New legislation for E bikes in Northern Ireland

[johnnyb47]

Hi.
I've just been browsing the BBC news and it appears that NI are bringing in some new laws regarding E bikes. According to BBC news they must now be registered, taxed , and insured and to ride one you need to processes a motorbike licence. Has the government finally lost the plot. How on earth will they police this ludicrous plan. Will E bikes now have to display a licence plate ,so the boys in blue can identify illegal cyclists. Ironically this law is only going to enforced in Northern Ireland , but I bet it will some spread over to the mainland in time. I hope I have read the report wrong because I'm really against this.It will the start of things to come for all cyclists and not just E bike owners :~(.

 

[sight-pin]

• Just checking my calendar thinking it must April.
• I suppose in ten twenty years they won't be raking in vehicle tax for petrol/diesel, full tax for electric cars in the not too distant future one would suspect.

Edit: Where did that dot come from?

 

[johnnyb47]

I had to read it over twice ,thinking that it may of been a joke.

 

[steverob]

Even better, until they change the law in NI, to ride an e-bike there it is mandatory to wear a crash helmet - not just an ordinary cycle helmet, but a full-on motorbike style one! Imagine the debate THAT would cause on the helmets thread on here...

 

[User169]

Even better, until they change the law in NI, to ride an e-bike there it is mandatory to wear a crash helmet - not just an ordinary cycle helmet, but a full-on motorbike style one! Imagine the debate THAT would cause on the helmets thread on here...

Er. The same situation applies in the U.K., if anything U.K. law is more stringent.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

It's not new, we didn't get it when the mainland did in 2015 or so as transport law is devolved.

With our comedians on the hill on their summer break since February the legislation to bring this backward dinosaur of an island into line won't be "in" any time soon. Until then E-bikes require registering/VED/Insurance and a motorcycle licence - therefore the motorcycle helmet rules apply as does the applicable licence category.

 

[Drago]

To be fair, a noteworthy amount of the ebikes on the roads are closer to mopeds or even motorcycles with their performance. I can't see it being too long before some kind of clamp down happens over here.

 

[sight-pin]

They'll have upgrade the speed limitations from 15.5 mph, my leccy bike insurance was £177 and that doesn't cover any extras.
cheaper if i had a moped i would think?

 

[Profpointy]

I'm not sure that e-bikes should have a special exemption whilst (low powered only) petrol mopeds have essentially been legislated away. A traditional French style velo is much the same as an ebike and should arguably come under the same kind of light-touch regulations or outright exemption

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Will be a point were speeds achieveable vs battery weight vs distance require more legislating imo

 

[Drago]

cheaper if i had a moped i would think?

Last time my 140MPH VMax was on the road it cost barely half that to insure.

In fact, you're paying £45 more than my fully comp car insurance, and that price includes legal cover and NCD protection.

 

[raleighnut]

Last time my 140MPH VMax was on the road it cost barely half that to insure.

In fact, you're paying £45 more than my fully comp car insurance, and that price includes legal cover and NCD protection.

Take the restrictor off and they'll do around 170.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Last time my 140MPH VMax was on the road it cost barely half that to insure.

In fact, you're paying £35 more than my fully comp car insurance, and that price includes legal cover and NCD protection.

Take the restrictor off and they'll do around 170.

33HP wee plate on throttle

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

[QUOTE 4911706, member: 45"]They race electric motorbikes at the TT, so I'd guess we're well past that point.[/QUOTE]
Uhh yeah, the thread refers to e-bicycles

 

[Cuchilo]

I thought all this stuff worked on BHP not HP . Not that i care that much .