seat belt replacement

It would seem that California's mandatory seat belt law excludes motorcycles - this is a cut and paste from CA code section 27315

"(b) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

(c) (1) As used in this section, “motor vehicle” means a passenger vehicle, a motortruck, or a truck tractor, but does not include a motorcycle."

I would never feel safe riding/driving without being secured in my Slingshot, But if I am not required to use the belts I would think I would be allowed to change them. I really dont like the way the stock shoulder strap runs from the inside down to the outside I don't think it adds much to my safety and it does get uncomfortable when it is really hot outside which living here is most of the time. As such I would like to replace the stock belt with a simple lap belt. Has anyone here done this without going to a full race harness? If you have done this do you have a link to the belt you bought and any installation pointers?

Thanks

Quote from Bigdog

Any seat belt is going to help in a crash....

By changing anything related to safety items from the factory...you assume all liability. Especially if you have a passenger that gets hurt or killed from these alterations. It could also be used against you if you crash into another vehicle...causing injury or death...talk to a lawyer..

I didnt ask, but thank you

As stated before they were designed to spin your body into the vehicle in the event of a crash...flipping them will spin your body out of the vehicle. Defeating the purpose....

Disagree - impact from the side could push you out from under the belt - just because you said it before does not make it true

Thinking about it, car seat belts are designed wrong.

So you seriously think Polaris got it right and every car manufacture got it wrong?

For safety inspections...if the inspector notices they have been changed it won’t pass inspection....probably will void your warranty ....

There are no safety inspections in California and they cant void a warranty because of after market parts being used

All equipment installed at the factory has to be present and in working condition..as it came from the factory.

says who?

Display More

Well Thank very much for this non answer - at least you pumped the post back up for someone with a real answer to see

Quote from wjfyfe

unit_6.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

06.B.12(4) 06.B.12(5) 06.B.12(6) 06.B.12(7) 06.B.12(8) Unrestrained occupants of a car keep moving during the time the car takes to stop due to inertia. They are still moving forward at their original speed when they slam into the steering wheel, windshield, or other part of the car. This force is equivalent to that of hitting the ground when falling from a three story building. When hit from behind, inertia causes a person’s neck to bend backwards, which can result in whiplash. If a vehicle is equipped with seat belts, they must be worn by the driver and all passengers while the vehicle is moving, regardless of whether the vehicle has air bags. If the seat belts have lap and shoulder straps, both must be worn.

Emphasis added

Bill

Display More

okay - but the section of the law itself that I quoted above says “motor vehicle” means a passenger vehicle, a motortruck, or a truck tractor, but does not include a motorcycle."

this would seem to imply that a motorcycle is not counted as a vehicle for the laws you are showing me. As a side note some time back I was told by a local sheriff that he doesnt give seat belt tickets to slingshot riders because they will get thrown out because they are registered as motorcycles

Quote from dangerdarrell

This appears to be something like a driver's training course. Does not seem to be laws.

here is a link to the law - note the third paragraph - paragraph (c) VEHICLE CODE

Quote from wjfyfe

Then how do these definitions fit in?

Motorcycles and Similar Vehicles

Bill

Bill - I am missing your point, California law says the Slingshot is a motorcycle and my registration says it is a motorcycle and I provided a link to the actual section of the California vehicle code for mandatory seat belt use - the third paragraph of that section specifically states motorcycles are not included.

Please explain to me how your link changes that?

Quote from Slingrazor

Let's think about the said design of the slingshot. Polaris NEVER applied for or had the seat belts crash tested. They are not certified for any crash rating. That is the reason it was sold as a motorcycle and why the police say a ticket would never hold up it court. If it was a requirement to be worn then it would have to be certified to meet certain legal standards.
It was designed and sold as a motorcycle where the use of seat belts are not required.
If the state made it a legal requirement to wear, then they would be responsible for any injury incurred by the belt.

Our belts in the Slingshot do not have this because they have not been tested to meet any safety standards as would be required for belts in a car

okay. So now we have gotten all of that out of the way

Can anyone here answer the original question?

If I cant just go with a lap belt I was thinking I could go with a full race harness with detachable shoulder straps. this would give me the option of just using the lap portion around town and putting on the shoulder straps when on the highway or if I wanted to take part in a track event.

Quote from Slingrazor

I did that for about 6 months and really liked it. The only reason I changed is because I didn't like the release on the belt.

I had a full race setup including the anti submarine belt in my 356C back in the 70's something like this - worked great, but not the easiest to get in and out of and lots of belts laying around if you didnt use them all

Quote from Bigdog

The big question is why did Polaris install seat beats in the first place....my guess would be to cover state requirements in states like mine that classify it as an autocycle.

Don’t forget some bonehead lawmakers want that to become federal law..because it has 3 wheels.

As to equipment installed from the factory relating to safety inspections...I had a safety inspection license for over twenty years....the rules say if it came with the equipment from the factory...in order to pass it had to be there and operational. You have to physically inspect every item. Seat belts had to retract and lock.

Resale would be an issue unless you change everything back to original.

As a side note...driving home today an idiot young girl...slowed down for the red light in front of me so she could take a fish lipped selfie....behind the wheel. That’s why you need the seat belt and shoulder strap....to save you from a..holes like her that don’t care if you live or die.

Display More

like I said, there are no safety inspections in California the only inspections we have are smog inspections and as a motorcycle the slingshot is exempt from those.

I think I could get this and use the adjustable clip side mounted on the inside with the existing buckle

60 inch 2 point belt

Could probably mount it at the same point where the stock belt mounts and have it be in addition so that the stock is still fully functional if I want to use it