Speed Pedelec successfully registered with DVLA (Riese & Muller Cruiser HS Vario)

manmikey

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2017
11
18
58
Norfolk
The Process for a new build 45Kmh/28mph Speed Pedelec EAPC Bicycle.

For this process you need a type approved bicycle that comes with a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) your bike will be registered under vehicle classification L1e-B (basically a Moped)

Shout out to Jamie at the Cambridge Electric Bike Shop who patiently wentthrough this process with me over a period of 3 months.

Apply for a “New Vehicle Import Pack” from the DVLA
This pack will contain:
Form V55/4 “Application for first vehicle tax and registration of a new motor vehicle”
Form V267 “Declaration that a Vehicle is new”
Plus various guidance leaflets.
A leaflet in the pack will tell you to complete NOVA (Notice of Vehicle Arrival) registration with HMRC. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY despite what the DVLA and HMRC helplines may say an electric vehicle of 7.2Kw or less is not required to register NOVA. Their own websites clearly state this!

Most of the technical information required to fill in V55/4 is taken from the CoC. Other information is personal details Name, address etc.

V267 required details such as chassis number, CoC number, name and address of person or business that imported the vehicle.


Now you return the forms
plus supporting documents to the DVLA as follows:
Covering Letter explaining what it is you are doing. (optional but highly recommended)
Original completed form V55/4
Original completed form V267
Evidence of type approval. This must be the original CoC.
Evidence of the date you collected the vehicle and how it was brought into the country. I used the manufacturers delivery note to the dealer I purchased the bike from.
Copies of documents confirming your name and address. I used a photocopy of my driving licence.
A cheque of £55 to pay the first registration fee.
The vehicle is £Zero rated so there is no need to send further cheque for Road Tax.
Post all this to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BE.

If there are no problems then some time later (2-4 weeks) you will receive a V5 registration document and your bike will be taxed for the first year.

Problems I experienced

The DVLA returned my initial application stating that it was not necessary to register an ebike in the UK, I had to return my application with a new covering letter explaining why they were wrong in this case.

The DVLA discovered the chassis number was already registered in Belgium! Long story short, my bike was returned to manufacturer and a replacement built!


Now……. you can enjoy your 28mph Ebike

Notes.
Insure the bike, choice is extremely limited and expensive, I ended up paying around £300 fully comprehensive (MCE or Bikesure were the only realistic options) , unfortunately as I only have car insurance my NCD didn’t apply to bike insurance.

You also need a CBT licence unless you have a full UK driving licence from prior to 2001.
You will need to fit a rear motorcycle number plate.

You’ll need a motorcycle helmet, not ideal so search around for something with appropriated specs that is designed for a Speed Pedelec ~ ventilation is essential~ they are out there, but I’m not suggesting or recommending anything as your safety is your responsibility.

Remember this is a moped you cant ride in bike lanes or shared paths.

It will need an MOT after 3 years, there are notes on the DVLA website that will help when the time comes.

Things your bike must have…A Headlight, A horn, A rear light, brake light and number plate light, a number plate and rear view mirror.

My experience is only for a 28mph EAPC, new, type approved bicycle, there are other processes for other types of ebike that I know nothing about.

I hope this helps explain this process to anyone interested in doing this. My commute is 7 miles each way on roads, no cycle paths so it was any easy choice, if I had a decent cycle path to work I would not have gone the Speed Pedelec route. Having done that commute for 2 years on a normal ebike I grew frustrated with the bike controlling my speed (15.5mph) rather than me deciding how fast is appropriate. The Speed Pedelec is a joy to ride, I cruise around 20mph with 23-25mph easily possible if I’m going for it. Over 25mph is too much really as wind resistance and road conditions start to play a disproportionate part on the pleasure.

The bike is a Riese & Muller HS Cruiser Vario, the quality of this machine is unlike anything i have ever experienced in my 50 years of cycling, it is a joy to ride :)
IMG_20200405_141555.jpg

MIke
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
The Process for a new build 45Kmh/28mph Speed Pedelec EAPC Bicycle.

