Motor bike help anyone?

[Jesus]

I live in LA, CA. And I have just bought a motor kit to put on my beach cruiser. And now that it is done I want to know if I will need a drivers license for it?

[Mr. Smartypants]

I have a friend that builds motorbikes by grafting a 50cc motor onto a beach cruiser.

Technically these are 'motorized bicycles' or 'mopeds'. You don't need a motorcycle license, or to license the bike, if it meets four requirements. (Let's see if I can remember all four).

1. Less than 2 hp.

2. It has pedals and can be pedaled.

3. It doesn't have gears. It can be 2-speeds if they shift automatically.

4. It doesn't go any faster than 30 mph.

You can register this bike as a bicycle, a one-time fee of $18. (It doesn't have to be re-registered every year like a motor vehicle). And you can ride it without a license of any kind, just like a bicycle. You can use bike lanes, park in bike spaces, etc. etc.

There is a moped culture growing in California. There are many little garage shops making these bikes and some of them have some very clever engineering in them. One company here in Northern California is making bikes that look like early 1900s racers, very pretty. Many of these bikes can be modified, after they're registered, to have more than 2 hp. Some will go 45-50 mph, but I have to wonder how stable they are at that speed.