this bike from Che and don’t know who Che is. I was concerned about the fact that it no longer has a whizzer engine in it, but then I realized people swap engines all the time, so whatever the vin says about engine type is not legally binding. I only know that the bike was originally titled and registered in CA, and the title was transferred to PA by the person I bought it from. I have it legally insured and tagged.

There should be a VIN on the MFG plate (where you found "CHE"). The year of the bike is the 10th digit from the left. I don't believe the VIN on those MFG plates indicates anything about the engine as they were all 138CC and 2 HP.

 

[BruceBanner1983]

There should be a VIN on the MFG plate (where you found "CHE"). The year of the bike is the 10th digit from the left. I don't believe the VIN on those MFG plates indicates anything about the engine as they were all 138CC and 2 HP.

Not that it really matters, but according to my research, every vin number has a letter or number that indicates something about engine type according to federal law. Whether that process was followed with this bike or anyone cared enough at the time to ask, I do not know. Yes, the vin plate has a 17 digit vin. But I actually realized I was worried about something that was a non-issue.

 

[Wrench]

Registering a M/B (moped) is CA, you put the Vin # Engine # on form #230 and mail it in to the DMV along with $23 (one time fee)

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/03/reg230.pdf

Fill out sections 1,2 & 5 and answer yes to all questions
If ya don't have a VIN# or Engine# you can make it up, The DMV just wants your $23
In section #1 ya leave CA. License Plate# blank because CA will give you a License Plate#
CA DMV will send you a Moped Plate


When making up a Vin# and Engine#
Vin# use the bicycle frame#
Engine # use the first letter of the manufacture and the CCs size

 

[Wrench]

And does anyone know which character in the vin lists the engine type?

Whizzer Vin#
Nope the Vin# don't list the engine type

But the COA Certificate of Origin will have the Series or Model

 

[BruceBanner1983]

Whizzer Vin#
Nope the Vin# don't list the engine type

But the COA Certificate of Origin will have the Series or Model

I don’t have the COA but what I was concerned about is a non-issue. Especially now that I know for sure the vin was made up and didn’t belong to a factory built bike. The title was transferred to PA, but the only whizzer components on it were the tank and forks. I removed the forks, and the tank is going soon. But that’s really neither here nor there. It’s titled as a whizzer NE, and that’s what the tags and vin will come back as if it’s ever run.

 

[BruceBanner1983]

Registering a M/B (moped) is CA, you put the Vin # Engine # on form #230 and mail it in to the DMV along with $23 (one time fee)

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/03/reg230.pdf

Fill out sections 1,2 & 5 and answer yes to all questions
If ya don't have a VIN# or Engine# you can make it up, The DMV just wants your $23
In section #1 ya leave CA. License Plate# blank because CA will give you a License Plate#
CA DMV will send you a Moped Plate


When making up a Vin# and Engine#
Vin# use the bicycle frame#
Engine # use the first letter of the manufacture and the CCs size

This one has the letters WMC in it which could stand for whizzer motorcycle, but it doesn’t have a 1382 in it. I’m not going to bother trying to figure out what a made up vin means or stands for lol