How legal is a kit which can be set up to exceed 250W and 15.5mph.

StuartsProjects

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Well exactly, so if you do an electric conversion on a 'bike' to comply with regulations\guidance do you just need to put a label on the bike listing yourself as the 'Manufacturer' for the conversion to be legal ?
 

Sturmey

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I think when you ask 'How Legal is a kit......', you need to distinguish between 1.Legal to Manufacture 2. Legal to retail/sell (business or private / domestic or import, new/used etc.) and 3. Legal to own/use on private land etc 4. Legal to use on a public road. etc....etc
 

saneagle

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I think when you ask 'How Legal is a kit......', you need to distinguish between 1.Legal to Manufacture 2. Legal to retail/sell (business or private / domestic or import, new/used etc.) and 3. Legal to own/use on private land etc 4. Legal to use on a public road. etc....etc
The only thing that matters is whether the bike you put it on becomes an EAPC or not, and the definition for that is given above in this thread.

In reality, who has a private estate that they want to ride around on an ebike? It's guys like Simon Cowell, who soon learn to regret it, anyway. It's not us.
 

Nealh

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All that matters is the motor is 250w compliant , how much power the user puts through it is irrelevent . Put too much power through it and the nylon gears will fail.
 
Jul 17, 2024
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Makes me wonder why YOSE have locked there 250W kits now in the controller so One can not access the advance settings so the kit is locked at 15.5 MPH and 4MPH on the thumb throttle .

I asked them if it could be changed any way No unless you put on a different controller.

Ok if an off road switch is not legal then one has a controller and LCD like I have that all you have to do is press the settings button with no password protection and change the speed .

Could it be just arguable that this is the same as an off road switch ?

I think it could be especially in a Magistrate court

As it can be done in seconds once stopped.

when I mixed and matched a YOSE kit with a Carrera Suntours motor 250W the bike could easily do 25MPH if it was set to do so .
 

saneagle

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Makes me wonder why YOSE have locked there 250W kits now in the controller so One can not access the advance settings so the kit is locked at 15.5 MPH and 4MPH on the thumb throttle .

I asked them if it could be changed any way No unless you put on a different controller.

Ok if an off road switch is not legal then one has a controller and LCD like I have that all you have to do is press the settings button with no password protection and change the speed .

Could it be just arguable that this is the same as an off road switch ?

I think it could be especially in a Magistrate court

As it can be done in seconds once stopped.

when I mixed and matched a YOSE kit with a Carrera Suntours motor 250W the bike could easily do 25MPH if it was set to do so .
The answer is no. Every single ebike can be adjusted using some method or other.

Use a KT controller, put a password in it, then nobody can see the settings, let alone change anything. Pretend you don't know the password in the extremely unlikely event that anybody else knows your LCD and how to do or check the settings. The best thing with KT controllers is that if you change any setting after you switch on but don't save it, the controller will use that setting until you switch off, then it'll revert to the previous state without you having to do anything and there would be no record of the change - just saying!
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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When did the government website change to this? It felt like fairly recently we were discussing how the gov.uk page is full of errors regarding ebike law.
Parliament signed up to this statement on the morning of 10th November 2003 so it's been the law
ever since then. Regardless of the many times it's been mispresented by government sources since then, as they foolishly seek to simplify their explanation of it.
.
 
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alrescycle

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 23, 2025
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As long as you keep a copy of the listing or any communications with the seller or manufacturer that confirms 250w, you should be OK. Don't show them any settings in your LCD. Just let them do any test they want to see if the motor assists over 15.5. mph.

If your motor is a normal geared one, no problem, but if it's a direct drive dinner plate sized one, they probably know they're not 250w.
It’s not a dinner plate
 

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alrescycle

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 23, 2025
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I think when you ask 'How Legal is a kit......', you need to distinguish between 1.Legal to Manufacture 2. Legal to retail/sell (business or private / domestic or import, new/used etc.) and 3. Legal to own/use on private land etc 4. Legal to use on a public road. etc....etc
Legal to use on public roads.

Also of interest: legal to resell as a sole trader dealing in used bicycles.
 

Sturmey

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Also of interest: legal to resell as a sole trader dealing in used bicycles.
I cant answer your question. I think it was the case that when supplying a new bike, there was a responsibility on the trader to make sure the bike was correctly up to some BS safety standards etc but this did not apply to secondhand bikes as discussed below. I dont know where fitting a new ebike conversion kit fits into the regulations.
You could check out the below site.
Its my understanding that a sole trader needs to be extra careful.
 
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Jul 17, 2024
236
7
The answer is no. Every single ebike can be adjusted using some method or other.

