Bike law
- Thread starter giguana
- Start date
Yes, but the bike needs to be registered, insured, MOT'd, taxed etc.
It can be done, at least one person has done it by putting their home built, high power assist, bike through the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval testing and then managed to get it road legal.
The category it fits into, provided the power level is kept down and the speed is limited, is Low Power Moped, I believe. If it can exceed the maximum limit for that category I believe that it has to go in the Motorcycle category.
If you Google "Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval" (or perhaps "MSVA") you'll find chapter and verse on this.
Jeremy
It can be done, at least one person has done it by putting their home built, high power assist, bike through the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval testing and then managed to get it road legal.
The category it fits into, provided the power level is kept down and the speed is limited, is Low Power Moped, I believe. If it can exceed the maximum limit for that category I believe that it has to go in the Motorcycle category.
If you Google "Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval" (or perhaps "MSVA") you'll find chapter and verse on this.
Jeremy
As Miles says, the LP Moped category is not much different to a standard ebike, it's the Moped category that increases the speed limit to 45kmh. Here's a link to the test process with the definitions and descriptions of what is tested: http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Motorcycle SVA Guide.pdf.
I've built two kit cars and know of at least one person that has put a high powered ebike through the MSVA process, so it can be done if you take the time to study the requirements and make sure that the bike is compliant with them.
To give you an idea of the work involved, here is the story of a chap that fitted a small petrol engine to a mountain bike and got it through the approval process. It would be similar for a high power ebike: Golden Eagle cyclemotor
Jeremy
I've built two kit cars and know of at least one person that has put a high powered ebike through the MSVA process, so it can be done if you take the time to study the requirements and make sure that the bike is compliant with them.
To give you an idea of the work involved, here is the story of a chap that fitted a small petrol engine to a mountain bike and got it through the approval process. It would be similar for a high power ebike: Golden Eagle cyclemotor
Jeremy
Incredible bureaucracy.
To think, I fitted large numbers of bike motors from 25 to 50 cc onto bikes in the 1950s, and all were registered on a simple single form, no different from putting a motorbike onto the road at that time. At one time there were a million of those on the road in the UK, and virtually everyone survived ownership without type approval inspections or subsequent MOTs.
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To think, I fitted large numbers of bike motors from 25 to 50 cc onto bikes in the 1950s, and all were registered on a simple single form, no different from putting a motorbike onto the road at that time. At one time there were a million of those on the road in the UK, and virtually everyone survived ownership without type approval inspections or subsequent MOTs.
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I couldn't agree more, Flecc.
The UK were required to introduce this load of codswallop as a consequence of the adoption of EU Type Approval. I, and many others, campaigned hard against the application of Type Approval to home built vehicles, we managed to hold the DoT off from implementing it for a while, but eventually the EU forced our government to comply.
We should be thankful that we have SVA (and MSVA), as these are cut down procedures specifically introduced to avoid one-off and low volume specials from having to go through full approval, including (believe it or not!) crash testing..................
Jeremy
The UK were required to introduce this load of codswallop as a consequence of the adoption of EU Type Approval. I, and many others, campaigned hard against the application of Type Approval to home built vehicles, we managed to hold the DoT off from implementing it for a while, but eventually the EU forced our government to comply.
We should be thankful that we have SVA (and MSVA), as these are cut down procedures specifically introduced to avoid one-off and low volume specials from having to go through full approval, including (believe it or not!) crash testing..................
Jeremy
Yes, I remember when the prospect of crash testing threatened to finish off the kit car industry.
The thing that amazes me most is that the authorities wonder why people often drive illegally in various ways, given the huge surfeit of driving and vehicle legislation.
If they had a sense of proportion, they'd wonder that anyone drives legally.
.
The thing that amazes me most is that the authorities wonder why people often drive illegally in various ways, given the huge surfeit of driving and vehicle legislation.
If they had a sense of proportion, they'd wonder that anyone drives legally.
.
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