AZ 20mph on a MB too fast???

As many of you know here in Tucson motorized bicycles have a 20mph speed limit.
Which I have no problem with, but their are some who say 20mph on a motorized bicycle is still too fast. This, I have a problem with it.

The ones that say 20mph is too fast are the ones that never ridden a bicycle, have no ideal what 20 mph is really like . They have got this crazy ideal that 20 mph on a motorized bicycle is unsafe.

That somehow 20mph on a motorized bicycle is going to kill the motorized bicycle rider and pedestrians around him/her will be run over. That other bicyclist are going to get run over by a motorized bicycle.

Well, here is a video of me doing 20mph on my motorized bicycle and being passed by a cyclist. Unfortunately I did not get my video camera out when he passed me. This guy never warned me he was going to pass, I saw him in my mirror but thought he was just going to fallow. A "COMING LEFT" or "COMING AROUND" would have been nice!

We almost touched handlebars when he passed me. I video taped me doing 20mph and riding right behind him. I was behind this guy for over 10 miles and not once at 20mph did I get on his rear tire. And I actually lost the guy...he left me way behind.

So, is 20mph too fast for motorized bicycles???...I think not!! If 20 mph is too fast, then it's too fast for those who pedal bicycles as well.

YouTube - 20mph on Motorized Bicycle being passed by cyclist

Preparing myself to run for public office, I will give the following answer

Maybe!!!

What type and make was the bicycle that passed you? It may have been better constructed to handle the speed.

How much was the combined rider/bicycle weight? Its construction could be better suited for that weight and speed.

To calculate proper speed of a motored bicycle you would need to use the following formula.

Bike construction x road conditions x rider weight * speed

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Being serious, I do not believe 20mph is too fast, in fact I believe it was a speed set by Federal Guidelines when viewing a vehicle that allowed young people to ride unsupervised. Depending on a lot of things like frame construction, braking system, road conditions, wheel construction etc. I believe 45 is pushing the upper end.

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My world of Motorized Bikes

"Progress may have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." -- Ogden Nash

The guy probably hurled after he got out of sight. It's really tough to ride 20mph solo very long and requires that you put in a lot of miles. My hat is off to the miscreant, but my best human powered sustained pace is about 15 mph and I will need a shower afterwards.

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If you said something in the forest and your wife wasn't there to hear it, would you still be wrong?

Actually the 20 mph speed limit is a statewide law.The following is the Arizona revised statute covering “Motorized Bicycles” and/or mopeds.

ARS Title 28 Definitions


30. "Moped" means a bicycle that is equipped with a helper motor if the vehicle has a maximum piston displacement of fifty cubic centimeters or less, a brake horsepower of one and one-half or less and a maximum speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less on a flat surface with less than a one per cent grade.

34. "Motorcycle" means a motor vehicle that has a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and that is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground but excluding a tractor and a moped.

A.R.S. 28-2516. Motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles; definition

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title:

1. A certificate of title is not required for a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.

2. Registration is not required for a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.

3. Vehicle license tax is not imposed on a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.

4. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle is exempt from the provisions of section 28-964 relating to required equipment on motorcycles and motor-driven cycles and from the provisions of title 49, chapter 3, article 5 relating to vehicle emissions inspections.

5. A driver license is not required to operate a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.

6. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle may use rights-of-way designated for the exclusive use of bicycles.

7. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle is not subject to chapter 9 of this title.

B. This section does not prohibit a local authority from adopting an ordinance that regulates or prohibits the operation of motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles, except that a local authority shall not adopt an ordinance that requires registration and licensing of motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles.

C. For the purposes of this section, "motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle" means a bicycle or tricycle that is equipped with a helper motor that has a maximum piston displacement of forty-eight cubic centimeters or less, that may also be self-propelled and that is operated at speeds of less than twenty miles per hour.

If that’s not bad enough local municipalities can and do draft their own laws further restricting their use. For example the city of Tempe does not allow a motorized bicycle to be operated on any street with a posted speed limit greater than 25 mph. This means I am not legally allowed to leave the street I live on.

