FL

GoldenMotor.com

Fulltimer

New Member
Aug 13, 2010
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Saint Augustine, FL
How about everyone here in Florida have a get together and see if we can hammer out just exactly we want under the name of "Customized Moped". It would in fact be our motorized bikes but we can't call it that.

However, the state did proclaim the existence of a thing called " a bicycle with gas motor". They just don't have a place with its laws to put it. So the logical place would a subdivision of a motor vehicle that is covered by laws already in place. The moped is the closest thing.

Back to the meeting: No discussions about the legality of our bikes the way this, and many other threads have gone. That is a never ending argument.

I say we pick a centralized location based on where the members live. Date and time would be decided here on the forum.

Terry
 

DuctTapedGoat

Active Member
Dec 20, 2010
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Nampa Idaho
That's all well and fine, but we have documents saying otherwise.

There's a lot of conjecture regarding florida's laws - and yours is really no exception.
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,632
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Dallas
These stories are conflicting. I'd say Florida MB laws are just as messed up as Texas, but Texans have it figured out better than Floridians.


'Sludge' caught driving bicycle while license suspended

October 05, 2010 1:09 PM

Wendy Victora

Daily News

FORT WALTON BEACH -- A 21-year-old man was arrested Sept. 29 after an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputy caught him riding a bicycle with a gas motor attached to it.

Robert Lee Bolton was charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license, according to his arrest report. For Bolton, who is classified as an habitual traffic offender, the offense was a felony.

The deputy noted that Bolton was "supplying no human power" to riding the blue bicycle. The bike had no tag and Bolton told the deputy his license was suspended.

Bolton's nickname is "Sludge," the report said.


'Sludge' caught driving bicycle while license suspended | bolton, bicycle, license - News - Northwest Florida Daily News
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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motorbiker

New Member
Mar 22, 2008
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These stories are conflicting. I'd say Florida MB laws are just as messed up as Texas, but Texans have it figured out better than Floridians.


'Sludge' caught driving bicycle while license suspended

October 05, 2010 1:09 PM

Wendy Victora

Daily News

FORT WALTON BEACH -- A 21-year-old man was arrested Sept. 29 after an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputy caught him riding a bicycle with a gas motor attached to it.

Robert Lee Bolton was charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license, according to his arrest report. For Bolton, who is classified as an habitual traffic offender, the offense was a felony.

The deputy noted that Bolton was "supplying no human power" to riding the blue bicycle. The bike had no tag and Bolton told the deputy his license was suspended.

Bolton's nickname is "Sludge," the report said.


'Sludge' caught driving bicycle while license suspended | bolton, bicycle, license - News - Northwest Florida Daily News
The cops see the harm done to people by habitual traffic offenders.

A good cop does his best to protect the roads and keep these people off them.

We don't want habitual traffic offenders driving on our roads.

Bicycle, car or whatever.

I say let them walk on the sidewalk.
 

decoherence

New Member
Aug 23, 2010
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sebring,fl
After meeting with the Okaloosa Sheriff's office and the Fort Walton Beach police Department my claim to "No License No registration No insurance required has been confirmed. There is only one restriction to riding one of my bicycles and that is you must be the age of 16 or over and of course follow all traffic laws pertaining to bicycle riding in the Great state of Florida.

Read more: FWB man adding some muscle to bicycles | muscle, adding, walton - News - Northwest Florida Daily News
it SOUNDS good. can we see something in writing? please

on a different note. even though it is great you have a business & getting it published, but this article that you keep posting has NOTHING to do with the legality.
i thought these threads were about the laws not self promotion.

if i overlooked something i pre-apologise.
i just keep seeing businesses saying something & not showing any proof. it comes off as saying it is legal is good for business. i don't mean this as an antagonistic statement. i just am hoping i can be proven wrong.
 

joabthebugman

New Member
Jun 21, 2010
347
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ocoee fla
Guys, Sangesf is right. he has done all the researched studied all the angles and come to the proper conclusions (except one). I would poke out his eyes with an icepick if it would make him not right, but sadly he is right. Except, a bicycle can be registered as a homebuilt moped, all that has to be done is the necessary safety devices be added. Basically that just means front, back and brake lights. if tires actually are a concern they are made. They are expensive, but they are made.

I rally wish this "self propelled" stretch would be put to rest.
Just because a bike would need to be peddled off fro a stop, if that were even true, in no way disqualifies it from being self propelled once the drive system is engaged.
Once again they DO NOT HAVE to be pedaled from a stop. My son has had his for a year now and thought the pedals were simply to start it or get you home when you ran out of gas. I also built Yodar's and he didn't use his pedals and I rarely if ever pedal off. If I wanted to pedal I would not have put a motor on the damn thing.

Also the argument that they are not motor vehicles does not hold water. There has been more than a couple of people that have provided links saying that a DL is necessary for a moped in FL, which is explicitly excluded as a motor vehicle.

this whole discussion reminds me of those people in the 80s that did not want to pay taxes and came up with all kinds of convoluted statutes that said they didn't have to. The ones that did not go to jail paid for their theories with cash and possessions
 

SANGESF

New Member
Feb 23, 2009
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Lake Worth
it SOUNDS good. can we see something in writing? please

on a different note. even though it is great you have a business & getting it published, but this article that you keep posting has NOTHING to do with the legality.
i thought these threads were about the laws not self promotion.

if i overlooked something i pre-apologise.
i just keep seeing businesses saying something & not showing any proof. it comes off as saying it is legal is good for business. i don't mean this as an antagonistic statement. i just am hoping i can be proven wrong.
That was exactly my point from the beginning. The only ones that post that you don't need a DL or Registration or whatever are the ones who DON'T have a license or have something to sell...
We've heard time and time again that "good news is coming" yet we NEVER see the "good news"... How about not posting anything UNTIL, there is news, in writing, for the ENTIRE state of Florida.
(There ARE some people that have documents for their perspective county/city/district, BUT nothing about a state-wide law, so unless you live in a particular area, it is still up in the air about the legality of gas bikes.)

P.S. A news article does not necessarily equal truth or law, "Dewey Beats Truman" comes to mind.
 
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biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
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Dallas
Way to go my friend. You were right all along, or maybe I should say we.

The story doesn't exactly say why the state couldn't get a conviction, but it probably has to do with motor bicycles not being self propelled.

It's time to start partying in Florida

Paxton fought the ticket and the 14th Judicial Circuit and won.

“The defendant was operating a bicycle with a helper motor,” according to paperwork filed by the state attorney’s office in Panama City. “This vehicle does not meet the legal requirement of a motor vehicle that would require her to have a valid Florida Driver’s License.


Read more: Questions arise over motorized bicycles | questions, ride, arise - 'I'm just trying to ride in peace' - Northwest Florida Daily News
 
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biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,632
411
83
Dallas
You guys in Florida need to give Arnett Motor Bikes your thanks. He's selling MBs and he's helping fight the good fight for MB riders in Florida, which is something very few have the nads to do for themselves.