Acceptable non-invited motorized vehicle question

[penrose]

The MV page isn't clear enough, and the rules tend to evolve. Somewhere there must be a description of what motorized vehicles do not need registration as an MV.

For ex, motorized wheelchairs do (or might) need a license, but electric tricycles do (or might) not.

I didn't apply to bring my MV because I won't have time to finish it. But I've an alternate project in mind that would be scratch-built and electric and have three wheels. For technical reasons I can't add bicycle chains and call it a bike (not honestly functional ones).

How do I determine the line between a three-wheeled motorized vehicle that does need registration (say an old mutated industrial cart) and one that does not (say an electric tricycle)?

Thanks ...

[Rice]

The MV page isn't clear enough, and the rules tend to evolve. Somewhere there must be a description of what motorized vehicles do not need registration as an MV.

For ex, motorized wheelchairs do (or might) need a license, but electric tricycles do (or might) not.

I didn't apply to bring my MV because I won't have time to finish it. But I've an alternate project in mind that would be scratch-built and electric and have three wheels. For technical reasons I can't add bicycle chains and call it a bike (not honestly functional ones).

How do I determine the line between a three-wheeled motorized vehicle that does need registration (say an old mutated industrial cart) and one that does not (say an electric tricycle)?

Thanks ...

So, you might just want to send a email to the DMV and ask. http://www.burningman.com/scripts/compo ... =com&f=dmv

I gave the assorted web pages a quick read, yup. IMHO not clear.

Good luck!!

[lemur]

Electric Bicycles are permitted in Black Rock City as long as they meet the specifications established
in the Nevada State Vehicle code:

"Electric bicycle" means a device upon which a person may ride, having two or three wheels, or every
such device generally recognized as a bicycle that has fully operable pedals and is propelled by a
small electric engine which produces not more than 1 gross brake horsepower and which produces
not more than 750 watts final output, and:
• Is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground but is not a
tractor.
• Powered solely by such a small electric engine, is capable of a maximum speed of not more
than 20 miles per hour on a flat surface while carrying an operator who weighs 170 pounds.


from what you describe, ..3 wheels with no pedals...it sounds like itd need DMV registration, and that deadline has passed.

it needs fully operable pedals i.e. a bike with an 'electric assist' to go around BRC without a dmv license.


the best way, at this point, to get a 3 wheeled thing at burning man is to make it pedal powered.. if it doesnt appear to be pedal powered its very likely to cause you problems at the gate.. as the gate staff will want to see a DMV invitation for any vehicle that doesnt look like itd meet the 'bicycle' requirements..

of course.. you can email the dmv to see what the final determination is..

dmv [at] burningman (dot) com

[lemur]

one source of that text is from here:

http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity ... l#AROUND_6

[robbidobbs]

Sounds like a personal conveyance to me. Pedal power is your best bet.

[gyre]

The pedals and motor can be independent, but it needs to have functional pedals.
If so, no permit needed.

The presumption is a reasonable weight too.

[trilobyte]

I always understood it as electric assist bike/trike (with pedals) was okay (without registration), more than that (full electric) would need to be registered.

[gyre]

Most assisted bikes are only so nominally, because it costs more to make a true integrated assisted bike.

The average design has a trigger switch on the pedals, rather than an integrated controller.

[penrose]

[quote="lemur"]from what you describe, ..3 wheels with no pedals...it sounds like itd need DMV registration[/quote]

Yep, looks that way. So I'll either build something that is mobile art but that doesn't carry anyone (which'd be fun cause then I'd basically be making large-ish R/C toy), or build it for next year and/or regionals. Thank you!