NSW crushes its first 23 illegal e-bikes: what buyers should check

On 1 October 2026, 23 illegal e-bikes were crushed at a wrecking yard in Blacktown. The NSW Government says it is the first batch destroyed under the state's new seizure powers. The bikes came from 36 seized in an operation on the Northern Beaches on 11 September, and 13 others have return applications still under review.

What was seized

According to the NSW Government, the seized bikes included one allegedly capable of more than 90km/h, owned by a 14 year old, along with tampered brand name bikes with overridden speed limiters and a food delivery bike. Batteries are removed before crushing for safe disposal and recycling.

What counts as legal

The NSW Government lists the requirements as: power assistance must stop at 25km/h, throttle only assistance is limited to 6km/h, and power is capped at 250W continuous. Bikes up to 500W are tolerated until 1 March 2029, after which the 250W limit applies. The government also advises that a compliant bike meets the EN 15194 e-bike standard. Bicycling Australia reported on 22 September that software limiting alone does not make a modified bike legal.

What it means for buyers

The NSW Government's advice is simple: if you are buying an e-bike, check that it meets EN 15194, because a non compliant bike risks being seized. Ask the seller for written compliance details, steer clear of bikes sold as easy to unlock or derestrict, and keep your paperwork. On BikeFinder you can compare e-bikes by motor power and assist cutoff speed, so you can shortlist models built to the rules rather than modified to get around them.