what exactly is this "LAW" for? is it to make the MB's legal or Illegal? is it to operate without a valid drivers liscense. I'am slightly confused! I will still ride mine regardless!!!!
Illinois
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NO LOOK AT THE ACTIONS PAGE ON THE VERY BOTTOM IT SAYS TAKES AFFECT 1-1-10
This is only my view and interpretation, take it for what it's worth.
The law in itself is not for us so to speak. I think Steans wanted it to pass more so for the electric aspect of it dealing with handicaps of elderly and others that needed it. More as a clarification and matter of fact. Gas motors were added after the bills introduction.
Basically it makes motrized bicycles and electric bicycles that meet their criteria deemed "low speed gas/electric bicycles". By deeming them as such, they will be removed from classification of motor vehicles and placed into the regulations of normal bicycles with a few exceptions. Such as, no riding on sidewalks and not being able go over 20mph.
It also removes any requirement of needing to have a valid drivers license to ride one, as long as you are atleast 16 years of age.
It makes them legal(if criteria is met) at a state level. It does not override local ordinances that may prohibit them or keep new local ordinances from setting their own stipulations on them.
Public Act 096-0125 does nothing to hurt us, it only helps.
IMO the one that may hurt us is HB1181. This is the one that will deem us as a moped at 21mph-30mph, removing all language and referencing as a "motorized pedalcycle". It very well could be the sleeping giant.
The law in itself is not for us so to speak. I think Steans wanted it to pass more so for the electric aspect of it dealing with handicaps of elderly and others that needed it. More as a clarification and matter of fact. Gas motors were added after the bills introduction.
Basically it makes motrized bicycles and electric bicycles that meet their criteria deemed "low speed gas/electric bicycles". By deeming them as such, they will be removed from classification of motor vehicles and placed into the regulations of normal bicycles with a few exceptions. Such as, no riding on sidewalks and not being able go over 20mph.
It also removes any requirement of needing to have a valid drivers license to ride one, as long as you are atleast 16 years of age.
It makes them legal(if criteria is met) at a state level. It does not override local ordinances that may prohibit them or keep new local ordinances from setting their own stipulations on them.
Public Act 096-0125 does nothing to hurt us, it only helps.
IMO the one that may hurt us is HB1181. This is the one that will deem us as a moped at 21mph-30mph, removing all language and referencing as a "motorized pedalcycle". It very well could be the sleeping giant.
I stand corrected... well it"s always something with that set!
oh well, heers to next year, will give us more time to come up with a good rally plan .
and I'm still riding too...!
oh well, heers to next year, will give us more time to come up with a good rally plan .
and I'm still riding too...!
Iam still going to try and get a rally going in Decatur, IL in Sept. I'am looking at Sept. 26 for the date. Iam planning to get a pavillion reserved in the park for that date. also Iam going to place a add in the local wheels and deals for the first annual Decatur Motor assisted Bicycle Rally. Iam sure alot of the locals may attend and hoping for some out of towners also. We'll have a meet and greet and then about a 20 mile ride or so just to let the good times roll. We'll have to ride for just a few miles through town but then we can open them up in the country. would like to see alot of MB'ers there but if not there will be another one. If anyone from Illinois would be interested, PM me and I will talk about the details with them. "Power to the MB'ers"
i got stopped tonight idling in front of my house on the street trying to adjust my carb, but i seen him coming a half block away and killed it, the cop said like an A** "please tell me your not riding that on the street", lol i said no and he drove off. but i believe his interest wasn't the engine but law around here i think is you need a headlight and something lit up on the rear end and i dont have anything but reflectors right now.
i rode all this morning trying to get the bugs out and dial it all in, passed several cops and got a look or 2 from them but they didn't even slow down or stop.
i can't wait till this law goes into effect however im finding out that the 20 mph limit isn't really helping as i am almost getting run over by idiot drivers. when im keeping up with traffic in 30 mph zones and im also passing them is when the bike really does its best. oh well, guess ill have to sacrifice myself a speeding ticket VS getting nailed by some idiot putting her make up on while texting.
i rode all this morning trying to get the bugs out and dial it all in, passed several cops and got a look or 2 from them but they didn't even slow down or stop.
i can't wait till this law goes into effect however im finding out that the 20 mph limit isn't really helping as i am almost getting run over by idiot drivers. when im keeping up with traffic in 30 mph zones and im also passing them is when the bike really does its best. oh well, guess ill have to sacrifice myself a speeding ticket VS getting nailed by some idiot putting her make up on while texting.
currently, all the bicycle shops i have been in share the same consensus,its entirely fine to drive a bicycle with an ELECTRIC motor without a drivers license.I also have a long time friend who has a DIY electric bicycle who uses it all over many cities in the chicagoland suburbs and he has never had even the slightest bit of trouble for it, however the GAS engine is a 'grey' area to Illinois law. there has been a revision in the law that is more clear on the subject,but it doesn't go into effect till January 1st of the new year (great,just when snow is on the ground and too cold to drive!)
i really believe that electric riders should have no problem in the state to begin with,after all it isn't like the cop can hear your motor from a car length away like our 2 strokes. but city ordinance is an entirely different mater if they strictly prohibit your bike. if you are still worried contact your local police department or county sheriff and ask them,but always remind them the IT IS A BICYCLE! or they seem to think somehow its a moped.good luck and happy riding!
