Electric Bicycle Laws

[GoingDHfast]

Hi guys,

Long time no post!

I am now working for a company who are beginning to import electric bicycles and I thought this might be a good place to do some research.

I have been asked to investigate the relevant state and national laws regarding licensing and sale of electric bikes. The bikes are essentially just normal mountain bikes with a battery pack and electric motor in the rear hub.

Any info you can share regarding relevant laws in your state would be great. We have heard the rules may be changing in NSW? In victoria (where we are) it is legal to ride them without a motorcycle license, but an electric motorcycle (with no pedals and a more powerful engine) needs a motorcycle license. So is there a maximum wattage applicable before a push-bike needs a license?

Any help or links would be great, cheers.

 

[Regan of Gong]

I think in NSW there's laws against petrol engines on anything (bikes, scooters) but I'm not sure about electric motors. Check the RTA or other state road governing bodies.

 

[LaWrEnCe]

Hey GoingDHFast,

just wondering which company you work for that are importing electric bikes??? sounds interesting.


Lawrence

 

[slip]

I thought this might be a good place to do some research.

AND

I have been asked to investigate the relevant state and national laws regarding licensing and sale of electric bikes.

I've had to go and run a car yard in NSW after working in the QLD branch, so have had some experience in this.

1. If one of my employees thought that farkin.net was a good place to research legal matters, I'd probably give them the sack.

2. Unless you get linked to the actual state laws regarding this exact issue, any info you get here will be second hand at best.

3. When you look at the actual legislation, you may find there are some loopholes regarding the definition of a motorised vehicle. Being electric you may be able to get around certain things. It's a possibility, may take some digging.

4. Read everything about 10 times, you need to understand it to the point where you could teach a random person on the street the legalities off the top of your head. I found that reading hard copy (on paper) was much more effective, might just be me.

 

[Customjimmy]

200 watts of power output

Both petrol and electric bicycles are limited to 200watts in NSW.

I don't know how up to date these other state laws are but the links will still be valid.

 

[Dozer]

I've had to go and run a car yard in NSW after working in the QLD branch, so have had some experience in this.

1. If one of my employees thought that farkin.net was a good place to research legal matters, I'd probably give them the sack.

2. Unless you get linked to the actual state laws regarding this exact issue, any info you get here will be second hand at best.

Hang on a minute.
This website has some very appropriate people to help out with such research. Do you think farkin is full of teenagers who talk constant garbage about MTB topics? I bet you'd find out just about anything related to bicycles by doing your research on here before you could get it from a car yard.

On topic, give the RTA site a thorough check as linked previously, that'll sort it out.

 

[Techno Destructo]

1. If one of my employees thought that farkin.net was a good place to research legal matters, I'd probably give them the sack.

Ahem. Like Dozer said, that's a bit insulting.

There are thousands of regular users on Farkin, and a VERY large proportion of them are tertiary educated adults who work as physicians, programmers, scientists and even, amazingly... lawyers!

Considering that this website is all about bicycles, and the largest (by a huge margin) in Australia, I don't think it's such a bad place to use for research. Please think before you post such misinformed opinions, please.

 

[scblack]

I've had to go and run a car yard in NSW after working in the QLD branch, so have had some experience in this.

1. If one of my employees thought that farkin.net was a good place to research legal matters, I'd probably give them the sack.

Several others have now had a go at this dumb comment.

Imagine Bike website users (Farkin) being able to provide advice on Bike laws - what a silly concept.

You work at a second hand car yard for fark's sake. What has that got to do with a question about electric bicycles?

Its a standard generalisation that the shonkiest person is a used car dealer - I'll take your post in that vein shall I?

 

[alchemist]

Don't forget there are other things to look at besides the power ratings. A few other things to consider:

• AS/NZS 1927:1998 Pedal Bicycle Safety requirements
  [*]
  A whole raft of Standards on batteries and chargers​
  [*]
  Patents​

 

[johnny]

I am looking at importing the same thing from China in a year or two.

My bikes are better than yours.

 

[alchemist]

I am looking at importing the same thing from China in a year or two.

My bikes are better than yours.

Any colour you like as long as it's red? Custom Chairman Mao stem caps?

 

[GoingDHfast]

Thanks for all the positive feedback guys, thats helped a lot. Has anyone heard or read anything about the laws changing in NSW relating to these bikes?

Good luck to you Johnny, if you are serious about importing. We have made many trips to Asia and imported many samples before finally deciding on a product worthy of our name - so be careful! Given all the relevant growth drivers (congestion, oil, cost of living etc.) I certainly can't see demand decreasing any time soon.

 

[johnny]

Yeah, I'm in China now and these bikes here are everywhere and I see some that are really quite old and still going. I can see them working in several Aust. cities, but I can also see the laws changing after popularity (hopefuly) increases and some 12 year old goes under a truck or something.

I think that means that over-investment in the idea is a possible danger. It's a new product in Australia, meaning there could well be some unforeseen outcomes down the track.