Should I bother with registration?

[E Moses]

1. You will be fined for riding a moped without insurance and without moped equipment.

2. It would be unride-able. The motor needs to be marked as 250 W by the constructor, that has nothing to do with the power it makes at the wheel.

Thank you!

Moped, though? It's only an electric bike with max speed of 15.5 mph. Anyhoo....

 

[flecc]

Out of curiosity, is there a fine for riding an 'overpowered' bike? I can't find what the legal consequences may be...

Also, is there a way to adjust the motor to work as 250w only?

Cases of this are so rare that there's no understood penalty or even charges. It would be down to the police and the circumstances what charges were brought, or where death or serious injury had occurred, the CPS.

So the charges could range from a single one of riding an unregistered vehicle through to the whole list possible, though the latter is unlikely. Using any uninsured vehicle can also result in the magistrates making a confiscation and destruction order, the bike crushed, though again that's unlikely if it was possible to register it and use it legally.
.

 

[E Moses]

Cases of this are so rare that there's no understood penalty or even charges. It would be down to the police and the circumstances what charges were brought, or where death or serious injury had occurred, the CPS.

So the charges could range from a single one of riding an unregistered vehicle through to the whole list possible, though the latter is unlikely. Using any uninsured vehicle can also result in the magistrates making a confiscation and destruction order, the bike crushed, though again that's unlikely if it was possible to register it and use it legally.
.

Thanks. That's informative.

 

[flecc]

Moped, though? It's only an electric bike with max speed of 15.5 mph. Anyhoo....

That's the Low Powered Moped Class, also called L1e-A, applying in all EU and associated countries

Those are bicycle based, restricted to 15.5 mph, maximum power rating 1000 watts. Depending on country, a m/c helmet must be worn, they have to be insured and sometimes a group Q driving licence is necessary. These are in the UK.
.

 

[E Moses]

That's the Low Powered Moped Class, also called L1e-A, applying in all EU and associated countries

Those are bicycle based, restricted to 15.5 mph, maximum power rating 1000 watts. Depending on country, a m/c helmet must be worn, they have to be insured and sometimes a group Q driving licence is necessary. These are in the UK.
.

Don't have an issue with registration and insurance. But I don't drive and don't have a driving license. I'm not sure, though, a 750w electric bike actually requires a driving license?

Also, the manufacturer told me I can limit the power output to the motor to 250w. Apparently, the system has this functionality.

Sorry, naive questions here. I don't drive, so don't know much about laws related to transportation.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Also, the manufacturer told me I can limit the power output to the motor to 250w. Apparently, the system has this functionality.

.

That is meaningless, the law requires the motor to be rated as 250 W by the constructor. If you or the sales person limit a 750 W motor to 250 W it doesn't make it legal...

 

[E Moses]

That is meaningless, the law requires the motor to be rated as 250 W by the constructor. If you or the sales person limit a 750 W motor to 250 W it doesn't make it legal...

I see. How about the driving license?

 

[Woosh]

Also, the manufacturer told me I can limit the power output to the motor to 250w. Apparently, the system has this functionality.

Don't believe in what the salesmen say.
it is what is on the label that counts.
Legally, the manufacturer has to justify it if the authorities as for proof.
If your motor is labelled as 750W then it is 750W. If you affix a label 250W yourself over the original, then it's you who will have to provide proof.
BTW, 750W is meaningless, you want to know the model, maximum torque and noload speed of the motor or failing that, the winding code of the motor if you want to compare products.

 

[flecc]

I see. How about the driving license?

It looks like you may be ok without that now. When the new group Q was introduced last year it was for powered two and three wheelers limited to 15.5 mph.

Now I see on gov.uk that it only specifies up to 50cc with no mention of electric power, so either a clarification or someone had second thoughts. It certainly would have been silly on an e-bike, though perhaps just as silly on a 15.5 mph petrol one.

However the over 250 watt bikes do have to be type approved, registered and insured, helmets worn etc.
.

 

[E Moses]

It looks like you may be ok without that now. When the new group Q was introduced last year it was for powered two and three wheelers limited to 15.5 mph.

Now I see on gov.uk that it only specifies up to 50cc with no mention of electric power, so either a clarification or someone had second thoughts. It certainly would have been silly on an e-bike, though perhaps just as silly on a 15.5 mph petrol one.

However the over 250 watt bikes do have to be type approved, registered and insured, helmets worn etc.
.

Ah well, that's not too bad then.

 

[kangooroo]

The Radrhino doesn't go over 15.5 mph. Although, it has a 750w motor, and I think you can adjust the power output to be only 250w.

But... MCIA and BA would also remind anyone who owns or is selling an e-bike that it makes no difference if the machine has a switch to flick between a higher and lower power setting. The higher power rating is the rating that the bike needs to be classified by.