street legal minibike

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bwt

New Member
#1
#1
Hi,
I am new to this forum. I built a new minibike using an Azusa kit, gc160 motor,
and a tav2 torque converter. I have also added a street legal headlight, taillight/brakelight, horn, rearview mirror, and battery. I would like to make it street legal, but the state of Minnesota has tightened up the requirements. It would have to be classified as a reconstructed/assembled motorcycle. In order to title it, the state is asking for a manufacturer's statement of origin, or MSO, from the kit manufacturer. I have requested one from both Go Kart Parts and Azusa Engineering. I am awaiting their reply. The bike meets the state highway patrol requirements and can do about 40 mph. Even though I have modified the frame and added custom made brackets by myself, I don't think the dmv will allow me to claim that the frame was homemade. I was told by the dmv that I can submit the application along with all my receipts, but without an MSO the odds are against me.

I would like to hear from anyone who has done this or anyone who has information about this. Thanks in advance for your replys.

BWT
 
ogygopsis

ogygopsis

#2
#2
Dear bwt, A few years back I built a chopper motorcycle. I had a company in Hendersonville Tennessee build me a custom frame. They gave me an mso with the frame and I had no trouble at all getting a title for the finished bike. Call your state DOT or DMV and ask them. They ought to be able to answer all of your questions. Ogy
 
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RaWarrior

New Member
#3
#3
There should be a provision for homebuilt vehicles. Typically you have to schedule a vehicle inspection with the local DMV office for it to be approved, then they will assign you a VIN and title. You might also want to check for a seat height requirement. The Baja warrior/heat bikes qualify in NY, but just barely.

For around-town cruising it would be okay, but I ride a full size street motorcycle and cars have a hard enough time noticing a full size bike with a big rumbling V4 motor, so I really wouldn't want to ride a minibike in traffic.
 
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RaWarrior

New Member
#5
#5
Ah, good point. You would probably need a motorcycle endorsement to be legal 100%, but in NY at least you do not need a class "M" license to register a motorcycle. Check your state laws, but typically you need a motorcycle license for anything over 50cc or having a top speed over 30mph. And while enduro's and dirt bikes can get away with using knobby tires, they don't need the special safety inspection.

Perhaps a simpler route to go is to "borrow" the registration of another bike. Buy a junker bike off craigslist on the cheap(make sure it has a title) and just register your mini as that bike. It's not technically legal, but neither is dropping gum on the sidewalk and people do that all the time. It's a favorite trick among hot rodders or custom builders to circumvent DMV's BS inspections and paperwork.
 
jeep2003

jeep2003

#6
#6
"Perhaps a simpler route to go is to "borrow" the registration of another bike. Buy a junker bike off craigslist on the cheap(make sure it has a title) and just register your mini as that bike. It's not technically legal, but neither is dropping gum on the sidewalk and people do that all the time. It's a favorite trick among hot rodders or custom builders to circumvent DMV's BS inspections and paperwork.[/QUOTE]
yes i do believe the cop that pulls you over for riding a minibike on the street would throw you in jail the second you told him its a yamaha 1000rr something or other lol
. A guy i know bought a new cab for his tow truck because it had been in an accident. He switched over his vin to the new cab which was bought from a legitamate salvage buisness and somehow somebody got word and the cops and dmv were all over him and he had to go through a big ordeal just to clear it up. Id imagine youd get in more trouble than its worth plus your bike taken away pretty much for sure.
getting it licenced as a homebuilt is the best option imo
 
B

bwt

New Member
#7
#7
Thank you all for your input. I am aware that I will need a motorcycle license and insurance. That is not a problem. As for riding in traffic, I would limit myself to non busy residential streets. The dmv requires an inspection of any homebuilt or reconstructed motorcycle. There is an affidavit of reconstruction/special assembly form that the dmv requires you to fill out, but they still want to see a manufacturers certificate of origin for any frame kit, and as I stated above, I think it would be hard to convince the inspectors that I built this frame myself from scratch. I looked up the definition of manufacturers statement/certificate of origin, and it is basically a statement showing who made the parts and where they were made, along with VIN numbers and/or serial numbers. If any of you have one for a motorcycle, I would like to know what type of information is actually printed on it. If my application is approved, the dmv would issue me a VIN number and title, and then it would get inspected. Once the inspection was passed, I would be street legal and licensed.
 
