Has anyone tried to register as a Moped

Moped

hi guys,
i bought the moped from craigslist and the guy who dosnt have title and i didnt know the law until i bought it that in PA need to have title so now i need a help what i can do to get title please help me
 
There are 2 ways to go with this.

Contact the DMV and ask what to do (probably will go no-where because they will want a paper trail, but try anyway).

Or buy another moped WITH the required paper work - doesn't matter if the bike is junk, as long as you get paper with it. Cut the section of the frame out of it and put that in your good moped.
That is what I did- my concoction is legally a Puch moped.
The plate on the back is like a golden pass to ride (sensibly/ safely) without issues.

Motorcycle guys do this all the time.
That is how they make a brand new chopper legal without all the hassles.
But you need a legal frame (with paper)to start the process
 
Pennslyvania is notorious for * tough * vehicle laws, this goes back to post WW II Hot Rods, at first, it was common sense, than overenforcment became the norm. That's a lousy place for the taxpayers . My advice is ... Cover your tail with paperwork. An authorized Columbia dealer can give you some letterhead BS , serial numbers should be 11 digits, take the numbers off a dollar bill, that's govt approved paperwork. Another approach is to ' Ken Fubar ' it. That is, you and a friend research, and collect paperwork. When all is said and done ' Ken Fubar ' sold you the bike, complete with paperwork, all you want to do is transfer the ownership to yourself.

Your on the right track seeking antique status. Possibly your motor is an old Lambrogini conversion, updated with modern parts.
 
I don't mean to be ' snotty ' but this group is for bike builders, moped people are welcome, but most of have gas bike issues.

Registration / laws are an issue with * all * of us . If it's hard to register a store bought moped, imagine the hassle of registering
a home built vehicle !

Read up on your home state, best to go to Registry, and talk to people in person, tell them you * want * to buy the bike, if they seem bent on overenforcement. That way, all they can nail you on, is conspiracy to purchace a hard to register vechicle. As for numbers, a fin from an aluminum ice tray makes a great V I N tag. or you can buy them on EBay, and stamp numbers with cheap numbering stamps
 
I recently purchased the gebe kit, heavy wheel & Tanaka 40cc engine for my mountain bike and now beginning to think I just spent $900 on something that can only be used off road. How sad.

I called the CA DMV and the customer rep was thinking it's a moped and thus needs registering, M2 license, yada yada.
After asking about how to answer the questions on the registration form and listening to my argument that this is fundamentally different than moped, she became stumped. She suggested I bring it into my local DMV branch and have them look at it and decide what to do. Even if I put on an engine that couldn't keep up with a jogger, I suspect they won't register it.

Thinking the best I can do is get the M2 permit (good for 1 yr), outfit my bicycle with and wear all the required safety features, go slow in the bike lane and ghost pedal.

Anybody in CA with the GEBE actually get a plate?
 
Laws vary by state CA is a tough one

In Massachusetts, a motor assisted bicycle is a * Moped * which means a $ 50 2 year sticker, and your legal,
Mass Drivers License and helmet required . No registration, inspection, or lights required . Mass has been getting tough on 50cc * Scooters * confiscating the unregistered ones. A Scooter is a Motorcycle, and needs Plates, Sticker, DOT Lights,
and a Helmeted operator with a MC License / or permit. The distinction ... If it was built with pedals, it's a Bicycle, if it gets a motor, it's a Moped. If built without pedals ... It's a Motorcycle . If built with pedals, they can be removed, if a pedal drive is added, it must remain functional .
 
i registered a pit bike or 3 over here in AU.

laws are completely different but.

one came as registerable. still had to take it to some inspection facility 100km away because it came from interstate...

the other two? one was a rebadge from the first one, so that was easy.

the other one...the law says pitbikes etc, are "toys" and cannot be registered, full stop.

the law doesnt mention what happens if you build the frame.

the engineer agreed that me welding a new battery box mount, and the oil cooler bracket onto a frame constituted "home built".

not all engineers are so helpful :)

here, a homebuilt bike just has to have lights and controls, working...certain heights and distances apart, etc. and then pass the engineers inspection.


the only thing i know of with this "title"...either you mean the certificate of compliance, which should be the same as a compliance plate but is for certain vintage vehicles that didnt come with compliance plates/vin numbers attached, stating it is compliant to whatever road standards were applicable at the time.

one is required in most western countries.

or you mean the previous owners rego papers.

that shouldnt be mandatory as the previous owner never necessarily got it registered.

or you mean the receipt to say you purchased it off...ken fubar? :giggle:

friend has a van from his father who died recently. its basically scrap now, as the motor registry doesnt cater for "inheritance", and without the receipt to say he is now the legit owner, well... go figure.

cant just fudge one as it is still registered in his fathers name. cant transfer rego without fathers signature. etc etc etc.


typical beauracracy.
 
You are right, been talking to pennsylvania dept of transportation supervisors and they tell me over and over that bicycles cannot be registered, no matter what kind of assist engine they have or have not, they do not a vin number, they do not have road legal safety systems, they do not have street legal lighting, cops will quote title 1302 of the vehicle code, it doesn't mention bicycles/pedacycles as being exempt from registration so cops assume that this means bicycles are required to have registration, it isn't so, this is only because ordinary bicycles/pedacycles are not considered motor vehicles by Pa or the feds, but I still see statues online that gas engine bikes are considered mopeds by Pa and sometimes I see that electrics are too,, the electric bikes are regulated by the feds, I don't know about the gas ones, mike
 
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