Autocycle Definitions

[John Painter]

................
You might want to consider this. It is stolen from Texas and defines a special motorcycle type.
Just change the word "motorcycle" to "autocycle" and you may have it.

(6-a) " Motorcycle " includes an enclosed three-wheeled passenger vehicle that:
(A) is designed to operate with three wheels in contact with the ground;
(B) has a minimum unladen weight of 900 lbs.;
(C) has a single, completely enclosed, occupant compartment;
(D) at a minimum, is equipped with:
(i) seats that are certified by the vehicle manufacturer to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 207, 49 C.F.R. Section 571.207;
(ii) a steering wheel used to maneuver the vehicle;
(iii) a propulsion unit located in front of or behind the enclosed occupant compartment;
(iv) a seat belt for each vehicle occupant certified by the manufacturer to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, 49 C.F.R. Section 571.209;
(v) a windshield and one or more windshield wipers certified by the manufacturer to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, 49 C.F.R. Section 571.205, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 104, 49 C.F.R. Section 571.104; and
(vi) a vehicle structure certified by the vehicle manufacturer to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 216, 49 C.F.R. Section 571.216; and
(E) is produced by its manufacturer in a minimum quantity of 300 in any calendar year.

The first time I read it I thought someone had looked at the Elio when they wrote it.

That's pretty good.

 

[Rickb]

The new draft MC licensing legislation defining autocycle should read enclosed cabin two or three wheel motorcycles to avoid having to modify the law a second time for the Lit Motors C-1.

 

[goofyone]

The new draft MC licensing legislation defining autocycle should read enclosed cabin two or three wheel motorcycles to avoid having to modify the law a second time for the Lit Motors C-1.
View attachment 4668

That is going to be a problem Lit Motors will have to work out for themselves in many states. The AAMVA best practices recommendation only applies to three wheelers and EM's chosen autocycle definition is even more restrictive than the AAMVA recommendation. EM has purposely chosen to define autocycle very narrowly, in such a way that excludes most other vehicles, in order to try and avoid as many points of objection as possible thus increasing the likelihood of success in passing the proposed legislation. It is however highly likely that over time the definition of autocycle will be amended in many states to cover more vehicles.

 

[goofyone]

In Georgia we do not have an autocycle category of vehicle and in some ways this makes it better for us as each piece of the puzzle is defined separately. Trying to do it this way in other states would likely be more complicated which is why EM has chosen the autocycle route in most states.

Georgia already has a helmet exemption on the books for enclosed cabin motorcycles and the definition for motorcycle vehicle registration states any two or wheel wheel vehicle is a motorcycle except for a few well defined exceptions. The way the drivers licencing law works in Georgia is that our class C normal drivers license is the default license needed except for certain exemptions. The motorcycle licensing exemption does not appear to apply to the Elio as it specifically applies to vehicles which are ridden on saddle.

The law in Georgia appears to define the Elio and C-1 as motorcycles while exempting these from helmet and motorcycle licensing however interestingly it appears that while Polaris Slingshot is a motorcycle and can be driven without a motorcycle license in Georgia helmet use is still required.

 

[Rickb]

I have requested the Senator sponsoring and drafting Idaho's new MC Legislation to simply use the phrase enclosed cabin motorcycles which would cover both. I'm eager to see the final draft when it moves to Idaho's Transportation Committee.

After talking up the Elio and asking the Senator to consider sponsoring the Bill, I hope Elio doesn't disappoint. I also hope the hell the Senator didn't go $1K all-in after I made him aware of the vehicle and the NEED for the legislation.