Will this modification be Street legal

[georgefromvt]

Two months ago, I purchased a R Martin Bike, bracket-mounted design with a 200-watt motor--600-peak watt. Very happy with the bike but I am never satisfied with stock set ups. Plan on adding a 250-watt brushless geared hub wheel to the front steel forks. Per US laws, electric motor of no more than 750 watts is still considered a bike--no license or registration required. I will have two controllers, two batteries and one throttle. The throttle will control the added on motor hub and the original motor will remain PAS MODE. Will this modification be street legal?
Does the 750 watt limitation count the continues watt or the peak watt? The batteries are 36 Volt 10 amps and 36 V 9 amps. Any suggestions or advice? Thanks.

http://www.electricbikedistributor.com/r12a-electric_bicycle.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140439058775&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

 

[icecube57]

So you are trying to be legal... EH? Man I dont think there is any tester or dyno that the cops have to check your bike. Just make sure you are pedaling and going 20ish when they see you. Ive passed a cop doing 53mph downhill in the road. Just depends on your area I guess.

Around the 2 minute mark I pass a cop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujThBuy-cM

 

[icecube57]

If anything I would maybe sink money into a 48v battery for that for more power and extended range. Or upgrade the controller and the battery for more torque. If you do choose to do two motors run 48v. 48v always is a nice upgrade than no one has stepped down from.

 

[georgefromvt]

The bike came with a 36 V 10 amp battery that fits nicely in it's frame. The front conversion kit I purchased has a 36 V 9 amp battery.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140439058775&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

 

[amberwolf]

Regarding street legal, that depends on your local city/county/state laws; the federal CPSC stuff is just a guideline definition for companies producing things, not a road-use law, AFAIK. Some states have adopted that as their definition or parts of their definition of an assisted bike, but not all. And some localities might even disallow the use of ebikes (or other various assisted bikes) at all, or have different power requirements, etc. Some may be higher or lower in power allowed.

 

[dogman dan]

Excactly right. You have to look at all the local laws that may apply, starting with state law, then county, then city. The fed limits only define the line between moped and bicycle for the purposes of selling them.

But that doesn't mean that you can't quote that law to folks that don't know the difference. It just might not work in court.

So look at what your state laws say, and any county or city law will likely be just regarding where you can use em, like you can or cannot ride on certian trails in a park or whatever.

I think when they talk about watt limits, it opens a real can of worms. At worst, it's the rated amps of the controller x the nominal battery voltage. We of course, interperet it to be the continuous wattage rating, such as the watts used when riding full speed on flat ground, when amps drops a lot.

In my state NM, for instance, there is no such thing as an ebike. Only mopeds. But I did build my dirt bike to conform to the 20 mph part of the fed law, and get away with claiming it's still a bicycle when riding on the BLM bike trails. So far the pedalers are buying it, since obviously the bike does not have the speed of a motorcycle that is illegal to ride on those trails. So even though that bike is a motor vehicle in my state, and banned, I quote the fed law, comply with it, and get by.

 

[MitchJi]

Hi,

I'd get a couple of bright yellow "250 Watt" decals and put one prominently on each motor 8) :lol:

 

[amberwolf]

However, in certain cities, like Boulder, e-bikes have been outlawed on bike paths so it really depends on the specific laws of the state that your're in.

And in some towns bicycles have been outlawed completely, or at least on (some?) public roads.