Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I see that the National Parks are trying to get the Government to re-classify eBikes as motorcycles in an attempt to get them banned from footpaths, bridleways and open access land.

Article in today's Sunday Times; unable to post the link unfortunately.

I’m not sure I’m against the idea to be honest.
Silent but probably faster than anything else using the routes has to end in tears at some point.
Was always going to be inevitable.

PaulinBont wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:31 pm I see that the National Parks are trying to get the Government to re-classify eBikes as motorcycles in an attempt to get them banned from footpaths, bridleways and open access land.

Article in today's Sunday Times; unable to post the link unfortunately.

What do they mean by 'ebikes'........
Pedelecs, S Class Pedelecs, or electric motorcycles ?

DavidS wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:35 pm I’m not sure I’m against the idea to be honest.
Silent but probably faster than anything else using the routes has to end in tears at some point.
Was always going to be inevitable.

Legal pedelecs aren't fast at all, the motor cuts out at 15.5 mph.

You can pass as many Laws as you like but if there is no resources to enforce then what is the point.
Last week whilst driving an hgv along the A14 I struggled to overtake a small motorbike which turned out to be a mini moto with no numberplate being ridden by a chav in a woolly hat-wtf .

Zookman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 3:39 pm

PaulinBont wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:31 pm I see that the National Parks are trying to get the Government to re-classify eBikes as motorcycles in an attempt to get them banned from footpaths, bridleways and open access land.

Article in today's Sunday Times; unable to post the link unfortunately.

What do they mean by 'ebikes'........
Pedelecs, S Class Pedelecs, or electric motorcycles ?

Battery-powered bicycles- which at the moment are limited to 15mph by law.

PaulinBont wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:26 pm

Zookman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 3:39 pm

PaulinBont wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:31 pm I see that the National Parks are trying to get the Government to re-classify eBikes as motorcycles in an attempt to get them banned from footpaths, bridleways and open access land.

Article in today's Sunday Times; unable to post the link unfortunately.

What do they mean by 'ebikes'........
Pedelecs, S Class Pedelecs, or electric motorcycles ?

Battery-powered bicycles- which at the moment are limited to 15mph by law.

They have no chance of this when the motor cut off speed is this low.
Someone has probably thought this up, due to illegal ebikes riding there.

Zookman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 3:41 pm

DavidS wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:35 pm I’m not sure I’m against the idea to be honest.
Silent but probably faster than anything else using the routes has to end in tears at some point.
Was always going to be inevitable.

Legal pedelecs aren't fast at all, the motor cuts out at 15.5 mph.

But that could be 15mph uphill, presumably, which no-one would be expecting. Not so bad in big open spaces but our narrow hedge lined footpaths aren’t wide enough for silent speed differences...probably safer with an engine to hear coming. That said, when we do horse trials, you can sit 6” behind people and they have no idea you’re there.
It’s a shame where it lets less mobile people get access but any powered assistance is going to fall into the antis hands.

if a 15mph cycle is to be regarded as threat what threat is 500kgs of horse and rider with usually a fraction of the control of a bike , but they would be reluctant to take on the well connected horsey lobby , where as they would tend to regard offload cyclists as plebs.

Pint Master wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:19 pm if a 15mph cycle is to be regarded as threat what threat is 500kgs of horse and rider with usually a fraction of the control of a bike , but they would be reluctant to take on the well connected horsey lobby , where as they would tend to regard offload cyclists as plebs.

Exactly.
Had a huge fright from a scared and loose very big cross country horse running at me at a horse trial on Sunday after it tipped it’s rider off and snagged in some course rope.
I’d rather it had been an electric bike.