Use a KT controller, put a password in it, then nobody can see the settings, let alone change anything. Pretend you don't know the password in the extremely unlikely event that anybody else knows your LCD and how to do or check the settings. The best thing with KT controllers is that if you change any setting after you switch on but don't save it, the controller will use that setting until you switch off, then it'll revert to the previous state without you having to do anything and there would be no record of the change - just saying!
Yes that’s what I was getting at as you advised previously KT can set up a password.
when I change my kit over I will use the KT LCD and controler.

I personally am very very reluctant to risk my driving licence by riding anything that’s in a grey area just to go a bit faster or use an illegal throttle un less I was legally riding off road On private land.

Do you know of any way to legally ride a more powerful pedal bike with full working throttle ie a low powered Moped without vehicle registration number plates ECT ie so as not to get parking tickets for instance or CCTV moving traffic violations.

I know you can get a 250W inspected to be able to use up to 15MPH e throttle/power switch .
Which I fear I may need in the future because of Arthritis .
 

Nealh

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LPM 250w EAPC doesn't need number plates as it is still classed as a n EAPC, itj ust needs the V5 certification which Wisper charge a little extra for to make things legal.

LPM 250W EAPC can still out put 500+ watts.

Any thing other power wise then no there is no other route around having a motor vehicle .
 
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saneagle

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Yes that’s what I was getting at as you advised previously KT can set up a password.
when I change my kit over I will use the KT LCD and controler.

I personally am very very reluctant to risk my driving licence by riding anything that’s in a grey area just to go a bit faster or use an illegal throttle un less I was legally riding off road On private land.

Do you know of any way to legally ride a more powerful pedal bike with full working throttle ie a low powered Moped without vehicle registration number plates ECT ie so as not to get parking tickets for instance or CCTV moving traffic violations.

I know you can get a 250W inspected to be able to use up to 15MPH e throttle/power switch .
Which I fear I may need in the future because of Arthritis .
Use a 48v battery with a 250w motor. If it's a hub-motor, use say a 15A KT controller, otherwise use a 250w TSDZ8 from Woosh, connect the throttle, then get it inspected as an EAPC, which costs about £100. Later on, you can always swap the 15A controller to a 20 or 22 amp one if you need more power. That wouldn't be necessary on the TSDZ8.
 
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Jul 17, 2024
236
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So if someone wanted to make one of the duel motor , fat tyre bikes ie like the Hitway for instance then it would have to be.

Have a V5
MOT after 2 years ??
lights
Brake lights
indicators
horn
some sort of chassis plate ID
number plates with lights

Then would it be considered up to a engineered standard for a Moped or motor bike

Difficult to insure over say a Honda E Motor bike recognised brand.

Because of the weight V Power available range with large batteries.

I think there could be a good market for these if it can be done without to much hassle and red tape.
 
Jul 17, 2024
236
7
Use a 48v battery with a 250w motor. If it's a hub-motor, use say a 15A KT controller, otherwise use a 250w TSDZ8 from Woosh, connect the throttle, then get it inspected as an EAPC, which costs about £100. Later on, you can always swap the 15A controller to a 20 or 22 amp one if you need more power. That wouldn't be necessary on the TSDZ8.
So Lime bikes have Two motors so they must be limited to say 125 watts for each motor .

Is this a difficult thing to do as they are heavy but have good power and are quick from a standstill .
I am assuming they have 48V battery’s too ?
 

sjpt

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Jun 8, 2018
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I think two motors is not legal for an EAPC even if the sum of their rated powers is <250w

I stand corrected (see posts below). I don't know were I got the two motor not allowed thing into my head.
 
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thelarkbox

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2023
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thats odd I spotted a lime bike in the wild last week when i found it parked up next to mine, took a quick once over and its rear mud guard shell/body must have grabbed my attention as if fitted with 2x hub motors i missed that completely?? And i think i would have spotted something of that magnitude..


not my pic - lifted from google..
 
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saneagle

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So Lime bikes have Two motors so they must be limited to say 125 watts for each motor .

Is this a difficult thing to do as they are heavy but have good power and are quick from a standstill .
I am assuming they have 48V battery’s too ?
Look at the Heinzmann E-cargo system with two 125w motors that look the same as their 250w ones. The rated power is whatever the manufacturer says it is as long as it doesn't burn out when running at that power, which it won't if it's a big powerful motor.
 
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saneagle

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Oct 10, 2010
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So if someone wanted to make one of the duel motor , fat tyre bikes ie like the Hitway for instance then it would have to be.

Have a V5
MOT after 2 years ??
lights
Brake lights
indicators
horn
some sort of chassis plate ID
number plates with lights

Then would it be considered up to a engineered standard for a Moped or motor bike

Difficult to insure over say a Honda E Motor bike recognised brand.

Because of the weight V Power available range with large batteries.

I think there could be a good market for these if it can be done without to much hassle and red tape.
It would be an EAPC if it had two 125w motors, so no need for all that. Unless you want to ride in mud, dual motors are a bad idea anyway because the torque from the back one unloads the front, so it loses traction. You really need a traction control system for it to work.