California Motorized Bicycle Law

[MotorBicycleRacing]

You are way over analyzing all these laws.

First I have never heard of an ebike getting a speeding ticket
for going 30 mph which would be 10 mph over the 20 mph limit.

Do you or anyone else know of any speeding tickets issued?

If your eBike is in the no pedal 406 (a) category you will also
need an M1 or M2 license and a DOT helmet to be legal on
top of the $19 license plate.

Also there are no jury trials for traffic tickets or infractions in CA
so if you get a speeding ticket you will be in front of a traffic court
judge and the DA will not give you the time of day.

Yes speed cost mony but is $19 too much to pay for 10 more mph? I was surprised to find out the DMV also shares my interpretation that pedals are optional. Below is right out of the 2012 California Motorcycle Handbook.

Motorized Bicycles
There are two definitions for motorized bicycles (mopeds). A motorized bicycle is:

- A two- or three-wheeled device, capableofnomorethan30mphon level ground, and equipped with:
◦ Fully operative pedals for human propulsion.
◦ A motor producing less than two gross brake horsepower and an automatic transmission.
◦ An electric motor, with or without pedals for human propulsion. (CVC Sec.406(a))

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl655/mcycle_htm/operation.htm?lang=en#motorized

Now of course this is just the DMV's definition and not the actual vehicle code as written, so a law enforcement officer or judge may see it differently. However with the DMV handing this information out in booklet form as well as posting it on their website, any person receiving a ticket for having pedals on their plated 30mph electric should be able to sway the DA or convince a jury to see things their way.

I don't feel the intent of CA law is to limit electrics to 20mph because of pedals, rather there are 2 different types of Electric Bikes as defined in CVC 406.

(A) The 30 mph limit "moped type" (pedals optional) which is the where the electric custom builders would squeeze in, same as most gasser folks to get the $19 license plate.

(B) The 20 mph limit "e-bike type" (pedals mandatory) which all the manufactures are jumping on because they are easier to market due to the relaxed requirements for operation.

 

[Big Red]

Yes speed cost mony but is $19 too much to pay for 10 more mph? I was surprised to find out the DMV also shares my interpretation that pedals are optional. Below is right out of the 2012 California Motorcycle Handbook.

Motorized Bicycles
There are two definitions for motorized bicycles (mopeds). A motorized bicycle is:

- A two- or three-wheeled device, capableofnomorethan30mphon level ground, and equipped with:
◦ Fully operative pedals for human propulsion.
◦ A motor producing less than two gross brake horsepower and an automatic transmission.
◦ An electric motor, with or without pedals for human propulsion. (CVC Sec.406(a))

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl655/mcycle_htm/operation.htm?lang=en#motorized

Now of course this is just the DMV's definition and not the actual vehicle code as written, so a law enforcement officer or judge may see it differently. However with the DMV handing this information out in booklet form as well as posting it on their website, any person receiving a ticket for having pedals on their plated 30mph electric should be able to sway the DA or convince a jury to see things their way.

I don't feel the intent of CA law is to limit electrics to 20mph because of pedals, rather there are 2 different types of Electric Bikes as defined in CVC 406.

(A) The 30 mph limit "moped type" (pedals optional) which is the where the electric custom builders would squeeze in, same as most gasser folks to get the $19 license plate.

(B) The 20 mph limit "e-bike type" (pedals mandatory) which all the manufactures are jumping on because they are easier to market due to the relaxed requirements for operation.

I think where you're getting it wrong Barnfresh is where you keep saying "with or without pedals". That is NOT what it says. What it says is, "or having no pedals if operated solely by electrical energy". YES, there are two types of electrical bikes. Without pedals, (406(a), and with pedals,(406(b). and yer right, there seems to be no reason why a e bike with pedals should be limited to 20mph. But 406(a) DOES NOT SAY "with or without pedals". If you're going to quote a law you should take it DIRECTLY from the site and not type it with your own interpretation included. I haven't read the 2012 DMV handbook, but I can't believe they would change the law in the handbook and not on the website.
Big Red.

 

[Big Red]

Well I'll Be darned, It does say with or without pedals. The problem being is that the judge ain't gonna go by the handbook, Which will have all kinds of typo's and errors, He's gonna go by what the California Vehicle Code say's. So yer still gonna get s-c-r-e-w-e-d. Forget the DMV handbook, The C.V.C. mostly goes by federal law, and the DMV is ran by under paid state workers making minimum state pay because they barely have a G.E.D. THESE are the people that put together the handbook. I wont even get into trying to find one that speaks english well enough to understand. (Not being racist, just being frustrated.)
Big Red.

 

[Og-Whizzerdude]

Bikes can go where police cars can’t. Just ditch the cops. As long as you know the hood good you can do it!

 

[Big Red]

Good one Og, Yer right.
On another note, I saw an add on craigslist in which the guy selling his motorized claimed that NO license, NO registration, And get this, NO HELMET REQUIRED. Well, After I quit laughing, I e-mail the guy and TRIED to set him straight. NOW, All of you that know me on this site know that I'm ALWAYS as pleasant as possible. I told him I found his add quite humorous then proceded to give him the links to the Ca, Vehicle Codes and the DMV website.I even told him I think he did a great job on the build. Here is his response.

(This is a bicycle. No license
No reg. no helmet required to ride a bicycle. You're wrong.
F**k off idiot)

I did reply to this, as politely as possible, and told him that he should educate himself before he starts in with the name calling. I can only hope that this guy doesn't join this site. Everyone is getting along so well, and a guy like that could put a screw in things. I think a guy like this deserves a LOT of e-mails, But only to help him educate himself on M.B. laws. You can see his add at:http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/3370979900.html
Big Red.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Bikes can go where police cars can’t. Just ditch the cops. As long as you know the hood good you can do it!

Great advice
Evading the cops in CA is a big fine and jail time now.
If anyone gets hurt it's a really big fine.

Hey, are we finally going to meet at the next race in 2013?

 

[Og-Whizzerdude]

I think it was against the law 53 years ago but I did it just the same. They have to make a big deal out of everything these days.
There is nothing I would like better than to get to one of these events soon. Right now I'm old, broke and slow. Two of those problems could be solved so you never now

 

[Big Red]

Yeah MBR, We used to ditch the cops on go carts when I was a kid. I don't think the cops would find the same thing amusing today. AH, The good old day's.

 

[BchCruizer]

Yeah MBR, We used to ditch the cops on go carts when I was a kid. I don't think the cops would find the same thing amusing today. AH, The good old day's.

Ya cops aren't very amused with stuff like that now days..

 

[slickdude]

Well I keep my 1000watt 48 volt bike about 18 on the Lake Balboa Bike Path and even down to 12mph in most cases, slowing to 8mph pedal speed when encountering humans. There is ironically the dirt access road between the golf course at Balboa and the L.A. river and there I hit about 25mph, but rarely. Just too fast for me. About 18 mph off road is plenty fast. As for the system at low speed about 35 miles riding before it cuts out. Give or take.