Registering a car based reverse trike in CA

[evolutionmovement]

That's a good suggestion. Before MA's recently passed law allowing enclosed 3-wheelers to be classified as motorcycles, I was contemplating titling it in NH as a custom motorcycle through a friend and having it "sold" to me. Once it has a title, the DMV just goes by that.

[Carwhisperer]

But what if you got pulled over by the gendarmes? How thoroughly will they investigate your VIN and stuff? It seems that if you have a SPCNS designation they would leave you alone but if you've got half a car registered as a MC, then what?

[theunchosen]

Thats why I am suggesting register it in a emissions and regulation lax state(TN is a good candidate but thats kinda far for you). If you have a deed for a motorcycle registered in another state, its likely the people at the DMV will not want to trapes over to the filing cabinets and check and see to make sure it meets the regulations of something different than normal. They will look see you have a title as a rebuilt motorcycle(thats what it will come out as after you register your certificate of destruction along with the VIN onto the new hybrid MC-car) model year(whatever the bike was you "rebuilt") and that is its model year for all intents and purposes.

It is just as good as the vehicle actually having been built in that model year.

Cops pull you over they may not like it but your paperwork is all clear. You have a legitimate title that has been filed, you have your exemption from emissions(I would ask and see if they have a form you can carry with your title to make sure) and as long as you are paying insurance(I think California has liability mandates) you are gold. If you do this I would keep the title accessible when you drive it. Not in the glove box but a copy of the title somewhere in the car(ask your DMV if they can make a certified copy that they would accept(certified copies by anyone else means nothing at the DMV)).

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Carwhisperer

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?

That's why I mentioned asking your local state ref, since whether or not it's still a car or changes to a MC depends on them, which I imagine is somewhat subjective.

Originally Posted by Carwhisperer

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).

SPCNS registrations are non-transferable, so if you sell it, it would have to be as parts via a bill of sale.

Originally Posted by Carwhisperer

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

That'd be smog exempt fer sure!

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Carwhisperer

But what if you got pulled over by the gendarmes? How thoroughly will they investigate your VIN and stuff? It seems that if you have a SPCNS designation they would leave you alone but if you've got half a car registered as a MC, then what?

That's what I'd be concerned about. A cop would probably give the owner a free pass to the local state ref and let them decide if it's a MC or car.

[theunchosen]

As I stated I would definitely go with a more modification friendly state to get the title originally and then just waltz into your DMV with a completely exempt title(whatever model year motorcycle or car has no smog inspections anytime ever).

If its totally exempt they only thing they will be checking for is to make sure its got flashers, plate holders at least 1 external mirror, and a few other items that are the bare neccessities for a car. I kind of doubt they will even check. If you walk in with a title, for a rebuilt motorcycle thats completely exempt. . .they are professional bureacrats and getting up to investigate it is probably overrated in their book.

Get a bulletproof title and they won't ask any questions they'll just stamp and hand you any extra paperwork you would need to get plates(confirmation of inspection or something, In TN its not required).

[roflwaffle]

That'll work so long as the driver never gets pulled over, but if they do, and there's a big difference between what the officer sees and what's on the reg, they'll send the vehicle in to see a state ref and let them sort it out.

If we're looking at a small difference, like a 74 vehicle compared to a 76 of the same model, then it'll probably do fine, but if we have a Honda compact car, w/ a motorcycle wheel/suspension/etc in the back instead of whatever wheels/suspension used to be there, and the original engine, registered as a Honda motorcycle from AZ or where ever, they'll probably send to the state ref.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

That'll work so long as the driver never gets pulled over, but if they do, and there's a big difference between what the officer sees and what's on the reg, they'll send the vehicle in to see a state ref and let them sort it out.

That is why you get the license plates to go with it that say "hobbyist" or whatever word your state uses for modifide vehicle, like hot rods, my electric citi-car needs a new body so I'm making it out of ply wood and epoxy, because it's not going to be a stock vehicle I have Hobbyist plates for it, according to the DMV I can now modify that vehicle in any way that I want as far as body and power train and as long as it's has proper lights and fenders and fallows all the other laws for the year that it was titled then I'm perfectly safe to drive it on the road and I suspect that just like my commuta-car I'll get fallowed (but never pulled over) and if I get pulled over they will have nothing other then a possible harassment complainant coming their way.

[theunchosen]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

That'll work so long as the driver never gets pulled over, but if they do, and there's a big difference between what the officer sees and what's on the reg, they'll send the vehicle in to see a state ref and let them sort it out.

If we're looking at a small difference, like a 74 vehicle compared to a 76 of the same model, then it'll probably do fine, but if we have a Honda compact car, w/ a motorcycle wheel/suspension/etc in the back instead of whatever wheels/suspension used to be there, and the original engine, registered as a Honda motorcycle from AZ or where ever, they'll probably send to the state ref.

I really don't think so. Most people are not that familiar with cars overall. A police officer that is very familiar with cars will know this is a custom job.

There are two reasons the officer will not do anything about his suspicions that something is amiss.

1.) The vehicle carries a legitimate rebuilt title that checks out when he runs it through his system and states that the Motorcycle was wrecked and then used to be rebuilt(there are no specifications that demand it look or use any of the original parts. I could take a Deed of destruction and slap the VIN on anything with 3 wheels and for all intents and purposes it is the old vehicle.) In essence the officer has no provision to do anything. You are the legal owner of a rebuilt vehicle that matches these specifications.

2.) Its extra paperwork for something that won't count towards his quota and the risk of getting entirely chewed out for irresponsibly harrassing a law-abiding citizen is pretty high.

I'm not proposing the OP do anything illegal or even new. When the officer pulls up the information through his database on his car laptop it will show that its a motorcycle with a deed of destruction-to-rebuilt title, which he will know as I stated that the new vehicle can be whatever it wants and be called the old one.

Now if he leveraged a state that allowed him to register a 4-wheel vehicle as a motorcycle with the same technique he may get in trouble because the officer can clearly see that its got 4 wheels putting it outside MC range in California.

[theunchosen]

Oh and the reason that some things get through and others don't. . .is because of safety.

For instance I am allowed to drive most dump trucks in TN without any special license because they have 2 axles and weigh less than 17 tons. However, in alot of other states nearby I can't. I have to have a CDL. I've gotten pulled over on both sides of state lines. I was hauling some rock and the officer on both sides was warning me that I had to have it covered if I intended to take it into the city limits. I wasn't going to, but the out of state officer also warned me that I couldn't drive the vehicle in his state.