Originally Posted by
dewdad
So far nothing has changed to affect the status of "power assisted bicycles". The bikes with cosmetic coverings, while resembling a scooter, are not scooters. If we dressed up a tricyle with similar coverings and made it look like a rocket ship, it would still be a tricycle that looks like a rocket ship. As long as they do not exceed 32km per hour, as long as the motor is 500 watt or less, as long as it is "capable" of being propelled by muscular power and a few other details, it is okay. As it sould be. A 6 year safe track record in BC must be worth something. One less car on the road even for a few months a year is giant leap for mankind.
They are scooters, not bicycles with fairings. It's a question of commonality.
^^^
A scooter that is allowed on some MUPs
The platform pedals are the only component they have in common to a bicycle.
The Optibike, not legal on most roads without being tagged as a moped because of their power output. But every component on it can be interchanged with my Voodoo mountain bike. That's a bicycle.
A 1902 Duesenberg motorcycle. Most of its components are bicycle components.
The Go-One velomobile--That's a faired bicycle.
Radically different from a diamond frame but its components are all standard bicycle components and the electric assist version uses a standard hub motor kit.
All of these vehicles can be pedaled, but one can't be pedaled more than a km or so, the rest can be solely human powered for considerably longer distances.
The
Gossamer Albatross and the
Wright A have more components in common to bicycles than the low speed electric scooters.
I'm not throwing the scooters off of the forum, but an apple will never be an orange no mater what you call it.