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Welcome to the few who have improved their C5's with modern innovations and materials. This particular machine is still in regular usage for 7 months of the year and it now has a younger brother, which has been adapted with a 48v, 350w Front wheel drive, a disk brake and telescopic suspension. This machine also has an 8 speed pedal assist rear hub, and is the only C5 that I know of that can drive in reverse, without the pedals being turned whilst in reverse! A center console is installed and a windscreen. The seat is high backed, padded and with a head rest. The mirrors are to be replaced this season with a LCD screen after the windscreen, in combination with a rear facing camera which is built-into in the rear number plate lamp. Don't be afraid to discuss your ideas or problems, many answers are out there, and I am willing to help, (from a distance,) as I am a resident of The Netherlands! The C5 has been a good hobby, but it's now getting more expensive. Regards, Ty Hawkins

@@Ans1401 Hello neighbour im from belgium, native dutch ? i hope to pick up my c5 tomorrow.

@@Ans1401 ook ik heb een Sinclair kunnen bemachtigen. zelf heb ik al eens een trike gemaakt die erg op een ICE-Trike lijkt en daar heb ik een set van Yose power op gezet met een 26inch achterwiel. ik wil eigenlijk de C5 uitrusten met een derailleur voor beter fiets gedrag. (misschien een groter tandwiel voor. moet er wel een klein extra bultje op de midden console. maar ach.) de elektriciteit is er op het moment al allemaal uit en verdwenen. omdat hij ooit als skelter is gebruikt voor een jongen met een beperking. ik wil ook graag huidige e-bike materialen gaan gebruiken. in principe als er maar een PAS censor op zit en de motor hooguit tot 25 km/h ;) ondersteunt zou hij zelf volledig ongeregistreerd de weg op kunnen net als elke ALDI/LIDL e-bike. ik heb de YOSE kit's die ik op mijn trike en fiets heb geplaatst de bijgesloten gas hendel weg gelaten om eventuele verwarring te verkleinen. (al zitten die wel gewoon op sommige originele e-bikes. maar mogen dan maar tot 6km actief zijn als meeloop hulpje ofzo.) ik ben alleen nog in dubio wat het snelst en het makkelijkst is om te gaan toepassen. fronthub itwat lastig met zo'n klein 12"wieltje of DC motor met dikke controller in de originele bracket. of misschien zelfs een Bafang of TSD ofzo nou ja die andere. op de crank bafang heeft torque sensor en die andere magneten sensor.

Yes I am now retired, but still in Heiloo. I can help and advise you. The videos you have seen are of RDW registered, daily used, 12v (Sinclair motored,) C5 with 90A/h, 4 x 3.2v, LiFePo4 batteries with BMS and a PWM controller. Pedal assist is through a 3speed hub. I do now have a second C5, which is in the making, with a Front wheel drive, 48v., 350W motor. Power comes from a 20A/h LI battery, which supplies a programmable 3 phase controller, which has regen. The new front forks house the motor hub, disc brake and telescopic suspension! This is being developed for both forward and reverse driving! The rear is for pedal assist only, (in the forward direction,) through a 8 speed hub. The braking has also been converted to a disc. If you would like to visit and talk, bel. 072-5335851. If I am not 'at-home', just leave a message on the machine, stating convenient time frames which work for you. de Koffie (en Tee,) is altijd klaar. M.v.g. Ty Hawkins.

Bedankt Ty! Ik kom snel een keer langs!

Thank you for the compliment, CLIVE is going to an 2 day 'Old Timer' Motorcycle and moped exhibition this weekend, held in Leek, Friesland, Holland; for the 3rd time. I have been the only electric entrant at all of these events! This year CLIVE has a 'gimmik', he can be controlled remotely to give his own commentary, sound the horn, switch on the Head/rear lights and the Hazard flashers. At this event, all other entrants have had combustion engines an cannot be run within the exhibition halls. Clive however is regularly taken off the stand and demonstrated by driving though the halls! In Holland we have good cycle roads and we have a generally flat terrain. The C5 is now considered a 'Scootmobile', and the pedals are not required. This situation temps me to now solve the last two deficiencies. The 250w average power from the motor is barely adequate, and I am considering a Chinese built (1018Z) 450W motor with epicyclic gearbox, max. output speed 440rpm, which will be a big improvement. Being 24 volt it will however need 2x 12v batteries, which the C5 was designed for, and I will be able to add at last a reverse function.

Its great that the government in Holland support electric vehicles, in the UK we are limited to 250w pedal assisted only, my design concept uses 2x 22v 8ah Lipo cells with 149kv motor couples to 120 amp ESC.The empahasis on design = low rolling resistance and low weight, i look forward to seeing your upgrades on your C5.

Just curious, What are you denying? My C5 is used for shopping too, when its pleasant enough to do so. A new video on the adaption and subsequent usage of a 'Shopping trailer' is now available on YOU TUBE, as 'Sinclair C5 with trailer.' I will be exhibiting for 2 days at the 'Classic motor and bromfietsbeurs', in Leek, (bij Groningen) 18/19 Maart. Last year I was the only electric entry, and the only one able to give demonstrations, in the exhibition hall, being a non-polutant!

