As powerful electric motorcycles such as those from brands like Sur Ron and Talaria become popular, especially among young people, police departments in the US are increasingly banning their use on public roads.
One of the most recent examples comes to us from the Manhattan Beach Police Department in Los Angeles County.
MBPD has seen an increase in children riding Sur Ron-style electric motorcycles, which fall outside the regulatory limits for electric bikes. These high-performance vehicles can reach twice the speed of official electric bikes and typically feature 5x the power level. Importantly, they also have no pedals and function much like electric dirt bikes.
According to a recent report sent by the MBPD, the police department continued to encounter these vehicles being ridden by children in the city. “Parents, please make sure those Christmas presents are used legally and responsibly,” said the MHBP, “so we don't have to play the role of the Grinch.”
Further clarifying, the police department explained that such motorcycles are not allowed to be used on public roads or bicycle paths. “The Talaria, Surron, ERidePro, and other similar electric scooters are not safe or legal to operate on city streets, sidewalks, or the Strand. A few young people learned the hard way and found their 'bikes' in the back of a tow truck.”
MHBP also shared the photo below of several electric scooters being towed. Ironically, one of the police vehicles at the scene is an electric police bike.
Many young people are turning to high-powered electric motorcycles
These powerful e-bikes are often marketed as electric bikes, despite falling well outside the line of electric bike regulations. But because they are readily available online, easy to ride, and often misrepresented as requiring no license or registration to be used on the road, they have proved popular with youth and new riders.
California recently passed a new law that more clearly defines the categories of electric bicycles, and emphasizes the illegal nature of riding these types of vehicles on the road without proper vehicle registration.
However, many riders, especially young people, do not know that these bikes do not meet the legal requirements of bike lanes or unauthorized road use, which leads to traffic stops, fines, and sometimes even confiscation.
Law enforcement officials, as well as public watchdogs, often cite concerns about pedestrian safety, traffic violations, and the risk of accidents.
We've seen this breakdown increase over the years as many police departments are forced to deal with the growing number of high-powered electric motorcycles on public roads and bike paths as if they don't even exist.mal electric bikes.
The reduction underscores the need for better education about these high-powered electric motorcycles, as they continue to grow in popularity among new users.
with: MBNews
FTC: We use auto affiliate links to earn income. More.