buying a non road leagal bike

[phil-b]

I am considering a e bike for my commute to work. the route is mostly off road tracks but there is a short section at either end that is on road.
The bike I like does have a throttle so falls outside thr uk law for use on road.

my question is is it worh the risk. Am i likely to get stopped and prossecuted for using such a bike. or can I get away with it

 

[numbnuts]

OK you can have a throttle as long as it is pre 2016 after that date it will be classed as an illegal bike, but it still must be no more than 250 watts
My etrike is pre 2016 and I have never been stopped or asked to prove it.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Or anymore illegal than the lad riding a Sirion (or whatever they are called), in flip flops & shorts whilst riding it only on the back wheel, on 1 foot peg, on the wrong side of the road coming straight at me whilst overtaking traffic at over 30mph, nobody seemed to be stopping him.

Although for just a brief moment I did think about swerving towards him

 

[Ian H]

If you're off-road on public rights of way it's probably still illegal.

 

[Drago]

If you're in any public place, regardless of ownership, it's illegal.

The risk of being caught is fairly low, but the consequences if you are will be fairly serious, including loss of the bike.

With so many legal ebikes about, or kits to produce a quasi-legal bike, I can't think why you would want to bother.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

OK you can have a throttle as long as it is pre 2016 after that date it will be classed as an illegal bike, but it still must be no more than 250 watts
My etrike is pre 2016 and I have never been stopped or asked to prove it.

Bit pedantic - but if it has a throttle then to be legal it has to comply with ALL the pre-2016 regs to be legal

which includes a max motor power of 200W - not the current 250W
I used to have a pre 2016 ebike and the throttle was a "nice to have" at times but the power differential was noticeable!

as has been said before - chances of anyone stopping you for it are remote and if they stop you for something else then the chances of the copper knowing teh regs well enough to check your bike are also remote
Of course, if they find you doing 40 on a flat road into a head wind while not pedalling then it is rather a slam dunk!

Thing is - if they do specific checks then it is likely to be on a route when a lot of escooter and ebikes are known to be at that time.
Which pretty much means a busy commuting route.
If you are avoiding these routes and riding sensibly then your chances of being stopped are even more remote - if they want to stop ebikes they would be better off concentrating on delivery riders whizzing around on 1000W machine in town centres
so - overall - it is illegal but the chances of getting caught are remote
Unless my moaning to MPs and counsellors has an effect - which it won't

 

[numbnuts]

Bit pedantic - but if it has a throttle then to be legal it has to comply with ALL the pre-2016 regs to be legal

which includes a max motor power of 200W - not the current 250W
I used to have a pre 2016 ebike and the throttle was a "nice to have" at times but the power differential was noticeable!

as has been said before - chances of anyone stopping you for it are remote and if they stop you for something else then the chances of the copper knowing teh regs well enough to check your bike are also remote
Of course, if they find you doing 40 on a flat road into a head wind while not pedalling then it is rather a slam dunk!

Thing is - if they do specific checks then it is likely to be on a route when a lot of escooter and ebikes are known to be at that time.
Which pretty much means a busy commuting route.
If you are avoiding these routes and riding sensibly then your chances of being stopped are even more remote - if they want to stop ebikes they would be better off concentrating on delivery riders whizzing around on 1000W machine in town centres
so - overall - it is illegal but the chances of getting caught are remote
Unless my moaning to MPs and counsellors has an effect - which it won't

NO IT DOES NOT how many times have I got to tell you people pre 2016 can HAVE a 250W motor as I have one
NOTE: If your electric bike has a throttle (this applies to FreeGo, Wisper and Juicy Bike) and you have already bought it before 1 January 2016 then you do not have to change anything. Your bike will still be legal.
https://ebike-centres.co.uk/2015/08/changes-to-electric-bike-throttle-rules-from-1-january-2016/

 

[Drago]

There's only one way to sort this.

 

[Mrs M]

Not worth riding an illegal bike IMO.
Would worry about having an accident and all that would entail.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
Sorry but I need to lock this thread, as the OP is illegal in the UK.