making our bikes legal for France

[cazza]

Hi all

We are off to France to work for the summer shortly and are looking forward to taking our e-bikes, but, I have found out by lurking on this site and reading anything and everything relevant that our bikes are illegal on mainland europe

We have pedal assist and separate throttle control, but I really don't want to fall foul of the law!
So are practising getting off sharpish and removing the ignition key and swallowing it LOL

Any suggestions as to how to maybe isolate the throttle without too much messing about, or just not bother and hope against hope we don't come up against some officious gendarme!

And if we did, would it be an on the spot fine and confiscation!!!!????

Carol

 

[Alex728]

I don't know the exact level of French traffic enforcement, but I would have thought provided your bikes are not vastly overpowered (beyond 20mph without pedalling), and that you obey traffic laws and ride sensibly the authorities there would be extremely unlikely to even take notice.

Especially if you are a middle aged couple who aren't in the profile for anti-social riding or traffic violations..

 

[eddieo]

We use our Wispers in Europe all the time on our motorhome holidays, I dont think you need to worry one little bit.

Also EU regs are I think, that if something is legal in your own country (trailer A frame towing for instance) and you are only temporally using abroad, and not permanently importing? everything is fine.......

 

[funkylyn]

Eddieo is right about that......you are not importing, just using your uk legal bikes so please dont worry

 

[cazza]

Thanks for that everyone, yes we are getting into our senior years, so will not be exceeding the 15mph governed limit whilst under power, or doing anything likely to bring us to the attention of the local gendarmerie.

carol

 

[lectureral]

I live in France and I can assure you, the gendarmes won't be giving you grief about your electric bikes - I have been stopped once, but only because the gendarme in question wanted to ask me about the bike as he was thinking of buying one himself.

 

[morphix]

Hi all

We are off to France to work for the summer shortly and are looking forward to taking our e-bikes, but, I have found out by lurking on this site and reading anything and everything relevant that our bikes are illegal on mainland europe

We have pedal assist and separate throttle control, but I really don't want to fall foul of the law!
So are practising getting off sharpish and removing the ignition key and swallowing it LOL

Any suggestions as to how to maybe isolate the throttle without too much messing about, or just not bother and hope against hope we don't come up against some officious gendarme!

And if we did, would it be an on the spot fine and confiscation!!!!????

Carol

Why not either remove the throttle if you're paranoid or just disconnect it for the trip. I doubt the police would do anything as long as you don't use it, even if it is connected.