Texas puts three-wheeler (SlingShot) in legal limbo

[UNCLEDAVE]

FYI -- Polaris has temporarily suspended Slingshot deliveries to the Lone Star State.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/11/18/texas-puts-three-wheeler-in-legal-limbo/?intcmp=features

 

[Dragonrider]

Maybe that means I'll get mine sooner??

 

[PMK]

Years ago, dirt bikes often could be made street legal. With time, the DMV forced one digit in the VIN to be changed and with this it tosses up a red flag when newer machines try to be registered.

Hopefully it does not happen, but like an earlier street legal dirt bike, the DMV could force a VIN change forcing the Slingshots to a tracks only. It would make the early ones more valuable since they could still be registered.

I mention it based on my KTM 250. Pretty much a full on woods race bike that is street legal including the VIN. Because of this, it retains a high resale value. Same models the following years are off-road only and require some serious effort to be tagged and often are known to have the registration revoked at a later date.

Bless the Slingshot, Polaris may have the best or worst time as the days unfold.

PK

 

[Bob Denman]

Resistance to change in the marketplace, is always going to cause a few problems...
It'll get sorted out! :2thumbs:

 

[Vossr]

My 2 pennies, with interest

I think Texas has it right on this point. The slingshot has a cockpit that you have to get into, seatbelts, standardized automotive braking/accelerator pedals, and a steering wheel. Any of those, taken individually can probably be found on a motorcycle somewhere. But all together, the Slingshot is a car, missing 1 wheel and alot of safety gear.

I will say I am from Texas, though I definitely don't agree with a good portion of the Politics and some of the rules here. But I do think, they got this one correct.

 

[warp10]

The T-Rex and the Morgan are also 3 wheel motorcycles that are registered in Texas now as motorcycles. Both of these have a steering wheel and side by side seating. I can't believe at this late date Texas is trying to change the rules for the Slingshot, after giving the OK to build them. I hope that Texas just say all vehicles with less that 4 wheels are motorcycles. A lot of good, new and innovative ideas are coming and I would hate to see them get kicked to the side. How I sit in or on a vehicle show not make a difference.

I would hate to see that the next thing government might look at is this rule, 1 wheel in front is a motorcycle, 2 in front is a car.

 

[BikerDoc]

Resistance to change in the marketplace, is always going to cause a few problems...
It'll get sorted out! :2thumbs:

Not everyone knows or remembers that when Spyder deliveries began that BRP discovered it was not approved for sale in Florida - some real scrambling took place but all worked out....

 

[Woodsrider]

Y
I mention it based on my KTM 250. Pretty much a full on woods race bike that is street legal including the VIN. Because of this, it retains a high resale value. Same models the following years are off-road only and require some serious effort to be tagged and often are known to have the registration revoked at a later date.
PK

Yup, my KTM 450 is the same year as your 250. Because the original owner put the parts on and took the time to have it titled as a street bike, mine is worth quite a bit more and I keep tags and inspection on it, have an extra set of wheels with DOT knobbies to pop on for dual sport races/inspection.

Many of these same KTMs are out of luck in NC because the original owners never titled and 'lost' the MCO, they changed hands several times, and are now woods only.

 

[Chupaca]

Or...!!

it's a big publicity ploy that will boost sales and keep it in the limelight. I agree with them and they should reclassify the Morgan, Elio, T-Rex etc as three wheeled cars and spyders, piaggios etc as three wheeled motorcycles..the other three wheelers as trikes. This gives them leeway to set specs for each to make them street legal...jmo...:thumbup:

 

[JerryB]

Hi Gene,

Re: they should reclassify the Morgan, Elio, T-Rex etc as three wheeled cars

One great thing about forums of this type is that we all get to offer our opinions. And that is a good thing.

Having spent a major portion of my life in skydiving, which is often known as the 'bastard-child' of aviation, I have learned not to crush the other guy.

Back when I was still a working stiff, I kept this on the wall of my office:

In Germany the Nazi's first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the 'Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak for me.

Rev. Martin Niemoeller

IMO, the reality is that 'we' could be next,

Jerry Baumchen

 

[wyliec]

IMO, the reality is that 'we' could be next,

Jerry Baumchen

You bring up a point. I'm not really concerned with the spyder going the same way. I'm just curious, do you think BRP would be liable for any reimbursements, if they were banned from road use? I think that might be an incentive for BRP to try to stop any banning of the spyder, in any state.

I do like the saying that you referenced.

 

[Bob Denman]

The States WON'T take the Spyders off the roads... :gaah:
Several reasons:
EVERY owner would head to court; looking to put somebody on a spit and ROAST them...
They were legal at the time of sale; how can the stroke of a pen be justifiable in making them (and us!) "Persona Non-Grata"?

And if the unthinkable DID happen... :yikes: Would BRP buy them back from us?
HELL no!
They sold them, and we bought them; in good faith. Nobody could foresee what some :cus:hole in the Government would do. :shocked:

 

[jcthorne]

Reclassifying future Sypders as cars might be the one thing that could drive the values of 2013 models back up.....