The rapid growth of illegal high-powered e-bikes, including modified machines, non-compliant products sold as “e-bikes”, and vehicles purchased outside UK regulations, has become the most pressing challenge facing the UK’s moped and motorcycle sector. What began as a niche enforcement issue has evolved into a complex national problem affecting road safety, legitimate businesses, wider criminal activity, and policing capacity.
For law-abiding manufacturers, distributors and retailers, the consequences are increasingly tangible. Non-compliant machines with moped- and motorcycle-level performance are entering the market without meeting the regulatory requirements for L-Category vehicles: licensing, registration, insurance, and safety standards.
Recognising the scale of the issue, the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) has engaged extensively with policing leaders across the UK to understand the impact of illegal e-bikes on communities and on the industry. This engagement includes direct dialogue with chief constables, police and crime commissioners, and the policing and crime minister. The emerging picture is clear: police forces are increasingly aware of illegal e-bikes, and many are taking action, but they operate within a framework that makes sustained, consistent enforcement difficult.
Across the country, forces report more seizures and targeted operations. However, enforcement has often focused on anti-social behaviour rather than the gig economy, which accounts for most illegal e-bike riders operating under major delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats. The lack of effective checks has allowed unsafe vehicles to operate at scale on public roads, increasing the workload for police forces nationwide.
A central challenge identified by policing leaders is the lack of clear national guidance on how to identify, seize, and dispose of such vehicles, resulting in widely varying approaches across forces. Without a shared framework, enforcement becomes fragmented, allowing illegal vehicles to move between areas while compliant businesses operate under strict oversight.
This has created a significant market distortion. Companies that invest in compliance and responsible distribution are competing against products that bypass those requirements, resulting in unfair competition and potential erosion of public trust.
Discussions with police leaders also indicate that illegal e-bikes are often linked to wider criminal activity, including organised crime, illegal working arrangements, exploitative gig economy practices, and drugs and weapons offences. Illegal e-bikes now sit at the intersection of transport policy, labour practices, immigration enforcement and public safety.
Responsibility ultimately sits largely with the Home Office, which oversees policing frameworks and national guidance. The MCIA is not calling for indiscriminate crackdowns; legal e-bikes are here to stay, but it wants clarity, consistency and the police to be given the tools for effective enforcement.
Progress is being made through the National Police Chiefs’ Council, where a working group is examining criminal and anti-social use of e-mobility vehicles and developing guidance to support consistent nationwide enforcement. Collaboration with policing partners is essential to ensure long-term solutions that protect both public safety and legitimate markets.
Illegal e-bikes are no longer a niche nuisance. We now need coordinated national leadership that addresses not only individual misuse but also the wider commercial ecosystems in which illegal vehicles operate. Without this, enforcement will remain uneven and law-abiding businesses will bear the consequences. With clear direction and cross-government coordination, there is a real opportunity to restore a level playing field for the UK’s moped and motorcycle industry while improving safety for all road users.
Tony Campbell
CEO, MCIA