Do More bikes = More Rules & Reg's?

[Michigan Mike]

Just wondering how many would agree with these two statements:

1) Motorized bikes are about to increase in numbers big time.

and

2) Restrictions and regulations are about to do the same.

[Youngbird]

1.....Yes.
2.....Maybe.

If we as builders and riders stand together for common goals, then we can have more of a say in future legislation. Forums like this and others will be the backbone of the lobby that we need to keep things moving in our favor. Look at what ABATE has done for the motorcycle world. OK....Im done now!

[BarelyAWake]

1. Maybe
2. Yes

1: Despite the popularity of these motorbicycles and the shear number of people who say they want one - until you can just walk into Walmart and buy one complete and ready to ride I doubt the numbers will suddenly surge. While there will always be those that are willing to put some personal effort into attaining something they desire, the "do it yourself" aspect deters most - our instant satisfaction, disposable culture is apparent in almost every facet of today's commercial life.

While everywhere I go I get those that admire my MB and would like one themselves, their first question betrays them. "Where can I buy one?" they ask and the light in their eyes lessens when I say "It starts as a kit, here's where you can get one." The conversation's tone changes from desire to envy - from excitement to respect, the mere mention of building something just enough to dampen their enthusiasm every time.

Overlooking the inherent problems, were I to build these bikes and sell them for less than $500 complete I'm sure they would be popular, there's been quite a few interested, even insistent in attempting to purchase my bike. Yet the idea of a personal investment of time and effort - actually picking up what few tools you would need to build even such a simple machine stops most in their tracks.

Of all those I've talked to and after all the information I've handed out, despite my reassurances regarding the ease of build and it's inexpensiveness - one, that's right - one 11yo boy actually bought a kit and built it. I'm not sure you guys realize just how much of an aberration you really are, building something yourself, for yourself. The treehouse/go kart childhoods are a thing of the past - long live Xbox!

2: There is no rhyme or reason to restrictions and regulations, it's about control and revenue. More laws = more of both, you'll not see a lessening of such a lucrative method - any opportunity to restrict and penalize will be seized at it's earliest opportunity.

Every year more and more petty laws are written, more officers are hired to enforce them, their quotas increased accordingly. It's how their annual budget increase is justified. In just the past few years I've watched as we went from the standard increase in weekend road patrols in the interest of safety, to roadblocks during those hours - to random roadblocks at any time, any day of the week. The resultant increase in citations justifies their actions, a self perpetuating cycle of over-enforcement resulting in more "crime" thus needing more officers and equipment, resulting in more citations... ad infinitum.

Do you really think they would lessen their control? Overlook an opportunity to justify their inflated budget? All they need is an excuse - some kid gets hurt, some rabid "interest group" deems our bikes a hazard to the children and it's over.

It's not the individual officers of course - it's the policy makers, each and every one seeks to leave their mark, to find some loophole forgotten and to prove their importance by touting it a threat to national security, that our young are in imminent peril, or even just a potential degradation of property values.



Do I sound cynical? Perhaps. Look around and get back to me on that one /rant

["the prussian" Shop Dogs]

1: yes
2: yes but,
seem's to me it's time we had more of a say in what the rules are...get involved if your worried.
it may not be easy to get a law changed but it can be done look at Il.(it's a start).
i've said before that if every guy on this forum put in to a fund of some kind ,there a ton's of law students that need work . why try and beat "them" when we've already joined?

[2door]

1. Possibly
2. Most assuredly...and here's why.
I won't try to compete with Barely's eloquence; I'll just put it simply: If there's a buck to be be made, there'll be a law passed to assure it. That, and the knee-jerk reactions by law makers to appease the sensibilities of an uninformed populace. I've seen it happen time and again and the occurences are on the upswing. It's the world we live in today. You have three choices: Fight it, Learn to live in it, or build a space ship.
Tom

[bairdco]

1. i think so.
every few days craigslist in my area has another ad from another person trying to make a buck with pre-built motor bikes. new ones, based on junky walmart bikes, and selling for 4 to 8 hundred.

i dunno if they sell, 'cause i never see anyone riding them, but the ads keep changing.

2.definitely
basically, for the same reason i've stated above. cheap bikes, quick bucks. if any of you were to buy a new motorcycle, you'd go to a M/C shop. if you were going to buy a new car, you'd go to a dealer. you assume that the dealers know what they're doing, and you're buying a reliable product. when you need these serviced, you'd go to a mechanic.

if you buy a new motored-bike out of some guy's cheap warehouse, from a guy who is neither a bicycle mechanic, a motorcycle mechanic, or even a lawnmower mechanic, and the chain tensioner goes into your spokes while you're chasing down that elusive 35mph as promised, the lawyers get involved. the guy closes up shop and disappears, then the bike companies get sued, the city gets sued, etc...

i hate to say it, but i don't really believe there will be more regulations, i believe there'll be an outright ban, and the m/b will be labeled a hazardous vehicle.

whatever happens, keep an eye on San Luis Obispo in California. that's where the no smoking in bars ban originated, and the helmet law for kids under 18, too. the helmet law was a first grader's idea. i hate that town.

[2door]

Originally Posted by bairdco

1.
whatever happens, keep an eye on San Luis Obispo in California. that's where the no smoking in bars ban originated, and the helmet law for kids under 18, too. the helmet law was a first grader's idea. i hate that town.

We have one in Colorado too. Its called Boulder. Strangly enough, there are a lot of California transplants living there. Hmmmmmm.... Did they all come from Obispo?
Tom

[the willi]

bairco i think you are right about Obispo i cant stand driving rough there and in Boudler, Colorado, too. 2door it just amatter of when the state is going to say NO MORE! their is alot of people wanting these Bikes! BAirco when you get up in my area give a call we will set up a ride!!!!

[weekend-fun]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

Just wondering how many would agree with these two statements:

1) Motorized bikes are about to increase in numbers big time.

and

2) Restrictions and regulations are about to do the same.

i agree,
i my not like #2, but i agree

[Kevlarr]

Yes and yes simply because of "security in obscurity" so the more motorized bikes there and the more people see and hear about them the more rules there will be. Face it the guy who builds his bike, rides safely and puts 2000 miles a year on it isn't going to make any news BUT the idiot that builds one sloppily, doesn't care about safety one lick and causes/has an accident will be our representative that the press will fall over themselves going after.

Talked to the cop that mainly patrols this area about my bike before I built it then showed it to him shortly after and his comment was "the regs are so vague that no one enforces them. You won't have any problems at all with it".

Honestly what I would like to see is what they have in England, have a MOT check, you pass you get your sticker or whatever is required instead of trying to fight with your local DMV about the whether your bicycle qualifies as being a moped or not.