Why ebikes need insurance and basic lisencing | GTAMotorcycle.com

Why ebikes need insurance and basic lisencing

sense of responsibility comes from parents
cannot be legislated

LE of existing rules of the road for all cyclists would be a good place to start
don't need anything new
 
Just add enforcement and the issue will decrease.

The police just need to make an example out of bunch of eBike riders in the city, ticketing them with no plates/no insurance (for those who remove the pedals and bypass the limits like this guy) as well as nailing people who simply think the HTA doesn't apply to them, and it'll put scare into people and at least partially resolve the issue.

Licensing (at the bare minimum) is certainly not a bad idea though in addition - these things SHOULD have plates that people can get when their riders are operating like tools.
 
Some other stuff has been covered in:

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?202578-E-bike-driver-licencing

However the insurance is another issue.

Picture yourself as an underwriter trying to set a rate

E biker "How much for insurance?"

UW " Do you have a licence?

EB "No"

UW "Any training"

EB "No"

UW "Are there rules to follow?"

EB "Maybe but I don't know them"

UW "Do you have a safety certificate?"

EB "Don't need one and there probably aren't any standards anyway."

UW "To estimate the potential impact damage I need to know the weigh and speed. Numbers please?"

EB "Maybe 500 pounds all up and the speed governor is heh heh broken so maybe 65 kph"

UW "I'll call facility. I don't handle policies over $15K"

If a responsible E biker wanted insurance can they get it?

I was under the impression the vehicle had to be registered. Also the rate is based on the make / model and the insurers probably don't have any lists.

Some non-house devices are covered by a homeowner policy. Power lawn mowers, bicycles and small boats under 20 HP for example. I don't know if e-bikes are covered or if the insurance industry has studied the implications.

A DUI rider wouldn't be covered as they are committing a criminal act and insurance policies don't cover criminal acts.

One issue is the fence straddling of is it a motorized vehicle or not?

If you can ride a motorized wheelchair through a mall why not an E-bike?

This whole thing is like nailing jello to a wall.

BTW I was at a Home Depot and thought I saw a Honda Ruckus parked. I ended up talking to the owner but it wasn't a Ruckus but rather an E-bike. The owner spent a bundle on higher output batteries and bypassed the governor. Decent range and performance. All illegal but so what.
 
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i wonder if it's possible to legally describe what a a bicycle with a motor is, vs. a scooter with pedals.

i assume the concept of an e-bike (legally speaking) was for the former, but the rules written how they are, allowed for the latter.

I really don't know.
 
Thank you Liberal gov't and your green initiatives. Your the best.

It really wont be long till some high school engineering candidates gets one of these 'loophole' ebikes doing 120. A zero or victory will end up in the scrapyard and the engine swap will happen. An instant torque , 120km, dangwoo e-bike will emerge from a shed
 
Great ad lol
I know a guy who knows a guy.....
I know there is a lot of ebike hate here, but I would seriously consider one for my commute. Too short for my Shadow (take longer to warm up and gear up than riding), too long (for me) to cycle.
Will wait for used ones and see what happens.

sent from my Purple LGG4 on the GTAM app
 
Cars are licensed and insured. That does not stop drivers from doing stupid mods like stinger bumpers. I am all for improving safety but licensing will be botched and insurance will be a cash grab.
 
Joe Bass said:
(take longer to warm up and gear up than riding)
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Why less gear required on an ebike than the motorbike? You aren't going much faster on the big bike. Not judging, just an interesting thought.

On a bicycle, the amount of gear you wear is limited by your need to get rid of heat, on an ebike you are just sitting there so there is no reason not to wear full gear.

I agree, ebikes can make an awesome commuter vehicle. It's a shame that they have become so prevalent amongst the ahole crowd. I still stay the ebike regs should be modified to require any ebike sold in canada to be timed while pedalling through a course. You must beat a time to be qualified as an ebike, otherwise it must be sold as a LSM. That would instantly remove the majority of scooter/motorcycle bikes with 3" cranks that couldn't possibly be pedalled 10'.

