(A) Definitions. A MOTORCYCLE is any motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, including a vehicle that is fully enclosed, has three wheels in contact with the ground, weighs less than 1,500 pounds, and has the capacity to maintain posted highway speed limits, excluding a tractor or motorized bicycle. A MOTOR-DRIVEN CYCLE is every motorcycle and every motor scooter, including every bicycle with motor attached.
(B) Riding on motorcycles.
(1) A person operating a motor-driven cycle shall ride only upon the permanent and regular seat attached thereto, and the operator shall not carry any other person, nor shall any other person ride on a motor-driven cycle, unless the motor-driven cycle 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 motor-driven cycle at the rear or side of the operator.
(2) A person shall ride upon a motor-driven cycle only while sitting astride the seat, facing forward, with one leg on each side of the motor-driven cycle.
(3) No person shall operate a motor-driven cycle while carrying any package, bundle or other article which prevents him or her from keeping both hands on the handlebars.
(4) No operator shall carry any person, nor shall any person ride, in a position that will interfere with the operation or control of the motor-driven cycle or the view of the operator.
(5) No person under the age of 16 years shall operate any motor-driven cycle while any other person is a passenger upon the motor vehicle.
(6) Every person riding or operating a motor-driven cycle shall be subject to the provisions of all traffic ordinances, rules and regulations, (including the anti-noise regulation in § 11-402 in this code) 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 motor-driven cycles.
(C) Driving upon sidewalk. No person shall drive any motor-driven cycle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area, except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.
(D) Head lamps and tail lamps. All motor-driven cycles shall carry at least one lighted headlamp capable of showing a white light visible at least 300 feet in the direction in which the same are proceeding, and one tail lamp mounted on the rear which, when lighted, shall emit a red light plainly visible from at least 300 feet to the rear, and the lights required by this section shall be burning at all times that the vehicles are being operated on the public streets or highways.
(E) Rear view mirrors. All motor-driven cycles shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the operator a view of the roadway for a distance of 200 feet to the rear of his or her vehicle.
(F) Crash helmets.
(1) The driver of a motor-driven cycle and any passenger thereon shall be required to wear either a crash helmet meeting federal standards contained in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218, or, if the driver or passenger is 21 years of age or older, a helmet meeting the following requirements:
(a) Except as provided in divisions (F)(1)(b) through (d) below, the helmet shall meet federal motor vehicle safety standards specified in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218;
(b) Notwithstanding any provision in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218 relative to helmet penetration standards, ventilation airways may penetrate through the entire shell of the helmet; provided that no ventilation airway shall exceed one and one-half in diameter;
(c) Notwithstanding any provision in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218, the protective surface shall not be required to be a continuous contour; and
(d) Notwithstanding any provision in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218 to the contrary, a label on the helmet shall be affixed signifying that the helmet complies with the requirements the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSM) or the Snell Foundation.
(2) This section does not apply to persons riding:
(a) Within an enclosed cab;
(b) Motorcycles that are fully enclosed, have three wheels in contact with the ground, weigh less than 1,500 pounds and have the capacity to maintain posted highway speed limits;
(c) Golf carts; or
(d) In a parade, at a speed not to exceed 30 mph, if the person is 18 years or older.
(G) Windshield. Every 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 the motor-driven cycle shall be required to wear safety goggles or a shield 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.
(H) Special speed limitations. No person shall operate any motor-driven cycle at a speed greater than the speed limit legally posted; provided, however, in no event nor at any time may an operator under the age of 16 years operate a motor-driven cycle at a speed greater than 35 mph.
(I) Violations. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride on any motor-driven cycle in violation of this section, and it shall also be unlawful for any parent or guardian to knowingly permit any minor to operate a motor-driven cycle in violation of this section.
(1989 Code § 15-123, modified)