Currently I'm denying that I have too many hobbies. :) It doesn't surprise me that you were the only electric vehicle.The only classic electric road vehicles I can think of are the trolleybusses, only in Arnhem are they still in use.

A new video on the development and subsequent usage of a Shopping trailer on this C5 is now available on YOU TUBE, as 'Sinclair C5 with trailer.'

A new video on the development and subsequent usage of a Shopping trailer on this C5 is now available on YOU TUBE, as 'Sinclair C5 with trailer.'

Paul, In the Netherlands the C5 was not recognized as an electric vehicle by the RDW for 30 years! (This organization was/is responsible for the classification, certification & registration of road vehicles in the Netherlands.) In the early days, when when importing C5's, the Customs authorities, having taken advice from the RDW, were instructed cut the vehicles wiring loom, in order to make them 'legally' a pedal tricycle only! The Police have been known to stop drivers, sometimes issuing fines and even having impounding vehicles', pending a technical investigation. Three / Four years ago the RDW had been pestered so much by a few enthusiasts that they finally relented and decided to recognized the C5 as an 'invalid scooter' This which was brilliant, as the alternative choice was a 'Pedilec' classification. This would have required modifications for the motor control to only assist when pedaling above 6Km/h. The vehicles can now be legally insured, (in my case by the ANWBs' insurance company equivalent to the U.K.s AA,) and a new annual registered insurance number plate is issued through the insurance company, every year, on payment of the insurance cover. Now the C5 can be used on bicycle roads, (when provided,) and on roads when not, (this does not include motorways,) up to 25Km/h, it is also permitted to (crawl) on pavements, up to 6Km/h. (Mine had already been modified to 'Pulse Width Motor control', so it was perfectly capable of variable low speed control.) Personally the police have walked around the vehicle and on seeing the insurance number plate have either left me alone, or struk-up a pleasant, if inquiring conversation. I still use the C5 locally, typically 5Km to town or the beach, mostly in the warmer months. I also show it at 'Old Timer' and 'Motorcycle/Moped' shows during the year. (It fits in the back of my estate car!) I am usually the only electric vehicle on display and I can actively demonstrate it inside exhibition halls, which none of the other vehicles can do as they use flammable liquids, make a lot of noise and pollute the air!

Tyrone Hawkins Wow astonishing. I never knew that! Cutting the wiring loom on imported C5's!! Netherland's was strict back then, damn. You use your C5 in Netherland's? Incredible you still use it over the distance. I guess Netherland's being quite flat though is ideal country for C5's which don't handle even modest incline hills very well I heard! I'm still working on restoring my C5, I've got the lights working so it's looking promising, but I've yet to hear the motor run! The main fuse was blown when I bought it and it hadn't been run in 27 years, so god knows what condition the controller and motor is in ;-)

In Holland the authorities did not have a classification for the SINCLAIR C5 for 30 years! After representations from a few persistent owners, the decision was made to classify it as a 'Scootmobile'. Each year it is now insured and comes with a new registration plate. The classification also means that the 250w motor limit is no longer, I have seen 'Scootmobiles' with 800w motors! The pedals are also no longer required, and reverse is considered a normal function. I am looking at a 24v 450w option, this should give a better acceleration and a steady 25km/h., Which seldom achievable with the existing motor and gearing.

Paul, there are 2 versions of this video, an extended & updated version which is titled [Sinclair C5, 'Hello I'm Clive'], this newer version, (which is 10 minutes long,) also shows the C5 in use. This version is now also due for an update because The rear number light plate is now a concealed LED item, (from VW,) this replaces my 'first attempt' surface mount item. A spiral (telephone type) chord with Plug/socket, allows the boot to be removed easily. The Original front light is now converted yet again, to a 4.5w, LED unit, a horn is mounted under this lamp, facing downwards over the front wheel. An FM radio/amplifier is installed above my replacement cabin display, this uses a SD chip to give commentaries to the public, for use mostly at exhibitions. The 2 loudspeakers are under the seat. A 'Battery Management System' board is mounted behind the rear lamp lens, where it is nice and dry and easy to inspect, but I admit it was a 'B' to engineer-in!

The body now sports a wind/fly screen, which stops my eyes from watering. Typically the wind stream went over the upper body and under my glasses! For shopping a 'quick release tow ball' has been fitted and now I tow a trailer to the supermarket for my shopping. (See, 'Sinclair C5 with trailer') This machine I think has now realistically reached its maximum development potential. A second C5 is now being developed with a 48v reversing front hub, which incorporates a disc brake and telescopic suspension. This with re-distribution of weight, softer walled tyres and a full re-instatement of the rear torsion arms, should provide a more comfortable ride. The seat now incorporates a head rest, and has a padded, slip-over, one piece water proof seat cover. It's easy to dry when wet, but the drawback is that it can get very hot in the sun, and subsequently sticky when driving!