Refitted bicycles exceed legal engine capacity

Bicycles are being kitted out with engines and transformed into small motorbikes that exceed the capacity limit imposed by the transport authorities.

Engine kits are easily available online and a quick scan through shopping magazines and classifieds websites revealed a number of motorised bicycles and engine kits for sale.

The capacity of such engines exceeds 50cc, which is the legal limit of what is considered to be a low-powered cycle, such as the transformed bicycles. Engines as big as 80cc were being sold and fitted to bicycles; the once ubiquitous Honda C70 motorcycle (Tal-Fardal) had a 70cc engine.

The engine kits - costing as little as €200 - can be installed by owners, rendering their bikes potentially unsafe due to possible faults.

A dealer, who specialises in retrofitting engines on bicycles, said he encountered no problem registering the imported engines, including those exceeding the 50cc limit, with the Malta Transport Authority (ADT), insisting he was doing everything above board.

The law lays down that anyone over 16, provided they pass the driving theory test, can drive the low-powered cycles.

However, there can be an anomaly in that, although the ADT is giving the clearance to such engines, once the motor-ised bicycles hit the road they surpass the legal engine capacity limit.

When asked about this situation, the ADT failed to reply and questions sent last week remained unanswered.

The dealer in question said he imported the engines from China, fitted them on normal bicycles in his garage and sold them.

While these bicycles are similar to motorbikes when it comes to the engine, they are not sold with mirrors or lights, as motorcycles are. The law clearly states that low-powered bikes on the road need to have a front headlamp, rear lights and reflectors.

What might also give rise to concern is that the power-to-weight ratio would be larger than that of a normal motorcycle or scooter due to the lighter build of the bicycles.

Motoring expert Hugh Arnett said when contacted that legislation should be introduced to prevent people from fitting engines on bikes without inspection by the authorities.

However, he saw no problem with people just having to pass the theory test in order to be able to drive one of the motorised bikes, pointing out that normal bicycles could go quite fast. Crash helmets should be worn, however, rather than simple bicycle helmets, he warned.

Provided the bikes' engines is small and the speed limited does not exceed 50kph, the engine is mounted on a proper frame and the tyres are more than 2.5 inches wide, Mr Arnett conceded they were not much different from a normal bike.