E-bike regulation urgently needed as high-powered scooters endanger shared paths

April 3, 2025 – On a sunny Saturday afternoon along Portland’s Springwater Corridor Trail, David Johnson, a local cyclist and father of two, counted more than a dozen high-powered electric motocross bikes weaving through pedestrians and slower riders. “They came up behind me at nearly 30 mph, barely making a sound. It’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt,” he said.

Johnson’s experience echoes a growing concern across U.S. cities as electric scooters, e-bikes, and especially e-motocross-style machines—often capable of speeds exceeding 35 mph and weighing over 80 pounds—flood shared-use paths originally designed for bicycles and pedestrians. While electric transportation is widely praised for reducing emissions and traffic congestion, the rapid proliferation of these vehicles has outpaced existing regulations, leaving a patchwork of inconsistent rules and limited enforcement.

In Portland alone, emergency room visits related to e-bike and e-scooter collisions rose 43% between 2022 and 2024, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority. Nationally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported an estimated 189,000 e-scooter and e-bike injuries in 2024, a 27% increase from the previous year. The majority of incidents involved riders under 25, often on devices that exceed the legal classification for street-legal e-bikes.

Under current federal law, an e-bike must have operable pedals, a maximum speed of 20 mph on throttle alone, and a motor no more than 750 watts to be classified as a “low-speed electric bicycle.” However, many e-motocross bikes—often marketed as “off-road only”—are built with motors up to 2,000 watts and lack pedals, placing them outside this definition. Yet they are frequently ridden on public trails and sidewalks, sometimes by teenagers without helmets.

“The problem is that consumers see ‘electric bike’ and assume it’s allowed everywhere,” said Amelia Torres, a transportation policy researcher at the University of California, Davis. “But these high-powered machines are essentially motorcycles. They belong on streets with proper licensing, insurance, and safety gear—not on multi-use paths where children and elderly pedestrians are vulnerable.”

Portland is not alone. In New York City, the NYPD issued over 5,000 summonses in 2024 for illegal e-bike and e-scooter operation, including riding on sidewalks and failing to yield. Los Angeles County recently passed an ordinance requiring all e-motorcycles over 750 watts to be registered and operated only on roadways. Yet enforcement remains spotty, and riders often purchase devices online with no clear guidance on where they can legally ride.

Johnson, who moved to Portland from British Columbia last year, says he was surprised to see the same pattern he observed in Canada now playing out in his new hometown. “The technology is moving faster than the law. We need a consistent framework that distinguishes between a commuter e-bike and a recreational machine that can do 40 mph.”

Advocacy groups like PeopleForBikes and the National League of Cities have called for a three-tier classification system—already adopted by 39 states—that clearly defines Class 1 (pedal-assist, 20 mph max), Class 2 (throttle, 20 mph max), and Class 3 (pedal-assist, 28 mph max). Vehicles exceeding these specs should be classified as mopeds or motorcycles, requiring registration, insurance, and a driver’s license. But even in states with tiered laws, enforcement is minimal, and many riders are unaware of the rules.

“Education is just as important as enforcement,” said Officer Mark Rivera of the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division. “We can write tickets, but if people don’t know what the rules are, it’s a losing battle. We need signage, public campaigns, and better labeling at the point of sale.”

The city of Portland has begun piloting a “Share the Path” campaign, installing signs at major trailheads that explain speed limits (15 mph on most paths) and which vehicles are allowed. Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Transportation is considering a rule that would require any e-bike sold in the state to display a sticker indicating its classification class.

Still, critics argue that voluntary measures are insufficient. “We’re seeing a Wild West situation,” said Sarah Chen, a mother of two who lives near the Willamette Greenway Trail. “I’ve had to pull my daughter out of the way of a speeding e-motocross bike twice in one month. We need real penalties, not just warnings.”

As the season shifts to warmer weather, the urgency is growing. In 2024, at least 12 pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. involved e-bikes or e-scooters, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Most occurred on shared-use paths or sidewalks.

Johnson, who now serves on a local trail safety advisory committee, believes the solution is not to ban electric vehicles but to create enforceable rules that protect everyone. “No one wants to go back to cars for every trip. But we can’t pretend that a 100-pound machine going 30 mph belongs on a path with a five-year-old on a tricycle. The technology is here—the regulations need to catch up.”