A PENSIONER suffered a heart attack after he struggled with police who stopped him for riding his motorised bicycle without a helmet, a Sydney inquest has heard.

Gheorghe Lisita, 63, from Claymore in Sydney's southwest, died after he refused to give his details to police who had stopped him while he was riding through nearby Campbelltown on May 28 last year, the NSW Coroner's Court was told today.

Mr Lisita, a pensioner with a heart condition, argued with officers when they tried to issue him with an infringement notice for not wearing a helmet.

A scuffle ensued and Mr Lisita was arrested and handcuffed.

He then collapsed to the ground and could not be revived by paramedics, counsel assisting the coroner, Anna Johnson, said.

Ms Johnson said the inquest would hear that one of the police officers drew his taser during the scuffle but said he put it away without using it.

The inquest would examine "the use of force by the two officers and the way the arrest was conducted", including the drawing of the taser, Ms Johnson said.

"I'm also concerned about the way in which the investigation of these events unfolded and whether critical incident guidelines were followed," she said.

The inquest heard that Mr Lisita was jailed for five months in 2004 for repeatedly driving while disqualified but that he was allowed to ride the motorised bicycle.

Mr Lisita's wife was too distressed to attend the hearing, Ms Johnson said.

"She is particularly distressed at the circumstances of his death and that he should have died with handcuffs on in a public place," she said.

The inquest continues before NSW State Coroner Mary Jerram.