For this process you need a type approved bicycle that comes with a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) your bike will be registered under vehicle classification L1e-B (basically a Moped)

Shout out to Jamie at the Cambridge Electric Bike Shop who patiently wentthrough this process with me over a period of 3 months.

Apply for a “New Vehicle Import Pack” from the DVLA
This pack will contain:
Form V55/4 “Application for first vehicle tax and registration of a new motor vehicle”
Form V267 “Declaration that a Vehicle is new”
Plus various guidance leaflets.
A leaflet in the pack will tell you to complete NOVA (Notice of Vehicle Arrival) registration with HMRC. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY despite what the DVLA and HMRC helplines may say an electric vehicle of 7.2Kw or less is not required to register NOVA. Their own websites clearly state this!

Most of the technical information required to fill in V55/4 is taken from the CoC. Other information is personal details Name, address etc.

V267 required details such as chassis number, CoC number, name and address of person or business that imported the vehicle.


Now you return the forms
plus supporting documents to the DVLA as follows:
Covering Letter explaining what it is you are doing. (optional but highly recommended)
Original completed form V55/4
Original completed form V267
Evidence of type approval. This must be the original CoC.
Evidence of the date you collected the vehicle and how it was brought into the country. I used the manufacturers delivery note to the dealer I purchased the bike from.
Copies of documents confirming your name and address. I used a photocopy of my driving licence.
A cheque of £55 to pay the first registration fee.
The vehicle is £Zero rated so there is no need to send further cheque for Road Tax.
Post all this to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BE.

If there are no problems then some time later (2-4 weeks) you will receive a V5 registration document and your bike will be taxed for the first year.

Problems I experienced

The DVLA returned my initial application stating that it was not necessary to register an ebike in the UK, I had to return my application with a new covering letter explaining why they were wrong in this case.

The DVLA discovered the chassis number was already registered in Belgium! Long story short, my bike was returned to manufacturer and a replacement built!


Now……. you can enjoy your 28mph Ebike

Notes.
Insure the bike, choice is extremely limited and expensive, I ended up paying around £300 fully comprehensive (MCE or Bikesure were the only realistic options) , unfortunately as I only have car insurance my NCD didn’t apply to bike insurance.

You also need a CBT licence unless you have a full UK driving licence from prior to 2001.
You will need to fit a rear motorcycle number plate.

You’ll need a motorcycle helmet, not ideal so search around for something with appropriated specs that is designed for a Speed Pedelec ~ ventilation is essential~ they are out there, but I’m not suggesting or recommending anything as your safety is your responsibility.

Remember this is a moped you cant ride in bike lanes or shared paths.

It will need an MOT after 3 years, there are notes on the DVLA website that will help when the time comes.

Things your bike must have…A Headlight, A horn, A rear light, brake light and number plate light, a number plate and rear view mirror.

My experience is only for a 28mph EAPC, new, type approved bicycle, there are other processes for other types of ebike that I know nothing about.

I hope this helps explain this process to anyone interested in doing this. My commute is 7 miles each way on roads, no cycle paths so it was any easy choice, if I had a decent cycle path to work I would not have gone the Speed Pedelec route. Having done that commute for 2 years on a normal ebike I grew frustrated with the bike controlling my speed (15.5mph) rather than me deciding how fast is appropriate. The Speed Pedelec is a joy to ride, I cruise around 20mph with 23-25mph easily possible if I’m going for it. Over 25mph is too much really as wind resistance and road conditions start to play a disproportionate part on the pleasure.

The bike is a Riese & Muller HS Cruiser Vario, the quality of this machine is unlike anything i have ever experienced in my 50 years of cycling, it is a joy to ride :)
View attachment 36170

MIke
Thanks for the comprehensive post of all that is necessary Mike, we knew it was a complex process with some obstructions and you've confirmed that to be the case. It doesn't help that the authorities themselves all too often don't fully understand the law as well as we do and as your experiences show.

Insurance will continue to be a problem unless and until there's enough of these on the road to make them normal.

