US registration

[fishlegs]

Just a curiosity for those riding diesel Enfields in the US:

Are your bikes registered as Tauruses (diesel), Bullet 350s (gasoline), or Modified vehicles (diesel)?

[coachgeo]

In talking to others in US as far as I know if it is a name brand bike...... they are registering it as the name brand bike it is.
with no mention of Mods. Don't know if the forms have a place to indicate if it has Mods or not though.

Certainly do not list it as a Diesel though. The engines dont meet EPA.

[fishlegs]

If the bike's registered as gasoline-burning, what happens come inspection time in those states that require annual vehicle inspections? Surely the motorcycle inspection shop might raise their eyebrows.

[coachgeo]

If the bike's registered as gasoline-burning, what happens come inspection time in those states that require annual vehicle inspections? Surely the motorcycle inspection shop might raise their eyebrows.

As far as I know no states in USA require emissions on bikes. That is only reason we can get away with conversions in US. Now if the feds knew you were using a "off road" EPA compliant engine... on the road.. on paper they could do something. So far they don't. So no one can "sell" diesel bikes officially in USA. They can sell kits.... they can sell engines separate and label them for use in off-road vehicles only and claim the assumption that is what the engine will be used for. So far it's not an issue cause.... No one sells kits or engines under the label of "for diesel bikes". Only use tinkers in back yard sheds. No industry exist.

First state liable to be a PITA I would assume to be CA since they have already tried to require (might have succeeded) to have a higher EPA requirement on offoad vehicles and mowers etc compared to rest of US. EPA tear III??

Not sure how they do it on other side of pond.

[fishlegs]

I understand there's no emissions testing; I meant the annual vehicle safety inspection required in some states like NY. I suppose a bike shop usually just checks the lights, brakes, and mirror. I just imagined a case where they recognize the absence of a spark plug and are hesitant to sign off on a bike registered as a gas-powered Bullet. Seems pretty unlikely though.

[coachgeo]

I understand there's no emissions testing; I meant the annual vehicle safety inspection required in some states like NY. I suppose a bike shop usually just checks the lights, brakes, and mirror. I just imagined a case where they recognize the absence of a spark plug and are hesitant to sign off on a bike registered as a gas-powered Bullet. Seems pretty unlikely though.

Every state I've lived in the Emissions and Safety Inspection is done at the same time by same person. I have a diesel VW.... in TX they dont emission test diesels. At my last inspection the guy stuck the thing in my tail pipe and started filling out the forms in the puter.... when I said it was a diesel.. he cleared the screen, pulled the thing out and started all over doing only safety test. another words.... same process... its a motorcycle... no emmisions test.. safety only and IMHO they wont give a shiat if their is no spark plug. You may not even have to start the engine; matters how they inspect brakes.

Buttttt...... I have not done a bike yet myself. Have though seen ZERO reports, threads, post on any site of a bike getting rejected here in the US.

[smokyjoe]

I talked to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and they have a process for a "manufactured bike", all you need is bills of sales for all major components (and the transferred clear title if you are registering your bike as a Suzuki, etc.) Then you show up at a designated Massachusetts DOT facility at the designated time and they inspect your vehicle to check serial numbers of engine, etc. They also do a cursory inspection of workmanship and safety equipment (lights, brakes) and then put a sticker on your frame with a State assigned serial number and you receive your title in a month or so. If it is a "homebuilt" you will be issued a title that says "manufactured". Here at this point with the State DOT inspectors you need "proper DOT legal" lights. I think they give you some kind of paper so you can get it registered before you get the title paper proper. Doesn't seem to be a big deal at all, especially for one of the worst states in the Union (next to California) for everything else. At least for now on motorcycles you can have any kind of engine and they don't seem to be sticklers on EPA compliance.

The local independent bike shop inspector said that it wouldn't be a problem at all for the safety inspection (showed me a "crotch rocket" he was putting an inspection sticker on with tiny LED turn signals close to the fender, and said "yea, we aren't supposed to pass these non-DOT lights, but we let them pass") Law here says that there can't be "excessive smoke at idle or when in motion and not accellerating" but the inspector said that he wouldn't even start the bike!

They have really cracked down on cars and trucks (and have even arrested some inspectors!) here in Massachusetts, but at least for now bikes are not being scrutinized much at all if you can find the right shop.

The worst thing in Massachusetts is that the mandatory liability insurance costs about $600 to $800 a year depending on the engine size in cc's, and a 6HP Diesel is chatged the same as a 500cc 150HP crotch rocket! That's the part that really sucks, and if you have a 400cc Diesel in a 1000cc frame and the bike is registered in it's original form (not as a homebuild) you will pay pay for insurance as it is a 1000cc. A 100cc bike has really cheap insurance, but with comparable horsepower your Enfield Greaves will cost you $$$

[andrewaust]

The worst thing in Massachusetts is that the mandatory liability insurance costs about $600 to $800 a year depending on the engine size in cc's, and a 6HP Diesel is chatged the same as a 500cc 150HP crotch rocket! That's the part that really sucks, and if you have a 400cc Diesel in a 1000cc frame and the bike is registered in it's original form (not as a homebuild) you will pay pay for insurance as it is a 1000cc. A 100cc bike has really cheap insurance, but with comparable horsepower your Enfield Greaves will cost you $$$

Yeah same deal here smokyjoe, you pay for the CC's, and no silly bugger has realised a diesel engine is a slug, even at 600cc's your going to make good HP.

New regulation just came in to lower the price of mid range cc bikes, but it still costs around $500-600 a year to put a bike on the road.



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