I am also from Springfield; I just got pulled over last month by a Leland Grove officer, and went to court today. I tried to explain to the officer he was wrong about my bike, but he got really pissed about that and I was issued three tickets. "No Insurance," "no evidence of registration," and "no registration" with the possibility of it all being $1000 worth. He told me, "you have got to get that thing registered and blah blah blah..."
I went in and the State's Attorney started with trying to land the no insurance on me...I had none of that and explained to the judge how I've been trying to get the bike registered and how the SOS had been giving me the run-around. BTW, there was like 500+ people in there because of Labor Day weekend. So after discussing the situation with another SA, I got the "No Registration" ticket and paid $100. I'm pretty ticked off about the whole deal, as I had to miss a Lab at LLCC for the whole deal. I would have stuck around for a trial, but was losing patience and it looked like it would have been another couple of hours, and probably have gotten moved to another date and time.
*sigh*
I went in and the State's Attorney started with trying to land the no insurance on me...I had none of that and explained to the judge how I've been trying to get the bike registered and how the SOS had been giving me the run-around. BTW, there was like 500+ people in there because of Labor Day weekend. So after discussing the situation with another SA, I got the "No Registration" ticket and paid $100. I'm pretty ticked off about the whole deal, as I had to miss a Lab at LLCC for the whole deal. I would have stuck around for a trial, but was losing patience and it looked like it would have been another couple of hours, and probably have gotten moved to another date and time.
*sigh*
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I think the law was in reference to those "pocket-bikes" (mini motorcycles). In Chicago pocket-bikes are illegal. Police will impound it and you will be given citations.
I see a lot of idiots riding these pocket-bikes in actual traffic as if they were riding a real motorcycle. As for as motor bicycles, its still a bicycle and as long as you ride safe and responsible there shouldnt be a problem...at least in chicago. You might have a little more problems in suburbs. Whatever the case, dont argue with the police, be polite and I will continue to ride my motor bicycle.
I see a lot of idiots riding these pocket-bikes in actual traffic as if they were riding a real motorcycle. As for as motor bicycles, its still a bicycle and as long as you ride safe and responsible there shouldnt be a problem...at least in chicago. You might have a little more problems in suburbs. Whatever the case, dont argue with the police, be polite and I will continue to ride my motor bicycle.
I checked out what happened to otchy and told my laywer about it, his take was (of course) that you should have taken a laywer with you as they know the system and actualy get some respect from the court. but in the long run you may have been able to get out of it. people who build hotrods in IL. have to find a title from out of state to get a reg. in IL. as far as my friend john has been able to find out there is no provision for "home built" titles in IL. and he's been trying for around thirty years! my take on the IL. vec code is that all vec reged in IL. have to have a factory vin and a fed safety sticker, all of witch are imposible with a china girl as they are sold as an off road product.
the old (as of 1/1/2010) rule said that under 50cc was IL. lic only , but you still had to have reg and title . under the new law there are some strange rules to follow first they did change the def of a motorized bicycle calling it a"device" so then there are NO vec rules that apply...however then they add that they engine must bee under one horse power? there again if you read there def of h.p. it is not simlpy a function of cc's but several factors ie: weight, cc's , and a two thousand dynamomater test that you have to provide to the court if they request it (all of this was experinced by my friend aaron who lost his reg in il. and paid some heafty fines) second there rule requires a test by a 170lbs rider on the bike on level ground must not exceed 20mph ...? how is this realistic? every car on the road is capable of exceeding the speed limit, so if my weight exceeds 170 (by alot
and i get on radar doing 20mph have i broken the law? will speed be determined by body mass? sound like disscrimination to me...! third my laywer buddy said in parting that we all need to know the bike laws as there are plenty of screwy rules there too
all ranting aside, peal your stickers ,pull off the engine plate and plead ignorance. print a copy of the new law and ride with it. most of all just stear clear of leo and his chums
the old (as of 1/1/2010) rule said that under 50cc was IL. lic only , but you still had to have reg and title . under the new law there are some strange rules to follow first they did change the def of a motorized bicycle calling it a"device" so then there are NO vec rules that apply...however then they add that they engine must bee under one horse power? there again if you read there def of h.p. it is not simlpy a function of cc's but several factors ie: weight, cc's , and a two thousand dynamomater test that you have to provide to the court if they request it (all of this was experinced by my friend aaron who lost his reg in il. and paid some heafty fines) second there rule requires a test by a 170lbs rider on the bike on level ground must not exceed 20mph ...? how is this realistic? every car on the road is capable of exceeding the speed limit, so if my weight exceeds 170 (by alot
and i get on radar doing 20mph have i broken the law? will speed be determined by body mass? sound like disscrimination to me...! third my laywer buddy said in parting that we all need to know the bike laws as there are plenty of screwy rules there tooall ranting aside, peal your stickers ,pull off the engine plate and plead ignorance. print a copy of the new law and ride with it. most of all just stear clear of leo and his chums
My father was a contractor for the Sec. of State a few years back, so I asked him if he still knew anybody in there (my pops worked with some high up people in that dept.) This is his reply to my email:
"Otchy" – I have some poop from my inside guy. Read his response below.
