German road bans: even electric motorcycles are banned

Electric motorcycles are also not allowed to drive on routes that are closed to motorcycles in the popular German region of Hochtaunus.

In the Hochtaunauskreis (Hesse) – and unfortunately not only there – there are currently temporary road closures for legal motorcycles and for motorcyclists who behave in accordance with the law. German motorcyclists’ organisation BVDM – a member of FEMA – is repeatedly asked whether such bans also apply to electric motorcycles.

These questions were triggered not least by a brief from the traffic authority of the Hochtaunus district. As part of the announcement of the ban on motorcycling on various routes, the authority wrote on March 9th, 2022 (quote): “The term motorcycle traffic includes all motorcycles within the meaning of the StVZO (the German regulations authorising the use of vehicles for road traffic). A motorcycle is a two-wheeled vehicle with a top speed of more than 45 km/h and a cylinder capacity of more than 50 ccm.”.

This wording is probably an unintentional/accidental shortening of the text from the Vehicle Registration Ordinance, because there you will find the following definition (quote): “Motorcycles: two-wheeled motor vehicles with or without a sidecar, with a displacement of more than 50 cm³ in the case of internal combustion engines, and/or with a design-related maximum speed of more than 45 km/h”. In this definition, the two conditions are linked by an “and/or”. This means that one of the above conditions is sufficient to speak of a motorcycle.

BVDM has – in order to finally create clarity – inquired at the traffic authority of the Hochtaunuskreis. The response from the authority on June 1st, 2022 (quote): “… the StVO does not distinguish between a motorcycle and an electric motorcycle. The entry of the vehicle type in the registration certificate is decisive. As far as I know, this is always a motorbike, regardless of the type of drive, combustion or electric.”.

To BVDM this makes it clear: even e-motorcycles are not allowed to drive on roads in the Taunus that are closed for motorcycles.

Source: BVDM

Top photograph courtesy of Olaf Biethan