Busted!

I think 164 mph will get you thrown in jail in just about every state in the union.

I don’t think the majority of the police in Arizona give a damn about motorized bikes. I pass at least five or six a day with no problems at all. You just have a couple that for whatever reason have a bug up their ass for us. I think we are sometimes grouped in with the gopeders that scream up and down street at all hours. Those little screaming two strokes get on my nerves occasionally.

The laws governing MBs in Arizona where drafted a long time ago in an effort to control kids that would put a lawn mower engine on just about anything and ride it around on the street. I was one of those kids in the early 70s.

Rather than sitting around bitching we should try to change the laws. Start at the state level and work our way down to the local. I don’t know how many motorized bicycles there are in Arizona but I am seeing more and more every day. We could organize a legal demonstration to get the attention of the media and push the environmental angle. I really think that is our best shot at getting the law off our backs.

We come up with an argument that we think the public can get behind like environmental and reducing our dependency on foreign oil. Then we get as many motorized bicycle riders as possible to gather in a predetermined location near the Capital. Then in mass we ride around the Capital building ending up in the capital parking lot with signs, flags or whatever. We notify the media of the details, they suck that stuff up.

Once we have everyone’s attention we start pushing our congressman and senators to change the laws. I really think that with the current political and economic environment we could get the laws changed. It’s not like we are asking them to allow us to but 650cc engines on a bicycle. I would be ok if they raised the maximum displacement from 50ccs to 80ccs, the maximum operating speed from 20mph to 35mph and a maximum and the maximum geared speed from 25mph to 40mph.

What do you think? Are you up for it? ****; if for no other reason, it would be fun to get a bunch of us together for a group ride.

If you're going to play the emissions angle for attention, it'd be wise to get an emissions test to back it up. There are those that say no matter what, 2 strokes are dirty and need to go away. Even if you draw attention to yourself with "wheee, 150mpg!" you will get "but 2 strokes are dirtier than 10 modern cars."

Unless they are running on alcohol.

Bacon, That is a "Capitol" idea! Have you seen the video of Roland at a Tucson City council meeting? It was on Spooky's site, I haven't checked in there lately.
I'm hoping to get mopeds and Whizzers included in any new legislation except the darn things have a blinding top speed of 30 or so.


Count me in on a Public Relations rally/ride!
The final word all depends on the insurance industry, if they can profit from "legalizing" MBs and mopeds, it would be a done deal.

I'm guilty, I did it. What really burned their biscuts is I treated it as a chance to better myself and others. It bit my wallet but back then it didn't hurt that much. I walked away knowing things I did not know until then. They hate it when they can't break your spirit.

Weedylot said:

The final word all depends on the insurance industry, if they can profit from "legalizing" MBs and mopeds, it would be a done deal.

Click to expand...

Depends on where you're at. No insurance required for 50cc scooters and all that fun related stuff. I guess we're just not as uppity as those AZ lawmakers Don't worry, you'll get there eventually

The City of Tucson has a few differences with the Arizona state laws. Unless some recent changes were made, I understand it (in a nutshell) that less than 50cc, 20 mph max and less than 1 brake HP is the city code allowing MBs in the designated bike lanes. All the other stuff about lights and reflectors are still true. Mopeds aren't supposed to ride in the bike lanes, but the few I've seen do it anyway.
I may be off in my interpretation. I need to plow through those other posts about AZ and Tucson's laws. When I start reading that stuff, I get sleepy...

I think you guys are forgetting that before Oct. 06..motorized bicycles were illegal in the state of AZ.

As far as Bacon suggestion...we already did that...thats why you are allowed to ride today with a 48cc limit and a 20mph limit. And yes the speed limit is 20mph, but if you go 20.001mph, their are some officers that will ticket you for speeding and the BIG three as finfan says.

Their is no way that the speed will be increased, and the cc size. If anything we will just go back wards and they will be illegal again.

I know for a fact that their are TPD officers that go out hunting for us. But without having names and showing a proof of pattern of harassment, thier is nothing we can do......YET!

I would like to see faster speeds and more CC's...but guy's there are groups out their trying to over turn HB2794 we need to focus on those groups and keep they law that we have now or we could lose everything. Asking for more speed and more CC's will just kill what we have already.

I'm with you on not upsetting the apple cart. I'm thinking more along the lines of including mopeds and Whizzers as MBs instead of tagged, insured, plated motor vehicles.
My sister retired from AZ DMV a few years ago, it drove her to insanity dealing with the government inflicted crapola.

The freedom loving jerk part of me wants to have a huge rally/protest anyway.
But knowing Arizona's asinine state government, they would impound hundreds of bikes at a time ala Tianamen Square

Well thats the problem with the way they wrote the law...we were told 20mph...but they wrote it different on the books.

Weedylot said:

The freedom loving jerk part of me wants to have a huge rally/protest anyway.

Click to expand...

I am all for that when we can prove that we are being harassed.

Always post the officers name and the name of the judge so we can have some records of harassment

Also, if you go to the TPD web site you can file a complaint against officers. That is a good way for the TPD to know that they have a certain officer who is going after MB'rs

I've heard some complaints about unmuzzled 2 strokes. They are always the push scooter type with a small engine ridden by kids. And its always about them ripping up and down residential streets at night with no lights, reflectors or common sense.
I meant to post this on the "Exhaust" thread...sorry.

Every now and then I get calls from drunks and dope heads that have lost their DL. This is not a way to avoid the law. You can get hurt real bad on one of these bikes. They are a form of transportation for some, and a passion for others. Just ride safe and you may never get stopped.

Saddletramp1200 said:

Every now and then I get calls from drunks and dope heads that have lost their DL. This is not a way to avoid the law.

Click to expand...

Not to mention many areas require you to have a valid DL to ride these things anyway

Motorized Bicycles - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

Arizona Bike Law Blog Blog Archive Moped and Motorized Bicycles in Arizona

http://dot.ci.tucson.az.us/bicycle/pdfs/moto_bikes.pdf