I finally got a reply today to the email I sent to my Texas State Senator Kevin P. Eltife on November 11, 2014 - see below:
Mrs. Westfall,
On behalf of Senator Eltife, thanks for your email. We have checked into this and you are correct that the statute as written does not cover this new design. The Legislature is scheduled to go into Session in January and will likely fix it then, but realistically the new legislation passed doesn't go into effect until next June at the earliest.
There is an outside chance that there will be a temporary fix in the meantime, but we're not sure that's going to be workable when the statute is clearly in conflict with this new design.
We hope you'll be able to get your new motorcycle soon, and will do what we can to help in the Legislative Session.
Cheryl Vanek
Chief of Staff
Senator Kevin P. Eltife
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711
(512) 463-0101
My original email:
Subject: Registering new 3 wheel motorcycle in Texas
Message:
I just became aware that a problem has arisen with registering the new 3 wheel Slingshot motorcycle manufactured by Polaris Industries as a street legal motorcycle in the state of Texas. It appears that the Texas DMV definition of a motorcycle reads as follows: "Motorcycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a tractor, that is equipped with a rider's saddle and designed to have when propelled not more than three wheels on the ground." As a result I have been told that a fax went out from Polaris this week to Texas Polaris dealers that no Slingshots would be delivered to Texas dealers. Needless to say I am very upset as I have live in Texarkana, Texas and have had a deposit on my much anticipated 3 wheel Slingshot motorcycle since August with the closest dealer to me in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I may not be your typical "biker" as I am a 57 year old grandmother and elementary special education teacher close to retirement with a chronic nerve/pain condition that makes it hard for me to safely drive a traditional motorcycle and grip the handlebars and pull the clutch and brake levers by myself. I have thus been forced to be content to be the passenger behind my husband. My Honda Shadow sits covered on our carport gathering dust. This new 3 wheel motorcycle designed by Polaris solved all of my physical problems as it has a steering wheel and traditional gas and clutch pedals. It has side by side seating so my husband and I are excited to be able to ride side by side as well while we tour the country during our retirement years. I have been researching this situation and came upon a similar statute in Arizona with one key difference - it reads "seat or saddle." It appears that it is time to update the Texas definition of a motorcycle to include this designation in order to keep up with the latest design innovations. Please help us with this matter. Thank-you.