Motorcycle defined.
Every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, but excluding a tractor.
Motor driven cycle defined. Every motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with a motor which produces not to exceed five (5) brake horsepower.
Every person riding or operating a motorcycle, or motor driven cycle shall be subject to the provisions of all traffic ordinances, rules, and regulations of the city applicable to the driver or operator of other vehicles except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application to motorcycles, or motor driven cycles.
No person operating a motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall ride other than upon the permanent and regular seat attached thereto, and such operator shall not carry any other person nor shall any other person ride on a motorcycle or motor driven cycle unless such motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride upon the permanent and regular seat if designed for two persons, or upon another seat firmly attached to the rear or side of the operator.
No person under the age of sixteen (16) years shall operate any motorcycle or any motor driven cycle while any other person is a passenger upon said motor vehicle.
A person shall ride upon a motorcycle or motor driven cycle only while sitting astride the seat, headlamp illuminated, facing forward, with one leg on each side of the motorcycle.
No person shall operate a motorcycle or motor driven cycle while carrying any packages, bundle, or other article which prevents that person from keeping both hands on the handlebar.
No operator shall carry any person, nor shall any person ride, in a position that will interfere with the operation or control of the motorcycle or block the view of the motorcycle operator.
All motorcycles and motor driven cycles are entitled to full use of the public ways within the corporate limits and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle or any motor driven cycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply to motorcycles or motor driven cycles operated two abreast in a single lane.
The operator of a motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle overtaken.
No person shall operate a motorcycle or motor driven cycle between lanes of traffic or adjacent lanes or rows of vehicles.
Motorcycles or motor driven cycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.
No person shall drive a motorcycle or motor driven cycle upon any public way within the corporate limits at a greater speed than the speed prescribed or other vehicles or at a greater speed than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and circumstances then existing.
No person riding upon any motorcycle or any motor driven cycle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle upon any street within the corporate limits of the city.
Every motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two headlights, which shall be constructed, equipped, arranged and focused so that at all times mentioned here and after in this section, under normal atmospheric conditions and on a level roadway, a light sufficient to render clearly discernible a person two hundred (200) feet ahead will be produced, but such lights shall not project a glaring light to persons in front of such headlights. The headlights shall be fully illuminated during periods of operation.
No person shall ride or drive a motorcycle or motor driven cycle upon any sidewalk in the city except where necessary to cross same in leaving or entering premises adjacent to a roadway.
No person shall operate a motorcycle, or motor driven cycle upon any street in the corporate limits unless it is equipped with a horn, bell, or other sounding device capable of giving a sound audible for a distance of at least one hundred and fifty (150) feet; provided, that no motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use thereon any siren or whistle.
Every motorcycle, or motor driven cycle when ridden or driven upon any street in the corporate limits shall be equipped with at least one brake, which may be operated by hand or foot.
All motorcycles and motor driven cycles operated on the public ways within the corporate limits shall be equipped with crash bars approved by the state's commissioner of public safety except in the case where the displacement of the motorcycle or motor driven engine is seven hundred and fifty (750) cubic centimeters (forty-five and seventy-five/one hundred (45.75) cubic inches) or less and the operator is eighteen (18) years of age or older.
Each driver of a motorcycle or motor driven cycle and any passenger thereon shall be required to wear on his head a crash helmet of a type approved by the state's commissioner of safety.
Every motorcycle or motor driven cycle operated upon any public way within the corporate limits shall be equipped with a windshield of a type approved by the state's commissioner of safety, or, in the alternative, the operator and any passenger on any such motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall be required to wear safety goggles of a type approved by the state's commissioner of safety for the purpose of preventing any flying object from striking the operator or any passenger in the eyes.
All motorcycles and motor driven cycles operated upon any public way within the corporate limits shall be equipped with a rearview mirror and securely attached footrest for the operators and passengers on all motorcycles and motor driven cycles.
No person shall operate any motorcycle or any motor driven cycle with handlebars more than fifteen (15) inches in height above that portion of the seat occupied by the operator.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride on any vehicle in violation of this section and it shall be unlawful for any parent or guardian to knowingly permit any minor to operate a motorcycle or motor driven cycle in violation of this section.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined accordingly.
(1970 Code, § 9-122)