Hypothetical question regarding illegal Ebikes

[mjr]

Now that's interesting because iif the battery is removed, is the bike still capable of being going above the speed limit? Well, yeah, I suppose so if the battery is installed. [...]

Ah, law and all that. So many grey areas.

This isn't one of the grey areas, although there are many, because the relevant phrase in the regulations (as amended) is "4. [...] the vehicle shall: [...] (c) be fitted with no motor other than an electric motor which [...] (ii) cannot propel the vehicle when it is travelling at more than 15.5 miles per hour."

The bike can do whatever speed it likes, with or without the battery, but for it to be legal, the motor must not provide any propulsion over 15.5mph.