NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1973 SESSION

CHAPTER 1143

SENATE BILL 995

AN ACT TO EXEMPT BICYCLES WITH HELPER MOTORS FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 20.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Part 3, Article 3, Chapter 20 of the General Statutes of North Carolina is hereby amended by adding a new section to be designated G.S. 20-50.1 and to read as follows:

"§ 20-50.1.  Certain bicycles with motors exempt. — Notwithstanding any of the provisions of Chapter 20 of the North Carolina General Statutes, all pedal bicycles with helper motors rated at one brake horsepower or less and driven by friction or belt, not gears or chain, and incapable of exceeding 20 miles per hour shall be exempt from all title and registration requirements of Chapter 20, provided such bicycles so equipped shall not be operated upon any highway or public vehicular area of this State by any person under the age of 16 years."

Sec. 2.  The operators and passengers of bicycles with helper motors as herein defined shall not be required to wear a safety helmet of a type approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.

Sec. 3.  G.S. 20-38(20)d is hereby amended by striking the word "and" appearing immediately before the words "three-wheeled" appearing in line 6 and by striking the period at the end thereof and adding the following: "and bicycles with helper motors rated less than one brake horsepower transmitted by friction or belt and not by gear or chain, which produce only ordinary pedaling speeds up to a maximum of 20 miles per hour."

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 4th day of April, 1974.