Canada...legal or illegal?

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kzbesner

New Member
Jul 26, 2010
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Ottawa Ontario
Ive been hearing rumours that motorized bicycles are illegal or must be licensed and insured .
If anyone is able to clarify this, please, let me know :p
ps. I live in ottawa ontario
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
If you put a gas motor on a bicycle anywhere in Canada you are on an unlicenced, uninsured, unregistered motor vehicle.

Look up how your province feels about that.

Steve.
 
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vampiric_conure

New Member
Jul 21, 2010
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Winnipeg, MB, canada
In Manitoba, it's true. You get away with the legal stuff and can treat it like a regular bike if it's electric. There's been a lot of problems with cops stopping and harassing ebike owners when legally they were in the clear. As a result folks have been plastering 'Electric assisted human powered vehicle' stickers to the back of their bikes. There were stories of people being stopped as many as three times a ride by cops.
 
wheelbender6

wheelbender6

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Sep 4, 2008
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TX
From what I have read, in Canada you go electric or go outlaw.
By the way, "Illegal or Legal" would be a great name for a forum category.
 
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vampiric_conure

New Member
Jul 21, 2010
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Winnipeg, MB, canada
I was talking diesel run gas powered bikes with a neighbor and somehow we got into enviro-gas, where you mix the diesel with veggie oil from restaurants. Many jokes of 'drive by frying' insued. And popping into Walmart for a bottle of veggie/virgin olive oil :p

Now try explaining that to the cops. It's not electric and it don't run on traditional gas... And why do the cops always seem to crave french fries after stopping you?
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
Bairdco, they would decriminalize if the US would let them. Pretty open in BC if you aren't too open about it.
Massive light up in Vancouver once a year in protest.

Vampiric Conure, not surprised if there was trouble with electric bikes in Canada it would be in Winnipeg.
Much easier to bust a E-biker than the hundreds of drug dealers or gang members too.

Keeping Winnipeg safe. One E-biker at a time. You guys should get together and form a bike gang.

I'd call it Moms Angels. I can hear a cop telling his buddies he just busted on of Moms Angels.

Steve.
 
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kzbesner

New Member
Jul 26, 2010
34
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Ottawa Ontario
well, i went to the g1 testing facility on friday and asked.
my bike fits all requirements that put it as legal.
it is under 50cc's (mine is 40)
weighs under a certain weight.
doesn't have a top speed above 40kph.
and ya :) it is even written on one of the first few pages of the motorcyclists handbook under the motorized bicycle category.
 
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kzbesner

New Member
Jul 26, 2010
34
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Ottawa Ontario
fasteddy said:
Thats interesting. The Feds in Ottawa say no gas motors on bicycles anywhere in Canada.

Steve.
Click to expand...

Ya, it is wierd but if you look inside the motorcyclists handbook.
One one of the first few pages, it indicates the rules for a motorized bicycle and if the driver needs to be insured or not.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,445
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British Columbia Canada
The problem is if the cops bust you, pointing to the hand book won't help.

My sorry experiance with that is that they will tell you that ignorance of the law is no excuse. That means they messed up and you should have known that they did.
The fines are probably pretty heavy so double check. Think they were talking about electric bikes and used gas motor measurements. 500W is equal to 50cc I think.

I'd check with the Ottawa cops or the OPP. As I remember neither one have a great sense of humor.
Ontario born and raised until I smartened up.

Steve.
 
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demac

New Member
Mar 8, 2010
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Canada, Ontario, Brampton
i drive my motorized bicycle to toronto all the time. i use my bike to get to work both 10 km both ways i see cops every time. i give a smile keep riding. I had a cop following me once at 45 km and got pulled over and he just asked me to wear a helmet.... Not even a warning. I have built 4 other bikes for friends and we all ride together, once in a while. Cops see/hear us and dont do nothing.. im sure the cops know NO laws on these bikes.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,445
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British Columbia Canada
Just looked up what happens when you get caught in Ontario.

First off your charged with riding an unregistered, unlicenced, uninsured motor vehicle'
Yep, you put a motor on it so now it's a "motor" vehicle.

Unregistered fine-$5,500 + $550

Uninsured fine- $5000 minimum

Couldn't find the unlicenced fine but I'm sure it is the same.

Add in the jail time, the fact that insurance if you can get it will be wildly expensive and if you have a licence it is gone.

You should have fun getting a job with a criminal record and no drivers licence.

Yes Sir it keeps on getting better.

Call 416-246-7103 They will answer questions about what is legal.


Happy motoring

Steve.
 
midnight_rider

midnight_rider

New Member
Aug 2, 2010
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Cambridge Ontario
I've passed about 7 regional cops and an O.P.P cruiser and on the weekend had a cruiser pass me and I passed a cop sitting in the parking lot at the same time,... it all comes down to which cops are hating on us, I heard there are a couple in town but havent ran into them YET ,... all in all if I'm gonna get pulled over and be handed a wack of fines well then .... I'm booking it .
 
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