I haven't been here for a while so forgive me if this is old news. I was checking out some bicycle laws for two of my girls and found this that I hadn't seen before.
This has probably been covered here before. Maybe it's difficult to get Ohio to approve a home built? I've been erroneously telling people that they could only plate those motorized bicycles on the official approved list. However, it appears, according to the following, one mght only need to complete the certification forms that a manufacturer does. Of course, the bike would need to meet the same equipment criteria.
The statement, "the department shall approve or disapprove the vehicle for sale and operation in Ohio as being within the definition of a motorized bicycle" and "nothing in these rules and regulations shall prohibit a person other than a manufacturer from constructing, assembling, or equipping a vehicle so as to conform to the specifications of a motorized bicycle" leads me to an interesting conclusion. Since the home builder isn't looking to sell the motorized bicycle in Ohio but merely operate it ("sale AND operation") and the rules/regs can't prohibit an individual from constructing one ("nothing... shall prohibit... other than manufacturer").
So, I believe that as long as one builds to conform to OAC 4501-23, then the state either must provide a means to approve or simply issue a motorized bicycle plate on affidavit of meeting certification to a person building a motorized bicycle for operation and not sale that meets the requirements set forth in OAC 4501-23.
What says ye? Is this old news and someone has already found the way to do this? Or am I missing something?
If it hasn't been done already, it could be tedious to get Ohio to perform. However, the "nothing" "shall prohibit" is strong enough in Ohio law to make it very doable. I don't have a bike to approve right now and no funding to build one, however, if someone nearby wants me to help get their bike approved, I'm game. Just make sure that the engine TRULY meets Ohio's requirement at the time we seek approval.
This has probably been covered here before. Maybe it's difficult to get Ohio to approve a home built? I've been erroneously telling people that they could only plate those motorized bicycles on the official approved list. However, it appears, according to the following, one mght only need to complete the certification forms that a manufacturer does. Of course, the bike would need to meet the same equipment criteria.
The statement, "the department shall approve or disapprove the vehicle for sale and operation in Ohio as being within the definition of a motorized bicycle" and "nothing in these rules and regulations shall prohibit a person other than a manufacturer from constructing, assembling, or equipping a vehicle so as to conform to the specifications of a motorized bicycle" leads me to an interesting conclusion. Since the home builder isn't looking to sell the motorized bicycle in Ohio but merely operate it ("sale AND operation") and the rules/regs can't prohibit an individual from constructing one ("nothing... shall prohibit... other than manufacturer").
So, I believe that as long as one builds to conform to OAC 4501-23, then the state either must provide a means to approve or simply issue a motorized bicycle plate on affidavit of meeting certification to a person building a motorized bicycle for operation and not sale that meets the requirements set forth in OAC 4501-23.
What says ye? Is this old news and someone has already found the way to do this? Or am I missing something?
If it hasn't been done already, it could be tedious to get Ohio to perform. However, the "nothing" "shall prohibit" is strong enough in Ohio law to make it very doable. I don't have a bike to approve right now and no funding to build one, however, if someone nearby wants me to help get their bike approved, I'm game. Just make sure that the engine TRULY meets Ohio's requirement at the time we seek approval.
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