Things get weird.



After spending a couple of evenings getting the Whizzer set up the way I wanted, it was time for some system tests. Things were going fine until I tested the lights. The headlight only came on when the engine was running and I put on the brakes. That didn't seem right, so I sent email to Dave (The technical person at Whizzer).

Dave responed quickly, saying that I should call him and he would talk me through sorting out the problem. Unfortunately I had other things to do, and by the time I called, Dave had gone home.

One of the things I had to do was clarify the legal aspects of owning a Whizzer in Illinois. Two dealers had told me that it was street-legal without having a license plate. The Secretary of State's web site seemed to tell a different story. So I gave them a call.

They seemed as confused as I was. The person I talked with had to go off and talk with someone else. In the end they concluded that at 138cc, it was a motorcycle according to Illinois law. So I was off to get it licensed.

Things there seemed to go OK until the person behind the counter said, "No, look here. The dealer didn't sign the title over to you. You'll have to go back there." Bummer...

I called the dealer and got an answering machine. And have yet to get called back..

So, my pretty yellow Whzzer sits on the back porch saying, "Ride me!" But with no headlight, and no license, the State of Illinois says I can't.

--del