Let's change the law on motorized bikes

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Making a lot of noise about an issue, but not actually thinking through what may be the response to that issue is what brought about Washington's across the board ban of motorized bicycles, back in 2010.

So do we cheer on a nation wide law that restricts or even forbids bicycle powered by engines? Youtube videos of idiots recording their tricked out 45 mph plus bike blasting through their neighborhoods while running stop signs and generally maintaining a 15+ mph speed over the 25 mph limit is going to be the first thing presented to the people making this law.

Be careful what you wish for.

I agree 100% with LewieBike! Like the guys who tape their speedos doing 196 mph then post it for all to see! I have one that I ride through town ( small town USA) with no problems, simply because I follow all the rules that bicycles are required. Until the stupidest people STOP being stupid on these bikes, we will have to bear the consequences.
 
It's not that hard to get laws you want passed. What you have to do is lobby both parties with massive campaign contributions, so no matter which side wins, they owe you one. You have to kick back a bunch of money, that's how this country works. Look what the medical insurance industry got away with. They bribed Obama into giving them Obamacare, that requires everyone to pay for their product, like it or not. So the premiums and deductibles went through the roof, what do you expect? Then, just to pour salt on the wounds, you always have to give legislation that screws everyone over some kind of stupid name, like the "Affordable Healthcare Act", since that is the absolute last thing it's going to be. And that worked out so well for them, FEMA got in on the act, too. They changed all the zones around to include twice as many homes in the "high risk flood zones", and forced them to buy useless insurance from the companies that were willing to kick back huge amounts of the money. But, since FEMA is also the same agency that regulates those particular companies it requires you to buy flood insurance from, they don't really have to pay you for your house if it's destroyed in a flood. Nobody believed me when I told them how that was going to work, until that hurricane Andrew, and the PBS expose on how that worked out, and what the insurance companies got away with. But it ended just like I said it would, they got away with it, and the people who lost their homes never got anything. Welcome to America. And if you live in a populated area, enough so that you have utilities available, I can assure you no matter where you are, you are required by law to pay for them, it's illegal to live "off the grid" if you are close enough to it to be connected. Even if you don't use it, you'll still get a bill, anyway. They'll bulldoze your house down if you don't pay them whatever they want. I used to live off the grid, so I know. And you know what? It cost me only 25% of what the electric company charged to run my own generator. The reason the economy is so bad is that the government is making deals with big business to take all of our money. What the taxes don't get, the utilities companies will.
 
I currently own a 49cc Motorbike that I put together using a kit. I have used it around town with no issues in that it only reaches 20-25 mph and I abide by the laws that bicycles have to. I also am curteous towards all other traffic and pedestrian traffic.

I am thinking that if we all use this method while riding, that would help the cause and public perception.
 
with no issues in that it only reaches 20-25 mph and I abide by the laws that bicycles have to.
There are motorized bicycle laws too.

I just snicker at your suggestion we all ride at your speed, I abide by the speed limit signs up to 50mph.
Bummer about your bikes speed, you can improve that here if you wanted to.
 
Hi my name is Billy Cooper I am a proud owner of a high performance motorized bicycle I'm looking for a group of proud Riders and owners that would be willing to go with me to demand to speak to the Texas governor as taxpayers so we can get the law changed on motorized bikes the laws are ridiculous and makes no sense the laws say we cannot ride them unless they are registered and insured but yet DMV refuses to register them and insurance companies refuse to insure them if this sounds like something you would be interested in helping with please contact me at BillyRC30 at gmail.com with subject let's change the law
Hey Billy,
Can you show how you came to understand they need to be tagged? From what I understand gas engines in bikes exceeding 50cc aren't clearly defined.

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.551.htm#551.351
 
Hey Billy,
Can you show how you came to understand they need to be tagged? From what I understand gas engines in bikes exceeding 50cc aren't clearly defined.

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.551.htm#551.351
Well none of that code even applies to registration of even a moped, only lists a few items that are not qualified for titling or registration, your linked legislation is not relevant here unfortunately. I also have to comment that as soon as I see legislation that mentions restrictions on cc size on both internal combustion motors AND ELECTRIC MOTORS I really have to step back and laugh at how far a lawyer can grind that bit of code into the dirt in a courtroom. There's just no physical or reliable way to define an electric motor with a cubic centimeter displacement value, with code like that you could take the motor out of a Tesla wheel and make a motorcycle from it and have virtually zero legal backlash just because of how poorly it was written..
 

TL;DR
I've been around the proverbial block once or twice so lemme crack this knowledge egg on yo ass real quick-like.
IT'S ALL ABOUT DEM DOLLAZ AND $EN$E

Texas decided to clearly define the big ones like vehicle, trailer, motorcycle, etc... in fact, it recently expanded the motorcycle laws/restrictions because there's way more bikers these days. They decided not to define what a motorized bike is intentionally. First, there's only a few of us dumb enough to share the road with all the lifted trucks hauling ass everywhere. So, they wouldn't really "help ($$$)" anybody. They'd probably end up with some laws that would keep your bike from going fast or being loud because, face it, we're talking about the government, bub. Another thing: sensible motorized bike laws would be impossible to make it past the House, way before ever getting to ol' Greg's desk. Them hypothetical "laws" would be impossible to enforce too.. the po-po ain't gonna measure your engine displacement on the side of the road. And if they did cite you, it'd be too easy to get dismissed in court, so no money. Really, that's the thing right there, it's not a State thing it's a municipal thing. My 'hood just copied and pasted the scooter part and off-road vehicle part, no mention of "motorized bicycle" or anything of the sort. Bro, in Texas they are street*-legal (not highways, duh), don't require a license, don't require inspection/registration, don't require minimum liability, don't require a helmet. Just follow bike laws m8, and u good.
 
This part negates the license plate issue, again, it only applies if your engine is less than 50cc's.
if an internal combustion engine, has a piston displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less and connects to a power drive system that does not require the operator to shift gears.

And don't lie to a police officer, in Texas the penalty for lying is a Class B Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in your local jail, and or a $1000 fine. Instead of a simple fine of maybe $50 you just took yourself to the possible prisoner status.
 
The right to use the public highways is not in the US or Texas Constitutions. That right was granted by the legislature through the law process and signed off by the governor. As I have stated before, a meeting with the governor is not the route to take. You MUST start with the members of the legislature, and get enough of them on board to get some of them to sponsor a bill and then get it passed in BOTH HOUSES.
 
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