New MA law in effect 7/31/09

[Happy Valley]

The new MA law is in effect creating three categories of two-wheelers.
1. 49cc and under and under 30mph (motorized bikes and mopeds), 2. 30 to 40mph (scooters) and 3. 40+mph motorcycles. Categories 2 and 3 require metal plates, inspections and insurance. This new law is targeting traditional looking motor scooters on the road, many of them the rash of new Chinese knock-offs.
I asked a cop friend what he'd heard and he said the word he got was "if it looked like a Vespa it needed a plate".

Scooter law revving up worry

On July 31, a new state law will kick in that could require license plates for hundreds, if not thousands, of scooter owners whose bikes are smaller and sleeker than motorcycles, yet slightly faster than old-fashioned mopeds.
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The new law will not affect "legitimate'' moped owners. Massachusetts defines a moped as a two-wheeled vehicle with an engine capacity of 50 cubic centimeters or less whose maximum attainable speed is 30 miles per hour.

The new law creates a third category of motorized bike, one that includes scooters too fast to be mopeds but not fast enough to exceed the 40-mile-per-hour minimum of motorcycles. Previously lumped in with motorcycles, the speedier scooters will now be considered "limited use'' vehicles and will bear license plates that begin with the letters LU. Owners must have them registered, insured, and annually inspected, like a typical car or motorcycle, but will not be allowed to drive them on divided highways or in bicycle lanes.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...09/07/21/scooter_law_revving_up_worry/?page=1

 

[RusticoRay]

"if it looked like a Vespa it needed a plate" how arbitrary. Looks like the LU plate covers all three of my present rides. I can see my wallet opening up soon. Registration,Insurance,Title Fee,Sales Tax,Inspection and local town taxes all this for a motor assisted bicycle.

 

[Happy Valley]

I think we can expect a great deal of arbitrariness, particularly with local cops.
In the Globe story I scanned through all 200+ comments and more than a handful of respondents there called the RMV with questions and got zilch, on hold for 40 minutes while a supervisor finally came on and said........"sorry, don't know".

I plan on riding it out as is, all my MBs are bicycles with low profile rack mounts.

 

[RusticoRay]

Vespa profiling

I bought this in the spring for my wife to come on a ride from time to time. A complete peice of chinese reverse enginnering. She has never parked it in Cambridge or been over 30mph really. Certainly would not like it if she got pinched over my hobby (obcession). I see a LU plate in our future. I've had it to 37 downhill. The other two have pedals and i'll use them as needed.

 

[rule413]

Nice! We Get An Extra Ten Mph? No More Slowing Down When I Spot A Black And White Now It Makes The Forty Bucks Every Two Years Worth It!

 

[OCLandspeeder]

That just sucks for the under 100cc scooters! Those that can go faster than 30 but less than 40. WTF?

Here in SoCal, scooters like that are a death trap!

Since they can't go on the bicycle lane, they are the mercy of cars and big SUV's and trucks. Unfortunately, they may beat the cars off the line but once you get to 30 mph it's all over and those big behemoths will be breathing down your neck and bearing down on you. I've seen it happen. In fact, I have a co-worker who rides his Yamaha 50cc scooter to work everyday. Topspeed is 35mph. Everytime I see him there are at least 3 big-*** cars or SUV's tailgaiting him and he looks like an ant!

Better to have a MB and be riding on the bicycle lane.

Scooters under 100cc really only excel in crowded, tight, cities like San Francisco, NY, Rome, London, Tokyo, etc. Bigger cities and suburbs, forget it!

 

[Parah_Salin]

Uhg...this legislation is REALY stupid. most of these things only do 5MPH more than 30...is it really that big a deal to just rais it?

Also, has anoone realised that if your chubby, you will have lower top speed than somone who is skinny?

 

[RusticoRay]

I went to the Lowell Ma. registry to pick up a moped application asked to speak to the supervisor about LU Plate(low use). She had no information at all on plates or what is or isn't a low use vehicle she said " Is that a vanity plate for Lowell University ". I think she was in charge of all counter personnel. Anyone get further on information about plates?

 

[cheeseman]

I think its great that they are making a catagory for mopeds that go 30-40. I like that they are giving us a metal plate as well (much better than the little sticker) but I don't like the inspection or the insurance. How tough will the requirments be to meet? Will dot tires be a requirment? Will we need to have a full lighting system up to dot standards with blinkers and brake lights? Also what about motorized trailers, recumbents, trikes and choppers? Will we have trouble registering thoes? I also hope it dosent cost more than the bike is worth to insure? I can't wait until we get more information so some of these questions can be answered.

 

[rule413]

Last Year I Registered My Motorized Bicycle As A Moped. I Filled Out The Registration Form, Wrote Down The Make, Model And Color Of My Bicycle. The Form Asked What Size Motor I Had... So Since I Have No Markings On My Motor I Stated On The Form "49cc" Instead Of 69cc. They Simply Collected My Forty Bucks And Told Me To Have A Nice Day. There Should Be No Reason To Register As A Scooter If Your Riding A "Bicycle" And Of Coarse Obey All Traffic Laws. You Scooter Guys Need To Build Your Own MB's. Oh Yeah... I Slapped The Sticker On My Bike And Have Not Had Any Issues With My Local Law Enforcement Including The Stone Busting State Troopers!