Anybody legal in PA?

[phillyguy]

Howdy fellas I just got an 80cc chinese up and running on my mountain bike and am currently breaking it in. I've done some reading and apparently it's legal in PA , well up to 50cc it is but I'll just play ignorant on that part and there's no inspection here anyway. My question is has anybody actually gone through the process of registering it with the state? The first snag I hit was lack of a title because it's um a pedal bike. Is it possible to get a title somehow? I've yet to ride past a cop yet but EVERYBODY and I mean everybody looks at me when I'm riding out of sheer curiosity and it's only a matter of time until a philly cop see's me. Although I doubt even most of them would really even give it a second look as they have bigger problems to deal with than me putt putting to wawa.

 

[JosephGarcia]

Does the law say you HAVE to register it in order to ride it? If not, just follow the road laws while you ride.

Over here in So Cal I was stopped by a cop for not having a brake light and turn signals. Otherwise he said I didn't need a license or to register it and was following the road rules.

(I don't remember turn signals being required to ride for my state, but this gives me a reason to put them on anyways )

 

[Augs]

I live in South Texas right now, but I'm moving back up to philly for a year at the end of summer. I plan on taking the pedal-assisted creation I am currently building. After living there before, I think you can get around the police problem by using hand-signals when you turn, and keeping it under 30 mph. I intend to use my bike as my main mode of transport around the city. I have tried to look on-line, but I can't find any source that confirms or denies the rules of pedal assisted biking in philly.

 

[irish13]

hey man, i live in Northeast Pa (15 miles east of erie right on the border of NY) and i ride to work in erie, and drive right past the smokeys barracks and they leave me alone. even had a couple ask where i got it! But they didnt ask for any paper nor did i offer and info. In the city right downtown we have alot of people that have rack mounted engines (i think most of them DUI/DWI's and the fuzz does not mess with them either. as far as actual legislation stating we can not idk. i know it doesnt help but oh well
irish

 

[turbo/chaos]

in texas

well from weems to be in texas iv been lucky iv been passing cops all the time they look but dont ask and on the first day im not joking but 7+ cops easy bad part of town thats why but they dont care speed lwas from what they whant is keep up or get off the road is the rule huh texas rednecks big trucks A&M 24/7 drunk students yeah i need to be faster then them to leave but even if that its your right if you what to register or title it but why i like my money so NO!

TURBO CHAOS

 

[KilroyCD]

Sorry about the late reply to this thread, but I'm new to this forum. Since your bike has an 80cc engine, it has to be registered as a motorcycle for it to be considered legal. Anythig over 50cc is a motorcycle in PennDot's view. The predicament we both face is the lack of a title for such a bike. There is no VIN number to use in titling as well. One route I've considered is to use the serial number of the engine (provided there is one) and getting it titled through an out-of-state titling agency. This route is the way many people go when building a vintage car or street rod up from hulks that have no title. If registering it as a motorcycle, you'd then have to get a motorcycle license and probably add turn signals to the bike (but I'm not 100% sure about that).
In my case, I have 48cc engines on both of mine, and with that configuration they literally fall in between any description PennDot has. It is not a Moped because it does not have an automatic transmission, yet it complies in every other aspect. I have gathered much paperwork from PennDot regarding trying to register my bikes. One part of the PennDot paperwork I have states that mopeds need not have a title, but here's the rub. Later on in the same paperwork, it states that no vehicle can be registered without a title. It seems as though one hand does not know what the other is doing at PennDot.
I gave up trying to register mine. The local police don't bother me, in fact they are familiar with seeing me putter around town. One day, one policeman stopped when he saw my Columbia, which is very retro looking. He stopped and asked me if it was an antique Harley! He told me that the local cops won't bother me, but if I see a State Trooper to kill the engine and pedal. So far the State Troopers haven't bothered me either, they've just waved as they passed me. In my area, as long as you're not a kid or doing something stupid, they don't bother you. With some of the conveyances the Amish put on the road, they're used to seeing just about everything.

 

[lostanddontcare]

I Live Nwpa. Near Ohio Line. I Have Travled More 3000miles In Pa With No Police State .haved 4or5 Times Oil City Erie Brooksville And Pittsburgh With No Police Thay Wave Only. I Plan To Travel Soo Ins And Plates In Pres

 

[M_Saint]

I am going to attempt to get mine titled here in pa and tagged as a moped. Should be interesting to say the least

 

[KilroyCD]

I am going to attempt to get mine titled here in pa and tagged as a moped. Should be interesting to say the least

It's going to be a long and arduous task if you aren't riding a factory-built bike. I have yet to be able to tag either of my builds, so in order to be completely legal and without worries I now ride a Whizzer. That bike, believe it or not, is tagged as a motorcycle and has to be inspected (unlike a moped).
I see you are from my neck of the woods. What part of Lancaster County might you be from?

 

[M_Saint]

It's going to be a long and arduous task if you aren't riding a factory-built bike. I have yet to be able to tag either of my builds, so in order to be completely legal and without worries I now ride a Whizzer. That bike, believe it or not, is tagged as a motorcycle and has to be inspected (unlike a moped).
I see you are from my neck of the woods. What part of Lancaster County might you be from?

I am near mountville. There is a way to get your stuff titled in pa as a 50cc motor scotter/moped. Friend of mine got a 50cc mini chopper done. But they will require working brake lights and such.