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Parents Are Accidentally Buying Their Kids Electric Motorcycles Instead Of E-Bikes
(www.jalopnik.com)
this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2025
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micromobility - Bikes, scooters, boards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility
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"Transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, especially electric ones that may be borrowed as part of a self-service rental program in which people rent vehicles for short-term use within a town or city.
micromobility is seen as a potential solution to moving people more efficiently around cities"
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They are motorcycles - they need to be ridden in the same lane as cars. You also need a drivers license with a motorcycle endorsement - which I doubt most kids have. (check your state laws, you may need to be 18 to get the motorcycle endorsement)
In my state only class one bikes (pedal assist, assist stops at 20mph) may be ridden in bike lanes or shared use paths). Each state has different laws though so check yours (and check again next year as the laws are changing)
I think we might be confusing bike types. The one I have checks out under the Class 3 e-bike specs. 28 mph max, 750W sustained motor, and no license or plates needed.
Anything above that is absolutely a motorcycle though, and will need license and registration.
there are 3 different ebike types. In my state only class one or two may be used on bike paths and sidewalks (class 2 also allowed when limited to 12mph top speed - the article says 20mph..) Class 3 is not allowed on bike paths and sidewalks, you don't need a drivers license but you must be at least 16 to use them. laws may be different in your state though, so check first.
In any case this article is about bikes that don't even meet the class 3 limits. They are motorcycles and you need license and registration - which you may not be able to get (to get registration I think you need a VIN which these probably don't have - but then again I haven't checked either the laws much less if these bikes meet those laws)