In Victoria, numerous e-bike owners have faced fines due to riding overpowered and illegal bikes. The police recently revealed that during Operation Consider, which commenced last month, they issued penalties to 275 individuals using e-bikes, bicycles, and petrol scooters across the state. Alarmingly, 52% of the e-bikes stopped by officers were classified as overpowered, categorising them as unregistered vehicles.
According to traffic regulations, an e-bike is deemed overpowered if its motor exceeds 250 watts for pedal-assisted models or 200 watts for throttle-activated ones, or if it can reach speeds beyond 25 km/h. Such e-bikes are treated as motorcycles and are thus subject to more rigorous legal requirements, including registration and licensing. Riders of these non-compliant e-bikes may receive fines up to $1,018.
Aside from overpowered vehicles, law enforcement also issued fines for various other infractions, including not wearing helmets, riding on footpaths, neglecting to stop at traffic signals, and using mobile phones while biking.
Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir emphasised the importance of understanding the rules related to e-bikes. He pointed out that it is the rider’s responsibility to ensure their bike adheres to the power and speed limits and to observe all applicable road regulations, which include wearing helmets, refraining from mobile phone use, utilising bicycle lanes, and obeying traffic lights.
With the school holidays approaching next week, police have announced plans to continue enforcing e-bike regulations actively. This campaign serves as a reminder to riders that compliance with e-bike laws is crucial for their safety and for maintaining the integrity of traffic rules.