Illinois

Well, I DID just get an e-mail from the Mayor of Elgin. Here is his e-mail followed by my response:

From: Mayor
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:56 AM
To: Warner
Subject: RE: Elgin code on power-assisted bicycles

Dear Mr. Smith,

We are looking into this.


Edward Schock
Mayor, City of Elgin



From: Warner Smith
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:14 AM
To: 'Mayor'
Subject: RE: Elgin code on power-assisted bicycles

Thank you very much! Many communities (more and more with the current gas crisis) are making the legal distinction between motorized platform scooters and motor-assisted bicycles operated by licensed drivers. In looking at the way the Elgin ordinance is written, it essentially bans ALL motorcycles that are less than 150cc’s in displacement, which can’t be what the intention of the ordinance was. I deeply appreciate your response to this Mayor Schock.

Sincerely,

Warner

Well said.

__________________
If it ain't broke, and you mess with it long enough, it will be.

50cc or less, thats awesome. does that mean you don't have to register it if its 50cc or less? i don't think the police will even bother to pull me over. i'll just kill the engine while they roll by. i'm going to buy a kit from thatsdax this weekend. i have a spare mountain bike i can convert. and if i do get pulled over and get cited, i'll just sell the bike on craigslist and probably make a profit they way these things are selling nowadays. so for me this is a win/win

I Know I Live In A Small Town In Southern Illinois And The Cops Ive Seen Have Just Stared And Grined I Think The Amusement Of Seeing A 6'4" Man On A 20" Bike Flying Down The Back Roads Is Amusement Enough For Them Also Ive Noticed A Couple Of Not So 16 Year Old Kids Around Town Since Mine Showed Up And I Dont Think Even They Have Been Bothered. I Seeem Regurarly

Ive gone pass a few of the local fuzz myself and hav'nt been bothered either , however one bad apple can ruin the whole damn bunch!!! use your hand signals , wear a helmet , wear your safety glasses and last but not least , ghost pedal pass the man!

__________________
" We cannot live through a single day without making an impact on the world around us. And we all have free choice - what sort of difference do we want to make?" ~Jane Goodall~

Does Illinois state law require you to register what they define as a "motor driven pedalcycle"??

(625 ILCS 5/3‑412) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑412)
Sec. 3‑412. Registration plates and registration stickers to be furnished by the Secretary of State.
(a) The Secretary of State upon registering a vehicle subject to annual registration for the first time shall issue or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, motorized pedalcycle or truck‑tractor, 2 registration plates for other motor vehicles and, where applicable, current registration stickers for motor vehicles of the first division.

(625 ILCS 5/3‑414) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑414)
Sec. 3‑414. Expiration of registration.
(a) Every vehicle registration under this Chapter and every registration card and registration plate or registration sticker issued hereunder to a vehicle shall be for the periods specified in this Chapter and shall expire at midnight on the day and date specified in this Section as follows:
1. When registered on a calendar year basis
commencing January 1, expiration shall be on the 31st day of December or at such other date as may be selected in the discretion of the Secretary of State; however, through December 31, 2004, registrations of apportionable vehicles, motorcycles, motor driven cycles and pedalcycles shall commence on the first day of April and shall expire March 31st of the following calendar year;

Here is the e-mail that I just got today from the Secretary of State's office:

Thank you for directing your questions to the Office of the Secretary of State via the Internet.

(625 ILCS 5/1-148.2) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-148.2)
Sec. 1-148.2. Motorized Pedalcycle. A motorized pedalcycle is a motor-driven cycle whose speed attainable in one mile is 30 mph or less, which is equipped with a motor that produces 2 brake horsepower or less. If an internal combustion engine is used, the displacement shall not exceed 50 cubic centimeter displacement and the power drive system shall not require the operator to shift gears.

