Tanya Tierney found herself in a legal dispute when her e-bike was seized by the police. The incident occurred in October 2026. The seizure left Tierney determined to get her bike back, arguing that she can retrofit it to meet the state's e-bike laws.
Following the seizure of her e-bike, Tierney lodged a release application with the police. However, her application was denied. Tierney then requested an internal review of the decision. A Sunshine Coast officer confirmed the original decision, maintaining that the bike was not compliant with the regulations.
Determined to fight for her bike, Tierney decided to appeal the decision in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. She believes that the tribunal will consider her argument that the bike can be made legal through specific modifications.
She believes that the tribunal will consider her argument that the bike can be made legal through specific modifications.
Tierney developed a plan to install a 250-watt motor, new controller, display and a 25km/h assistance limit on the bike to make it compliant with the international standard, EN15194.
Police seized 466 bikes from July to mid-September 2026. This number highlights the scale of the issue for individuals like Tierney who are caught in the crossfire.
Tanya Tierney stated: "We felt we did a lot of research on a safe bike."