Illegal to own powerful ebike?

[Ykick]

@ 8m I really dig the handlebar mitts! Are those common in your area?

You know there are not many that use them, because it is not commonly offered at bike stores. Riding an ebike in -20 celciuis can give you frost bite even with gloves. I researched and found the concept of Pogies Bar Mitts. Found them on ebay from china. They are awesome for keeping my hands warm, best thing i have found so far.

Thanks my friend and again nice to see how and where you ride!

For several decades in USA we’ve had something called “Hippo Hands” for motorcycle riding in cold weather. I’ve used them extensively and they basically accomplish the same as your bar mitts.

Unfortunately for my bikes, I use Mirrcycle bar end mirrors and would need a particular velcro attachment arrangement to adapt something?

But that’s a great method to block cold air across extremities.

 

[WoodlandHills]

you seem to have strange cops in the US. if i've done nothing wrong, no need to behave subserviently.
they carry a gun. so what? shoot a biker? for god's sake we're not there yet. not where i live and not in sweden.
most cops know nothing about ebikes. and that's why they won't stop you and argue.
they won't confiscate your bike. why should they?
the only crime you would be accused of here in austria is riding an not registered moped/motorbike. as long as you have a driving license for motorbikes that's it. it could be that they fine you for riding an not-insured motorcylce - but as this is an insurance thing, they don't care a lot. as you're riding electric there is no vehicle engine tax or whatever you call it to be paid.
so most probably they'll give you a harsh warning, and let you go. or tell you to let it check at a state-approved vehicle licensing station. there they will check the bike and see if it's legal or how illegal it is.
that's it.
it's a totally different story if you cause an accident with ppl injured and it's based on the higher speed. if you cross an intersection on red and hit someone at 5km/h it won't matter as you can go 5km/h with a regular bike as well.
there are so many urban legends about that stuff. keep it cool

In America this is what's called White Privilege: more than one person of color has been shot for reacting during a traffic stop in a manner that was perceived as "threatening". Different people are permitted to get away with different manners and attitudes during interactions according to the officers feelings. "Yes, Sir" and "No, Sir" work a lot better than "You don't know what your talking about!!"............

 

[izeman]

that's why we banned weapons. if you don't have the risk to be shot you don't shoot first
but that would lead to a weapon good/bad discussion. sure it's best to always behave according to the situation. so if you are in a bad neighborhood better take double care.

 

[Swe]

I dont understand the complexity in this question, everything is available and you do answer your own question:

In this folder you have all the information you need to know:

http://www.snofed.se/media/88358_moped_klass_i_ii__och_elcykel.pdf

And to jump to the point:

Elcykel
En elcykel räknas som en cykel om den är konstruerad på följande sätt.
Elmotorn kopplas in när trycket på tramporna ökar, t. ex. för att underlätta
trampningen i uppförsbackar och i stark motvind. Motorn får endast
förstärka kraften från tramporna och får inte ge något krafttillskott
vid hastigheter över 25 km/tim. Motorns nettoeffekt får inte överstiga
250 watt.

There you go, so if it is off, then it is off. If it is on, then it needs to only assist you up to 25 km/h and no more, and only assist when you peddle. Engine nominal power can not be higher then 250. So in your case, if you get e.g. an adaptto controller you can make an on-road mode, with assit up to 25km/h and an offroad mode where it can be no limit.

Just a word of advice if you start flying down the woods in Sweden at high speeds and scare "pedestrians" and their dogs, it wont be long before they will ban that too. E.g. you are not allowed to drive your motocross in the woods so an ebike with similar power and possibility to destroy the land will not be tolerated for long...

Well I think you missunderstand anyway... I was not asking about when an e-bike is in legal mode or nog regarding speed and power. My question was can I somehow travel with my illegal bike but claim it is okay for the moment, since I am pedaling with motor off, only sitting still on the bike (if a cop confront me even if I dont ride, maybe just taking an ice cream in the sun on my bike...), only walking with it and so on, as I mentioned before.
So I don't want to start a discussion about what is legal or not regarding speed/power, but I still just have to say I think you are wrong about the rules. I have an Adaptto but it is still not legal when I limit to 250W, because it is the motors marked continious power that is the limit.

There is too much focus in this thread how you should behave to go under the radar :wink: Thats not what I asked.

 

[pomah]

Most electric motors dont have nominal power written on, even if they have, if you limit the power, you limit the power. Just like on a normal moped the power is limited, with either a bigger chain ring, or by the amount of air/exhaust that can enter/exit.

Lets play out your scenario, you eat ice cream with your bike next to you, the cops come to you and ask what type of bike it is, you tell them it is an ebike that goes 25 kph, the leave.

You get busted going 40 kph in a speed radar from the cops, you are in deep shit, you are riding an illegal road vehicle. They have evidence of you going that fast.

The see you riding your bike at 25 kph in a street they wont notice you, not unless you have a stealth frame or something similar, but even if they do they have no evidence of your bike going anything faster then you say it does, and if you limit it with your controller they cant prove it goes faster even if you let them ride it.

I commute to work on a throttle only ebike, in Gothenburg, going around 40 kph, I'm in a discussion now with the government about registring my bike as a moped class 1, being allowed to travel up to 45 kph in car lanes. If that goes through my next project will be to convert an old honda mt5 into a electric moped and do the same thing. But untill then I travel using an illegal vehicle, and if I crash into someone the consequence will not be good...

Here is e.g. a supplier doing this exact thing: http://www.vectorebike.com/bikes/lightning-2000w.html