If you read through this thread up to this point then its about time
for a recap...
Option 1 (for the Brave and the Free):
Install your gas motor - ride and hope you never get pulled
over. This is the least expensive option (assuming you never get caught)
If you do get caught then it could could cost you up to a $160 fine.
The citation undoubtedly varies by locality. You might only
get a warning - or they might take your bike away.
In any case, ride sensibly, if you see a cop start peddling.
Don't do something stupid that begs them to pull you over.
This is probably the best option if you live in a rural area of Pennsylvania
and Barney the cop is your best friend's sister's husband.
If you get caught, don't argue with the cop (unless it's Barney).
Protest the fine at the local Magistrate.
Some potential strategies with the Judge (these are untested recommendations):
1) Plead ignorance. Or tell them your buddy rides an electric
bike to work (and he said it was legal) and you thought it was OK
to put a gas motor on your bike.
2) "The Green Argument" - Heck, your just trying to do "the right thing"
by using less gas. Doesn't the Judge know that gas is going to hit $5 a
gallon this year? Something has to change! (might work with a liberal judge)
3) HT 727 (federal mandate) allows electric motors under 1hp without registration -
Why should your little 48cc gas motor be treated differently? (See Option 5)
4) Tell the Judge you would actually prefer to register and pay insurance -
IF the Judge would be so kind as to issue a court appointed moped title
on your behalf, right then and there on the spot!
Option 2 (for the persistent, with time to kill):
Try to get your bike titled using the Enhanced Vehicle Inspection method.
This takes much effort. money, & time - with the possibility of not
happening at all.
The inspection stations don't like doing this for several reasons:
1) Because of the perceived liability on their part. Why should they risk
declaring your contraption road worthy when it could potentially come back to
bite them in the ass when you have some kind of weird accident and the
insurance company starts investigating? Same goes for the bureaucrat in
Harrisburg processing your paperwork.
2) If the inspection station is a motorcycle shop, then why would they do this?
They would rather sell you a new moped! They have no vested interest in
helping get your project off the ground. In fact your vain attempt to get
a title is now a new kind "entertainment" for them.
For this reason, and if you go this route, don't take it to a station that
is a motor cycle shop. Take it to am Enhanced Inspection station that does
motorcycles - but where motorcycles are not their primary business.
Side Rant...
IMHO - This is the how the law is "corrupt". More than likely, (and a long time ago) someone influential in the motorcycle biz probably lobbied all they could to
"make sure" the laws we arranged as they are so that they could sell
more mopeds & motorcycles.
Don't believe it?
Then tell me why every mechanic shop in PA has to have their own emission
equipment and rolling dyno? - whereas other states have centralized inspection
stations run by the state? BECAUSE THE SHOPS & DYNO MANUFACTURERS LOBBIED FOR IT.
And PA car owners pay dearly for this...it all comes out of our pockets.
I also believe the law is made intentionally circular and confusing so as
to allow individual municipalities to enforce it at their whim.
Don't even get me started on the Liquor Control Board...
End Side Rant...
Option 3 (for the sly and sneaky):
Buy a junked moped with a valid title. Make sure you you have the seller come
with you to the title shop to sign the title over to you. Get a bill of sale.
Get your insurance, and a tag.
Cut the VIN plate off and DESTROY THE OLD MOPED. Put the VIN plate & tag
on your motor converted bike.
Optionally outfit your bike with the proper lighting the state requires.
But remember, mopeds are exempt from state inspection
(unless your trying to get a title! - as in Option 2) so it is unlikely
that a cop will pull you over in the day if you are missing a light.
Believe it or not, this is what the Kit car folks do.
There is a brisk market for old Ford roadster & coupe titles in the back of
Hemmings Motor News for for guys putting together Ford cobra kits.
I spoke to a guy at the Carilse Auto show who explained this to me.
Those old titles are like gold. They sell for something like $600.
In the end, all the cop cares about is that you are registered and insured
and he has no idea what a 1978 Puch moped is anyway.
The only problem with this is that it is extremely difficult to find
a junk moped with a title. People either loose the title or
just keep fixing them up, especially now when the price of gas is so high.
Which begs the question,
"Maybe I should just get the moped running and ride that instead."
Option 4 (for those who "Go green" and have lots of green to burn):
Go to
hub motor, brushless motor, BLDC motor, bike conversion kit, brushless controller,electric bike,wheelchair controller,electric wheelchair,dual drive ebike, electric motorcycle,EV battery,electric boat ,brushless joystick controller, regenerative brak and order the 750w electric motor kit with the
36V16AH battery and you're good for a 30 mile range at 25 mph.
The only problem here is that it will cost you about $700 + $250 shipping.
But now your not really saving much gas money compared to putting that $130
2 cycle motor on now are you?
Lets do the rough math...shall we? Right now it costs me $75 to fill the tank
on my Explorer and that can last me about 15 days of commuting. If I could
just throw the 2 cycle on my spare bike for $130, it would pay for itself in
about 35 commutes. That's not too bad. Pays for itself by the end of summer.
If I go the electric route it will take about 215 days of commuting.
Pays off sometime in the next two years.
It all depends what you think the price of gas will do in the future.
If gas continues to go up (or stays where it is) then the electric bike
"wins" in the long run. Mainly because you don't have to buy insurance/registration
every year.
If you get pulled over on an ebike by an unknowledgable cop just show him a printed
copy of HT 727. If he doesn't buy it, then take it to the Magistrate.
You at least have a foot to stand on.
Option 5 (For all of us in the long term):
We all recognize the PA laws regarding pedaled assisted bikes are incorrect.
Especially when compared to many other states and with the advent of HT 727
for electric bikes.
Can we all collaborate here (or someplace on the web) and start a petition
to see what we can do to get the law changed? If the gov't of Egypt can be
overthrown by Facebook then I am sure we can get something done...Right?
