Legal status of ebikes that are identical to those that have gone through the DVSA approval process but haven't been tested

[Bonzo Banana]

I did a quick search but didn't find an answer but was just curious about whether you could claim defence against prosecution if you have such a bike like the Pedibal or Wisper models but haven't paid for the DVSA testing but ride the same ebike? I don't own such an ebike myself but just curious how you could be prosecuted for having a identical ebike to those DVSA tested models but without paying for the testing and having enabled the throttle. I realise you could be but what would be the legal grounds for prosecuting you when the actual ebike is 100% identical in specification to legal ebikes?

Just seems a strange situation in law where having a small piece of paper means you are safe to ride on the roads but without it you are committing a crime. The Pedibal ebike you see sold by I think Chinese sellers on ebay and its about half the price of the Pedibal bike. Seems to be identical spec and comes restricted to 15.5mph but of course there is no DVSA approval process.

 

[Ghost1951]

It's the usual legalistic, persnickety ****** that goes on all around this stuff.

I used to be on a Facebook group for the old Honda CG125 motorcycles and when ULEZ came in, they were being charged £12 a day for non compliance, just based on their age. For perspective, the CG125 delivered 125mpg and it was being charged the same rate as a 3 litre petrol Range Rover that burned at least five times as much fuel and by logic, put out five times as much exhaust gas. The point is, it was well known that if the owners of these little commuter bikes paid a lot of money to have their individual bike tested, they ALWAYS passed the emission tests. Time after time, London based owners paid the exorbitant fee and their little Honda easily passed the emission regulations.

This made no difference though, any CG125 that had not been taken for the test had to pay the ULEZ charge. Just another aspect of the criminal conspiracy of Kahn's fiefdom.

 

[Az.]

I used to be on a Facebook group for the old *.* motorcycles and
(...)
little Honda easily passed the emission regulations.

There is no way you could pass my emission sniffing test. The truth is you guys stink. Stink like hell. When I ride or drive behind one of you I can't breathe.

 

[Az.]

Just seems a strange situation in law where having a small piece of paper means you are safe to ride on the roads but without it you are committing a crime.

Why strange? It is nothing new.
What is the difference between pirate and corsair?

 

[Peter.Bridge]

I did a quick search but didn't find an answer but was just curious about whether you could claim defence against prosecution if you have such a bike like the Pedibal or Wisper models but haven't paid for the DVSA testing but ride the same ebike? I don't own such an ebike myself but just curious how you could be prosecuted for having a identical ebike to those DVSA tested models but without paying for the testing and having enabled the throttle. I realise you could be but what would be the legal grounds for prosecuting you when the actual ebike is 100% identical in specification to legal ebikes?

Just seems a strange situation in law where having a small piece of paper means you are safe to ride on the roads but without it you are committing a crime. The Pedibal ebike you see sold by I think Chinese sellers on ebay and its about half the price of the Pedibal bike. Seems to be identical spec and comes restricted to 15.5mph but of course there is no DVSA approval process.

Is this with throttle ?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

They claim it it to make sure that the bike not only meets EN15194 but has four additional points covered that are outside the scope of EN15194. 1. A side stand. 2. Front and rear lights are fitted, operational and both work off the same light switch. 3. There is a protector on the front of the front mudguard. 4. The brake levers are fitted with the ball fixture to stop eye injury in an accident.

All the best, David

 

[jamesporritt]

3. There is a protector on the front of the front mudguard. 4. The brake levers are fitted with the ball fixture to stop eye injury in an accident.

Could you show examples of these?

Are they ncessary to pass the DVSA test?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

We have fit the ball as our levers dont have them.

Yes they must be fitted to pass the DVSA test.

All the best, David

 

[flecc]

Just seems a strange situation in law where having a small piece of paper means you are safe to ride on the roads but without it you are committing a crime.

Not strange at all, it's the same as an annual MOT.

With the piece of paper, legal.

Without it, illegal.

The only difference is being inspected for compliance.
.

 

[jamesporritt]

View attachment 60035

We have fit the ball as our levers dont have them.

Yes they must be fitted to pass the DVSA test.

All the best, David

Thank you. I've never seen those before.

Must a front mudguard protector be fitted to pass the DVSA test? Could you show what a front mudguard protector looks like?

 

[thelarkbox]

Thank you. I've never seen those before.

Must a front mudguard protector be fitted to pass the DVSA test? Could you show what a front mudguard protector looks like?

