The Real Deal on California Law.

I just got pulled over and cited in Newport Beach, on PCH and Tustin, riding my new, as yet, unregistered bike.

my ticket is for NOT wearing a DOT approved motorcycle helmet (i had a pro-tec skateboard helmet,)

Not having a special plate

No M2 license.

the special plate can be signed off when i get one, and the M2 license will probably get tossed if i show up at court with one, but the helmet law's gonna get me. the good thing is, none of these count as a point on my license.

the cop was pretty cool, except for giving me the ticket, and basically gave me the run down, and told me to stop by the police dept and ask them for a "cheat sheet" they had specially printed up to deal with us. he told me since these are gaining in popularity, the cops are all being trained as to what's legal, so you won't be able to b.s. your way out of it. this guy knew all the codes by heart, for gas, electric, golf carts, gopeds, motorized skateboards, etc.

forget all the other b.s. and the ten page threads, this is straight from the horse's mouth, and from a cop who's sole purpose is to bust us, so we become legal under the eyes of the law. he told me straight out that he's not trying to keep us from riding, but to make sure we're riding legal. he actually really liked my bike, and it was the best he's seen yet.

so here's what we need to ride gas powered motored bikes legally, without hassle:

* DOT Helmet

*M2 license. an M1 works too, but the least we need is an M2, moped license.

*special plate and registration.

*taillight, brakelight, headlight with hi and lo beam

*left side mirror

*horn

(edit: we don't need insurance. )

we don't need turn signals, and there is no classification for engine size.

the only thing he was unclear on was insurance. he said all vehicles registered in Ca need to be insured, and when i told him it was impossible to insure them, he didn't have an answer. he said that would be up to the judge to decide.

we talked for at least 45 minutes, and i showed him the registration from my other bike, and he said it was strange that the DMV would allow the bike's serial number as a VIN. Usually vehicles without one need to get a "blue sticker."

he wrote me up for 28mph, and i asked him what would happen if i was conforming to all the other laws, but was doing 50. he told me he probably wouldn't even stop me, as long as i wasn't breaking the speed limit for the street.

he did say that in the event that i did get pulled over for going over 30mph, the DMV could take away my license plate, and the bike would be illegal to ride on the street.

so that's it. better get legal and learn the laws now, because the man is.

that's the same attitude every cop i've talked to has had, too. i mentioned that to the cop that busted me, basically trying everything to get out of a ticket, and he told me that was part of the problem. uninformed cops telling us what we need and don't need, and DMV employees that don't know anything.

getting a ticket sucked, but at least now i know what i have to do to make me totally legal. the cop also told me he's impounded a lot of bikes, but let me go because i was cool, and had registration for my other bike.

i've already come up with some ideas to mount horns and lights, that'll be cool, and hidden away.

another thing that blows, is when i was riding around yesterday, i was thinking up a cool route for a group ride. now, that ain't happening. at least not yet. i mean, how cool would it be if we had 50 people that were all totally legal?

we'd probably get busted for not having a parade permit.

it really doesn't take much. we should be riding with DOT helmets anyway, and the lights and crap are just a pain in the a$$, but motorcycles have to do it.

there's gonna be a market for custom accessories like lights, horns, and mirrors, and i'm gonna try to jump on that.

i think there's a loophole in the registration and plate, too. dealer plates :V.C. Section 5034 - Special License Plate for Dealer or Manufacturer

i was hoping to go to the DMV today, but they're closed till tuesday.

sharksfan, i live in Costa Mesa, and have ridden all over orange county for the last 6 months, and have never been stopped till now. seen hundreds of cops, and just waved at them.

Newport Beach is kinda notorious for messing with anyone having fun, and the cop said they're cracking down because it's getting more popular.

Norm. That light works pretty good. i fixed the switch in it, and it blinks all the time, then goes solid when you stop. the problem with it, besides being so cheaply made, is it only goes solid at a complete stop, or something to make it jerk, like a big bump. it doesn't go on if you gradually slow down until you stop completely.

when i'm in traffic, i usually jerk the brakes a couple times when i'm slowing to a stop, to make it work.

Wireless Bicycle Brake Light for Mountain Bikes, City Bike Carriers, and Dynamo Bicycles

you can walk into the DMV, take a written test, and if you pass, you get a permit, good for one year. can't ride at night with it though.

then you have to take a skills test on a real bike to get the actual license.

here's a link to the DMV. click on "sample test." http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm

just basic motorcycle riding stuff.

(that link didn't come out right. scroll down to the "motorcycle and Moped" part, then click "pass a traffic law...")

spent 4 hours at the Costa Mesa DMV today and got my permit. failed the written test the first time, went outside and read the motorcycle handbook, went back in and passed. it's kinda tough, just because there's a lot of questions pertaining to real motorcycles, so if you're just a bicycle rider, i suggest studying up first. it's a lot harder than the sample tests on the website.

also asked about getting a plate for my new bike, and they told me i had to send it in, that they didn't handle things like that there.

so i'm semi legal, just gotta rig up a mirror, horn, and lights.