Motorcycle, Car Or Autocycle?

[Smitty901]

It may be one of the safest autocycles money can't buy.

If ever built you maybe 100% correct. However that is a long way from meeting the same standards for normal cars. And those standards are getting tougher all the time.

 

[Rickb]

If ever built you maybe 100% correct. However that is a long way from meeting the same standards for normal cars. And those standards are getting tougher all the time.

Keep in mind I did say money CAN'T buy. Impossible to meet auto standards at $6800, but if it had a nascar engineered roll cage like the narrow 2 seater Tango Commuter it could easilty meet crash and roll over auto safety standards.
0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, 1/4 mile 106 mph, nice color options, and the simple but functional clown car styling makes me smile and laugh out loud when it reaches it's top speed of 150 mph and can do a wheel stand.

 

[Smitty901]

Why do you think ELIO wants it to remain a motorcycle yet carve out a special class for it. EILO rightfully wants it both ways. As motorcycle it can claim to meet standards it is not required to. ELIO may have a poor business model currently but they are not totally stupid.
If ELIO is ever classified as a Car it will not be built for a long time.

 

[pistonboy]

On page 10 of

http://pdf.secdatabase.com/141/0001214659-16-012757.pdf

it says:

"The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), which is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization
developing model programs in motor vehicle administration, law enforcement and highway safety, and which represents the state and
provincial officials in the United States and Canada who administer and enforce motor vehicle laws, issued a report in October 2013,
titled “Best Practices for the Regulation of Three-Wheel Vehicles.” In that report, the AAMVA distinguishes a traditional three-wheel
motorcycle from what it calls an “autocycle” – a three-wheel motorcycle that has a steering wheel and seating that does not require the
operator to straddle or sit astride it. In addition, the AAMVA issued the following recommendations for autocycles:
·
Registering autocycles differently than three-wheel motorcycles – using AU instead of 3W for the body style and
creating a distinguishing plate alpha/numeric configuration or using a distinguishing feature on the plate to indicate the
vehicle is registered as an autocycle; and
· With respect to driver license requirements, allowing operation of autocycles with a standard automobile license
As of this date, 30 states recognize the definition of autocycle (in most cases, with the added provision that it must be an enclosed
or partially enclosed motorcycle)."

I wonder if this document is where the term "autocycle" originated from.

I assume 3W is a motorcycle designation in the VIN and they want to change it to AU standing for autocycle.

 

[skychief]

A motorcycle has handlebars and the rider sits on it.

A car has a steering wheel and the driver sits in it.

If we exclude the term autocycle when classifying the Elio, its much better described as being a car, imo. Why? The only component the Elio shares with a motorcycle is the swing-arm suspension for the rear wheel.

Also, if you take the average driver (with zero MC riding experience) and put them on a motorcycle, they will be in the hospital (or the morgue ) before the day is through.

But take the average driver (with zero MC riding experience) and put them in an Elio, they will be zipping around like a pro in 25 minutes.

It kind of irks me when I hear people calling the Elio a motorcycle. That said, I'm very thankful that my state will register the Elio as a motorcycle. But there are rumors that they will have adopted the autocycle classification long before the first first production Elio rolls out of the Shreveport Plant.

 

[Ty]

A motorcycle has handlebars and the rider sits on it.

A car has a steering wheel and the driver sits in it.

If we exclude the term autocycle when classifying the Elio, its much better described as being a car, imo. Why? The only component the Elio shares with a motorcycle is the swing-arm suspension for the rear wheel.

Also, if you take the average driver (with zero MC riding experience) and put them on a motorcycle, they will be in the hospital (or the morgue ) before the day is through.

But take the average driver (with zero MC riding experience) and put them in an Elio, they will be zipping around like a pro in 25 minutes.

It kind of irks me when I hear people calling the Elio a motorcycle. That said, I'm very thankful that my state will register the Elio as a motorcycle. But there are rumors that they will have adopted the autocycle classification long before the first first production Elio rolls out of the Shreveport Plant.

That autocycle designation will allow people to drive an Elio without having to have a motorcycle license so it's important that the Autocycle definition remains. Further, because Elio worked to ensure it said "Enclosed", it ensures that legislators can see it is silly to require a helmet inside what is essentially a regular car.

 

[DeltaMike]

It appears to me that we've missed an important point in this thread. When asked if a particular thing is an A or a B and referring to the regulatory world, one must define which rules the reference is to. This is repeatedly true across a host of laws, rules, and standards, and in multiple jurisdictions. So... the Elio could well be an Autocycle, AND a motorcycle, AND perhaps even an automobile, each under separate rules of separate regulators. Many folks find that confusing -- some even offended -- but is the reality of the fact that we do not have a singular government and for good reason.
What does this mean to me? That my Elio will be a motorcycle for purposes of HOV 'diamond lane' rules, it'll be registered in Oregon as an autocycle, likely be manufactured to meet or exceed motorcycle FMVSS of USDOT, might be regarded as a car for some reasons in some jurisdictions (parking rules, perhaps), and confuse cops and others responsible for enforcement! I hope my insurance company thinks it's a motorcycle!

 

[Marshall]

That autocycle designation will allow people to drive an Elio without having to have a motorcycle license so it's important that the Autocycle definition remains. Further, because Elio worked to ensure it said "Enclosed", it ensures that legislators can see it is silly to require a helmet inside what is essentially a regular car.

An autocycle is a hybrid between a motorcycle and an auto. Within that category, the Elio is closer to the auto than the motorcycle.

 

[skychief]

...I hope my insurance company thinks it's a motorcycle!

This is an interesting thing to consider - how insurance companies will adapt their policies and premiums respective to the new autocycle classification. I would expect autocycle insurance to cost slightly more than motorcycle insurance, but less than car insurance. Of course, i have absolutely nothing to base that on, but I think it will boil down to weight/mass criteria; a 500 lb vehicle (typical MC) vs a 1500 lb vehicle (typical autocycle) vs a 3200 lb vehicle (typical car).

 

[Marshall]

This is an interesting thing to consider - how insurance companies will adapt their policies and premiums respective to the new autocycle classification. I would expect autocycle insurance to cost slightly more than motorcycle insurance, but less than car insurance. Of course, i have absolutely nothing to base that on, but I think it will boil down to weight/mass criteria; a 500 lb vehicle (typical MC) vs a 1500 lb vehicle (typical autocycle) vs a 3200 lb vehicle (typical car).

Insurance cost is based on total claims dollars vs. total income from premiums with expenses and profit accounted for. They will project conservatively at first until a claims history develops. The vehicle weight probably has less to do with the premium cost than the price of the Elio which limits it's total financial exposure.

But one other think which will be difficult to project is damage caused by the Elio to others. Will an autocycle cause more or less damage to other vehicles, pedestrians and drivers?