Motor watt restrictions, anyone ever get stopped by LEO?

[Rexlion]

I found a website that describes the ebike motor wattage limits for the various states. Many states have a max of 750W, some (like IA, ID and AZ) say "less than" 750W, and a couple (MD and Montana) specify 500W max. Have any of you, or do you know anyone who has, been cited or warned by an officer for having a too-powerful ebike motor?

I'm not interested in speed (20 mph is plenty to make me happy on a bike) but I do want plenty of grunt for steep hills and stiff headwinds.

 

[6zfshdb]

Welcome to the forum!

I've had conversations on the subject with park rangers on trails I ride in PA and MD. No warnings or citations though. In both states, the rangers say they look for reckless riders rather than check bike specs. It would be more of an issue if you were involved in an injury accident. The lawyers will certainly bring up the point if you ride an illegal bike.

Keep in mind, it isn't so much the motor wattage but rather how it is applied. A 500 watt motor on a mid drive bike with a good range of gears will easily climb steep grades. 500 watts on a hub drive not so much.

If you don't already own a bike, try test riding both types. In an area with many hills, a mid drive would be the best choice.

 

[indianajo]

No, but with a 1000 w sticker on my hub motor, I didn't call 911 when I was hit & run. I didn't have the license # anyway, no gopro on the helmet.
1000 w Mac12t would get me up a 15% grade with 80 lb groceries, 330 gross, without pedaling, at 8 mph. 500 w bafang replacement will get me up that grade at that load @ 1 mph with a lot of hard pedaling. I think the wattage limit is stupid, but what do I know, I just ride bikes. I don't sell them. My 1000 w mac12t topped out at 23 mph on a flat. Incredibly dangerous! Outlawed, now. I can't buy a replacement in the US. (my clutch was slipping 1 time of 10 when I received it, deteriorated to 2 times out of 3 @ ~3000 miles).

 

[JES2020]

I found a website that describes the ebike motor wattage limits for the various states. Many states have a max of 750W, some (like IA, ID and AZ) say "less than" 750W, and a couple (MD and Montana) specify 500W max. Have any of you, or do you know anyone who has, been cited or warned by an officer for having a too-powerful ebike motor?

I'm not interested in speed (20 mph is plenty to make me happy on a bike) but I do want plenty of grunt for steep hills and stiff headwinds.

The whole thing is kind of a non issue anyway. A motor can be over volted , so that a 500w motor can put out 1000w.

 

[AHicks]

I found a website that describes the ebike motor wattage limits for the various states. Many states have a max of 750W, some (like IA, ID and AZ) say "less than" 750W, and a couple (MD and Montana) specify 500W max. Have any of you, or do you know anyone who has, been cited or warned by an officer for having a too-powerful ebike motor?

I'm not interested in speed (20 mph is plenty to make me happy on a bike) but I do want plenty of grunt for steep hills and stiff headwinds.

I've been all over creation with a 1000w+ geared hub bike, and another with 1600w of mid drive available. Not once have I ever generated a second glance.

The whole thing is kind of a non issue anyway. A motor can be over volted , so that a 500w motor can put out 1000w.

Couldn't agree more. A 500w can be really "sporty" when fed a diet of 1000 watts. They can only do that for a few seconds without being cooled down, but that's all the time you need to cross a busy road/intersection with a level of confidence, catch up with a riding buddy, or crest a short steep hill. Won't hurt a thing! Not until you start getting stupid with it anyway. At that point, things start getting pretty warm, with a burn down likely in the very near future.

Also agree it's going to be about how the bike is being ridden that's going to draw attention. My monster power bikes don't make any more noise or look any different than the 500w versions....

Last, you can be darn sure there are no power rating stickers on the bigger bikes.....

 

[Rexlion]

That's reassuring. Thanks!

 

[ElevenAD]

never been stopped, i have only had them compliment my bike, a1000w nominal Biktrix Juggernaut and i have been riding that bike since 2019. If they do stop me or question me i have no issue with this because i knew my bikes were illegal when i purchased them.

 

[AHicks]

never been stopped, i have only had them compliment my bike, a1000w nominal Biktrix Juggernaut and i have been riding that bike since 2019. If they do stop me or question me i have no issue with this because i knew my bikes were illegal when i purchased them.

If I were asked, my reply to a LEO would be 500w, without volunteering any further info, knowing full well somebody like that asking is on a fishing expedition....

 

[Rexlion]

I have seen pictures of Bafang motors that showed the stated wattage on a sticker or something, right on the motor. I guess I was concerned that an officer would just walk around the ebike and inspect the motor. Sounds like my fears were unfounded. Although, if my (eventual) ebike's motor has anything like that on it, maybe I'll remove it for peace of mind!

 

[tmyarb3]

I found a website that describes the ebike motor wattage limits for the various states. Many states have a max of 750W, some (like IA, ID and AZ) say "less than" 750W, and a couple (MD and Montana) specify 500W max. Have any of you, or do you know anyone who has, been cited or warned by an officer for having a too-powerful ebike motor?

I'm not interested in speed (20 mph is plenty to make me happy on a bike) but I do want plenty of grunt for steep hills and stiff headwinds.

