E-Bikes to be registered and licensed?

[MORNE]

  On 4/10/2025 at 12:38 PM, Robbie Stewart said:

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.

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Thanks, now everyone knows what i know…that im average at best😁

But someone else said something this week that resonated with me after my crash, you cant ded this hard riding slow steep tech….but going mach3 on a flow trail ( where most e-bikes live) and crashing will almost always result in serious injury.
 

Tangent - more proof that if you feel a trail is too easy…go faster, because the consequences will grow exponentially.

 

[MORNE]

Then there are guys riding around tygerberm on 2KW modified e-bikes that can quite literally wheelspin aeay from a stop and they are proud to tell/and show you too. 

[Robbie Stewart]

  On 4/10/2025 at 1:39 PM, MORNE said:

Thanks, now everyone knows what i know…that im average at best😁

But someone else said something this week that resonated with me after my crash, you cant ded this hard riding slow steep tech….but going mach3 on a flow trail ( where most e-bikes live) and crashing will almost always result in serious injury.
 

Tangent - more proof that if you feel a trail is too easy…go faster, because the consequences will grow exponentially.

 

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Rode Hellsend last weekend. That flow line middle section is F A S T ! ! ! and not really all that difficult. Nothing out of the oridinary if you ride the Hoogies Hammer from time to time yet I really had to check myself a few times and came close once or twice. I agree that speed is a "silent" villian more so than a techy trail is. With speed on a flow line you don't really notice the red line creeping up on you before it's too late and you're almost guaranteed a crash. I may have veered off-course into the bushes once or twice. 

[thebob]

  On 4/10/2025 at 1:37 PM, DuncanDoughnuts said:

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

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And power is limited to half of the maximum output so you have to trap hard to get there

[Theunissa]

  On 4/7/2025 at 12:45 PM, ChrisF said:

Bit of history -

June 2020 Gert already commented on the ongoing efforts by our fearless leaders to deal with the ever changing landscape of e-mobility.

SA may be getting new rules on what qualifies as a bicycle – with big implications for e-bikes - Gert Nel Inc Attorneys

 

Worth noting that only a few weeks earlier the "vehicle codes" were updated - see attached.

 

This new round of publicity is as a result of the 10 December 2024 Gazetted latest set of rules for motor vehicles.  Mostly it reads the same as the older set, but now sub-paragraph (iv) have been added, dealing with "environmentally friendly vehicles" that exceed 45km/h. - new rules also attached.

 

Side by side the two sets of rules read as follows -

 

 

PS - The term "Environmentally friendly vehicle" is not defined in this document.  It does seem to be associated with electric cars, or in this case electric motorcycles.  This create an opening for using an e-scooter limited to below 45km/h, as a non-motor vehicle, i.e. non registered.  (not that I would want to be in traffic on a scooter that cant keep up with the cars)

 

PPS - The concept of a law being promulgated in December, then only being discussed a few months later is sadly an all too common occurrence !!  We see this most every Building code that is published.  We see the draft copy, it goes quiet for months often years, then you hear is was promulgated a month or three earlier.

 

PPPS - The topic of licenses for bicycles comes up every so often.  To date this is not in line with the "motor vehicle" Regulations.  As such any such fees would be in the form of a By-law, for and by each City or province.

 

my problem is that this allows them to ride on the road as if a car. and i can see the death increasing. and the attitude of driving in the middle of the road

In summary - NOTHING has changed in terms of bicycles nor e-bikes.  Not in terms of national regulations.

 

Now the difference between National laws being promulgated, and each province or large city publishing their own By-laws is a whole different topic.  My google searches only shows the City of Cape Town reaching out the Regulator asking for clarity on the new motor vehicle code.  No mention of a CoCT By-law on this, not yet.

Vehicles - April 2020.pdf 9.68 MB · 0 downloads Gazette 10 December 2024.pdf 14.6 MB · 0 downloads

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[Theunissa]

  On 4/10/2025 at 9:22 AM, 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

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its not help my trap anymore. now its trap vir my

[FireFiend]

So whats the latest ?   Does this mean that they want us to register Ebikes and license them, get a license plate number like a motorbike?

Also get a Drivers license for Riding an Ebike ?   Guess that would entail Learners and a License Passing out as Ebike rider?   (or would it be falling part of  Code 8  like a Car license).  If they say you need a Motorbike learners and License, that does not make sense since an  Pedal bike is not a Motorbike.   (even in US they got it as  Ebike and Emoto)

 

To me it seems a bit silly in the sense that no ebike i know of has a chassis number or Engine VIN numberor registration number . Now you going to have to fit a license plate to it ?   What about rear signal indicators or what about Front indicators... or what about the headlight quality (normally ebikes have a headlight of some sort but still , i'm not sure is there a certain spec it must be.  )There's so many things that would be relevant if it needs to be registered and policed.

