Third Party and Public Liability Insurance - Advice Sought

[flecc]

The commercial S class bikes that are bought in Germany and Switzerland and available here from 50cycles and others are already EU type approved, so no inspection is necessary for those, just buy and register.

 

[amigafan2003]

The commercial S class bikes that are bought in Germany and Switzerland and available here from 50cycles and others are already EU type approved, so no inspection is necessary for those, just buy and register.

But you can't register them as an s-class can you? You'd have to register them as a motorbike. Then you're limited to only being able to ride them on the road, so you might as well have a motorbike.

In Germany they can still ride thier s-class bikes on cycle paths and insurance is very cheap. In the UK you'd be paying moped levels of insurance, not s-class levels of insurance.

I thought I'd check the cost of an SVA for a motorbike and it's a not unreasonable £85.

I seriously might make it a project to build a high powered ebike and get it SVA'd and registered. Zero tax as well as it's zero emissions. Bet finding an insurer would be fun tough but I imagine one for the "kit bike" insurers would go for it - it's only £190 a year for my Westfield so I bet it would be peanuts for the bike.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MSVA Guide.pdf

 

[eddieo]

you can only ride the German S class on the road as well...

 

[amigafan2003]

you can only ride the German S class on the road as well...

No, you can ride them on designated cycle routes as well.

 

[flecc]

But you can't register them as an s-class can you? You'd have to register them as a motorbike. Then you're limited to only being able to ride them on the road, so you might as well have a motorbike.

In Germany they can still ride thier s-class bikes on cycle paths and insurance is very cheap. In the UK you'd be paying moped levels of insurance, not s-class levels of insurance.

As you say, not as a S bike in the UK, but having type approval does make them easy to register as a moped.

I don't know about Germany, but in Austria they even ride mopeds and light motorbikes on out of town cyclepaths according to a member there, but afaik they don't have an S class!

 

[amigafan2003]

As you say, not as a S bike in the UK, but having type approval does make them easy to register as a moped.

I don't know about Germany, but in Austria they even ride mopeds and light motorbikes on out of town cyclepaths according to a member there, but afaik they don't have an S class!

Yeah, I'd think I'd get stopped pretty sharpish riding a moped down Blackpool prom!

 

[eddieo]

No, you can ride them on designated cycle routes as well.

you really do spout nonsense!lol

"Germany’s ‘leichtmofa’ class includes electric bikes capable of assistance up to 45km/h (28mph) and with up to 500 watt motors. A licence and insurance is required but not a helmet and the bikes are not allowed on bike paths "

 

[flecc]

Yeah, I'd think I'd get stopped pretty sharpish riding a moped down Blackpool prom!

And Bournemouth, where they have even been using radar guns on cyclists to book them for exceeding the 10 mph limit on the promenade!
.

 

[flecc]

"Germany’s ‘leichtmofa’ class includes electric bikes capable of assistance up to 45km/h (28mph) and with up to 500 watt motors. A licence and insurance is required but not a helmet and the bikes are not allowed on bike paths "

Eddie, don't they still have the original S class as well for 250 watt e-bikes at up to 40 kph (25 mph)?

Or has the 500 watt rule change done away with that?

 

[eddieo]

Eddie, don't they still have the original S class as well for 250 watt e-bikes at up to 40 kph (25 mph)?

Or has the 500 watt rule change done away with that?

I just had a quick look for what I knew was uninformed and wrong...would hate to see someone going of on holidays with the wrong information (will be in Germany end of month ourselves)

Euro Two Wheel Retailers Want Electric Bike Laws Changed - BikeRadar

I can assure you on German pedelec they are even more evangelical and anti illegal e bike then some of us on here. but I just follow the conversations (or try to) on subjects that interest me....

looks like they have increased to 500 watt from the article, but like I said I'm not going to waste time double checking as no interest.

IF I was not retired and commuting by bike an S class would be what I would want, must be safer in city traffic...

IF I was into off road stuff ditto

Soooo that would mean I would need 3 bikes!

 

[flecc]

Thanks Eddie, I'm just not sure on this as it wasn't made clear when the 500 watt bikes were permitted. It's probably likely that they only have the one class though, that one you've specified, since the speed limit difference of 5 kph is so small.

 

[eddieo]

the S class Panasonic where already 300 watt? only latest 36 v version 250 watt...and its a stormer. That on a Swiss Flyer must be wonderful

 

[flecc]

Mostly they weren't, the Panasonic high speed S unit was always 250 watts on the Flyers since that was just their conversion at first, but still 250 watts from Panasonic later and also on the Kalkhoffs when they adopted them on two models. I think Panasonic went up to 300 watts with 26 volts about a year ago since Kalkhoffs appeared with that higher power at 50cycles then.

 

[amigafan2003]

you really do spout nonsense!lol

"Germany’s ‘leichtmofa’ class includes electric bikes capable of assistance up to 45km/h (28mph) and with up to 500 watt motors. A licence and insurance is required but not a helmet and the bikes are not allowed on bike paths "

I said "designated cycle" routes - routes where motor vehicles are excluded but where all classes of cycle, ebikes and horse (non carriage drawing) are allowed. Interestingly, these routes also stipulate that pedestrians should not use them unless it is unavoidable to do so.

 

[flecc]

Almost like our bridlepath law* then Amigafan, except we don't ask pedestrians to avoid them.

* Countryside Act, 1968

 

[amigafan2003]

Almost like our bridlepath law* then Amigafan, except we don't ask pedestrians to avoid them.

* Countryside Act, 1968

Yes, precisely - I was merely trying to demonstrate that Germany - not only in respect of legislation but also infrastructure - is miles ahead of where the UK is not only in respect of ebikes but cycling in general.

I can assure you on German pedelec they are even more evangelical and anti illegal e bike then some of us on here. but I just follow the conversations (or try to) on subjects that interest me....

And if we had similar s-class legislation here then I'd probably be in the "keep it legal" camp as well, as 25mph and 500 watts nominal should be enough for almost anyone, and more than 25mph around pedestrians is really a good idea anyhow (I slow down significantly if my route gets congested with pedestrians).