Whats good for Asia.....

[Kudoscycles]

PETALING JAYA - Powerful electric bicycles have been classified as motorcycles under the newly amended Road Transport Act 1987.

This has put their owners in a quandary because they will now have to register their vehicles and obtain a motorcycle licence if they want to continue riding them.

Dealers estimate that there are at least 15,000 bicycles equipped with an electric motor and a re-chargeable battery on the road, with about 450 sold every month.

They believe that about 30 per cent of cyclists would be affected by the new regulations.

The amendments under Section 2 of the Act classify electric bicycles as pedal-assisted cycles which are equipped with an auxiliary motor with a maximum continuous rated power of 250W, of which the motor output must be cut off when the bike reaches a speed of 25kph.

Road Transport Department deputy director-general Datuk Ismail Ahmad said that bicycles failing to comply with any of the three standards would be classified as motorised vehicles.

"They will be treated as normal motorcycles. The riders have to wear protective helmets and have the proper registration and documents. Failing to do so can incur a compound of up to RM300," he said.

"They will have to comply with Electric Motorcycle Specifications known as MS2413," Ismail added.

Under MS2413, electric motorcycles are classified as two-wheeled vehicles, powered by an electrical power storage (battery) and can have a maximum speed in excess of 50kph.

However, the department's automotive engineering division deputy director, Mohd Sharulnizam Sarip, clarified that bikes which have a maximum design speed of between 25kph and 50kph would also be treated as electric motorcycles.

He said the department was in talks with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Customs Department and local authorities to work out an enforcement system to regulate these bicycles.

He expects the system to be launched in January 2014.

The regulations followed a study by Miros, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, and were approved by the Cabinet in July 2011.

Miros director-general Dr Wong Shaw Voon said the study was carried out in May 2011 to determine the functional safety and maximum specifications of an electric bicycle.

"We looked at various models and how other countries regulated electric bicycles," he said.

On the 25kph maximum speed at which the electric motor should cut off power, he said: "Our studies showed that it is the typical speed that a cyclist can achieve with a traditional bicycle under normal circumstances.

Most electric bicycles cost between RM2,500 and RM7,000, according to dealers.

Most of the bicycles are imported from China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and the United States which have different laws regulating these bikes of various specifications.

 

[neptune]

This is not good news for anybody. This is legislation of the worst kind because it is retrospective. You would have thought that they would at least have given "Grandfather Rights" to existing bikes.

 

[flecc]

And of course China has indicated that it fully intends to introduce this EU type legislation, though it's unlikely that will be fully retrospective.

Fortunately for us in the UK the DfT has said that any changes such as throttle law will not be retrospective, though of course that will only hold true for e-bikes that are legal at present.

 

[KirstinS]

@flecc , as I use throttle over pedelec good to be reassured ......how is it enforceable ? If I buy 20 throttles today abs build kit bikes for next decade ie use one in a new bike ten years from now....is that allowed ? If not then how could anything be proved ? What if I buy a throttle kit from eBay after the ban ? How could anything be proved ? Just say from before ban and list receipt , no ? What abiut second hand market ? Can see how it works for new bikes from a dealer ...... But otherwise, no

 

[KirstinS]

Damn iPhone ... I mean" lost receipt "and "but how is it enforceable"

 

[Kudoscycles]

And of course China has indicated that it fully intends to introduce this EU type legislation, though it's unlikely that will be fully retrospective.

Fortunately for us in the UK the DfT has said that any changes such as throttle law will not be retrospective, though of course that will only hold true for e-bikes that are legal at present.

Flecc,my contacts in China are already aware that the EN 15194 regs will be adopted nation wide in China,just as soon as the new administration takes over. It will be retrospective implemented but with a 2 year grace period,the old powerful e scooters will not be considered motorbikes but will be scrapped,they have such a high fatality rate with these bikes that they want them off the road as soon as possible.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[Old_Dave]

Much ado about nothing...

So they have adopted the EU 'laws', so what's changed ?

EU law is EU law is EU law, and like it or not we are in the EU, either your bike complies or it don't, if it don't then you know what the choices are..

1. Clutch at the British regs for comfort
2. Register it as a motor cycle
3. Carry on regardless matron

 

[smudger1956]

EU law is EU law is EU law, and like it or not we are in the EU, either your bike complies or it don't, if it don't then you know what the choices are..

Anyone remember the main reason to join the (Common Market) EU......was for trading purposes, not for being governed................

 

[amigafan2003]

If I buy 20 throttles today abs build kit bikes for next decade ie use one in a new bike ten years from now....is that allowed ?

Technically, kit's aren't legal.....................

3. Carry on regardless matron

My preferred option

 

[morphix]

@flecc , as I use throttle over pedelec good to be reassured ......how is it enforceable ? If I buy 20 throttles today abs build kit bikes for next decade ie use one in a new bike ten years from now....is that allowed ? If not then how could anything be proved ? What if I buy a throttle kit from eBay after the ban ? How could anything be proved ? Just say from before ban and list receipt , no ? What abiut second hand market ? Can see how it works for new bikes from a dealer ...... But otherwise, no

I think on a self-build it would be nearly impossible to prove when the throttle was fitted post-law change unless they asked you for some proof of purchase of throttle dating before the change.. but on new bikes sold with a throttle after the law change it would be more straightforward if they saw the bikes advertised with a throttle eh.

