[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by theunchosen

waffle there aren't any laws regarding what a motorcycle can or can't look like. period lol.

Learn to read newb, lol, I never said there were laws regarding what a motorcycle would look like.

I said that if something looking like a car is registered as a MC, a cop would probably send it to a BAR station to sort everything out. The same thing would apply if I put a 500ci bbc from 1980 in a brand new car, even if the registration said it was just a new Corolla. Cops tend to have a hard time picking out model specific differences, so in those cases, even if something isn't legal, it would probably pass under the radar, but for things that most people would pick up on, like a three-wheeled car with MC reg, or other obvious mismatches, the driver will probably get sent to the BAR.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

It has to have less than 4 wheels. It used to have to weigh less than 1500 lbs but now it doesn't.

It also as to have a CARB approved engine/emissions system for MCs, and whatever light/brake/etc requirements. I'd guess that a sufficiently modified Honda shell, along with a whatever MY MC engine, could get by as a MC, but I don't think simply reworking the rear suspension/wheelbase of a compact car is a enough to turn it into a MC. That said, it's totally up to the state ref whether it's a MC or car given some modifications.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

And police officers are frequently not that well informed. I get pulled over at least once a year on stolen car suspicions because I have Acura badges on my Honda Del Sol. I'm not kidding, its annoying if I am running late, but usually it happens on the highway when I have time to spare and then its just amusing.

There's a huge difference between not being able to tell what's an Acura and what's a Honda, and not being able to tell what's a MC and what's a car. Like I said before, they probably won't be able to pick up on model differences, but something that looks like a car with MC reg will almost certainly set off bells.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

Its not whatever the owner wants it to be. Its whatever the DMV says it is. If the DMV says its a motorcycle then the police are going to have to deal with it being a motorcycle. The reason to register it out of state first is because other states won't care about emissions so that will get him a modeal year thats smog exempt(we don't care about model years so its easier to get whatever year you want). Then carwhisperer takes it down to the DMV with a DMV-issued title stating that it is a motorcycle.

The CA DMV doesn't care what MY/classification other states will give a vehicle, it's still subject to their rules. Even if I can get a two ton pickup titled as a MC in another state, CA doesn't have to abide by the other state's classifications. Granted, the DMV could take the owner at face value and allow 'em to register their "MC" if there's no inspection, but the second a cop pulls 'em over, they'll see what looks like a car with MC registration and the owner will get sent to the local BAR station.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

DMV will look at it, its got only 3 wheels, so i'll be darned this must be a motorcycle as the title says. The only thing this process is doing is avoiding getting assigned a smog year and the DMV is not likely to pop the hood and start poking around and asking what year the engine is. It's a rebuilt motorcycle engine remember? I doubt there are very few people working for the DMV that can identify the engine by looking at it, and since you registered it out of state. . .you can get them to sign off on stamping the engine with whatever VIN you want as well(your old motorcycle VIN that is smog exempt would be best just in case they actually decide to check it out).

They may not even bother inspecting it before registration, but if they do, they won't make a model/engine determination, they'll just send it to a BAR station to do that and the CHP for all the safety stuff. If they register it w/o an inspection, then the first cop to pull it over and see what looks like a car with MC registration will likely send it to a BAR station.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

Now you're going to have A title, California registration and motorcycle plates. Cop pulls you over and unlike your two listed examples we aren't missing any paperwork. We have the DMV certified photocopy, registration, the tags, and insurance if we have to have that. The cop might not like it but he as I said before has no rules to send you anywhere rather than on your way.

We don't have to miss any paperwork. The cop will see what looks like a car with MC reg, and probably send it to the local BAR station. Just like they would if I put a bbc from 1980 in a brand new car, even though I have a title, CA reg, and plates. Just because something was registered doesn't mean it can circumvent any laws/regulations, and something that looks like a car, registered as a MC, will probably get sent to the local BAR station to determine what's legal and what isn't.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

point out a law that its breaking that he can call you out on?

CARB compliance. A 1990s Honda engine was never tested as a MC engine, so something that looks like a car, w/ a car engine, w/ a MC reg, will probably get sent to a BAR station.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

The only one this process circumvents is model year and engine year. The title will read rebuilt motorcycle.

And that's the illegal part. Just because another state says it's a MC, doesn't mean it's a MC in CA, since CA has different regulations. I can't just yank a wheel and claim my car is a MC. If it is, then it would have to be a specially constructed vehicle, and the ref would let me know what I could do. As a MC it would probably require a MC engine, not a car engine, unless the owner had the car engine tested to verify it could meet the MC emissions regs for whatever year the car engine is from.

Originally Posted by theunchosen

Cops most likely are not that informed about cars and their model years as normal enthusiasts or exotics(try calling in and telling them to look for a lotus exige, they will then ask you to describe it), but they are very well informed on the law. Law says if its rebuilt it can be and look like and work like whatever the owner wants. Also if he really wants to he can take a peak and the engine's VIN plate will match the motorcycle's so no need for suspicion there.

All the kit cars/custom builds get SPCNS registrations, so that's not a problem since it's already been seen by th BAR. If this had an SPCNS reg, it wouldn't be a problem, but if it looks like a car and is registered as a stock MC, w/o already getting the go ahead from the BAR, then a cop will probably send it in.