Police believe a number of people caught drink-driving have bought the electric scooters/motorbikes and are illegally using them for transport.

Matthew Thomson, 26, of Lipook Court, Warrnambool, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court charged with unlicensed driving and driving of an unregistered vehicle.

A medical issue means Thomson can’t get a licence and his charges were proven and dismissed.

Brian Mitchell, 45, of Mott Street, Warrnambool, received two tickets from police for unlicensed driving and having an unregistered vehicle.

He paid the ticket for $144 unlicensed driving but took the other matter to court after receiving a $722 fine for driving an unregistered vehicle.

Mitchell was not convicted and placed on a six-month good behaviour bond with the condition he pay $200 to the court fund.

Both men were pulled over by police on November 28 last year.

Thomson was intercepted at 2.24pm riding an electric Puri eBike east along Koroit Street near Hyland Street.

His speed was checked at 21km/h and he was not pedalling, police said.

The policeman alleged that Thomson was not using pedals to power the motorbike and because the 200-watt motor was the vehicle’s sole source of propulsion it should be registered.

Police claimed that under government legislation a motorised scooter/motorcycle capable of more than 10km/h is defined as a motorcycle and has to be registered and the rider licensed.

Thomson told police he said he had been riding the scooter for three years. He told the court VicRoads had told him he did not have to be licensed to ride it.