Registering a Stealth Bomber clone for the street

[sitzme]

I am in the process of trying to register a Stealth Bomber clone for street legal use here in Colorado. The bike has all of the required equipment but the hang up is no VIN. There is a process but I am getting the run around due to these ebikes being unfamiliar territory to the assorted state employees. They are trying. One hangup is trying to provide either a VIN or MSO (manufacturers statement of origin). Right now I am trying to find a frame builder that provides a MSO but am not expecting it. The state will issue a VIN but there is an inspection required which gets hung up without a MSO. It seems that they didn't plan for this contingency.

Treating it as a custom motorcycle seems like it would be an option but so far it is also difficult to find a good procedure for that.

I am considering multiple options.
1. Be a pirate and pay the fine if caught. Not first choice. I am too pretty for the big house! :lol:
2. Try to get OHV registration and convert later. This might work.
3. Find a state where a VIN can be assigned to a frame with relative ease and buy a new frame for the bike from someone who lives there. This seems like a bit of a hassle but if it would meet the rules it might be the easiest way. Bringing a vehicle into this state is a well documented process and if there is a VIN then it is smooth sailing. Otherwise not so much.

Does anyone have any experience or advice? I really want to (legally) use this ebike around town and to get to the off road trails.

 

[DanGT86]

Have you tried any of the services like this?

https://www.dirtlegal.com/dirt-bike-street-legal-registration

Could you by chance slap a 49cc plate on it like a scooter? Might limit the roads you can use like no freeway but may at least get you on the road somewhat legally.

I called my state's hwy patrol to look into a similar thing. They said there is a procedure for getting a home built motorcycle inspected and licensed. Hopefully you have a similar thing in CO. Here in Missouri it would need lights and Dot tires as well as an inspection as if it were a full motorcycle.

I have done a bit of Ebike pirating on public roadways but I am always terrified of the implications of getting tangled up in an incident with a car. If I were going to make a habit of it I would want some way to have liability insurance. You can be sure that if you are involved in an accident with an illegally powered electric bike you are not going to be given the same grace as a guy on a bicycle. I have a feeling the car's insurance company would come after you.

 

[harrisonpatm]

3. Find a state where a VIN can be assigned to a frame with relative ease

Check Vermont. When I was doing my runaround, I found that it is possible to register a vehicle in Vermont, remotely, without proof of Vermont residency. Then you go to your local DMV, with your new Vermont registration, and re-register your out-of-state vehicle. Your hangup, still, is that you dont have a VIN. But I wanted to give you the heads up on Vermont, for you to do more research on the specific process, in case there's a workaround for that specific state.

Secondly, I can tell you that in Michigan, you can fill out an assembled vehicle form (TR-54) for a motorcycle. You get a police officer to sign off on it, making sure it has the required things that a motorcycle should. You take the form to a Secretary of State, and show them proof of purchase for every single part on the bike, from the frame to the wiring. They then schedule a date for one more inspection, this time with a SOS official, who at that time assigns your vehicle a VIN and registration.

I know you're not in Michigan, I just wanted to share the process in case it gave you some new avenues to search for in Colorado. Maybe there's a similar process for assembled vehicles?

 

[scianiac]

I've seen examples in the past where the builder just asked the manufacturer for an MSO and sometimes had to help them a bit by for instance formatting the MSO for them from one of the many online templates and then just asking them to sign it. If I recall in some states to make a custom motorcycle it needs to be made from something else so you need MSOs for the parts (like the frame) and then they will assign you a VIN so in that case the MSOs don't have VINs on them just the certificate? Kinda going off memory of research I did awhile ago.