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RaWarrior

New Member
#9
#9
I'm not sure why the DMV wouldn't believe it was a homebuilt. They have no idea about your level of metalworking skill. Sure, they can doubt all they want but can they prove otherwise? Moreover, do they really care that much? All my experience with DMV employees tells me that they hate their job and want to deal with people as quickly as possible with the least possible effort on their part. I stuffed through a registration for an old '82 Suzuki GS450 that had some questionable paperwork history by adding a missing signature that the original owner neglected to put on the title some 20 years ago. Clerk never noticed that "his" signature and mine looked awfully similar. Or maybe she did and just didn't care.

And with all respect due to police, the average street patrol cop is not an expert on DMV laws and often traffic laws for that matter. He has no idea what a Suzuki 50cc trail bike's frame looks like, he doesn't know what a BC1000 is or what that looks like, or if either was ever street legal. He really has no reason not to believe you when you claim it originally was xxxxx, and if you show him a current valid registration stating that's what it is, why would he care? And if all you're doing is side road cruising, the likelyhood you'll ever encounter police is slim to nil. I rode over 200 miles on side streets around town this summer, roughly 3 miles from a state trooper station. Only once passed a cop oncoming and he didn't so much as tap his brakes.
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
If it's home built it will have to be listed as a 2009 model. As a new construction you have to have turn signals, battery required in headlight circut, headlight heigth, DOT approved everything, and all the other things the liberals have passed laws about, just as if it was a new 2009 Honda motorcycle purchased from your friendly neighborhood dealer. Getting a title that does not match the mini bike and useing it to fraudulently title and license the mini will get you nothing but BIG trouble. The best way [and how I did it] was accquire a mini that has serial numbers and is a vintage brand/model that was allowed to be licensened way back when it was manufactured. Get a good bill of sale and get it inspected by DMV/Highway Patrol or what ever is appropriate in your state. Pay the fees and you will have a mini licensensed and titled at it's year of manufacture. It worked for me.
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#11
#11
RaWarrior said:
I'm not sure why the DMV wouldn't believe it was a homebuilt. They have no idea about your level of metalworking skill. Sure, they can doubt all they want but can they prove otherwise? Moreover, do they really care that much? All my experience with DMV employees tells me that they hate their job and want to deal with people as quickly as possible with the least possible effort on their part. I stuffed through a registration for an old '82 Suzuki GS450 that had some questionable paperwork history by adding a missing signature that the original owner neglected to put on the title some 20 years ago. Clerk never noticed that "his" signature and mine looked awfully similar. Or maybe she did and just didn't care.

And with all respect due to police, the average street patrol cop is not an expert on DMV laws and often traffic laws for that matter. He has no idea what a Suzuki 50cc trail bike's frame looks like, he doesn't know what a BC1000 is or what that looks like, or if either was ever street legal. He really has no reason not to believe you when you claim it originally was xxxxx, and if you show him a current valid registration stating that's what it is, why would he care? And if all you're doing is side road cruising, the likelyhood you'll ever encounter police is slim to nil. I rode over 200 miles on side streets around town this summer, roughly 3 miles from a state trooper station. Only once passed a cop oncoming and he didn't so much as tap his brakes.
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The Patrolmen in my part of the country can spot a non Dot approved helmet as you go by at 65 MPH. Know two guys that have been ticketed for that. Had one guy tell me that a cop took a quick look at his later model HD and said that he shouldn't have the S&S carb on that year bike. Ya never know.
 
S

SamIyam

New Member
#12
#12
I doubt you will be able to get an MSO on a mini bike frame.

Motorcycle frame manufacturers have to apply to be able to sell frames with MSO's, and it costs them $$ to do so.

No minibike manufacturer is going to do that.

Sam
 
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hell2go

New Member
#15
#15
I have an old Honda moped that I've had registered in the past. I plan to cut it up and use the steering neck ( that has the serial number stamped into it) and other various parts to build a minibike chopper and make it street legal. I'd like to use a predator 22hp v-twin motor in it with a comet type torque converter on it... just gas and go! Since I already have plates and a registration for it I should have no problem... :thumbsup:
 
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