Motorized Pedalcycles (Mopeds)

A motorized pedalcycle (moped) is a motor-driven cycle. It produces two-brake horsepower or less and has a maximum speed of 30 mph. If the moped has an internal combustion engine, the displacement shall not exceed 50 cubic centimeters, and the power drive system shall not require the driver to shift gears.

A moped driver must have a current, valid driver's license of any classification. A person without a driver's license who wishes to operate only a moped must obtain a Class L license. The owner must have a Certificate of Title and a registration plate must be attached on the rear of the moped.

A moped driver may not carry a passenger unless the moped is equipped with a passenger seat and passenger footrests. If the moped is to be driven at night, it must be equipped with a white light on the front that is visible for 500 ft. and a red reflector on the rear that is visible from 100 to 600 ft. when in front of a vehicle's headlights. A red light visible for 500 ft. also may be used in addition to the reflector.

Motorcycle


Warner

I've been trying to find information on this as well. Been following all your posts but am reluctant to pull the trigger myself in regards to bringing unwanted attention to myself. In springfield I have been riding for a little over a month now. I have passed several city, county and one state cop on my rides. I clutch and pedal when I see them first but have had 2 Sangamon county cops pass me from behind and just keep going.

Looking tonight I found some Chicago laws that may help some people out.


State and City Laws Regarding Bicycles - Chicagoland Bicycle Federation

How many people on this site are in Illinois? And for anyone that is but has not registered take a minute to register and maybe we can get enough support and voices to start a campaign to get these on the sides of roads legally.

I have a similar thread to this posted on another forum. One of the guys there responded with THIS, which really makes sense:

"YOU DON'T HAVE A MOPED!!!
What you have is "a bicycle that you put an engine on".
Legally that is NOT the same thing!!!
You must tell the DMV the facts, if you ever expect to get the correct answer.

You cannot register a bicycle as a moped at all in Illinois, because Illinois will only register vehicles now that have a (standard-format 17-digit) VIN.

Bicycles don't have VINs, and you can't make one up--the prefix has to be one assigned to a vehicle manufacturer registered with the federal Dept. of Transportation.

Also, the bearing of a VIN indicates that the motor vehicle qualifies as some current federal classification of motor vehicle (this is the only way it can legally be applied to any vehicle) and a bicycle won't qualify in any federal classifications of motor vehicles. This is why bicycle manufacturing standards are regulated by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, and not the Department of Transportation.

To register a vehicle you either need an existing title, a title record (in the case of applying for a lost title) or a MCO (Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, in the case of a new vehicle). To get a title your bicycle would need a VIN (which you can't get for it) and to get an MCO it would have had to qualify into some federal motor vehicle specification (and bicycles won't qualify in any federal motor vehicle class).

There is a provision in the motorcycle codes that says that "any vehicle which does not have a VIN shall be issued one by the state", but if you ask about this (as I did) the DMV will tell you that they will only do this for vintage and antique vehicles that qualified as motor vehicles at the time of their manufacture.

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Years ago registering bicycles may have occurred, so if you found a vintage frame that you knew had been previously registered, you might be able to apply for a lost title, and argue that it qualifies for a state-issued VIN. Other than this one possibility, registering a bicycle as a motor vehicle in Illinois can't be done.

A motorized bicycle with an engine that falls under the moped restrictions (2 hp or <50cc or 30 mph level top speed) is still considered a bicycle, and as far as the state is concerned doesn't require that you hold any license, or maintain registration or insurance. That said, there may be local restrictions on motorized bicycles wherever you live.

Furthermore,
Motor vehicle insurance in IL won't cover a motorized bicycle at all, because in IL, auto insurance policies are not required to cover vehicles that are not titled or registered, and you cannot title or register a bicycle. "


Warner

why all the fuss with the "law". i ride my bike on a military installation and they don't even notice :] nobody even cares, we are living in a world full of sheeple anyway, who are too worried about their 8 mpg SUV's, college football games, women with plastic sugurey and their $500 dollar purses. wake up people, no one would notice that your bike has an engine on it even if they were to ride it themselves!!