Sent the following to the Illinois DMV

A question: I read somewhere that Elgin's ban is specific to 'Motor-driven cycles.' Since Illinois has a separate, specific classification for 'Motorized Pedalcycles,' (and, a motorized bike should fit that classification,) wouldn't this be an 'out' for anyone riding them in Elgin, were you able to get your bike registered as such?

No, a local ordinance takes presedence, but I ride right by cops every day. They don't care, and/or don't want to pull a commuter over. I'm not anticipating any problems, really. I had a local cop tell me that they wouldn't bother with that type of thing unless I was doing something REALLY stupid.

Warner
 
Yes, but since a 'motor driven cycle' is not the same as a 'motorized pedelcycle,' even if you were stopped for it, it may not stick.
 
Hi Warner,
I'm from Illinois too, and had the same questions. I think you're good to go based on the 4 qualifications needed. (Except for your top end is too fast:D)
I originally did a search for the "motor with a 2-brake horsepower or less". I'm pretty sure Class L is for 16-18 year old's who want to ride a motorcycle on the road as long as it's under 150 cc. (If that was a question) Since you have a regular license you should be OK. All that said, I've seen guys riding mini-bikes, keep in mind they are NOT pedaled, pulled over by the police and confiscated.
Hope this isn't beating a dead horse.
R&R
 
It is not that the people who are supposed to answer questions at the Sec of State are incompetent; it's just that if you ask ,they always try to quote parts of the motor vehicle code that deal with the subject you inquired about. So they search for parts about motorized bicycles--and there aren't any. So they either send you stuff about "motorized pedalcycles", which are mopeds, or they send you quoted passages about obtaining titles and registering vehicles that have VINs--and that doesn't apply to bicycles at all, either.

If there was a part that said "any vehicles not specified as legal, are prohibited", that would make it easy--but I haven't been able to find anything that says that (as far as I can understand, not being proficient in legalese).

The definition of bicycle they use says "propelled by human power", but it doesn't prohibit engines. And the other parts that mention motorized vehicles and toys that are not street-legal, do not specifically mention motorized bicycles among them.

At the time I started riding mine, a co-worker said there were a couple older guys in his neighborhood (in the same town as me) who had been riding these things around the neighborhood for a number of years.

~~~~~​

Bummer if you are getting hassled. Maybe go riding and let a cop write you a ticket? A first offense can't cost much, you'd get a definite answer one way or the other and the judge might drop the fine totally out of disgust if the Sec of State can't provide a straight answer.

Every roadway law they claim to have should be written in the Motor Vehicle Code. The State's attorney should be able to point out the parts that explain that a motorized bike is prohibited. I've spent quite a while looking, and I cannot find anything that says that.
~
 
All I can tell you is that there are local ordinances against such "vehicles", but nobody (authorities) don't seem to care if some old guy is riding his bike to work on the shoulder of the road (at least so far). I rode right by the police station in Elgin....had an officer drive right past me without even looking in my direction. I rode it yesterday a few miles to Home Depot to pick up some saw blades and then later about 5 miles each way to Meijer to pick up a prescription and a gallon of milk (I LOVE those bags!). No problem at all....

Warner
 
OK... I had read somewhere else that there was a news article in one of the IL papers stating that under 50cc required only license, and I figured that the motorized pedacycle definition states that it's pretty clear.

But what's confusing is that they say a motorized pedacycle is a moped. So if a moped has requirements like insurance & all the other requirements for a motored vehicle... then I dunno what to think. That definition seems mighty clear to me, up until the point where they say it's a moped.
 
OK... I had read somewhere else that there was a news article in one of the IL papers stating that under 50cc required only license, and I figured that the motorized pedacycle definition states that it's pretty clear.

But what's confusing is that they say a motorized pedacycle is a moped. So if a moped has requirements like insurance & all the other requirements for a motored vehicle... then I dunno what to think. That definition seems mighty clear to me, up until the point where they say it's a moped.

Yep, you pretty much nailed it. Illinois DOES classify them as mopeds, and then doesn't give you any way to register it as such since you can't title a bicycle. This is the point that I arrived at with them after SEVERAL lengthy calls to them. I DID tell them that it was a bicycle, NOT a moped. They don't have any legal description of a motor-assisted bicycle, therefore they classify it as a moped. It's a catch 22 and I'm done calling them or trying to move forward. I'm going to ride it unless/until I get ticketed, and IF that happens (not seeming too likely based on my experiences so far), I'll make a decision about what I want to do.

Warner
 
Well, if I were you... I'd try to find a copy of that news article that was mentioned somewhere in this sub-forum.

And you could try calling them up and saying, "I've built a custom moped, how can I get a VIN assigned to it?" Then see what the safety specs & requirements are for a moped.
 
Well, if I were you... I'd try to find a copy of that news article that was mentioned somewhere in this sub-forum.

And you could try calling them up and saying, "I've built a custom moped, how can I get a VIN assigned to it?" Then see what the safety specs & requirements are for a moped.

Their response is pretty clear. Outside of an inspection by the "specially constructed vehicles" division (which they wouldn't DO on a bicycle - it would fail immediately when the tires weren't DOT approved), there isn't a way to register it as a moped. To register a moped, it needs a VIN that was issued by the DOT. A bicycle won't cut it. There really aren't any options, until/unless the state of Illinois makes a distinction that defines what a "motor assisted bicycle" IS, and what the rules about it are.

Warner
 
I am on the same Quest

Warner
Just checked in and read your post. I live in Illinois, across from St. Louis, and want to ride hassle free in. Know that is impossible, in this State.
I have been dealing with the same people you have. There are several of us, on other sites, trying to get it straight. No real luck.
Met a vision disabled rider 2 years back. He had a Edge set up. Said that he got stopped by each town cop, until the knew him. His take on it from the disabled was that As long as it was friction driven, it was legal. Belt or chain drives put one into a gray area. From what I can find out, so far, there seems to be no clear distinction.
My calls today were fruitless and frustrating, to say the least. To say the least, it is a quest. Until we find out better we had better follow the Bicycle rules of the road, have decent safety gear and (as large Filipino says, "look tired").

Frogman
 
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