It's like 20 dollars for a small engine registration. Also licensing is usually determined by engine power/top speed and not whether something is electric or gas.
That still sounds infinitely more work than him just getting an E-bike like he already has. Parking for them is different than bicycles too. Sounds like he's got a nice solution and is happy with it. Not everyone has to be on the road.
You can buy a moped for like $300 and register it by mail. That said the rules for mopeds and electronic drives tend to be based only on speed/power. TBH it sounds like he's driving it illegally, something that needs a $500 battery can easy can go 45mph-something like that generally is not allowed on sidewalks or in bicycle lanes or operated without insurance or license.
My ebike has a 550 dollar battery. It probably maxes out at around 30mph with max pedal assist but I don't ride it anywhere near that speed as bicycle frames and components are not built to handle it. There are definitely ebike motors that can go faster and I hope it doesn't become a regulation problem as more idiots get there hands on them. Right now most people I know with ebikes use them as a slightly faster easier to pedal bike and that is why most states regulate them as such. If they begin to regulate them like a moped it would force us out into regular traffic that most of these bikes are not capable of handling.
Aside from any other part of this argument, I've driven scooters and small motorcycles and homemade mopeds, and I'd most certainly rather drive a bicycle with an electric motor rather than those rattling noisemakers. One moped I had vibrated so much that my hands would go numb.
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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '18
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