As for the original Kijiji ad, I doubt you can get 120 out of an ebike without changing the motor (and batteries and controller). That is a pretty big jump from the 35 km/h limit stock. Even if there is a limiter making it slower, you are talking about 4x the motor rpm, you probably need one wound for higher speed (and more power) to get there. 500 watts is not going to get you 120 (unless you covert it into a faired recumbent).
 
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PrivatePilot said:
Just add enforcement and the issue will decrease.

The police just need to make an example out of bunch of eBike riders in the city, ticketing them with no plates/no insurance (for those who remove the pedals and bypass the limits like this guy) as well as nailing people who simply think the HTA doesn't apply to them, and it'll put scare into people and at least partially resolve the issue.
Click to expand...

I agree, same goes for distracted driving. Just enforce the laws, otherwise they're just useless.
 
@GreyGhost I would think that due to the limited speed, I wouldn't wear as much gear, akin to a bicycle. But keep in mind that I have never been ATGATT. More SOTGMOTT (some of the gear most of the time)

sent from my Purple LGG4 on the GTAM app
 
I was considering one when i wasnt able to ride earlier this year due to an injury. I decided not to go that route and took part in making fun of the ones i kept seeing in my neighbourhood that were holding up the traffic telling wifey "You know, i could be THAT guy" lol

But in all seriousness, this thing evolved from a bicycle powered by an electric aide to a scooter being modded down with a less efficient electric motor. The latter shouldn't exist in the ebike category, but in the scooter category. They just call it ebike to exploit the "loophole" but we all see it as a freaking scooter. And about the grom replicas... real cool looking, and prolly a nice little getting around commuter for around town, but also should be at minimum scooter license. Worst case scenario make them all unlocked past 32kph but then ensure theyre plated and have passed a course of some sort.

Otherwise you need the electric0-aide bicycle.
 
The one posted in the ad is too fast to be legal stock. I passed one doing 60km/h in an 80 zone last week.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
LePhillou said:
I was considering one when i wasnt able to ride earlier this year due to an injury. I decided not to go that route and took part in making fun of the ones i kept seeing in my neighbourhood that were holding up the traffic telling wifey "You know, i could be THAT guy" lol...snip..............

.
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I had one for a summer a few years ago when I lived in the city
was very handy to run out for quick errands
or to meet friends for dinner and could have a few beers and not worry about getting home

sold it when I left to go back overseas, but it was really handy and range was very good
 
JavaFan said:
I had one for a summer a few years ago when I lived in the city
was very handy to run out for quick errands
or to meet friends for dinner and could have a few beers and not worry about getting home

sold it when I left to go back overseas, but it was really handy and range was very good
Click to expand...

If I have it right you could lose your licence even while driving a vehicle that doesn't require one.

Less obvious and therefore less likely to get pulled over though. Most E-bike riders drive like drunks.
 
nobbie48 said:
If I have it right you could lose your licence even while driving a vehicle that doesn't require one.

Less obvious and therefore less likely to get pulled over though. Most E-bike riders drive like drunks.
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3 beers over 3 or 4 hours and a meal thrown in I would never be over .08

but I have a policy of zero with the car or bike

was expecting someone to accuse me of drinking and driving, didn't take long
 
I could see having one to zip to CTC , or the grocery for a couple things, but the dumdums riding them render it impossible for me to seriously consider. I'd have to wear one of those cones of shame like my dog so I didnt try to lick my own balls, I assume thats how these tools roll.
 
Was running along side one on Richmond today. It was almost as big as a maxi scooter, definitely bigger than a Vespa and marginally smaller than my 600. He got ahead when traffic got thick....by running in the bicycle lane.
 
I don't want to see more laws that we have to pay to enforce. I don't have a problem with ebike riders. They don't bother me. You might as well include bicycle riders, but no thanks. We need less bureaucracy, not more.
 
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