Registering a car based reverse trike in CA

[evolutionmovement]

Does the DMV have to even know? Why couldn't you just leave it registered as a Honda? I would say that if you are re-titling it, it would be a specialty vehicle/motorcycle (although that is still up to the inspector), but a Honda car engine should have no trouble passing motorcycle emissions for any year to date.

[Carwhisperer]

One of the major goals of embarking on the project is to avoid emissions testing.

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Carwhisperer

But, back to my question. Does anyone know what year will be assigned to a car that is converted to a trike in CA?

Alrighty, I finally dug up the regs are read 'em again.

Whether or not a 3 wheeled Honda is considered a SPCNS is up to your local state ref, so only they would be able to tell whether or not it falls under that program. If it doesn't, obviously it still has the same emissions requirements associated w/ the original vehicle.

If it's considered to be a specially constructed vehicle, and it's one of the first five hundred SPCN vehicles of the year registered, you can choose to have the emissions profile based on the vehicle model year, which would be 1960 since it doesn't sufficiently resemble something already built.

If you're after the first 500 then the emissions profile, then based on what I've read, the emissions profile will be based on the body and the engine, as opposed to just the body or just the engine. So it would still require annual smog checks.

If you really want to avoid smog checks, the easiest way to go IMO is to drop in a drivetrain of the same year or newer that is smog exempt like diesel or electric...

[NachtRitter]

... or line up at the local DMV on Jan 1 to ensure you get one of the 500 exempt Certificates of Sequence.

[evolutionmovement]

Might want to get there a few days earlier, even. Considering all the kit cars out there, like Cobras, '32 Fords, GT40's, etc., I have a feeling the line will be like a new toilet paper shipment in old Soviet Russia.

[theunchosen]

You need to find yourself a motorcycle with a deed of certified destruction(I'm not making that up), drop some of its parts in whatever you want and take the old VIN with you.

Its registered as the old motorcycle after you pass inspection, or its registered as a special case vehicle.

Either way you had better be the first person in line at your DMV on Jan 1st period. Anything less and you are probably screwed. Because as I read it if the inspector doesn't think it has "sufficient"(what the hell does that mean?) semblance(I'm assuming it means mechanically here since painting a car makes it look pretty radically different and thats not a special case) then it gets smacked with this years model year for all purposes.

So you have 2 options.

1.) move out of California(In TN kit/home-made/modified/whatever don't have to meet any regulations period other than the federal maximum volume limit for engine operation at 90 odd decibels(subway ambient noise))

2.) be the first guy into the DMV when they open(research to see who opens earliest on monday, it will be worth the drive to guarantee you get one of the first 10 certificates)

[Carwhisperer]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

If you're after the first 500 then the emissions profile, then based on what I've read, the emissions profile will be based on the body and the engine, as opposed to just the body or just the engine. So it would still require annual smog checks.

I thank you for taking the time to read up and try to help but I think there are a couple of things you've overlooked. 1999 and older MC's are smog exempt and likely to stay that way. If the RT ends up being registered as a 199x Motorcycle then I won't have to do smog checks (usually they are bi-annual, ont annual). Therein lies the crux of the matter as I see it. What year (199x or 2009) and designation (MC or car) will be assigned to this vehicle?

For me the SPCNS sequence (first 500) deal is not an option. I'd probably have a heart attack fearing that I wouldn't make it no matter how hard I tried. Also, I've read that the smog exempt designation is not transferable with the vehicle. So I'd have to smog it to sell it (assuming I could find a buyer).


Speaking of dropping in a diesel, here is a link to a single seater VW turbo diesel I have for sale: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ento-8102.html

[theunchosen]

I didn't see that MCs were exempt either. In that case as long as you take along sufficient pars for the inspector to consider it a MC, that MC, you get MC status.

find a junked one, get its deed of destruction, take its VIN and take as many parts and use them as you can. If the inspector asks about the body say you just dropped the chassis on so you could drive it in the rain and use it every day.

Thats your best chance.

[Carwhisperer]

Originally Posted by theunchosen

I didn't see that MCs were exempt either. In that case as long as you take along sufficient pars for the inspector to consider it a MC, that MC, you get MC status.

find a junked one, get its deed of destruction, take its VIN and take as many parts and use them as you can. If the inspector asks about the body say you just dropped the chassis on so you could drive it in the rain and use it every day.

Thats your best chance.

Using this approach, if the inspector buys into it, I could keep the year and VIN of the donor motorcycle. I believe the deed of destruction is called a junk slip in CA, but I get your meaning. Another, perhaps riskier approach, would be to buy a MC with current registration and use some of its parts like the swing arm (suitably strengthened), lights, rear fender, etc. Affix the Motorcycles license plate to the back of the RT and hope for the best. At the end of the day, though, would there be any difference in the final status of the vehicle between the two approaches? Either way, theunchosen, I like your out of the box thinking.

[theunchosen]

I did this. Not to that extent tne inspector thought it was funny. I did it for. . .um less. . .well the same kind of somewhat dishonest behavior. I registered a CBR1000 00' as a 1965 junked harley to get a much lower insurance rate(for the harley that year insurance liability was like 20 a month whereas for me for the cbr it would have been closer to 100.)

Having the plates affixed to it will never hurt anything, best bet is to use one of its tires somewhere, and maybe as you said just take the entire swingarm and rear-wheel.

I have a friend who jury rigged his car to have just 3 wheels just for inspection and to take it to the insurance people, and then switched back to 4 wheels. his liability was maybe 50 a month whereas normal is around 110. In TN its simple. less than 4 wheels= bike regardless of weight emissions horsepower(unless you can spit and propel yourself faster(scooters)). Custom build. . .ok here is a VIN and a model year.

Actually. . .you could register it in another state. . .You could register it here in TN and then carry over the registration there and since its officially whatever we classify it as they would more than less have to take it. I'm not sure what California's policy is on cars that are imported from out-of-state but thats a lot easier than registering it there to start with. . .