 

Then does that mean also you must ride in middle of the Lanes then? since it's no longer a bicycle it's a motor vehicle or motorbike.   So imagine having even on our residential roads and there's ebike doing 30-32km per hour ebike holding up a 60km per hour mid road cruise.    Remember some ebike are designed to go faster than 45km but.... it doesn't mean they can ride at that speed.  if the rider is say 120kg or 130kg... and going uphill.  You might even be cruising at 20km per hour uphill.

 

I think they are not thinking this whole thing through properly. I can understand if it's one of those 3000w power ebikes that can do 100km per hour with ease.   but majority of the Ebike are 500w , 750w and 1000w with very few going above 1200w.   Yes the 750w and 1000w might be capable of doing more than 45km per hour but that is flat terrain , ideal weather and with a rider that is 70-80kg in weight.  

 

Any thoughts are welcome.  If anyone has more info as to what and how this will work. Please share.

Edited April 13 by FireFiend

[ChrisF]

  On 4/13/2025 at 9:41 PM, FireFiend said:

So whats the latest ?   Does this mean that they want us to register Ebikes and license them, get a license plate number like a motorbike?

Also get a Drivers license for Riding an Ebike ?   Guess that would entail Learners and a License Passing out as Ebike rider?   (or would it be falling part of  Code 8  like a Car license).  If they say you need a Motorbike learners and License, that does not make sense since an  Pedal bike is not a Motorbike.   (even in US they got it as  Ebike and Emoto)

 

To me it seems a bit silly in the sense that no ebike i know of has a chassis number or Engine VIN numberor registration number . Now you going to have to fit a license plate to it ?   What about rear signal indicators or what about Front indicators... or what about the headlight quality (normally ebikes have a headlight of some sort but still , i'm not sure is there a certain spec it must be.  )There's so many things that would be relevant if it needs to be registered and policed.

 

Then does that mean also you must ride in middle of the Lanes then? since it's no longer a bicycle it's a motor vehicle or motorbike.   So imagine having even on our residential roads and there's ebike doing 30-32km per hour ebike holding up a 60km per hour mid road cruise.    Remember some ebike are designed to go faster than 45km but.... it doesn't mean they can ride at that speed.  if the rider is say 120kg or 130kg... and going uphill.  You might even be cruising at 20km per hour uphill.

 

I think they are not thinking this whole thing through properly. I can understand if it's one of those 3000w power ebikes that can do 100km per hour with ease.   but majority of the Ebike are 500w , 750w and 1000w with very few going above 1200w.   Yes the 750w and 1000w might be capable of doing more than 45km per hour but that is flat terrain , ideal weather and with a rider that is 70-80kg in weight.  

 

Any thoughts are welcome.  If anyone has more info as to what and how this will work. Please share.

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Exactly the reasons why the City of Cape Town has written to the Regulator, asking for clarity.

 

PS - e-bikes are in paragraph (ii), thus exempt.  The issue is paragraph (iv), though the same questions apply

[Zeffer]

I think this is for electric delivery bikes.

I see you can buy them now everywhere and they can reach over 100km/h

https://www.ewizz.co.za/fleet

[FireFiend]

  On 4/14/2025 at 5:09 AM, Zeffer said:

I think this is for electric delivery bikes.

I see you can buy them now everywhere and they can reach over 100km/h

https://www.ewizz.co.za/fleet

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Those Fleet bikes are Emoto's.  They don't have pedals at all. They would be classified as an motorbike or electric motorcycle  vs  If it had pedals you can pedal / cycle yourself on your own power or assisted by Electric power being  Electric Bicycles. 

 

Lets hope they get clarity on the Ebike and Faster ebikes.    The normal ebikes generally cruise around the 15km to 20km per hour.  then the higher end ebikes that have 750w or 1000w motors can do around 30km to 45km per hour. but again... in specific conditions.  If you are 120kg in weight and going uphill... your also going to ride at around 10-15km per hour if it's a 15 to 20degree incline.  

 

It should be thought of similar to like a car.  Your car could possibly do 200km per hour and some even 250km per hour.   It's not to say your going to drive at those speeds... nor that all cars are equal and can actually reach the 200km per hour.    

 

If they say 45km per hour. it would mean your ebike must be able to reach those speeds quick and constant .. even on uphill is my guess (average)  

Even the 500w or 750w ebike takes some time to get to 25km per hour... nevermind 45km. 

Edited April 14 by FireFiend