The line between what is legally a Motorcycle or a Car is getting blurry with the expansion of a new category of vehicles now called AutoCycles. The difference between a car and a motorcycle seemed to be clear. You sit in a car with 4 wheels and a steering wheel. You sit on a motorcycle with 2 or 3 wheels (2 wheels front or 2 wheels rear), steering with handlebars. What about 3-wheelers with steering wheel. Does a cockpit make a difference in terms of classification? Do you need or not to wear a helmet? What type of license or endorsement do you need to ride/drive? What are the standards relating to headlights, rear view mirrors, tires, braking, etc. Currently, some motorcycle standards are applied to the motorcycle part of the vehicle, with car safety standards applied to the car related parts…
Urban and road transportation vehicles are changing and a bill proposed by Senator David Vitter, the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works – and its Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure – would create a new category for three-wheeled enclosed vehicles. The new category would affect rules imposed to the manufacturers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. Currently, , 3-wheelers are exempt from many state and federal rules that dictate safety and emissions standards that apply to cars, These vehicles offer fewer hurdles for manufacturing, lower costs and easier marketing to the consumers. The way the Campagna T-Rex, Polaris Slingshot, Toyota i-Road, Elio Motors and other 3-wheel machines are going to be classified may decide success or failure for this type of vehicles
The government is real good at inventing new sucko regulations.
This thing is NOT a motorcycle. Side by side seat, seat belts, roll bar and a steering wheel. If they don’t classify it as a car, it needs new regulation.
Motorcycle has two trike has 3 wheels 2 in rear one in front and anything else should get a mc license plate enough said
A tricycle ain’t a motorcycle
I would say if it shares a majority of components with a 2 wheeler, than maybe a “pass” as a motorcycle type; if it’s exclusivly a 3 wheeler parts wise, then it’s an open air vehicle but definately not a motorcycle…wait’ll people start crashing in these things…yuck!
An Act Relating to Autocycles
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §101, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:
6-A. Autocycle. “Autocycle” means an enclosed motorcycle having no more than 3 wheels
in contact with the ground and that:
A. Meets the general motorcycle inspection standards, except those standards that do not apply due
to the design of the vehicle; and
B. Is equipped with:
(1) Safety belts for all passengers;
(2) A roll bar;
(3) A steering wheel or tiller; and
(4) Brakes on at least 2 main wheels.
A motorcycle is a transportation device that not everyone can simply climb onto and ride away.
That is to say, it is an “exclusive” device….. Because by definition it’s usage “excludes” the participation of the “unqualified.”
And so a motorcycle is a device that sticks its thumb in the eye of those who believe we should all be “equal.” But anyone with half a brain knows intuitively that equality in not a natural human condition.
Lets face reality, the various three wheel devices are intended to enable the general public who, are simply befuddled by the operation of two wheeled vehicles.
Perhaps this trike is intended to engineer some sense of “equality, egality & fraternity”…… where none actually exists…… 🙂
-nicker-
Awful lot of over the top custom bikes you can’t ride
Pay $100K to sit in the corner
Pretty piece of art that goes no where
You call that a motorcycle?
We are all getting older
A lot of us that have been riding 40+ years
Are feeling the effects
I’ll ride that beast when I can’t stand up the bike
As long as it comes in black
I’m old too. But I ain’t so old that I can’t tell a three wheeled car when I see one. When I am relegated to driving that hang a drool cup under my shin and wheel me out to the shed. I’ll be too far gone to be seen in the house.
Bad for motorcycling.
We’ve had 3 wheelers here in England for years. Reliant Robins had one wheel at the front, two at the back, two doors and a steering wheel. It could be driven on a motorcycle licence. Got popular when sidecars fell out of favour. Hence “Rodney, you plonker!”….
Some guys seem to get caught up with labels. It doesn’t matter what any of us thinks the definition of a car or motorcycle is. It looks like a car to you, so what. If the regs say less than four wheels = motorcycle then that’s what less than four wheels is. If they create a new classification like “auto cycle” then that will be that. All I care about is, is it fun? I demo’d the Slingshot and it’s a blast and a half. We shall see if any other newcomers to the segment can measure up.
