Are HT kits Illegal in US?

You may have to write a simple letter to your credity acrd company explaining the EPA non-compliance of the kit you "mistakenly bought." I have said it many times. You get what you pay for ! The Sachs is better than owning 6 " UN-Happy Time kits."
 
Regrettably the seller may say it was an off road kit he was offering for you to toot around on your private property with.

While the importation of these things as complete packages is illegal, I figure they turn grey-market once already here and assembled.

Also there is a catalytic convertor muffler that looks like the only mod to become legal; you could perhaps get one of these seperately to save your conscience.
 
Moped

In Florida any thing 48cc and smaller and not exceeding 20mph is a power assisted bicycle and in a class by itself. It does not require a motorcycle license, insurance or registration. I thought I had read that these engines were really not more than a 48cc engine and carried no markings. I planned to use the bike for short distance commutes and shopping. What kind of trouble am I setting myself up for? Thanks for the reply.


I've been looking into this for months her in Florida. I even went to the DMV and asked. They are a bit confused by these bikes.

If you look at the "Definitions" section of the DMV regs, our bikes very much resemble "Mopeds", which require registration, ($19), but no title, motorcycle license or insurance.

The definition of a "motorized bicycle" refers ONLY to electric powered bikes.
I think I will go back to the DMV and INSIST that they register it as a Moped. It's worth the $19 to avoid trouble.

My local police just think my bikes are "cool". I Haven't been pulled over by them.

I got pulled over once by a county sherrif's deputy who told me I needed registration. I argued (nicely) that it was just a bicycle. He let me go and then began examining my bike and telling me how "cool" it was.

Everybody's got an opinion. If you get a ticket, the only thing that matters is the opinion of the judge.
 
I was just reading some threads and saw a poll and postings that indicated that there is a ban on the HT 2 cycle imports into the US. The companies that are selling them on ebay and such are out of Canada and are getting around the ban. I just completed and auction on ebay today for an 80cc kit and would like to know if I should go through with it. Would appreciate any input before I complete the transaction on Monday. Thanks, from the new guy trying to find his way in the MB world.


The first two kits I got from Canada were held up by customs officials for two weeks for closer inspection then released. I had to pay a fee of $13 on each kit for "customs duties".

Since then I have bought several more kits from the same outfit and they have breezed through customs with no trouble and no "Duties".

The list of "banned" items the FEDs are looking for contains thousand of items. I think the FEDs have much bigger fish to fry.
 
I say about 80% of all the members here started with a Happy Time because it's the least expensive engine kit to get. My Happy Time is still going strong but I don't ride it as often anymore. And yes we have laws but most of the time with some exceptions cops haven't generally cared as long as your not tearing down the trail like a bat out of heck.
It's frustrating for any American company can replicate the Happy Time and with gas prices they way they are you would think someone's thinking it up.
Chrysler and Ford brought back classic lines in their Mustangs and Challengers.
Imagine the stir if Harley Davidson brought back their first bike.
It would give Whizzer a run for it's money.
We need the Tuttles building an old pedal Harley from new stock. Paul Senior would do it. That's what we need to stir stuff up.
 
Regrettably the seller may say it was an off road kit he was offering for you to toot around on your private property with.
any seller-mention of "no liscense" will blow that one out of the water...we all know what those ebay ads look like.

The definition of a "motorized bicycle" refers ONLY to electric powered bikes.
in that case, i feel we can stand on the federal text: working pedals/48cc/2hp/single-speed/30mph. i bet if the cop-shop was up to speed on the laws and engine-id, the HT would lose a lot of the "cool" with them, we know they DO have more important stuff to deal with. but, once 5-0 catches on, you're riding around on all the "probable cause" a cop could ever hope for. if i was riding a HT, i'd be flying-straight yessir!

personally...i lobby so strongly for certification because someone has to, anyone who's had as close a look as i have won't have a choice. i didn't protect my country in my youth only to lay down and watch it all crumble from within without trying to do my part. i consider myself blessed to have been led to such a worthy endeavor.

the motorsport will have to self-regulate...do the math...the enormous amount of money that's gone into the HT industry would have easily supported the rise of a legally certified version by now.

we used to use a slogan on our muffler-shop sign during a sale:

"we're cheap because you are."

now lemme tweak that for the topic:

"we cheat because you do."
 
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Yes I did,my point was if someone wants to build a LEGAL HT kit it can be done. louis
 
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