Busted!
- Thread starter Finfan
- Start date
Good thing you didn't get stopped in one of the Suburbs arround here! They'd have you swing from the oak tree on the village square!
You'll hear me cryin eventually I'm sure!!! That's why I get my shots in while I can!
NY SUCKS!
You'll hear me cryin eventually I'm sure!!! That's why I get my shots in while I can!
NY SUCKS!
I must say I was expecting a different response. I didn’t think everyone would want to jump on board but I though the majority would lean toward trying to change the law.
If you are running one of those 80cc Chinese two strokes, and it seems as though many of you are, your bike is illegal in Arizona. I am not sure why anyone would want to leave a law in place that makes something they do on a regular basis, if not every day, illegal. Relying on the police not to enforce the law may work for a while, if you’re lucky, but if you piss a cop off he or she is going to use every law on the books to make your life as miserable as possible.
My bicycle complies with ARS 28-2516 with one exception; it is geared to high. I can travel at around 30mph with a slight tail wind. My average speed on the 22 mile commute is 22mph. In less than 5 minutes I can change the gear ratio to bring it into compliance or go faster. Odds are I will never get into too much trouble with the setup I have now. The problem for me is I want to increase the size of the motor from a GX35 to a GX50 and gear it with a top speed closer to 40mph. I don’t want to cruise at 40mph I just don’t like having the motor rapped out everywhere I go. I would like to cruise at 30mph and have a little throttle left. It would not only be quieter but it would be safer. There are occasions when you need to accelerate rather than brake to get out of a jamb.
I agree that getting them to increase the maximum CCs to 80 is unlikely without requiring registration, but you should ask for more than you think you can get and “compromise”. I think the increased “maximum geared speed” is a possibility. A good deal of the complaints from Joe citizen is that the bikes are noisy. Could you imagine how noisy the freeways would be if all of the vehicles were geared to top out at 80mph. I also think that getting them to increase the maximum operating speed to 25mph is also possible. I am almost 50 years old and I can pedal 25 mph. We shouldn’t be required to operate slower than a bicycle without a motor. Again, ask for 35mph and compromise.
Jasonh made a very good point concerning 2 strokes and the environmental angle. 2 strokes are currently being phased out in marine applications as well as in lawn equipment, weed eaters, chain saws etc. I have a feeling that the use of 2 stroke engines on anything other than off road vehicles is coming to an end in the U.S. That’s why I went with a 4 stroke.
I have a 2004 Chevy Blazer with a 4.3L V6. Driving it 22 miles per day, five day per week, pumps over 6000 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere per year. My motorized bicycle powered by the GX35 driven the same distance emits approximately 565 lbs of CO2. That’s greener and cheaper than riding the city bus. Two strokes are dirtier but I don’t think a 50CC two stroke emits as much CO2 as a 6 cylinder 4.3 liter 4 stroke.
If there is someone, or a group of someones, trying to overturn HB2796 we need to act as soon as possible. Not doing anything will mean the demise of legal motorized bicycling. The best defense is a good offense. No law in this country has ever been changed by people that “didn’t want to make waves”.
I got into motorized bicycling strictly for economic and environmental reasons. I had no idea it would be this much fun or that I would be involved in any effort to change state laws but I feel I have to do something. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
If you would like to get involved in trying to change Arizonas laws concerning motorized bicycles, I can be reached at [email protected]
This is a great forum and I appreciate the help I have already received from you guys.
If you are running one of those 80cc Chinese two strokes, and it seems as though many of you are, your bike is illegal in Arizona. I am not sure why anyone would want to leave a law in place that makes something they do on a regular basis, if not every day, illegal. Relying on the police not to enforce the law may work for a while, if you’re lucky, but if you piss a cop off he or she is going to use every law on the books to make your life as miserable as possible.
My bicycle complies with ARS 28-2516 with one exception; it is geared to high. I can travel at around 30mph with a slight tail wind. My average speed on the 22 mile commute is 22mph. In less than 5 minutes I can change the gear ratio to bring it into compliance or go faster. Odds are I will never get into too much trouble with the setup I have now. The problem for me is I want to increase the size of the motor from a GX35 to a GX50 and gear it with a top speed closer to 40mph. I don’t want to cruise at 40mph I just don’t like having the motor rapped out everywhere I go. I would like to cruise at 30mph and have a little throttle left. It would not only be quieter but it would be safer. There are occasions when you need to accelerate rather than brake to get out of a jamb.
I agree that getting them to increase the maximum CCs to 80 is unlikely without requiring registration, but you should ask for more than you think you can get and “compromise”. I think the increased “maximum geared speed” is a possibility. A good deal of the complaints from Joe citizen is that the bikes are noisy. Could you imagine how noisy the freeways would be if all of the vehicles were geared to top out at 80mph. I also think that getting them to increase the maximum operating speed to 25mph is also possible. I am almost 50 years old and I can pedal 25 mph. We shouldn’t be required to operate slower than a bicycle without a motor. Again, ask for 35mph and compromise.
