bicycle lanes on our public roads

GoldenMotor.com

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
i live in Michigan and more and more streets they are adding bike paths to. What got me into this is they put a bike lane from my home to where i work. i rode my bicycle and was sweating like a pig from pedaling by the time i got to work and started looking into motor bicycles. The first one i got was electric which was fun but i wanted more speed. It does around 15mph tops. Built the cruiser with the 2 stroke motor and I can get to work in about the same amount of time it takes with the truck and cost next to nothing to commute. i was wondering if other parts of the world are doing the same thing.
 

ChrisHill

Manufacturer/Dealer
Nothing like that around here.
Be careful though, if it is a true bicycle path you likely aren't supposed to be riding it with an engine running...that's how things are up here anyways. It is a very interesting idea...maybe I'll have to write a letter to the city or the province to see if we can copy that, lol.
It would be nice to ride without worrying so much about surrounding traffic.
 

RedB66

Active Member
Dec 28, 2007
1,020
14
38
Sunshine State
I live in Gainesville, which is a college town,"Go Gators" and the town is really bike friendly. I can commute just about anywhere and be in a bike lane.
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
thats great. i use them all the time with my motorbicycle and have had the police go by me and they just wave. i think they relize it is safer for everyone concerned even though the law says were are supposed to be on the road
 

Andyinchville1

Manufacturer/Dealer
Dec 26, 2007
502
1
18
Scottsville, VA
Charlottesville has a good amount of bike lanes so riding is not a problem ....Truthfully I still get a little nervous riding around cars,,,,just never know what they are gonna do!
 

MotorbikeMike

Dealer
Dec 29, 2007
477
3
18
Sacramento
California Bike Lanes

Hi, we are welcome in bike lanes, but not on "bicycle trails" or "Nature trails". State law provides that we do ride in the Bike Lane.

On 35mph and up streets I ride bicycle lanes, and in town where they are present. On 25mph with no Bike Lane, I ride center of lane, in the drivers face for my safety.

Mike
 

biker

New Member
Dec 28, 2007
21
0
0
here in northern Ohio they have lots of bike lanes on the roads. never seen any signs or anything saying no motorized bicycles which you see on all the bicycle paths that go thru the woods and parks
 

ChrisHill

Manufacturer/Dealer
Must be nice.
Here in Canada, our government is so sticky when it comes to things like that. We don't even have any laws that support bikes like these. Here they fall thru a grey area of the law, so they are allowed more or less, but we have no protection at all.
We don't have any actual "bike lanes", we do have bike paths and of course nature trails.
When it comes to riding even normal bicycles...if they have a tire size larger than 20" they are legally supposed to be ridden on the road with the traffic.
I would like to see them try and force me to make my 8 year old daughter ride on the road...someone would get hurt from that and it wouldn't be her riding on the road, lol. A lot of our laws here are simply ridiculous. Luckily, the police have enough common sense to realize things like that and allow people to ride where it is safe. I haven't tried to ride anywhere other than the road though. I go the same speed (more or less) as the surrounding traffic so I figure that is where i should be riding.
No issues with police yet...other than being asked where they can get one, lol.
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
I read somwhere online that Phoenix and Tucson rank as two of the top cities in the U.S. for bicycling because we have so many bike lanes. I would say 70-80% of my riding is in a bike lane. They are everywhere here.
If you need to go somewhere here in Tucson, no need to worry, there will be a bike lane to take you right where you are going.

I found a map online that has all the bike lanes here in Tucson. There is over 600 miles of bike lanes and bike paths here.
 
Last edited:

Turner

New Member
Apr 15, 2008
5
0
0
I'm new to the motor bike scene, and I was wondering... is it street legal? is it the same rules as a bike, or does it have to be registered? and what about helmet laws?

Eric
Michigan.
 

Jemma Hawtrey

New Member
Dec 29, 2007
288
2
0
Essex, UK
Here we have cycle lanes that are part of the road area if that makes sense.

They are usually coated with a different colour tarmac and/or marked out.

I never ride in them if I can avoid it - the few times I have almost been taken out is within cycle lanes - without or outside cycle lanes people to actually see you - within them its like there is an invisibility field until someone cuts a corner or turns without indicating and slams you into a lamppost at speed.

Its illegal in the UK to ride a bike on the pavement - and I certainly wouldnt do that even without the motor - but alot of people do because they are so scared of riding on the road.

Jemma xx
 

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
2,661
240
63
There aren't too many bike lanes here in Honolulu. Also, when you're in a bike lane here, you must be sure how it ends, because sometimes it simply merges into the car lane beside you.:eek:

Today, I biked on the sidewalk mostly, from home to the community college I attend at night. The route were so hazardous I'd never ride it at night. Even a pedestrian could trip or fall off the sidewalk without a flashlight. Small wonder why I have NEVER seen a single bicycle on campus. When I quit work and attend college during the day, I'll commute by motorized bike. It's such a rush.

It was an easy 5-mile commute to the college, which took 35 minutes. Traffic was so heavy today, I'm sure I would've taken longer by car on the freeway. I also attend another college at night, which is in town and close to my workplace. It's also a 5-mile commute, but with safer roads. I might bike it from work, then bike home at night.

After refueling at home, I headed to town to buy a better helmet. I used the bike path, sidewalk and road until I hit the bike lane on Nimitz highway, the fastest road in town. It was a weird feeling traveling 25 mph, next to cars going 40mph. Then the bike path suddenly appears in front of you, continues for 2 miles, mysteriously disappears and merges into the highway lane next to the bike lane. I've traveled this highway all my life, so I kinda knew what to expect. When the bike lane disappeared, I turned off onto a lazy road near Aloha Tower, then onto a very wide sidewalk along Ala Moana Boulevard, the busy road to Waikiki.

Now that I'm going faster, my Bell helmet had lost its effectiveness. So I bought a 3/4 face motorcycle helmet, which is perfect for my needs. On my way home, my bike swayed continuously with the wind, due to the large helmet box in my front basket.
 
In California you may not exceed 20mph, may use the bike lanes but must wear a helmet, be 16 or older, and respect human-powered cycles.
This is for a "motorized bicycle" which, by law is different than a "moped", which travels 20mph and over, and must be licensed and insured.

This is really cool because MBs are just bicycles here!
 

MotorbikeMike

Dealer
Dec 29, 2007
477
3
18
Sacramento
Hi Sarge, the CA law for GAS powered bicycles 406A is 30mph, M2 license, Moped plate, no insurance, wear helmet.

License plate availble using Reg 230 easily seen on DMV website 18.00 one-time no renewal.

I know you are new here, but I've been doing this a long time. In my Sig, you'll find my contact info.

BTW your engine was illegally exported from Canada, into the US if I remember correctly.]

If you have any questions, or anything I might help you with, I would be happy to help you.

Mike
 

saetta

New Member
Jul 29, 2008
155
0
0
Central Missouri
i live in Michigan and more and more streets they are adding bike paths to. What got me into this is they put a bike lane from my home to where i work. i rode my bicycle and was sweating like a pig from pedaling by the time i got to work and started looking into motor bicycles. The first one i got was electric which was fun but i wanted more speed. It does around 15mph tops. Built the cruiser with the 2 stroke motor and I can get to work in about the same amount of time it takes with the truck and cost next to nothing to commute. i was wondering if other parts of the world are doing the same thing.
In my town/state the law is 50cc and up are required to have license, registration and helmet. That is one reason I chose a 49cc. Check with your local DMV for your answer. That is where I got mine. I wear a half helmet by choice. On the legal thing, in three months of riding I have not been questioned by law enforcement at all.