Are you allowed to have a throttle on a fatbike?

Only as a walking aid. An e-bike may have a throttle that helps you when you are walking the bike by hand, and that assistance may not work above 6 km/h. If your fatbike goes faster than 6 km/h with the throttle without pedaling, it is legally no longer an electric bicycle, but a moped, low-speed moped or speed pedelec.

Below, you can read where that limit comes from, why a throttle that you can turn on yourself also counts, and what you risk. At the bottom, you will find bikes to compare; you can find more models in our fatbikes.

How fast can a throttle go on a fatbike?

No faster than 6 km/h, and then only as a walking aid. This is stated in the explanatory notes to an amendment to the Vehicle Regulations (Government Gazette 2025, no. 14637). A pedal-assisted bicycle may have a walking aid, such as a throttle, that helps you when you are walking the bike by hand, for example when pushing it up a hill. Because you are walking while doing so, it may not operate above 6 km/h.

The RDW says the same: an e-bike may have a walking aid or walk assist that provides assistance up to 6 km/h when you are walking alongside the bike. Otherwise, you must pedal yourself to move forward on an e-bike. The rules therefore mention the throttle only as a walking aid.

When is a fatbike with a throttle a moped?

As soon as it can go faster than 6 km/h with the throttle without pedaling. According to the Dutch government, it is then no longer an electric bicycle, but legally a speed pedelec, moped or low-speed moped. The same applies if the motor continues to provide assistance above 25 km/h, or if the nominal power is higher than 250 watts.

Such a bike must be approved, for example as a moped. A license plate, helmet, driving licence and insurance are then mandatory, and it may not be used on public roads without approval. According to the ministry, obtaining approval afterwards is 'not very likely to succeed', due to the modifications required and the costs involved. If your bike has type approval, which you can check with the manufacturer, you can use the proof of this, a Certificate of Conformity, to apply for a license plate from the RDW.

Does a throttle that is switched off also count?

Yes, if you can turn it on yourself and the bike can then go faster than 6 km/h without pedaling. Whether a bike is an electric bicycle depends on what it is technically capable of, not on how you ride it. If a test shows that the bike can go faster than 6 km/h without pedaling, an offence will be established. If you can set the pedal assistance to a higher speed in the bike's menu, it is likewise not a pedal-assisted bicycle.

Since 1 July 2025, it has also been prohibited to have a device on the bike intended to make it more difficult to monitor or influence the power or pedal assistance, such as a switch. Software that you operate using an app on your phone may also fall under this rule.

Can you install a throttle yourself?

If you install a throttle after purchasing the bike that allows it to move forward without pedaling, the ministry says it no longer meets the characteristics of a pedal-assisted bicycle. The same applies if you remove the speed limiter or install a more powerful motor. If you then ride it on the road without approval, you are committing an offence. Performance-enhancing kits may not be sold without approval either.

What do you risk with a throttle that goes too fast?

The police can issue you a fine. After multiple offences, the police may seize and destroy the bike, and parts used to increase the speed may be seized immediately.

In addition, you are not insured when riding a fatbike that does not comply with the rules. If you have an accident, you will have to pay for the damage to your fatbike and your medical expenses yourself, and you may also be liable for any damage you cause to someone else.