In my opinion ;
When a trike is a car albeit with three wheels .. ala Morgan 3wheeler etc … its a car . Regardless of what the wheel arrangement may be
But … when a trike is a bike with three wheels . A pretty simple distinction if you ask me … its a Bike/Motorcycle …. and yes R .. a M/C with three wheels … though technically a Trike … is still a Bike/Motorcycle by any other name … again .. regardless of the wheel arrangement
About the only ‘ legitimate ‘ point of confusion I can see is with some of CanAm’s offerings . Those things straddling right on the line of Car or Bike .. which is to say … ‘ Is they Is or Is they Aint ‘
Far be it though for Government officials to make such simple clear judgement calls and clarify any minor confusions
No New Taxes.
The GOVERNMENT cannot decide what the truth is.
The GOVERNMENT cannot decide what propaganda is.
The GOVERNMENT can and will leave motorcyclists and the motorcycle industry alone.
The difference is simple:
If you ride on the veicle, and you hit something, you are projected not protected. It is a m/c and the liability laws, type of insurance, apply.
If you ride in a vehicle, and you hit something, you are protected, not projected. It is a car. The cage, should have safety belts, crash protection; bumpers, and subject to that time of insurance, and liability laws.
The lawyers will have fun with this one.
1, 2, 3 or 4 whweels they all are cycles by definition.
The Morgan is a beautiful car. A car, incidentally, propelled by an S&S mill. A car that proudly identifies itself as such. Not this mumbo jumbo that Polaris is sidestepping the regulatory issues with. Polaris insists that it’s a three wheeled motorcycle in the same disclaimer that states that it does not meet automotive safety standards.
I am not British and don’t suppose to understand British logic but I don’t figure a Briton, raised on Triumph, Norton et al necessarily makes a leap of logic that when time ravages his body he will then drive a Morgan. It’s his dotage and his pound however and he can spend both as he sees fit.
Pop, it’s not about Polaris insisting on anything. It’s about the Feds making the rules and Polaris is abiding by them. As the rules are today, this thing is a motorcycle. For the life of me I can’t understand why bikers would be so anxious to have our freedoms restricted by insisting this thing be classified as a car. We should be demanding more not less. If the Slingshot stands as a motorcycle that means more choices, more freedoms, for us. If it gets regulated out of existence that means less choice, less freedom for us. If this thing stands as a motorcycle that means some people who have no interesting two wheels will still take an MSF course to get their endorsement so they can get one of these. That means more citizens are motorcyclists which means more voters the politicians have to fear pissing off. That is good for us, we should embrace it, not reject it!
Not a motorcycle. You don’t sit “in” a motorcycle, you sit “on” and you ride it, vs. driving.
That would be classified as a type 2 motorcycle in Wisconsin. This type of vehicle has been around a long time and when H-D was selling the Tri-Hawk, this regulation was put into place Three wheels in contact with the ground, enclosed cockpit, tandem seating or side by side, and under 1500 lbs…Not hard to figure out. Describes the Tri-Hawk perfectly…It should, since H-D wrote it…
Elip gets 84 mpg and a retail cost of $6400 makes me wonder if the big 3 car companies-aren’t behind the new regulations.
http://www.product-reviews.net/2014/09/27/elio-motors-canceled-appearance-reprises-production-fears/
you ride on a motorcycle. you drive in a car . if you sit in it ; it is a car !
More controversy.
GG Quad
Sit on, not in.
Motorcycle (BMW) power and controls.
Over 1G in corners, more conering than just about any motorcycle / rider can do. Better brakes, 60mph to 0 in under 100′
In Europe, Quadracycle classification. All motorcycle type safety equipment required.
But in the US, 3 wheels = motorcycle, 4 wheels = not-motorcycle (car, truck, bus)
Bob,
You nailed it!
It’s not about Polaris.
Embrace it, not reject it!
Pretty good sales pitch and legality on the Elio at the Autoshow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJUXhK4pHx8
Just saw one of these cutting traffic in Nashville.
Being “Ol’Skool” I pretty much agree with most of the comments above
If it has handlebars & you can sit on it (i.e. Can-Am Spyder, H-D Trike/any conversion kit)
it’s a motorcycle !!!!
if you have to climb in it & it has a steering wheel (i.e. Slingshot, Elio, Morgan, etc)
it’s a car & should be insured as such !!!
Still can be a chit load of fun, but please, keep the Gov’t out of it !!!!!