500w E Bike ins

[fe02man]

My first post.
We have two shengmilo bikes. Both with 500w 48v systems. So we have to register and insure them.
I'd be interested in others thoughts or experiences of the process and which companies are sensible with insurance.

Cheers

 

[StuartsProjects]

Are you in the UK ?

 

[fe02man]

Yes, Anglesey North Wales

 

[Woosh]

Yes, Anglesey North Wales

as far as I know, insurance only take on 250W bikes.

 

[saneagle]

My first post.
We have two shengmilo bikes. Both with 500w 48v systems. So we have to register and insure them.
I'd be interested in others thoughts or experiences of the process and which companies are sensible with insurance.

Cheers

Here's how to do it. He got his bike insured with Bikesure. Don't expect it to be cheap. I think you're going to find that it's cheaper, a lot less work and quicker to just buy a couple of 50cc mopeds. Good luck.

 

[thelarkbox]

Carole Nash was the goto insurer for vintage and custom M/bikes back when i dabbled....

 

[Nealh]

It's not just the third party insurance if you can find a broker to give a sensible figure.
The bikes will need type approval /testing as well, fixed lights ,mirrors and full M/C helmet .

 

[thelarkbox]

What prompted the choice of the bikes? Might be a lot cheaper and easier to retrofit 250w motors??
over amp them with the existing controllers if the extra oomph is needed??
if spoked wheels with hub motors its very doable after watching the right 10-15 minute utube.. tools needed are a bike with forks you can upturn and spin a wheel, a spoke spanner screw driver flowerpot or paint pot to balance the hub on and a few cable ties to help with the final true-ing of the wheel.

edit- over amping above is/was a flippent comment, check before trying anything like that dont blow a motor on my say so..

 

[Nealh]

Trying to legalise a non legal pushbike or S-ped invoves too many hoops to jump thru and the end cost is just not worth it. A simply e moped will be cheaper and a damn far easier to insure etc,etc.

 

[saneagle]

Main points are:

• The wires have to be protected against damage, which means add shrouding and grommets.
• The brake levers have to be full size with balls on the ends.
• Brakes must pass the brake test, which probably means you need hydraulic brakes.
• The lights must be approved with the right E-number on them. The headlight must be a proper motorcycle type with the correct beam pattern
• The mudguards are not allowed to have a flat front or rear edge - add beading.
• the stand must be retracting and hold the bike securely upright with the handlebars in all positions.
• There must be a numberplate bracket with a number-plate light of the approved type that lights it up properly.
• There must be an approved rear reflector and pedal reflectors, assuming pedals are fitted.
• Mirrors must be fitted that meet the size requirements, and they must be concave.
• All switches must be reachable without removing hands from the bars.
• There must be a speedometer that shows MPH when switched on. It's not OK if it shows km/hr then you press a button to select MPH.
• Tyres must be DOT approved type and be rated for the max speed.
• Everything must be fixed securely and safely.

 

[fe02man]

Now that's useful. Many thanks

 

[Az.]

Now that's useful. Many thanks

Do you use your bikes on roads only? It makes a very little sense to register bike with 500W motor as speed pedelec.

I think Thelarkbox gave you best advice. If I were you I would just try to change motor to legal one.

 

[Ocsid]

Post purchasing those bikes is there any realistic chance of getting public liability insurance?
Assuming that is what the OP is asking and being worried about not having that injury to others liability protection.

 

[fe02man]

I can see your point about changing the motor. We only purchased them at Xmas.
It's a completely new field of transport and laws. I think both sides are feeling their way through a good set up.
I can hear others thinking with not buy 250 watt.
I am 70 with only 20 % lung function. I want to go out with my wife and 500 watt bikes are what we need to do that. She is also my carer in case l go bum over breakfast time whilst riding.
I do like to do things right hence my question about insurance

 

[Peter.Bridge]

I can see your point about changing the motor. We only purchased them at Xmas.
It's a completely new field of transport and laws. I think both sides are feeling their way through a good set up.
I can hear others thinking with not buy 250 watt.
I am 70 with only 20 % lung function. I want to go out with my wife and 500 watt bikes are what we need to do that. She is also my carer in case l go bum over breakfast time whilst riding.
I do like to do things right hence my question about insurance

I too got a bike converted before I joined this forum and understood the rules.
I think in your position I would set the maximum assist speed in the LCD to 25km/h (or 25km/h +10%) and remove the throttle on the bikes (if there is one). I think the chance of getting stopped by the police will be small. There is the theoretical liability if you are involved in an accident and it was discovered that the bike is not legal that you would need to be aware of.

I've heard of people buying a Bafang 250W sticky label off ebay and sticking it on the motor (although I know that has no legal standing)

Incidentally you would be able to get a bike that is rated 250W that would be powerful enough - but it is a bit late now ! The rated power does not necessarily correspond with how powerful the bike really is.

 

[Saracen]

My first post.
We have two shengmilo bikes. Both with 500w 48v systems. So we have to register and insure them.
I'd be interested in others thoughts or experiences of the process and which companies are sensible with insurance.

Cheers

ILLEGAL in the UK no insurance company will touch you, good luck if you hit someone they will nail you, I would

My insurance asked for PROOF they were 250w and photographs and invoice

You need to register with the government as Motorbikes and fit number plates to be legal on the road

(Aberwystwyst)

 

[Woosh]

My insurance asked for PROOF they were 250w

some do. I have been asked by customers in the past.

 

[Az.]

I do like to do things right hence my question about insurance

Just to clarify some things for you. In UK there is a legal limit on motor rated power. There is no legal limit on how much power you can pump through your motor. So you can theoretically have legal motor which is more powerful than your illegal one. Your situation is a bit like having a huge hangover without having fun earlier.
It is not fair, I know...

 

[thelarkbox]

I had to get my ebike kit and then work all this out too. The problem with using watts as the limiting metric for motors is that the watts expended is a result of work demanded and available power. For DC current the calculation for watts is simply Volts X Amps. source..
but that just reveals the Maximum available.

So my '250w' motor fed with 15a from my 36v battery can output upto 36x15=540watts of power.. Now my bike came fitted with a 15a controller, I could easily upgrade to a 17a or 22a controller, perfectly legally and connected to my motor with 250w etched on its body.. Much more power available...
all i need do to keep the bike legal is apply the 15.6 mph speed limit.

btw my 36v battery fully charged is 42v so when fully charged my legal ebike has upto 630W available power..

Even more grunt can be achieved by using a 48v battery (56v fully charged) though that would probably require a controller upgrade too. 56x15= 840w and with a 22a controller well over 1000w .. from a legal 250w motor!

 

[saneagle]

I can see your point about changing the motor. We only purchased them at Xmas.
It's a completely new field of transport and laws. I think both sides are feeling their way through a good set up.
I can hear others thinking with not buy 250 watt.
I am 70 with only 20 % lung function. I want to go out with my wife and 500 watt bikes are what we need to do that. She is also my carer in case l go bum over breakfast time whilst riding.
I do like to do things right hence my question about insurance

To clarify what others are saying, the power written on the motor or stated in any listing has very little meaning when it comes to how much assistance the motor gives. There are bikes with 250w motors that give substantially more assistance than some with 500w motors.