what do you think about motorized bicycle conversation kits?

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: theboarman

Fun if you're not going to be in traffic. In traffic they are death traps; simply to low powered to get out of the way when you need torque.

Don't think they are meant for heavy traffic...residential and secondary road shoulders for sure.,cause they go only so fast.

I believe they are still classed under a motor-cycle or mod-ped. Still, very cool tho!

Electric is the way to go if you are alright with a 40 or 50 mile range between charges.
The little gas engines are fun, but reliability can be an issue.
Lately I've been tootin' around town on electric scooter. Fun little ride.
I hardly drive my car anymore.

a reply to: theboarman

I live in Florida and see alot of these . If I'm not mistaken, you need a motorcycle endorsement on any motorized bike or scooter over 49cc

My electric bike is named Outlaw for a reason. It is way over the limit, powerwise for legal road use. The cops don't know, and have never pulled me over. I had a cop pass me when I was doing 35 mph. He turned on all his lights for one second as he passed, then turned in front of me and kept going

Considering the legal aspects here in Michigan, a "motor driven bicycle" is considered a "motor vehicle".

You need to have a head light of a certain brightness, running lights, brake lights, turn signals and a horn. Then it has to be inspected at the DMV for loudness when driven. It needs to be registered like a moped that licenses it for 5 years to be street legal.

Or it could be registered as an "off road vehicle" an issued an ORV sticker. In that case it would need one of those flash suppressor units on the tail pipe and could only be driven on the road shoulder at 25 mile per hour. Although technically an unregistered ORV or motorcycle could be driven on private property or the shoulder of the road where the shoulder isn't maintained as such, like the ditch I suppose.

Given all that, the cops have never given me a second glance on the road without being street legal. Motor driven bicycles are in a grey zone sort of. As a bicycle, the rider is considered a pedestrian, as a motor vehicle, it's more like a kit car to a degree, or an ORV. But for the most part, the cops around here see it as more of a bicycle, not like they wouldn't pull over a mere cyclist when they feel like it though.

Safety? Legality? Pfft!! F@#% it all