The days of super-fast SUPER73 electric bikes are over

Even if you're not knee-deep in electric bikes like most of us, you've probably heard of the SUPER73 e-bike brand. Electric bikes inspired by the company's motorcycles have proven to be very popular among young people and adults, but the popularity of fast and questionable (or clearly illegal) e-bike methods seems to be reaching the end of the product.

SUPER73 didn't invent the moped-style electric bike, but is often credited with starting the boom. The name has become so popular that even other car-inspired electric bikes are often mistakenly called SUPER73 e-bikes.

Technically, the SUPER73s were always intended to be street-legal electric bikes, and were always shipped in what was known as “Class 2 Mode”. That meant the bikes could go 20 mph (32 km/h) and mostly met many of the e-bike regulations around the US in the past few years.

However, the SUPER73 bikes can be quickly and easily activated via the company's smartphone app, allowing riders to reach Class 3 mode at up to 28 mph (45 km/h) with pedal assistance, or even Off-Road Mode completely removed. all limits and maximum permitted speed on throttle ride only. Despite the name, Off-Road Mode was mainly used for off-road riding and turned the bike into something of a mini-motorcycle.

But those days of easy open-top performance are officially gone, as the SUPER73 is now responding to new California laws that put a stricter interpretation of bike classification rules on the books. Those new rules, which went into effect on January 1, 2025, required any bike with an active throttle to limit its motor assist to just 20 mph. If the e-bike was designed to be modified for faster speeds or higher power (such as by changing a setting on the bike's display or smartphone app), the bike will no longer be considered a road-legal electric bike in California.

SUPER73, which often finds itself at the center of controversy surrounding fast e-bikes, was quick to respond. A major change now causes the super mode to be removed from the SUPER73 app. According to a notice on the company's website, “Due to the newly introduced regulations, customers who download and pair the SUPER73 app after January 1, 2025, will not be able to access modes other than Class 2 mode where the product is available. sold.”

While the bikes are still capable of going fast, the new SUPER73 update basically removes the ability to reach that high performance, basically limiting their e-bikes to 20 mph on both throttle and pedal assist.

Is there a solution?

No, SUPER73 has developed an ironclad solution to prevent their bikes from being used in illegal ways.

I'm kidding. No, of course this is not a perfect solution, but not really due to any fault of SUPER73. There are many apps already available that can be used instead of the company's app, allowing passengers to regain that high performance. I won't list them here, but it's not exactly difficult for anyone with an e-bike and an internet connection to find it.

That doesn't mean every SUPER73 bike out there will revert to its previous 30 mph speed limit, and a significant number of riders will simply stick to the new 20 mph speed limits. But we shouldn't pretend that this is a ridiculous and invincible system. As long as e-bikes are built to be physically efficient (like a chunky 2,000W motor that's software-limited to 750W and 20 mph), it's still possible they'll be opened up in some way to access. that works.

It should be noted that such an opening would still be outside the rules of California's new electric bike laws, but then the punishment could fall on the riders themselves instead of the e-bike manufacturer, if it did its part to remove the opening of the operation. from its traditional order.

Electrek's Take

I think most of us can see this as inevitable, although I'm not sure we expected to see companies coming so soon, or releasing updates that cover their bikes nationwide instead of just California.

I agree that in the short term, this will probably have a positive effect on the few bad apples who spoil it for everyone – basically gangs of youth roaming around on illegal bikes. People who ride e-bikes dangerously close to other cyclists and pedestrians are dangerous, plain and simple.

However, in the long run, I don't think this is the right way to go. If you can buy a 125 mph car that weighs as much as an army and yet it's just the responsibility of each driver to never go over half of its performance, it seems silly to put so much effort into slowing the bikes down. 28 mph to 20 mph. Is this a serious public safety threat to spend our time and law enforcement resources on?

I still believe that the best solution is a combination of education and enforcement. It's not that hard. If another snotty kid is riding dangerously on the bike lane, road, or sidewalk, grab the bike and hit their parents. But don't tell me that a responsible adult just trying to get to work successfully is a danger to society on an e-bike that goes 28 mph instead of 20 mph.