E-Bikes to be registered and licensed?

[Danger Dassie]

It was an April fools joke. But sometimes some people stick with the fool part, by default or design.

[The Ouzo]

4 hours ago, Danger Dassie said:

It was an April fools joke. But sometimes some people stick with the fool part, by default or design.

I see some of the mainstream "news" publications were running with the story yesterday

(note news in quotes, we know how good our local journos are at verifying facts)

[ChrisF]

50 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

I see some of the mainstream "news" publications were running with the story yesterday

(note news in quotes, we know how good our local journos are at verifying facts)

 

People are getting their lines crossed ...

 

Joke - the price list for licenses ... 

 

FACT - An updated vehicle regulation was published in December.  The City of Cape Town has approached the regulator for clarity on sub paragraph (iv) -

- what is an "environmetally friendly vehicle" ?  Note there are already legally registered electric scooters.

- what drivers license is applicable to this new type of vehicle ?

 

 

 

 

In terms of cycling -

This should NOT impact on legal e-bikes, i.e. 250W, 25km/h speed assist.  This is a well established concept.

 

Policing derestricted ebikes ... worldwide problem with no easy answer.

[MORNE]

How many of you have seen these delivery ebikes on the N1 in the yellow lane? (In CT)

Something will be happening soon enough. They wont leave it free for all…and those e-delivery things will be the reason. Whether or not your R300k turbo Levo ends up as collateral will probably be an unfortunate secondary effect..unless you could prove you use it ‘offroad’ like a MX bike i guess? 

Edited Wednesday at 04:38 AM by MORNE

[rock]

should be simple - no throttle, no license.

 

[Pieterlab1]

11 minutes ago, rock said:

should be simple - no throttle, no license.

 

Exactly!

Thank You!

[GLuvsMtb]

11 hours ago, rock said:

should be simple - no throttle, no license.

 

Imagine every golf cart and mobility scooter applying for a license. The queue at the local municipal office would be longer than the one at home affairs or the SASSA queue.

[ChrisF]

6 hours ago, GLuvsMtb said:

Imagine every golf cart and mobility scooter applying for a license. The queue at the local municipal office would be longer than the one at home affairs or the SASSA queue.

 

Which is why the Regulations have a sub paragraph specifically for mobility scooters.

 

Golf carts are not used on roads, thus exempt.

 

These regulations are specifically aimed vehicles that use public roads.

[Mook]

20 hours ago, rock said:

should be simple - no throttle, no license.

 

Somebody will come up with the argument that the "throttle" is in actual fact a volume control 👻

[NotSoBigBen]

4 hours ago, Mook said:

Somebody will come up with the argument that the "throttle" is in actual fact a volume control 👻

😂 A bit off topic but it you arrive at a bike ride or race with a helpmytrap with a throttle you're a tchop .... Period!

Helpmytrappers come at me all you want

[ChrisF]

51 minutes ago, NotSoBigBen said:

😂 A bit off topic but it you arrive at a bike ride or race with a helpmytrap with a throttle you're a tchop .... Period!

Helpmytrappers come at me all you want

 

Oom is REG.

 

Help-my-trappers feels about throttle-riders like some amish riders feels about help-my-trappers ....

[Robbie Stewart]

I dunno hey, this new Levo G4 that Spez just launched has a pretty powerful motor producing 111Nm and 720W. That's pretty powerful and the touted top is 45kph...

[NotSoBigBen]

2 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I dunno hey, this new Levo G4 that Spez just launched has a pretty powerful motor producing 111Nm and 720W. That's pretty powerful and the touted top is 45kph...

But but but it's 'just a bicycle' 😜

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I dunno hey, this new Levo G4 that Spez just launched has a pretty powerful motor producing 111Nm and 720W. That's pretty powerful and the touted top is 45kph...

 

Sadly MANY e-bikes, help-my-trap non-throttle versions, available that can reach stupid speeds .... with crappy bicycle brakes.

 

Plonk a 2k chip onto a R30k Darrvin ebike and it will assist up to 64km/h ..... sure, you would need a drastic change in gearing .... and that with 1-pot Tektro brakes that dont even work properly at 20km/h.

 

Let's not kid ourselves .... FastnFurious was a hit because it is engrained into our DNA.  Thankfully a small percentage that goes full ape with all the mods.

[Robbie Stewart]

11 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Plonk a 2k chip onto a R30k Darrvin ebike and it will assist up to 64km/h ..... sure, you would need a drastic change in gearing .... and that with 1-pot Tektro brakes that dont even work properly at 20km/h.

Sure, but that isn't confined to e-bikes only. Many top manufacturers sell with low end components like wheels and brakes, which to my mind should be where the money should really be spent. My Stumpy Evo for instance came with the same rubbish wheels you find on a Kinevo and Levo SL eeb. Thankfully we have 4-pot brakes, but the point being that you need to spend extra anyway, and with Spez Roval entry level wheels that happens sooner than you want or expect.

But why does anyone need a e-mtb that can go that fast? There have been some recent crashes at Contermans for instance where people got badly hurt on the Rhino going fast. On normal Amish bikes. Now to add speed to the mix, but still have mediocre brakes and wheels is just asking for trouble. @MORNE  can elaborate about crashing on the Rhino at speed. There have been other incidents as well.

[DuncanDoughnuts]

2 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I dunno hey, this new Levo G4 that Spez just launched has a pretty powerful motor producing 111Nm and 720W. That's pretty powerful and the touted top is 45kph...

Only in the US Rest of the works remains at the normal cut off.