I am looking for similar answers. I have a notion to ride some of: https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/route/. Portions of it are completed from coast to coast. It crosses some states unfriendly to e-bikes according to the map published on this site. I wonder, realistically, how much it is enforced.

 

[AHicks]

I am looking for similar answers. I have a notion to ride some of: https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/route/. Portions of it are completed from coast to coast. It crosses some states unfriendly to e-bikes according to the map published on this site. I wonder, realistically, how much it is enforced.

By most accounts I've read about, there's no enforcement. You do hear, on occasion, about some local enforcement. At the same time, I've never heard of anyone actually getting a ticket - ever.

 

[Nvreloader]

On my bike, there is a OEM 2" x 3" sticker that says "Class 2 - 750w"
and gives all the spec's etc. Which is legal here in NV.
I don't worry about it, I am more worried about the heat and how to beat it....

 

[jabberwocky]

Here in NoVA, I've heard of people being cited for riding singletrack on non-compliant bikes. Park police/rangers don't bother inspecting the bike, they look up the model online and check specs there. Its not really hard to have a general knowledge of whats available to the public and whats allowed and isn't, so don't count on "I'll lie about motor wattage" working. Rangers aren't idiots.

To be fair, its mostly people riding sur-rons and the like (AKA bikes that are obviously wildly non-compliant and probably being ridden in dickhead fashion to boot). In general if you aren't calling attention to yourself by ripping around throttle only at 35mph nobody is likely to care.

 

[AHicks]

Here in NoVA, I've heard of people being cited for riding singletrack on non-compliant bikes. Park police/rangers don't bother inspecting the bike, they look up the model online and check specs there. Its not really hard to have a general knowledge of whats available to the public and whats allowed and isn't, so don't count on "I'll lie about motor wattage" working. Rangers aren't idiots.

To be fair, its mostly people riding sur-rons and the like (AKA bikes that are obviously wildly non-compliant and probably being ridden in dickhead fashion to boot). In general if you aren't calling attention to yourself by ripping around throttle only at 35mph nobody is likely to care.

Agree on both points. Would just like to add that there are some that might buy a legal bike, rip it's electronic guts out and replace them with much more capable aftermarket parts, and your "Ranger" will be none the wiser. Not that difficult, and in many cases, not that expensive......

Then too, there are the nicely done custom bikes, that don't have model numbers, or much else to aid an unskilled eye. These COULD also be bikes that are sold as off-road only - and also have no identifying markings.

 

[tomjasz]

Agree on both points. Would just like to add that there are some that might buy a legal bike, rip it's electronic guts out and replace them with much more capable aftermarket parts, and your "Ranger" will be none the wiser. Not that difficult, and in many cases, not that expensive......

Then too, there are the nicely done custom bikes, that don't have model numbers, or much else to aid an unskilled eye. These COULD also be bikes that are sold as off-road only - and also have no identifying markings.

I'm hoping the ridiculous ranking system doesn't come to MN. Currently, the limit is pedals,750W and 20MPH. Now we all know 750W is capable of "Class 3" or a bit faster but one can easily set up a 20MPH limit and be able to change for off-road. Reasonable to me...

 

[JES2020]

Here in NoVA, I've heard of people being cited for riding singletrack on non-compliant bikes. Park police/rangers don't bother inspecting the bike, they look up the model online and check specs there. Its not really hard to have a general knowledge of whats available to the public and whats allowed and isn't, so don't count on "I'll lie about motor wattage" working. Rangers aren't idiots.

To be fair, its mostly people riding sur-rons and the like (AKA bikes that are obviously wildly non-compliant and probably being ridden in dickhead fashion to boot). In general if you aren't calling attention to yourself by ripping around throttle only at 35mph nobody is likely to care.

Plus being electric, even the Surons don't get ppl complaining nearly as much due to noise.

 

[jabberwocky]

Plus being electric, even the Surons don't get ppl complaining nearly as much due to noise.

Compared to what? Gas bikes? At least around here, anywhere you can legally ride a dirtbike offroad, a Sur Ron is fine too.

From what I've heard, there are a few people in the area who bought them and tried to treat the local MTB trails as an MX track, and when confronted tried the "its an ebike, you can't stop me!" thing. Park police were called and said riders were cited. At least one tried a few more times, but their photos (as well as car/plate numbers) were circulated among the local MTB groups and they were quickly caught a few more times.

In general, if you're skirting the rules and otherwise behaving, its unlikely anyone will give you a hard time. Nobody has the resources to actually go out and patrol trails to find someone whose bike is technically 1000w instead of 750. If you're being really egregious and/or calling attention to yourself, your odds of being hassled/cited go up dramatically.

 

[Taylor57]

CA to crack down on Surons. Wonder if the Super 73s are next?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

CA to crack down on Surons. Wonder if the Super 73s are next?

Music to my ears! May the Super73s be next.

Thanks to trail damage by 14 year-old males on these overpowered machines, "no ebike" signs are going up on trail after trail here. Regulators apparently have no idea that they're motorcycles, not ebikes.

And don't get me started on the wheelies everywhere — including in heavy traffic. Then there are the Sur-rons doing 40 mph in bike lanes.

I'm normally a non-violent guy, but good thing I don't have a handlebar-mounted RPG.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Why angry?