Jasonh made a very good point concerning 2 strokes and the environmental angle. 2 strokes are currently being phased out in marine applications as well as in lawn equipment, weed eaters, chain saws etc. I have a feeling that the use of 2 stroke engines on anything other than off road vehicles is coming to an end in the U.S. That’s why I went with a 4 stroke.
I have a 2004 Chevy Blazer with a 4.3L V6. Driving it 22 miles per day, five day per week, pumps over 6000 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere per year. My motorized bicycle powered by the GX35 driven the same distance emits approximately 565 lbs of CO2. That’s greener and cheaper than riding the city bus. Two strokes are dirtier but I don’t think a 50CC two stroke emits as much CO2 as a 6 cylinder 4.3 liter 4 stroke.
If there is someone, or a group of someones, trying to overturn HB2796 we need to act as soon as possible. Not doing anything will mean the demise of legal motorized bicycling. The best defense is a good offense. No law in this country has ever been changed by people that “didn’t want to make waves”.
I got into motorized bicycling strictly for economic and environmental reasons. I had no idea it would be this much fun or that I would be involved in any effort to change state laws but I feel I have to do something. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
If you would like to get involved in trying to change Arizonas laws concerning motorized bicycles, I can be reached at [email protected]
This is a great forum and I appreciate the help I have already received from you guys.
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Bacon, very well said and more importantly heart felt. The timing is right for "greener" and the economic concerns you pointed out for a grass roots action to do well.
I have always wondered, it seems most of the legal issues I have ever read about seem to be in AZ. In NY where it is just a no go legally to ride a MB, folks just don't seem to get pulled over. Dunno, just some thing I have been wondering about. I rode one around upstate NY and the cops found me non-entity. I live in CT and law here is very kind about MBs.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead
I have always wondered, it seems most of the legal issues I have ever read about seem to be in AZ. In NY where it is just a no go legally to ride a MB, folks just don't seem to get pulled over. Dunno, just some thing I have been wondering about. I rode one around upstate NY and the cops found me non-entity. I live in CT and law here is very kind about MBs.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead
Bacon:
While it would be nice to get the changes you want I just don't see it happening. A speed limit much over 25 mph will have the bicyclists up in arms. I know that the serious bicyclist leg mutant can do over 20 mph easy but they are not the "average" person on the road. My concern is that if we were to get the speed limit raised to 30+ that it would be tied to requirements to license, register, and insure our rides which I do not want to be burdened with. It would also probably require us to get out of the bike lanes and go play in traffic which I DEFINITELY do not want to do. We need to get our place on the road better defined but it needs to be as a special class of bicycle not as a special class of motorcycle. Otherwise I am content to tool along with my 48 cc motor doing 19 mph.
While it would be nice to get the changes you want I just don't see it happening. A speed limit much over 25 mph will have the bicyclists up in arms. I know that the serious bicyclist leg mutant can do over 20 mph easy but they are not the "average" person on the road. My concern is that if we were to get the speed limit raised to 30+ that it would be tied to requirements to license, register, and insure our rides which I do not want to be burdened with. It would also probably require us to get out of the bike lanes and go play in traffic which I DEFINITELY do not want to do. We need to get our place on the road better defined but it needs to be as a special class of bicycle not as a special class of motorcycle. Otherwise I am content to tool along with my 48 cc motor doing 19 mph.
I was busted today I was acosted by four bicycle offiicers, and made to buy the sodas for lunch. They bought the Chili Cheese dogs. 
I was made droppin' off the kids bikes @ a fire Dept annex. They gave us the 4th soda free! A great Day.
I was acosted by four bicycle offiicers, and made to buy the sodas for lunch. They bought the Chili Cheese dogs. I was made droppin' off the kids bikes @ a fire Dept annex. They gave us the 4th soda free! A great Day.People don't believe me when I say it. The way to do it is to get 300-400 of us (MBr's) to ride down Wall Street. Keep going arround the block a few times. Sure a few will get arrested and fined but we put money in a hat and have a prewritten script ready to read when the Media get's there. The Media will get there quick! All of us carry the same script and read the facts from a well educated opinion. We will have sucessfully landed a good one right on the nose of the biggest problem in this Union!
Unfortunately it doesn't do much good when the majority of American people would never ever ever even think about riding a MB. You've gotta admit, it's not for everybody. Until there's a significant demand for these things, it's going to be tough to get laws changed.
I think the AZ law is fine, except the speed limit. Should be 30mph.