One small point, the CBT hinge point for necessity is 1st February 2001. Anyone who passed a car driving test in January 2001 or before is exempt.
.
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
60
West Sx RH
Or ride normal pedelecs at 18 - 20mph no one will bother you.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
60
West Sx RH
Registering an S- pedelecs just isn't worth it, The process should be a simple one where their use should be permitted along with other bikes using same paths etc, as long as the 15.5mph pedelecs speed isn't abused and save the higher speed for roads.
Wearing a motor cycle helmet is a joke as you can go downhill faster on a push bike using a normal bug catcher cycle helmet, whats the difference.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
60
West Sx RH
Also how to look a right plonk on an ebike with huge number plate and M/C helmet that's looks no different to another.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
Also how to look a right plonk on an ebike with huge number plate and M/C helmet that's looks no different to another.
Getting the MOT in 3 years time will be fun.
Not so unusual. When I joined the trade 70 years ago all our power assisted bikes had number plates rear and front like the one below. In addition they had road tax that had to be paid for and a FULL motorcycle driving licence was necessary, so what Mike faces now is easy in comparison.

Despite all that we ended up in the mid 1950s with over a million on the UK's roads, far more than we have legal pedelecs today.

Mike shouldn't find it a problem to get an MOT, the independent motorcycle dealers are an easy touch in that respect since they are used to all sorts of two wheeled oddities. Anything slow that's short of what they see as a real motorcycle they just nod through.


.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,971
6,292
my bike can go 35mph and been rolling round on it for the last 5 years and never been stopped. :p
 
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manmikey

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2017
11
18
58
Norfolk
Registering an S- pedelecs just isn't worth it, The process should be a simple one where their use should be permitted along with other bikes using same paths etc, as long as the 15.5mph pedelecs speed isn't abused and save the higher speed for roads.
Wearing a motor cycle helmet is a joke as you can go downhill faster on a push bike using a normal bug catcher cycle helmet, whats the difference.
I agree with your points , it should be easier to register and the helmet rule is indeed ridiculous, I have a helmet that meets the standards but is designed for speed pedelec so its not so bad.
 

manmikey

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2017
11
18
58
Norfolk
Or ride normal pedelecs at 18 - 20mph no one will bother you.
I wish I could but I am not able to do this do this do to a knee and back injury, I can only move a bike with electric assistance, so this is my choice of how to achieve that.
 
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01wellsd

Pedelecer
Apr 30, 2020
110
94
33
Bristol
I guarantee that you get a certain message at some point about "The extremely increased wear on the drive chain by using a Bosch mid drive. (Their single point of failure)"

I'm going to keep coming back to this thread, just to see it!


Very nice looking bike by the way, I love the brown tyres!
 

WheezyRider

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 20, 2020
1,632
907
Well done for getting through the process. I wonder how it would work if instead of taking a commercial product as you have and converted a normal bike to electric, say with a 750W motor? Or maybe if you built your own bike from scratch with no chassis number, CoC etc?
 

Gavin

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 11, 2020
316
179
I would imagine it would be just as easy as getting a kit car through the SVA test, i.e. a total bureaucratic nightmare!

The government are so short-sighted around s-pedelecs. They're absolutely perfect for the typical 10-20 mile commute that most people do in their cars.
 
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WheezyRider

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 20, 2020
1,632
907
I wish I could but I am not able to do this do this do to a knee and back injury, I can only move a bike with electric assistance, so this is my choice of how to achieve that.
I know how you feel. That's why I renovated a 20yr old Powabyke, with a twist and go.
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
The government are so short-sighted around s-pedelecs. They're absolutely perfect for the typical 10-20 mile commute that most people do in their cars.
You could say the world.

The 250 watt, 25 kph (15.5mph) is pretty much a world standard now with mainly the USA out of step in a very variable way with a mixture of different state laws.

And that is the trouble, governments tend to stay in line with a norm, especially in areas they know little about.

The other part of the problem is that Britain is an odd one out with sport biased higher cycling speeds on normal bikes, 20 mph riding and drop bars being commonplace. Most of the world cycles much more slowly, ambling around at 10 to 12 mph being widespread and drop bars a rarity or completely non existent.

It wasn't always this way, back in the 1950s and before we also rode at 12 mph or less and only some kids had drop bars to emulate racers.
.
 
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