North Carolina House bill 48 may make Motorized Bicycles Illegal.

[Saabsonettguy]

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2013&BillID=H48

It looks like it will require "mopeds" to have a manufactures certificate of origin, as well as be "designed and manufactured for use on public highways"

It seems to me that should this pass Motorized bicycles will no longer be legal to operate on the road.

Now would be the time to call or write in your opinions on this bill.

 

[grinningremlin]

"The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be."
Now that I got the Zappa quote off my chest.There is a dude here that fought and won in court, stating that his MAB was not a moped and could prove it.It was along the lines of saying that; "take a moped and his bike outside the courthouse, now have the bailiff do 10 circuits around the courthouse on his bike pedal power alone, and then see if he could do 1 in the same time pedal power alone on the moped".I''m sure it was a more sensible judge than is common outside small towns but a viable argument all the same.These are "Motor assisted bicycles" not mopeds.
Other than that, stealth and taking VIN stamps off old mopeds and brazing them to your ride.I'm not condoning anything, but am one of those people that doesn't believe in the system, never registered to vote, never will, and if it's a stupid law I break it.

 

[chad]

Maybe the motorized bicycle community needs a lawyer?

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

North Carolina law: δ105-164.3 Definitions:
(22) Moped. – A vehicle that has two or three wheels, no external shifting device, and a motor that does not exceed 50 cubic centimeters piston displacement and cannot propel the vehicle at a speed greater than 30 miles per hour on a level surface.

The state of Texas also uses a moped manufacture's list which is updated every 90 days. In Texas in order to be legal you must meet the requirements of a scooter. However if the above bill you mentioned passes in North Carolina then motorized bicycles wouldn't be allowed on the public roadways.

 

[Bonefish]

Does anyone know the current MB law in North Carolina? I live in Florida but was thinking of heading to the mountains this summer. Thanks

 

[2old2learn]

Based on the old text that is on our site, motorized bikes may not be included under the moped ruling. I would argue that when someone puts a motor on a bike, it is not a moped. If I took one of my gas motors off my radio controlled planes and mounted it on my handle bars of my bicycle would I be required to file a flight plan with the FAA......... Or would it still be a bicycle. God forbid I'd mount an estes rocket motor on the back of my bike and I'd have to get clearance from NASA before every ride!
Ground control to Major Tom!