Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Regulations, schmegulations. Much of that is for vehicles built for RESALE, as in, being a manufacturer or commercial reseller.
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If you want to put a license plate on it, there are regulations on the vehicle.
Are the rules for a custom built trike less than a kit car, sure but they are there.
Now as Grant and Scot point out custom built vehicles fall under state regulations not federal but since each state is different, that doesn't mean its easier.
I live in NJ and a good friend works for a local shop that specializes in trike conversions. The shop builds totally custom machines, not just installing trike kits, so they have to deal with the same regulations as someone building a reverse trike in his own garage.
What he and the owner told me is that the weight, engine capacity and number of passengers all effect what equipment the vehicle must have.
But some rules are across the board. Things like minimum operators head height, tire load indexes, fire suppression rules, tank venting, minimum/maximum wheel track, lighting, windshield materials/construction/heights, minimum angles of approach, maximum overhang, etc..
I showed the owner one front quarter view picture of the California Commuter (the one with the gal sitting on/next to it) and he pointed out a half a dozen things that it would be denied registration over.
rider's head height,
headlight location,
rear overhang,
exhaust position,
lack of a roll bar,
exhaust tip position
And that was just glancing at one photo.