Had to google that myself when scanned above, its the lil toy mud flap on the back end of the mudguard..

That page is still open so here u go..

any size specs on these , my bike has one but its only about 1-2cm extended beyond the mudguard..
more of an add on fringe.

 

[chris_n]

I did a quick search but didn't find an answer but was just curious about whether you could claim defence against prosecution if you have such a bike like the Pedibal or Wisper models but haven't paid for the DVSA testing but ride the same ebike? I don't own such an ebike myself but just curious how you could be prosecuted for having a identical ebike to those DVSA tested models but without paying for the testing and having enabled the throttle. I realise you could be but what would be the legal grounds for prosecuting you when the actual ebike is 100% identical in specification to legal ebikes?

Just seems a strange situation in law where having a small piece of paper means you are safe to ride on the roads but without it you are committing a crime. The Pedibal ebike you see sold by I think Chinese sellers on ebay and its about half the price of the Pedibal bike. Seems to be identical spec and comes restricted to 15.5mph but of course there is no DVSA approval process.

How do you know it is identical to what was tested? Just because it looks the same at a glance doesn't make it the same.

 

[jamesporritt]

Had to google that myself when scanned above, its the lil toy mud flap on the back end of the mudguard..

That page is still open so here u go..

any size specs on these , my bike has one but its only about 1-2cm extended beyond the mudguard..
more of an add on fringe.

Thans for that. Still confused because Wisper said "protector on the front of the front mudguard". Did he mean back of the front frontguard?

 

[thelarkbox]

Thans for that. Still confused because Wisper said "protector on the front of the front mudguard". Did he mean back of the front frontguard?

I Dunno, id bet anyone else's money on a typo tho.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I Dunno, id bet anyone else's money on a typo tho.

Lots of cycle mudguards have a protector covering the front edge of the mudguard.

Even the plastic ones on my eMountainBike has them, maybe not so important for plastic mudguards but a definite safety feature for metal mudguards.

 

[Ghost1951]

Re mudguard rubber protectors and balls on the brake levers of motor bikes.

THIS is allowed and seen all over around here and in any rural setting.









I see this stuff driving at thirty and forty miles an hour on main roads and back roads every day, but make sure you don't have a mudguard without a rubber protector on it on your ebike.

#Joke-UK-Regs

#clueless-uk-politicians

#clueless-uk-civil-servants

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Yep front of the front mudguard.

All the best, David

 

[Bonzo Banana]

View attachment 60035

We have fit the ball as our levers dont have them.

Yes they must be fitted to pass the DVSA test.

All the best, David

Looking at the Pedibal ebike it has thickened ends on the brake levers but not quite a ball. I wonder if they change them as part of that additional £200 fee for DVSA testing. The mudguards don't look compliant either. I guess my question should be revised would you be prosecuted if you changed them to meet the DVSA spec but didn't go through the testing process but the bike was actually fully compliant anyway. It's certainly not something I am planning on doing but just curious. In a prosecution could you retro-actively have your ebike tested for DVSA compliance as part of your defence? Strangely enough I do have some V/Mechanical disc brake levers in my parts pin that have the ball ends as pictured which I think came from a Voilamart ebike kit. So in that regard those kits have a small level of compliance I never realised. If you keep them to restricted UK legal speeds they are much lower wattage than typical e-mountain bikes with mid-drive motors too.

 

[Az.]

In a prosecution could you retro-actively have your ebike tested for DVSA compliance as part of your defence?

I am guessing it is a bit like driving a car without valid MOT.

Why are you asking? Woosh and Pedibal go through all this fuss to get full throttles approved. Much better option is to have throttle active while you pedal IMO. Legal without all the fuss.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

I am guessing it is a bit like driving a car without valid MOT.

Why are you asking? Woosh and Pedibal go through all this fuss to get full throttles approved. Much better option is to have throttle active while you pedal IMO. Legal without all the fuss.

Only curious nothing more to get a better understanding of the legal processes. It would seem so weird for someone to be prosecuted for this. I've seen a person on youtube weld two frames together so he had a very high bicycle and he rode it on the road and don't think he was committing any offence with his home made bicycle. He used it for charity rides but it looked really unsafe and dangerous to get off, it did have two working brakes though. The legality of bicycles in the UK all seems very strange to be honest. If you want to have a new twist and go ebike you have to have a piece of paper, ball ends to your brake levers and extra flaps on your mudguards?