Licencing

This was always the big curiosity. How would ICBC (Insurance BC) handle a request to insure a motorcycle that didn't fit in with their standard rating system, based on engine displacement. It goes something like this: <110CC 111-400CC 401-750CC 750 and UPCC With each step up steps up the rate. The 111 to 400 category is very inexpensive compared to the next category. My Kawasaki insures very similarly to a car. My scooter, at 80CC, insures the least expensive (eventhough Roadstar discounts don't apply to this category). I bought the 400CC CM400A with this system in mind. I spoke to ICBC before starting and wasn't too sure how things would fall out. At least if I converted a 400CC (the reasoning went) and they said that's what the rate would be regardless of power source, I wouldn't be too bad off. The reality wasn't far off. When I made my first appearance at ICBC their reaction was that insuring the bike would be easy. It was a 400 before, so it'd be a 400 after. I had already told them it was a conversion to electric, so I mentioned that the electric motor was not 400CC, and that this kind of categorization didn't apply. The agent helping me did some checking and soon came up with another procedure. I'd need to get an inspection, and I'd need to find out the kWhr rating of my electric motor. The first part was relatively painless. I took my bike to a local bike shop in Burnaby. They did the inspection and gave the bike a passing bill of health. I took the inspection report back to ICBC, along with a product brochure for the ETEK showing it's continuous HP rating. I dropped the documentation off thinking that was the last I'd hear about that for a good long time. I got a call back from ICBC the next working day letting me know everything was ready. They decided to licence the bike as a 'limited speed motorcycle'. Here are the highlights: * Limited-speed motorcycles — Can be operated with any class of driver's licence. Learners require a Class 6 or Class 8 motorcycle learner's licence. Limited-speed motorcycles cannot be operated with any other type of learner's licence. A limited-speed motorcycle has: a motor with a piston displacement of 50 cc or less, or a power source that produces a maximum of 1.5 kW a power drive system that does not require clutching or shifting after the drive system is engaged a maximum speed of 70 km/h on level ground a maximum weight of 95 kg wheels with a diameter of at least 254 mm And with that I've got a plate, and about 5 hours of road time so far (July 30/2007).