indiana moped law. help!

[quay1962]

sorry tater

my 2 cents...if you had pedals for one instead of pegs he would not have a valid arguement...! as a "for instance", yesterday was loyalty days in long beach...i commuted on the ht for convenience of getting around the 1500 parade goers...i pedaled out and around and against the parade...lol to where there was a LB cop at the road closure on the main drag...he say's "i havn't seen one of those in a long time.." i responded "this is a new version of the old style" he says "i heard those are comming back" i said "are we all good in the eyes of the law?" he reponded "the "law" was written for you guys!" i was dumbfounded, shut up and motored off! lol!!!! I for one wear a helmet, and a bright geen jacket for visibility ...i use arm signals and go 25 in a 25 mile an hour zone cuz i can do 32 on a good day! Just the other day beach cruzin, my hubby was asked by the sherrif dept. "what is that?" he said "a pedal assist bicycle" how fast does it go? respnse "federal law states 48cc or less goes up to 35" cop "we've looked into them and can't find anything...only electric" so there you have 2 points of cop view from my area...my question is...if all 50 states are under the same federal legislature then why does it vary so drastically from region to region? i found this by thatsdax:

We have motorAssisted Bicycles. Not Motorized.

Motorized Bicycles are those that are Motorized. That means...They were Motorized from the Start . They were never pedal bicycles. Not ever. They came from the factory with a motor on them and are motorized and the motor is their main if not their only mode of propulsion.


A Motor-assisted bicycle is that which was a bicycle first and then a motor added to then assist it. Thus..Motor Assisted bicycle and is still a bicycle under Federal Regulations, provided you adhear to the size of engine and top speed. A motor assised Bicycle has pedalling as its main source of propulsion and the motor is there only to assist. Thanks.. Enjoy the ride..


Tip...If you build a motor assisted bicycle , keep it looking like a bicycle . Choppers and mini harleys look cool but do not look like bicycles and will attract too much attention and usually trouble from police as well since they do not look like a bicycle. Just a tip to reduce trouble with police. Police are typicall pretty cool and if you are riding a bicycle and it looks like a bicycle, typically they will not bother you at all. I know..I have been by at least 400 cops, I even putt around them on sidewalks, and they never give me trouble. The First time I rode my chopper, I was stopped and read the riot act !! Kill your motor and pedal it home was the rule on my chopper. So..there you have it. Street knowledge.

good luck tater, best thing is lay low for awhile and make your ride compliant in everyway...
ciao

 

[HoughMade]

Indiana does not register mopeds- if it is 50cc or under, 2hp or under, "auto" trans, and designed for 20 mph or under (traditional mopeds fit this)- it does not need to be registered.

If it is over that, it is registered as a motorcycle and all those laws apply.

As for the equipment required, it is pretty confusing, even for me. Motorcycles have to have certain equipment and "motor-driven cycles" need certain equipment, but I can find no definition of "motor driven cycle" and the equipment statutes do not make reference to "motorized bicycles" even though that exact term is used elsewhere.

 

[eltatertoto]

well, thanks for all the inffo, guys. right now i am compiling a list of things to say on the fone, so i dont forget, or get sidetracked. and, i can peddel, infact i was assisting the engine cause it was struggling with 2 peeps. and i just need id, not a license, and i was and my friend by the way were both wearing dot approved motorcycle helmets. (with visors as the law states) and if it comes to having to register them as motorcycles, ill either convert them back to bikes, or just sell the darn things. (hopefully to a fellow mb'er) anyway, ill ttyl

 

[eltatertoto]

good news!

OK, i contacted the Hobart police chief, Rod Gonzalez and he said i am PERFECTLY legal (except for the peg thing of course) and as long as i am not stopping traffic i can ride everywhere but the highways, (i asked about the bike path) and that cop was out of his jurisdiction and couldnt have ticketed me. on top of that, i pointed him to this site, and he wants me to set a date, and come by the station, and show him, and possibly let him ride! so somehow if i get ticketed, anywhere, i contact him and he'll take care of it.

 

[HoughMade]

I like his attitude- I'd be glad to show him my work in progress.

 

[eltatertoto]

hough, if i set a date, ill be sure to tell him about you. pm me if you want me to give a name.

 

[sparky]

Like I said...

If my state had the laws you had, I'd keep a copy of it with me at all times & smile at every cop I come across.

 

[eltatertoto]

yes, i took your advice, and i also carry the sherrif's name, and what he said.

 

[Zev0]

OK, i contacted the Hobart police chief, Rod Gonzalez and he said i am PERFECTLY legal (except for the peg thing of course) and as long as i am not stopping traffic i can ride everywhere but the highways, (i asked about the bike path) and that cop was out of his jurisdiction and couldnt have ticketed me. on top of that, i pointed him to this site, and he wants me to set a date, and come by the station, and show him, and possibly let him ride! so somehow if i get ticketed, anywhere, i contact him and he'll take care of it.

Tater, I don't know if you read what I wrote to you in the mods forum, but the same thing happened to me. Cop did not know what he was doing. I have talked to plenty of officers and they all are on my side. I'm legal, these bikes are legal. Like I said to you in the other place. Just ride and forget it happened. Now, put them danged bikes back together and haul butt.

 

[eltatertoto]

theyve been together, i just drained the gas. and i came accross the same cop, and he gave me a real hard look:???: wonder if the chief notifyed the force or somthing, cause i never gave names...