Anyone ever register their E-bike?

[morph999]

If my e-bike goes 40 mph and I want to ride it at 40 mph, what do I need to do? I don't see why I would need a motorcycle license to ride a bicycle. I go 25 mph right now. I need a license to go 10 mph faster? Lets say I didn't license it and just did it anyway, I guess they could give me a ticket of some kind? It wouldn't be a speeding ticket since if I go 35 mph in a 35 mph zone, I would be okay speed-wise. I just wonder what the police could do to me if they don't like my e-bike. I planning on putting at least 60v on my 5303 and maybe even 72v. I'd like to play within the rules. I just would rather go with the speed of traffic from now on and take up the whole lane rather almost getting killed like today.

Ok, on my roads around my house it's only 35 mph. So I'd just go 35 mph and then if someone gets angry, they can just go around. So I won't be going over 40 mph.

 

[Anonymous]

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[amberwolf]

I asked the police department (via Ed at AZBikeLaw) about registering mine here in Phoenix, because there is actually a part of the city code (from the late 60s or early 70s I think) requiring bicycle registration, but they had no idea what we were talking about and said they don't do that. So it's impossible to register mine here.

As for getting stopped/ticketed for riding faster than your local assisted-bicycle limits, it depends on where you are. Here in Arizona, in some cases, bicyclists with motor assists that were ticketed for going faster than 20MPH (the limit in this state) (even in cases where they were not actually going faster than that) have been ticketed for "the big three", because of the wording of the law having been that a motor-assisted bicycle is such "when operated" under 20MPH.

So instead of issuing a speeding ticket, which you'd expect, they instead treat it as if it were a moped (which could be legally operated above 20MPH) and issue THREE tickets (at least): one for driving without a license (if the rider does not have a motorcycle/moped driver's license, which is higher grade than a car driver's license, so most people don't have one), one for having no registration for the vehicle, and one for having no insurance for the vehicle.

Sometimes other tickets could be issued, too, for improper or no lighting/etc, since bicycle-class lighting requirements aren't generally the same as that for mopeds and above.

That's usually at least $1000 in tickets right there.

Now, that said, I don't think any *electric* assisted bicycles have been ticketed this way; I think it's only the gas-motor assisted ones that have been targeted, but that could change anytime someone feels like it.

I'm sure that some of the tickets have been overturned successfully, but I don't think all of them have been. http://azbikelaw.org should have something about these cases, or on it's blog site (linked at that page).

So...I'd be careful depending on what previous problems assisted cyclists have had in your area. If there have been none, I'd still be careful so you don't wind up the first example.

 

[Anonymous]

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[amberwolf]

A recumbent style or other low-slung bike, where the rider is not in a position to be so easily catapulted over the bars is probably safer at higher speeds than a regular DF upright bike would be.

However, even on my CrazyBike, which is really heavy and actually *more* stable at higher speeds for some reason, I get kinda worried when I'm up around 40MPH (unpowered coasting on a long steep downhill slope in a 40-45MPH zone), because the tires on these things are just not standardized/specified well enough for me to trust them--a blowout at those speeds would probably leave parts of me as jam spread across the pavement (even if all the cars manage to miss me!).

Coasting my DF upright bike at those speeds down that hill is dowright damned frightening; it's all squirelly and feels like it's gonna fly out from under me most of the way down.

Plus the linear-pull rim brakes I have simply don't work well enough at those speeds to actually stop me safely--sure, I could lockup the wheel with them, but then the tire would be skidding at 40MPH and probably rub right thru the tread and pop the tube first bit of debris it hits, and I'd have no real chance of controlling it after that. Modulating the brakes is a lot harder at those speeds, too. Maybe with good disc brakes it would be better, but I've never had any to try (still trying to invent some out of my junk).

Another issue with the tires is that the contact patch is pretty dang small to give you much control or braking at higher speeds, unless you have wider dropouts and forks/stays, and use wider rims and tires than typical bikes have.

Since my bikes are cheap junk (with the Columbia DF bike not much better, having started out as a $300-class "comfort" bike), I'm sure others have better stuff that works at those speeds, but mine sure doesn't.

 

[nineball]

I would just find a way to put insurance on it, thats the big fine, the rest are just infractions, unless suspended or revoked lic.

 

[gogo]

Call and ask. I got popped for a drag racer with wheelie bar in a parking lot in Arizona. They tried to get me for no reg., plate, lighting. I called and asked what the usual penalty for an off-road was and then argued in court that my situation was equivalent and it worked.

It may depend on your local coppers, too. Amberwolf lives in the Phoenix "valley" and describes the "big three" compliment of tickets. My Father lives in Kingman, AZ and says gas powered bikes ride right by the cops there at well over 20 and don't get a second look.

 

[morph999]

is it possible to install the 5303 rim on an old moped? Here in Indiana, I don't need a motorcycle license to drive a moped. I think moped's are limited to 25 mph too but they break it constantly. If my 5303 was on a moped maybe I could register it or something.

I read something on another forum about a guy with a 50cc motor who got in trouble by a cop here in INdiana but then called the sheriff and was told that he should not have any more trouble and that his deputy was wrong for having stopped him.

 

[el_walto]

I looked on putting insurance on a electric bike in BC, Canada, and it's pretty much impossible. The bike has to be inspected and assigned a VIN number and no one is willing to inspect it.

In BC if your ebike is over 32km/h or 500W it is illegal to use on the roard/sidewalk/bike path.
http://www.icbc.com/registration/reg_rules_low_pwr_mtr_asstd_cycles.asp

supposedly you can register a "LSM" up to 70km/h and 1500W, but i have no idea where to purchase one with a VIN number.

 

[deronmoped]

Most cops do not know what the law is for something as obscure as a electric powered bike. That goes in your favor as they do not want the hassle of figuring out how to write a ticket in your case. I had a ranger pull me over on my moped, he spent forty five minutes looking in his book and calling around trying to get me on something. He gave up and told me to get the hell out of there.

If anything I would get it registered as a moped. A E-Bike fits the basic description, under two horse power, pedals, less then thirty miles an hour. Just put a throttle stop in. Take it to the DMV that way, they may not even ask for headlight, tail light, turn indicators and mirror. Get a plate and you will be golden.

Deron.

 

[Anonymous]

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[jag]

I have been wondering if a pedal-ebike is registered, can one then still limit top speed and power (e.g. using cycle analyst) an legally take it on a bike path? Practially I guess it is unlikely to be a problem if ebikes are allowed on paths and one removes the plate(s). However legally I was wondering if a vehicle can belong to two categories?

A related problem might be for those cars that converts to boats. They would need a road registration and a boat registration and somehow be legal in both categories. (VW made a small personal car size "Schwimmwagen", and there are several larger ones used for tourist tours e.g. in Boston.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diul0DxmMEU
[youtube]diul0DxmMEU[/youtube]

 

[mikefish]

here is the link for registering your bike in california:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg230.htm

i have not done this yet, as my bike will not break 20mph.

but i do plan on getting a bike that will go faster that that, and once i do, i will be getting my plate

its a one time fee of 18 bucks, and then they send you a small plate to put on the bike. i got this from a different forum for gas bikes:

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=4809

i figure if you have a CA plate on your bike, a cop would most likely not bother you. he may even pull it up in his computer, and see that you are legit (not some toy store plate)

its worth 18 bucks for possible protection from angry police