MB legal status varies: cross-State trip maybe "deal kill"?

nimblebee

nimblebee

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Oh boy! Like Yogi Berra said: It's like deja vu all over again.

Might have run into a legal "deal kill" with cross-State trip plans.

nimblebee

Thread 'Cross state trip overnight travel, or all in one go?'

I've been making motorized bike trips to small towns around checking out historical sites.

You wouldn't think there was that much to see? You'd be surprised, as this was "Bloody Kansas" with the State motto: "To the Stars through difficulty," where there were opposing groups attacking and killing each other, theft, arson and 4 different groups claiming to be Kansas territory's legitimate government (each group having their own laws, enforcement and tax collectors).

KKK was actively opposing the "underground railroad," political coruption abundant, church's were burned, and people were...
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Kansas does not license motorized bicycles, but Missouri does.

Doubt one would make it across Missouri with an "unlicensed motorized bicycle," before even getting into Illinois, & discovering what legal conundrums MB faces there?

Kansas is "crazy country" when it comes to enforcement of confusing laws about motorized bicycles.

Some places you can get ticketed for having an unlicensed vehicle, and most jurisdictions/counties, you can't get MB licensed, so it's "damned if you do, and damned if you don't".

Aware of a few "difficult cases" where people did manage to cleverly get their motorized bicycles licensed, still for most of us, legally, it's a morass.

Instead of legislature fixing problem, people have resorted to loopholes and work-arounds in "MB friendly" districts to get motorized bicycles Kansas registered, but it is a major PITA (if you're successful in any manner).

Unless you happen to live in one of those "friendly & helpful" districts, you have to get your motorized bicycle licensed in the county in which you reside.

Sadly, Jefferson County, where I reside, registering a motorized bicycle is mission IMPOSSIBLE.

Enforcement is sporadic, contradictory, even sometimes paradoxical.

Depends upon law enforcement official & what they want to do, and how they feel about motorized bicycles.

One part of KS law says you can register your motorized bicycle in Kansas, if MB had to be registered in the state that you bought it from.

No idea why, but some districts will go ahead and register your motorized bicycle, even though they're not supposed to?

Other places follow (best they understand) confusing law (Jefferson County Kansas, I'm talking about you!) and compliance is a real mess.

In Kansas, you're taking a risk riding motorized bicycle, of being charged with having an "unregistered motor vehicle" while having MB that can't be registered.

It's a conundrum. Works out to being almost a prohibition on motorized bicycles. Crazy!
 
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Yup, your screwed in Kansas , looks like ya gotta be an Outlaw

To operate a Moped/Motorbike in Kansas it needs to be Titled, Registered and have Insurance
But it can be up to 130cc 3.5HP Top speed 30MPH But... we won't worry about the top speed
 
nimblebee said:
Might have run into a legal "deal kill" with cross-State trip plans.

Kansas does not license motorized bicycles, but Missouri does.

Doubt one would make it across Missouri with an "unlicensed motorized bicycle," before even getting into Illinois, & discovering what legal conundrums MB faces there?

...risk riding motorized bicycle, of being charged with having an "unregistered motor vehicle" while having MB that can't be registered.

It's a conundrum. Works out to being almost a prohibition on motorized bicycles. Crazy!
Click to expand...

Some sneaky/clever "work-arounds" others have attempted (successfully or not!) in "stealth mode" are kind of amusing. :)

One fellow mentioned stealth container disguising motor.

Suppose if marked "storage" could explain to "Officer Friendly" was where motor "stored"? :D

Not sure how "storage" strategy works out so much for engine cooling? :p lol air cooling is a thing ;)

Even if perpetrator switched off engine and began pedaling, would be bit hard convincing "Officer Friendly" how pedaling 35 mph? :D

Perhaps the most practical theory noted, was back roads & avoiding "high enforcement" regions?

Avoidance makes degree of sense, but then how does one predict whether passing by local "fast food"/donut Cop Shop's favorite rendezvous? :p

Unaware of any story convincing sufficient to avoid ticket & maybe even impoundment of unregistered motorized bicycle?

Did hear of one fellow who was pulled over by law enforcement, and was asked: "What took you so long to pull over?"

Man replied: "Officer, my girlfriend ran off with law enforcement, and I was concerned you might be trying to bring her back." lols :D

Just getting started researching the latest and greatest changes to Kansas law, you would have to check your local listings because your mileage may vary.

Beginning research via videos from following:


It's a puzzling morass navigating through a confusing legal maze which varies from State to State.

One consideration examined is Kansas definition of moped.

Might have to get motorized bicycle to fit into this category to get licensed.

This is how Kansas defines a moped:

"A motor bicycle cycle, or moped, is every device having two tandem wheels or three wheels, which may be propelled by either human power or helper motor, or by both, and which has - A motor which produces not more than 3.5 brake horsepower; a cylinder capacity of not more than 130 cubic centimeters; an automatic transmission; and the capability of a maximum design speed of no more than 30 miles per hour."

Legal conundrum:
a) motorized bicycle has no VIN=no registration.
b) You are not a manufacturer, how are you going to provide a title?
c) no title+no VIN=no moped registration. They do nothing easy to make registration simple.

Say what you will, some people riding motorized bicycles have been ticketed by law enforcement as seen in this Salina Journal article:

Are Motorized Bicycles Street-Legal in Kansas? - Kansas Cyclist News

Police in Salina, Kansas are cracking down on motorized bicycles, saying that they're not street-legal because they require license and registration, but don't have a vehicle identification number, so can't be registered. Is this true? Read up!
www.kansascyclist.com www.kansascyclist.com

Here is a thought, purchase one of those vanity bicycle license plates patterned after state you live in.

You can customize and put whatever you want on your bicycle license plate.

Just don't put "IXLR8" on plate :D

This diversionary camouflage might cause eyes to slip over your motorized bicycle as most would think license plate=licensed+registered+insured, etc ad Infinium?

My pedal bike bares the vanity plate 18TAGN...18 again?... or is it I8TAGN... I ate again?... Definitely not the latter, as on healthy keto diet with intermittent fasting, the general rule of thumb is: If you crave it, you like it & tastes good, spit it out! it's not on keto diet and you can't have it! :D lols

Healthy keto diet with intermittent fasting works, because tastes so bad, nobody eats any more of it than they have to, to survive, so nope, not "I ate again". :p lols
 

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Just ride and have fun , Don't ride on sidewalks and obey all traffic rules
Besides wearing a helmet and safety vest, Headlight and working tail/stop light is a must on a motorbike , Cops like to see that
Don't try and fake out the Cops you'll only draw attention
Today with E bikes all over the place and some going 45 MPH a 30 mph motorbike isn't a problem
Don't worry about it, Just don't ride like an azz and you'll be fine..

Tip: make your ride look really good,
 
Laws don't have to make any sense, because they're passed by politicians.

Why pay millions of dollars in campaign funds, only to get a job that pays hundred thousand? Must have a good dental plan...

If we had law abiding criminals, like La La Landers suppose, then all they would have to do is pass a law banning crime,and we would be good: problem solved and done!

Law abiding criminals? :p

 
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