Basically, you need to get a “Surety Bond” from an insurance company. Go to cyberdriveillinois *dot* com and search for RT OPR 26 to get the official documented facts. The forms you’ll need are RT OPR-23.9, SOS DOP-173-1, VSD 193.23, and the Illinois Tax Form RUT-50 (instructions attached but the form is not online nor downloadable – bottomline, you have to pay $25 tax for your bike *geez*).
So, this is a big red-tape thing and it sounds like you’re lucky to have gotten off with ONLY a $100 fine!!! The insurance part, the surety bond cost should be less than $50 to an insurance company, AND $39 to SOS (here is the law). Then, there’s the Title ($65) cost. The tax and title are a ONE-TIME cost – the surety bond must be renewable and the license fee of $39 is like a tag for a car – an annual cost.
The person having a final say is DEBBIE QUINN (557-0717) – she’s in the office on the 1st floor in the Howlett Building downtown next door to the Capitol (building is on corner of Edwards and 2nd Street), so any questions and stuff should go to her – deal with her directly.
This is just what I asked of him, I'm going to go about this whenever I have plenty of free time and less schooling...I will post up whenever I have a chance to go about this.
"Otchy" – I have some poop from my inside guy. Read his response below.
Basically, you need to get a “Surety Bond” from an insurance company. Go to cyberdriveillinois *dot* com and search for RT OPR 26 to get the official documented facts. The forms you’ll need are RT OPR-23.9, SOS DOP-173-1, VSD 193.23, and the Illinois Tax Form RUT-50 (instructions attached but the form is not online nor downloadable – bottomline, you have to pay $25 tax for your bike *geez*).
So, this is a big red-tape thing and it sounds like you’re lucky to have gotten off with ONLY a $100 fine!!! The insurance part, the surety bond cost should be less than $50 to an insurance company, AND $39 to SOS (here is the law). Then, there’s the Title ($65) cost. The tax and title are a ONE-TIME cost – the surety bond must be renewable and the license fee of $39 is like a tag for a car – an annual cost.
The person having a final say is DEBBIE QUINN (557-0717) – she’s in the office on the 1st floor in the Howlett Building downtown next door to the Capitol (building is on corner of Edwards and 2nd Street), so any questions and stuff should go to her – deal with her directly.
This is just what I asked of him, I'm going to go about this whenever I have plenty of free time and less schooling...I will post up whenever I have a chance to go about this.
i had the cops called on me again by the same jerk neighbors, this time they sent out a cop who has the worst attitude. he caught me on the street right in front of my house and we went thru the same ol song and dance about how its a bicycle and not a moped / motorcycle. anyways he starts to tell me how he is sposed to impound my bike and what not till i pull out the printed version of this Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB0236 from my back pocket. that changed his attitude all they way around, and told me him and the other cops don't care and like my bike its just that these neighbors are pushing real hard to be jerks about this and if they didn't call they would of never had said anything to me.
yes.... i know that HB SB0236 says it doesn't go into effect till 1/1/10 but i secretly edited that part out of my copy and just let it roll in front of the cops and it worked.
sorry dude, but you got shafted BIG time, if you went into all that un-armed without an attorney,knowledge and research you were doomed from the minute you steped into the system.
