Victoria Police have launched a major enforcement campaign targeting safety and legal compliance of e-bike riders.
Police say the number of collisions involving e-bikes has increased significantly year-on-year, with new police data showing 79 e-bike collisions were recorded in 2023, jumping up 82% the following year with 144 e-bike collisions recorded in 2024.
Provisional analysis of 2025 collision data indicates there were at least 113 e-bike collisions as at 30 July this year.
(E-bike collisions include all fatal, serious injury, other injury and non-injury collisions involving an e-bike.)
Operation Consider will involve police members patrolling on foot and using bicycles, motorcycles and highway patrol vehicles to target riders using overpowered and illegal e-bikes.
Members from Victoria Police’s State Highway Patrol and Solo Unit have teamed up with the North West Metro Bike Patrol in Melbourne’s CBD for the crackdown.
Operation Consider will be ongoing over coming months.
The move follows a recent finding by the Coroner, Her Honour Audrey Jamieson, that many e-bikes on the road are properly categorised as electric motorcycles rather than e-bikes as they are not compliant with the rules for e-bikes.
And the issue of e-bike safety compliance has become more critical following proposals by Victorian and NSW state governments to ban e-bikes from trains because of battery fire risk.
Police are reminding riders to check that their e-bike meets the criteria to be considered compliant or potentially face immediate penalties such as using an unregistered vehicle, which carries a $1018 fine.
An overpowered e-bike is considered a motorcycle and subject to the same road rules as other motorcycles including licencing, registration and drink and drug driving penalties.
Operation Consider will also see police on the lookout for e-bike riders breaching safety offences during the operation, including:
- Use of mobile phone or electronic devices while riding – $611 fine
- Failure to obey traffic lights (bicyclist) – $509 fine
- Failure to wear securely fitted approved bicycle helmet – $254 fine
- Failure to have lights (bicyclist) – $254 fine
- Failure to give way or keep left (bicyclist) – $204 fine
- Failure to use bicycle lane – $204 fine
Police will also use handheld speed detection devices to catch any riders exceeding the speed limit. Speeding offences will apply, with those caught riding over the limit by less than 10km/h to receive a $254 fine, while those caught speeding 45km/h or more face fines of $1018 and vehicle impoundment.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said e-bikes had become a popular way of getting around Melbourne and were used by a range of people, whether recreationally or for work.
“The increase in e-bike usage has also meant that unfortunately we’ve seen a rise in road trauma involving these vehicles.
“Nine times out of 10, the e-bikes involved in these collisions are either overpowered, non-compliant or they are not being used in accordance with the road rules," Assistant Commissioner Weir said.
"We acknowledge there may be some confusion among the community when it comes to e-bikes, however the onus is on riders to ensure they understand and comply with the rules before using their e-bike.
“That means ensuring the e-bike does not exceed the power or speed requirements and that the rider adheres the road rules applicable to all cyclists – such as wearing a helmet, not using a mobile phone or device while riding, using bicycle lanes and obeying traffic lights.
“Victoria Police will be increasing its focus on e-bikes and we will particularly be on the lookout for reckless riders who are blatantly disregarding the rules.
“While education is always our preference, we won’t hesitate to issue infringements for non-compliance – particularly if it involves putting other road users at risk.
“We’re putting e-bike riders on notice – check your bike, make sure it’s compliant and obey the rules – failure to do so and there could be some hefty penalties coming your way.”
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