Yamaha is now releasing two different e-bikes that are a bit difficult to place or define. They look like beefy bicycles and can be pedaled, but they are classified as mopeds. One is classified as a classic moped, the other as an EU moped. The question is whether this is the best or worst of both worlds.
There are already some bicycles that are classified as class 2 mopeds according to the law. These can go up to 25 km/h and can be ridden on bike paths. A bicycle becomes a moped if it has a throttle, meaning that you can get up to speed in a way other than by pedaling. This allows you to travel quite far without getting tired, of course, but it also means that you need to have insurance and wear a helmet, although that is hardly a disadvantage.
Yamaha is now releasing two models called the Booster and the Booster Easy, with the latter being a class 2 moped. The regular Booster is an even faster model and has a maximum pedal-assisted speed of 45 km/h, classified as a class 1 moped or EU moped. In the pictures, it is the one with the flap at the back for the license plate.
Whether this is brilliant or not remains to be seen. For example, a regular EU moped cannot be ridden on bike paths, so you may lose some of the advantages of riding a bicycle. The big advantage, as I see it, is that you are dealing with a bicycle, even if it may not be light, you can store it in a bike storage and even bring it inside your apartment if you feel like it, which doesn’t seem feasible with a regular EU moped.
The range of the Booster is 50-110 km depending on the driving mode. The Booster Easy has a range of 60-120 km.
The price will be announced in June and they will be available on the market in June/July.