I doubt the police will concern themselves anyway as long as you have a 250W motor and don't draw attention to yourself with 48V 500W on the road ;-) I've never been stopped or checked and passed loads of police... has anyone here?

 

[Old_Dave]

The date of the bike / build is of course proven beyond any shred of a doubt by the very official looking details plate / sticker that's attached to the bike.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[amigafan2003]

I've never been stopped or checked and passed loads of police...

Ditto - and I've passed loads of Police cyclists on Blackpool prom and they've not even raised an eyebrow.

Actually, thinking about it maybe they did want a word but they couldn't catch me to do so!

The date of the bike / build is of course proven beyond any shred of a doubt by the very official looking details plate / sticker that's attached to the bike.

Yeah, I got mine from a chap on ebay for £4!

 

[Blew it]

Ditto - and I've passed loads of Police cyclists on Blackpool prom and they've not even raised an eyebrow.

...and why would they?

The function of the Police is to maintain order on behalf of the common man (plebs apparently ). Had you been behaving in a disorderly fashion...they may have done. And even then, only "suitable words of advice" would be given, providing there was no injury to another person, or damage to another's property.

 

[Kudoscycles]

The thread moved onto throttles,that's not why the Asian authorities are introducing/enforcing the law. They want to stop very powerful motorbike/scooter electric bikes from killing people-in Asia the minimum power of these bikes are 700 watt and many are 1800 watt,they have nothing to do with legal 250 watt pedelecs!
At one of the Shanghai shows I rode a 250 watt shopper type scooter with 'sort of' pedals,it weighed 39 kilos(lead acid battery),I weigh 17 stone! With the power on it just about moved,with the power off I could pedal it for about 100 yards on the flat,in a word it was useless-such a style of machine is no longer valid with this low power.
The point I am trying to make is that this introduction of power restrictions. I dont think will necessarily outlaw throttles, but it will make a whole new generation of cheap lightweight bikes that are fun to ride without loads of power. Remember that millions of chinese will still want to buy and use these bikes but they will look again like bicycles,the Shanghai show this year showed a change of emphasis away from the motorbike/scooter style and back to bicycles,they are all looking at ways of making the performance more dynamic but within the power limits.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[eddieo]

Throttle jockeys

BEBA are meeting with government department this week aren't they? it was mentioned on here a week or so ago. Rest of Europe manages and I doubt they miss it, as I dont use one either on either bike..big fuss about nothing..Buy a moped

 

[spiro]

I think the power of the motor is not what needs limiting, it is the speed. 250w in Holland may be great where 99% of the country is flat and probably 80%+ cycle anyway so they are fairly fit and elec assist is just a bonus. In countries like the UK with plenty of hills and even some mountains you need the power to get up them to encourage more cycling even if it is assisted. Therefore the law should only cover two things - (1) maximum speed the motor will power the bike to and (2) possibly a maximum weight (bike, rider and trailer).

 

[flecc]

@flecc , as I use throttle over pedelec good to be reassured ......how is it enforceable ? If I buy 20 throttles today abs build kit bikes for next decade ie use one in a new bike ten years from now....is that allowed ? If not then how could anything be proved ? What if I buy a throttle kit from eBay after the ban ? How could anything be proved ? Just say from before ban and list receipt , no ? What abiut second hand market ? Can see how it works for new bikes from a dealer ...... But otherwise, no

Few will get up to tricks to get round the regulations and equipment doesn't last for ever. Therefore it will be largely self-enforcing over time. The very few who create illegal machines much later will be picked off as they have accidents that come to the attention of the police.

Remember that the enthusiasts who create illegal e-bikes are a very tiny minority. In the over six year life of this forum some 120 thousand plus e-bikes have been sold into the UK, added to at least 80 thousand more that were there before and probably still running now. Against that 200 thousand the forum has gained some 7 thousand members, mostly casual members who never enter after a few posts. The great majority remainder are largely not enthusiasts, just buying an e-bike as transport. Of perhaps a thousand members who are regular site visitors, only a small proportion build or kit e-bikes, and only some of those are illegal. You can see how small the percentage fraction is who are affected, much smaller a proportion that those who drive illegally.

Ergo, not a big deal.
.

 

[flecc]

Anyone remember the main reason to join the (Common Market) EU......was for trading purposes, not for being governed................

You may have thought that, but it was never true. From the initial Treaty of Rome shortly after WW2 and long before we ever joined, transport law was a matter for the EU and not for member countries. This was simply because Europe was to become borderless making harmonised transport law essential. We signed up to that. The same situation applies to the borderless citizens of the EU, so for that reason all other law is intended to be increasingly harmonised and progress is regularly made on that in many areas.

These are why we have a European Commission not subject to democratic mandate, such essentials not being up for dispute. We have the democratic choice to continue to accept that or leave the union completely, doing that currently by a majority vote for UKIP.