I ride my motorized bicycle to work and back every day. It is a 21 mile round trip that passes through three different cities and one Indian reservation. Needless to say I violate all of the above laws on a daily basis; plus some I am sure I don’t know about yet. I have been stopped by the police twice. Once in Scottsdale for doing 37 mph and once in Tempe for riding on a street with a posted speed limit of 45 mph. I received a warning both times.


I have no intention of stopping or slowing down. I have spent over $1000.00 building a sturdy and safe motorized bicycle in an effort to do my part to reduce this country’s dependency on foreign oil and reduce my own personal “environmental footprint”. I believe this sort of activity should be encouraged both at the state and federal level. I understand that you can’t have people mounting 250cc motors on bicycles and traveling on city streets at 60mph but limiting the speed to 20mph is ridiculous.

I am drafting a series of letters that I intend on send to Arizona law makers and newspapers and I encourage everyone else to do the same. Now is a perfect time to push the environmental angle whether that was your reason for building a bike or not.

This is a great forum. I will post pictures and a description of my bicycle in a more appropriate thread.

If you want the story read my "Busted" thread in the Tavern, but Officer Friendly told me that I am in violation of the law AT 20 mph not over that!

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If it can't be broken I'll find a way!

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I'm not lost, I'm exploring!

I think The City of Tucson has imposed the 20 MPH limit. I remember watching a video of Roland standing up for us at a Tucson city hall meeting. The video was posted on Spooky's site. I'll have to watch it again. Maybe its already outdated?

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The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well.

I checked the posted copy of the Tucson ordinance and it says that to qualify for the exemptions we get as motorized bicycles (licence, insurance, etc.) we must operate at less than 20 MPH! Therefore at 20 they can bust you. Don't go over 19 MPH guys!

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If it can't be broken I'll find a way!

-and-

I'm not lost, I'm exploring!

I was pulled over this morning for riding in the bus lane,told i was doing 24 mph. given many citations and my little pride and joy impounded by motorcycle cop j. couch. how could his laser gun be be off by 4.1 mph? and i thouht i was doing 19 mph

Damn, that sucks. The police in Tucson are real nazis!

You may have been violating Tucsons laws governing the speed you can operate your bicycle, but if the S.O.B. claimed you were a motorcycle and wrote you tickets for no insurance, no motorcycle license, no turn signals, no headlight, etc. you can beat them all in court.

ARS Title 28 paragraph 30 of Definitions clearly states:

30. "Moped" means a bicycle that is equipped with a helper motor if the vehicle has a maximum piston displacement of fifty cubic centimeters or less, a brake horsepower of one and one-half or less and a maximum speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less on a flat surface with less than a one per cent grade.

I can't believe everyone is okay with laws that allow police to impound your ride for going 24mph! Once you beat those tickets I would make it clear to the judge that you believe the officers’ actions were inappropriate and excessive and that you believe he should be reprimanded. It’s highly unlikely that any disciplinary action would be taken but it makes a point.

If we don't stand up for ourselves who’s going to? This is America, we don’t have to sit back take it. These laws need to be changed and they will be. It will either be by the people that want to see motorized bicycles made illegal, or by us, the people that want to see the laws governing motorized bicycles fair and realistic.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not a criminal and I don’t like being treated like one!

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If it works, Tweak it!

I know, the TPD has declared war war on MB here in Tucson, I believe I did warn everybody.

One thing you could do is take your MB to a shop that calibrates speedometers and have yours checked. Use it to present in court, it may not help you...but then again it might.

Now you guy's know why I avoid the city as much as possible. I am in a position right now that if I get any tickets I will be in BIG trouble. It's got me real worried and afraid to ride my bike, I almost sold my bike as well.

But I will not let them win.......we should have a rally right in front of TPD headquarters to let them know WILL WILL NOT LET THEM BULLY US OFF THE ROAD. Get some news coverage out there to spread the word.

Complain to the city council, make a complaint at the TPD web site. They want us off the road, we need to ban together and fight them head on and do it before they get the upper hand. It won't be long before they go to city council and ask for the law to be changed. The more they ticket us and can prove that MB are breaking the law, the more city council will listen to them.

A rally from City council to TPD headquarters and notified every news channel and news paper and hope we get some coverage I think would be a good start. What are your guy's thoughts?