Folsom police impound e-moto, pledge increased enforcement of e-bike activity
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Folsom police impounded an e-moto whose juvenile owner is under investigation.
- Folsom PD will conduct zero-tolerance enforcement operations throughout the summer.
- Violators may face citations, towing, criminal charges, and parents will be notified.
Folsom police impounded an off-highway electric motorcycle Wednesday, signaling the city’s continued efforts to crack down on e-bikes and e-motos.
According to the Folsom Police Department, officers impounded the e-moto because its rider — a juvenile — was the subject of an ongoing investigation into the June 23 vandalism of a car windshield at Palladio.
Police identified the suspect through investigative work conducted after the incident, according to the post. Folsom police said they will submit the case to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office with a request for criminal charges.
Officials across the capital region have long sought stricter enforcement of regulations governing e-bikes and e-motos. In California, children under 16 may legally ride Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, while Class 3 e-bikes and e-motos have stricter age requirements.
Not every electric ride is an e-bike
California law draws a clear line between legal e-bikes and faster electric vehicles based on how they provide power and their maximum assisted speed. Electric motorcycles, often called e-motos, and stand-up scooters follow different rules, including licensing, registration and where they may legally operate.
- Pedals
- Yes
- Throttle
- No
- Assistance
- Pedal-assist
- Top speed
- 20 mph
- Motor limit
- 750 watts
- Min. age to ride
- None
- Helmet req.
- If under 18
- Driver’s license
- No
- Registration
- No
- Pedals
- Yes
- Throttle
- Yes
- Assistance
- Throttle-assist
- Top speed
- 20 mph
- Motor limit
- 750 watts
- Min. age to ride
- None
- Helmet req.
- If under 18
- Driver’s license
- No
- Registration
- No
- Pedals
- Yes
- Throttle
- No*
- Assistance
- Pedal-assist*
- Top speed
- 28 mph
- Motor limit
- 750 watts
- Min. age to ride
- 16 years old
- Helmet req.
- For all riders
- Driver’s license
- No
- Registration
- No
- Pedals
- No
- Throttle
- Yes
- Assistance
- No
- Top speed
- Varies
- Motor limit
- >750 watts
- Min. age to ride
- 16 with license
- Helmet req.
- For all riders
- Driver’s license
- Yes
- Registration
- Yes†
- Pedals
- No
- Throttle
- Yes
- Assistance
- No
- Top speed
- Varies
- Motor limit
- N/A
- Min. age to ride
- 16 years old
- Helmet req.
- For all riders
- Driver’s license
- Yes
- Registration
- No
* California law defines Class 3 as pedal-assist. Some manufacturers sell Class 3 bikes with throttles limited to 20 mph, but the defining feature is pedal assistance up to 28 mph. † The DMV requires Off-Highway Vehicle registration; riders must possess a driver’s license.
Sources: California Department of Justice, Department of Motor Vehicles
Graphic: DANIEL HUNT • dhunt@sacbee.com
Class 1 e-bikes provide pedal assistance up to 20 mph, while Class 2 e-bikes include a throttle but stop assisting the rider at 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes, which provide pedal assistance up to 28 mph, require the rider to be at least 16 years old.
Riders of e-motos, or “motor-driven cycles” that fall outside e-bike standards may require registration and a Class M1 license and must be at least 16 years old, according to previous Bee reporting.
According to Mike Majors, owner of the Electric Bike Shop in Sacramento, kids frequently visit his shop to get their e-bikes repaired. Majors, who has operated the shop for 15 years, said he has seen a significant increase in the number of young riders.
“Kids come in (to the shop) all the time,” Majors said. “(E-bikes) have become really popular in the last few years.”
Folsom police said they will increase enforcement of e-bike regulations throughout the summer, according to a Facebook post.
“Throughout the summer, dedicated teams of officers will conduct focused, zero-tolerance enforcement operations in areas where e-bike-related violations are most frequently reported,” reads a post on the agency’s Facebook page.
According to the post, e-bike and e-moto riders who violate the law may face citations, towing or criminal charges for violations beyond traffic offenses. If a juvenile is stopped on an e-bike or e-moto, officers will contact the rider’s parents.
Folsom police said the recent e-moto impoundment “serves as an important reminder for parents to talk with their children about responsible riding behavior, appropriate places to operate e-bikes, and the consequences of criminal conduct both on and off the bike.”
“Personally, I’d like to see a required training and licensing of both the riders and the E-bikes,” one commenter wrote on Facebook. “Past obvious criminal activities, who teaches the rules that we expect the youngsters to know? In many cases it is clear that common sense is in short supply.”