Finished my whizzer ...

I finished my spookytooth kit ... put it on a Schwinn 7-spd beach cruiser I snagged off of craigslist for $60 ( tank is one of Thatsdax's ).

I will be getting a VIN in a few weeks, and will go the legal moped route with it.

I thought I might also post a pic of my e-bent while I was at it.

 

Nice. Is that a Jaguar?

 

Clean Schwinn!

:grin: Very tastefully proportioned. Super job! How was your experience with Spooky Tooth, they seem like a bunch of super cool people.

 

How do you go about getting a VIN?

 

Yes, it's a Schwinn Jaguar 7 speed beach cruiser. I replaced the twist shift with a simple friction shift, and have a twist throttle and double brake lever on the right side, and just the clutch on the left.

The people at Spookytooth were just fine. Their supplier in BC sent me the kit as a drop shipment. It was missing a bunch of stuff, so I got on the phone. The people at Spookytooth got me straightened out and sent the missing stuff the day I got a hold of them.


Getting a VIN in Washington State:

To get a VIN in WA, you go to the DOL and tell them you built a custom motorbike. They tell you to call the State Police to make an appointment to have a VIN inspection. You call them, they set a date, and they send you back to the DOL to get a Statement of Fact ( basically an Affidavit that you built the bike out of parts you obtained lawfully ).

With statement in hand, you go the the State Police appointment, they then take your statement, and put a VIN on the bike. If you have bills of sale for everything, they then send you to the DOL for a Vehicle Title. If you don't have a bill of sale, you get a Vehicle Registration ... and can get the title three years later.

 

I like the way you did the gas tank. under the bike rack is cool and makes sense!

 

KBarrett,

The engine's under 50cc, why are you worried about licensing it?
I thought that as long as its under 50cc's, it doesn't have to be licensed.

...or has that law changed too, now. (#$#$money grubbers%$^$##)



Dean

 

What reat deal on the bike. I paid $120 for my Jaguar. Worth every penny so far. Enjoy the ride.

 

Nice rides. as for the questions concerning registration/inspection:

In Washington it has always been considered a moped.
Ten years ago when I first started building and riding these things I researched the RCW's and have continually checked for updates. They are considered mopeds if:
Not more than 50cc, not more than 2 brake horsepower, no faster than 30 M.P.H., and have working pedals.
Otherwise it can be registered as a "motor-driven cycle", or if it is older than 40 years (by frame #'s, they don't look at the engine #) it is consiodered an "Antique Motor-Driven Cycle".
Whizzers fall into the motor-driven cycle category...
Hope this clears things up a bit for Washington State...
I go to the chehalis inspection place, the one up here in Tacoma is a royal pain. The officers in chehalis are very friendly and listen to you about your vehicle, making for a very smooth, easy, and pleasant process.
Rif

 

Rif,

Thanks for the info.
I remember back during the gas crunch of the 1970's, Mopeds became popular and sprang a whole vairety of varients.
ASAIK, they didn't have to be registered in those days because they were considered a "pedal assissted" vehicle and since it was not solely motor driven, the DMV considered it just like owning a regular bicycle.
Thus, you didn't have to register them or anything. Just buy 'em and ride.

...apparently things have changed.

Thanks again for the update. I'll keep that in mind when I build mine.





Dean

 

Got my plates yesterday

Got my plates yesterday.

The only hard part was waiting in line for a VIN inspection. First appoint took 2 weeks, and was canceled when the inspector called in sick. Next one was 2 weeks later, and everything worked out fine.

Handed the inspector a notorized certificate of fact ( a statement by me that I owned the bike and the engine kit, and built this custom moped myself ). He read off the bike's serial number, made that the VIN, and asked a few questions ( wanted to know top speed and engine displacement. 30 MPH and 49cc are the correct answers for Mopeds in WA ).

Stamped everything, and sent me to the DMV across the street. $165 later ( VIN fee, plus Registration fee, plus plate fee, plus vehicle tax on a $450 moped ), I had my tags.

Add another $77 to Progressive for insurance, stick a fork in it, and call it done.

I did have a State Patrol cop show up out of nowhere and tail me for a bit yesterday, after I completed the paper chase; apparently some little old lady ( male or female ) reported me to the cops for tootling around the neighborhood ....

 

Dang! It almost costed as much to get that legal as it did to build your bike!
Well it being legal and all,I would seriously look into some gears so maybe you can ride in the middle of the road like scooters instead of on the side of the road.

 

Glad it worked out man. The fees have gone up since I last did my inspection/licensing- BUT you'll probably save time, money, hassles, and all such nonsense in the longrun. We are now being noticed by the officials more often than not, and so you are legal and have no worries. Though they are not allowed on the bike trails here (you'll get a ticket for that), whereas the electric motored bikes are allowed on the bike trails... But congrat.s on the leagalization of your vehicle!!!

 

KBarrett,

Does this mean you have an actual license plate that you hang off the back of your seat now?

...I'd like to see a picture of that.




Dean

 

I just love liscenses. Here in Texas you put the engine on the bike and go. The cops give me a thumbs up whenever I pass them. I'm in a town of 22,000 so I ride mine everywhere

 

So bear with me, I'm still confused. You can now legally ride your Jaguar because it has a VIN # even though it doesn't have lights, blinkers etc.?

I live in WA state and have tried a few rides outside my neighborhood, but have pretty much stuck to rural roads because of uncertainty of the legality of riding my motored bike on city streets if I were to be pulled over...

 

This is pretty universal in the States, eh? Or is this unique to Washington? I've never heard of a VIN Inspection place in Mississippi.

 

WA state moped law is silent on what constitutes "street legal", unlike motorcycles. I have no intention on calling the legislature's attention to this oversight.

I have a set of turn blinkers and brake lights ( google "bicycle turn signal" ) ... so far, the cops could care less ... they run my plate, laugh, and pass me by.

On the federal government side, DOT and NTSB are having a pee-ing match over mopeds ... as far as the NTSB is concerned, if it goes under 20MPH, it only needs bicycle brakes and reflectors.

 

Each state seems to have it's own paper dance.

Ask someone who builds custom choppers in your state for advice.

 

It's on my fender. I'll post a pic when I get home.

Edit: here it is ...