Otchy, everything you mentioned about surety bonds and ect is a big waste of time and money. we are 4 months away from having this law go into effect and not to much good riding weather is left. save you money and aggravation. if you see a cop, leave the engine on or kill it, but always pedal. if they try to stick it to you again get an attorney and make sure that the state can't prove without a reasonable doubt that you were under engine control at the time the cop seen you. dont go out trying to make it harder for the rest of us trying to fly low on the radar by getting the system to enforce this crap about surety bonds and titles for vehicles that are un-obtainable cause its a bicycle. you end up getting newbies here convince of that and ruin their day.
also, dont EVER EVER EVER talk to a states attorney, they are the enemy, they are the ones who are trying to stick it to you, hence the name STATES ATTORNEY, they represent the state of Illinois and not you or your welfare. they make a living off of convictions, not letting you go free. keep that in mind.
yes.... i know that HB SB0236 says it doesn't go into effect till 1/1/10 but i secretly edited that part out of my copy and just let it roll in front of the cops and it worked.
sorry dude, but you got shafted BIG time, if you went into all that un-armed without an attorney,knowledge and research you were doomed from the minute you steped into the system.
Otchy, everything you mentioned about surety bonds and ect is a big waste of time and money. we are 4 months away from having this law go into effect and not to much good riding weather is left. save you money and aggravation. if you see a cop, leave the engine on or kill it, but always pedal. if they try to stick it to you again get an attorney and make sure that the state can't prove without a reasonable doubt that you were under engine control at the time the cop seen you. dont go out trying to make it harder for the rest of us trying to fly low on the radar by getting the system to enforce this crap about surety bonds and titles for vehicles that are un-obtainable cause its a bicycle. you end up getting newbies here convince of that and ruin their day.
also, dont EVER EVER EVER talk to a states attorney, they are the enemy, they are the ones who are trying to stick it to you, hence the name STATES ATTORNEY, they represent the state of Illinois and not you or your welfare. they make a living off of convictions, not letting you go free. keep that in mind.
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Oh, I don't intend on going through all of that crap anymore now you put it that way. I am one of those newbs and am just trying to see every angle there is. I printed out a copy of the of the law as soon as I heard about it on this thread, and have folded it neatly into my wallet (with the editing) as well. But speaking of $$, don't attorneys cost a few nickels anyways, maybe $100 was cheaper, and nothing went on my record anyways. But, I didn't even think about the whole, "State's" Attorney deal, makes sense, and I'm surprised that I was actually able to make them listen to me and change thier minds, but I bet they knew what they were doing by not letting me get away "scott free." Power to the mo-bikes!! In the words of a great poet from this past decade..."Thug 'till I Die!"
I gota say i agree with otchy , don't reg anything. this will just add fuel to the fire.
it's so rare in IL for the little guy to have anything go his way , we all need to keep a low profile untill the law is in effect next year.
if people want something to do to safe guard there new rights to ride , keep an eye on chances to the local ordiance's as this is the only "law" option left to those who want to spoil our fun...
one other option that is open to group's this size is to start a fund to retain a lawyer to defend our rights in and out of court. precadance is the main way new laws are examined by a judge in IL,so every person who get's stoped and get's off help's everyone else but only if the public knows what happend as a matter of record
in my mind this is one of the most important functions of this forum "you are not alone anymore" we don't have to be the 'little guy" anymore . well orginized groups always fare better in politics then a single guy in front of a traffic judge! we live here, were all adults(sort of) ,we want the new law so stand up for it if you get the chance.
it's so rare in IL for the little guy to have anything go his way , we all need to keep a low profile untill the law is in effect next year.
if people want something to do to safe guard there new rights to ride , keep an eye on chances to the local ordiance's as this is the only "law" option left to those who want to spoil our fun...
one other option that is open to group's this size is to start a fund to retain a lawyer to defend our rights in and out of court. precadance is the main way new laws are examined by a judge in IL,so every person who get's stoped and get's off help's everyone else but only if the public knows what happend as a matter of record
in my mind this is one of the most important functions of this forum "you are not alone anymore" we don't have to be the 'little guy" anymore . well orginized groups always fare better in politics then a single guy in front of a traffic judge! we live here, were all adults(sort of) ,we want the new law so stand up for it if you get the chance.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilc...qEnd=125900000&ActName=Illinois+Vehicle+Code. its at the very bottom of the page
I just want to say a quick thank you to all the people that posted in this thread.
The info really helped me out. I must say, I'm looking forward to the 1st
Do any of you meet up and ride or anything?
-->Chris
The info really helped me out. I must say, I'm looking forward to the 1st
Do any of you meet up and ride or anything?
-->Chris
chris: the shop dogs ride in waukegan,zion and all over southern wisconsin. we are in the planing stage for a rally in the spring near monroe wi ,as there is a multi use trail up there were gona ride. were are you at in the city? i've noticed a few guy on the forum from chicago and lots from il. (charged reactor,outlaw bike, filestyle1, just to mention a few)
you guys in the city should get a rally going for downtown? we'll show up.
you guys in the city should get a rally going for downtown? we'll show up.