California Call To Arms For A Fastbike Law.

[Barnfresh]

That is a sweet looking bike there KC! AB2173 was signed into law here recently and will go into effect Jan 2015, increasing the max powerer for 30 mph MBs from 2hp (1491w) to 4hp (2982w). Maybe this change in Cali law will help in some way with your attempts to relax MB laws in your state. The signatures and petition are good but what you really need is to get a big business with shared interest involved like the co-sponsors of AB2173. Big money always seems to streamline the process.

 

[Fabian]

In Australia i would be more than happy if we were allowed to have 2 horsepower. The way things stand at the moment, we are only allowed to have 0.27 horsepower (200 watts) in a motorized bicycle.

4 horsepower is a lot more sensible, especially if you are a heavier person and/or carrying/towing a lot of weight, and have serious hills to climb.

A 30 mph MB law is also a lot more sensible than the ridiculous MB laws we have to abide by in Australia.

 

[HeadSmess]

thats awesome guys 4hp is more than enough, and 30 mph? thats... lemme see... 5/8ths, erm... 49km or so. flying, really.

cmon fabian...surely its due time for change here in oz... at least, changes to the rules for travellers off the beaten track. i sort of agree with piddly things in built up areas. its stupid that the same rules apply to broken hill and grenfell as in the heart of the cbd. but hard to implement "borders" too.then again, 50km/h is now the standard"suburban" limit, and if you cant stop your bike faster than a car at that speed... ahem.

what WE need is a "awareness ride", something similar to the great postie trek... "and over the hill came the deafening roar, of 3000 MBs, all pedalling away..."

unfortunately that little runt that did himself in a year or so ago...things like that dont help our cause.

nothing would have changed what happened, he blatantly disregarded his parents, the rules, the law...meh.

recently had a job out in homebush bay, our beloved olympic village. as i happen to be back on the pushies for a while,(having removed half my alternator in my last oil change) it was in the van. first time ive buzzed around out there! lots of neat lil bike paths. i like but yers...enough grunt to get up one certain "feature" hill would have been nice... sometimes i do agree, shifting would be a boon. wait until i get my kayak reglassed and i start towing it down the national park

legal 4 horsies....makes one want something like jerry howells V4 you gotta have the right sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWPrXAgoezA

 

[KCvale]

That is a sweet looking bike there KC! AB2173 was signed into law here recently and will go into effect Jan 2015, increasing the max power for 30 mph MBs from 2hp (1491w) to 4hp (2982w). Maybe this change in Cali law will help in some way with your attempts to relax MB laws in your state. The signatures and petition are good but what you really need is to get a big business with shared interest involved like the co-sponsors of AB2173. Big money always seems to streamline the process.

Thanks Barnfresh, 1860W 48V on a Specialized Epic 9-speed but I have to change out that 9-speed cassette for a wider spaced 5-speed so I can use some thicker Z33 chain because it snaps that 9-speed chain in a heartbeat with a miss-shift.

AB2173 is an outstanding breakthrough in relaxation of MB rules for you Cali guys and I will certainly cite it in my battle here.

Mid-term elections are coming up and I am going to ask each and every person running for the legislature what their stance is on MB laws and if they are willing to champion a change.

I already have the support of some local businesses but no money for a lobbyist, in fact I contacted several listed on the AZ.gov web site and none of them even got back to me.

Politics sucks but I'll keep plugging away, it's not just about making it reasonable for those that want to save money getting around, it's my livelihood on the line and a damn shame all of my most awesome builds are illegal to operate here.

So far the Poo-Poo has turned a blind eye towards us as long as you are riding safe but legal would be much better.

You lucky dogs, 4HP and 30MPH, color me green with envy.

 

[k-wad]

Great to hear that they increased the power limit to 4hp.
I don't mind keeping it down to 30mph (well, at least when the cops are around ) as long as I can get up to speed quicker. Sometimes you need to accelerate to avoid trouble.

If they would have also changed the M2 license requirement back to a class C, it would have been a slam dunk.

 

[Barnfresh]

Yea the license endorsement thing always cracks me up. California law requires you to have an endorsement to legally ride your Motorized Bicycle (Moped). So you take the written test and get a permit but when you show up to take the driving test the DMV tells you that you are not allowed to test on the very machine that you are required by law to have an endorsement for to operate in the first place. Go figure...

 

[k-wad]

Go figure...

That should be the government of California's official slogan, "Go Figure!"

 

[HeadSmess]

mmmm, wish they all had figures of californian, giiiiiirls

 

[Stoltzee]

Well I read the bill. Notice that at the bottom in bold letters it states:

"YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES MAY NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE USE OF THIS BICYCLE. TO DETERMINE IF COVERAGE IS PROVIDED YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY OR AGENT."

Vehicle code 16020-16033 states:

16020. (a) All drivers and all owners of a motor vehicle shall at
all times be able to establish financial responsibility pursuant to
Section 16021, and shall at all times carry in the vehicle evidence
of the form of financial responsibility in effect for the vehicle.

 

[Barnfresh]

The mandatory insurance disclosure is for e-bike manufacturers and is already in the current CVC 406(b). Nothing has changed with the passing of the new bill. E-bikes are bicycles and are still not required to be insured http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d01/vc406.htm

(4)*Every manufacturer of motorized bicycles, as defined in this subdivision, shall provide a disclosure to buyers that advises buyers that their existing insurance policies may not provide coverage for these bicycles and that they should contact their insurance company or insurance agent to determine if coverage is provided.
(c)*The disclosure required under paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) shall meet both of the following requirements:
(1)*The disclosure shall be printed in not less than 14-point boldface type on a single sheet of paper that contains no information other than the disclosure.
(2)*The disclosure shall include the following language in capital letters:
“YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES MAY NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE USE OF THIS BICYCLE. TO DETERMINE IF COVERAGE IS PROVIDED YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY OR AGENT.”