Interpretation ID: nht94-4.73

TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA

DATE: November 1, 1994

FROM: James D. Murphy, Jr.

TO: Recht

TITLE: NONE

ATTACHMT: Attached to 1/3/95 letter from Philip R. Recht to James D. Murphy, Jr. (A43; Part 571.3(b)); Also attached to 6/11/86 letter from Erika Jones to Terry W. Wager

TEXT: Dear Mr. Recht,

I am designing a vehicle that I hope to certify as a U.S. street-legal motorcycle.

As you can see in the drawing, it actually has 4 wheels, but since the left and right side wheels are elevated off the ground, no more than 2 wheels touch the ground at any one time. There are some rare circumstances where all 4 wheels could touch th e ground at the same time, for an instant, but these require precise undulations in the surface of the road. I would imagine that NHTSA defines "ground" as a flat surface (otherwise, a headlamp might exceed NHTSA's upper height limit when cresting a bum p, or drop below NHTSA's lower height limit when traversing a pothole, etc.).

Therefore, I hope that this vehicle will still comply with NHTSA's definition of a "motorcycle". I await your reply.

Sincerely,

James D. Murphy Jr.

P.S. You can call me at home at (303) 350-9449; any time. Be sure to ask for James Jr.

(Drawing omitted.)