On a sunny summer day, Burlington’s bike path is filled with runners, families and cyclists enjoying the waterfront. But some say a different kind of ride is becoming increasingly common — and raising safety concerns along the greenway.”E-moto is very importantly not an e-bike. That’s where a lot of confusion comes up,” said Val Cyr, communications director at Local Motion.Unlike e-bikes, electric motorcycles — also known as e-motos — are considered motor vehicles under state law. That means they are not permitted on bike paths and require registration, insurance and a licensed driver who is at least 16 years old.But Interim Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke said many people are unaware of those distinctions.”What we’re seeing are families buying these e-motos for their adolescents, and those are actually, under the law, motorcycles that require registration, insurance and licensing,” Burke said. “Now you’ve got 13, 14, 15-year-olds riding these around the community.”Burke said the bike path has become one of the areas of greatest concern for enforcement and safety issues.Community members say they are seeing the same trend firsthand.”Especially here on the bike path itself, I’ve seen a lot of close calls, and I’ve seen some people who just obviously they don’t care,” said Reg Vance, a Burlington resident.Val Cyr, communications director for Local Motion, a bicycle advocacy organization located along the bike path, said the problem is visible daily from their office.”We see them on the bike path all the time. Our office is right here, so we see them zipping up and down,” Cyr said.Cyr said confusion is sometimes driven by marketing, with some high-powered e-motos being advertised as e-bikes.”You’ll see them often shown as e-bikes, and then it’ll show able to go 50 miles an hour, which, by definition, is no longer an e-bike,” she said.E-bikes are generally capped at 28 miles per hour, while e-motos can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour or more, she said.While Local Motion is pushing for more regulation at the state level, Cyr said education may be the most immediate solution.”We have a lot of resources to help, especially schools and camps, just to notify kids and parents that what you’re riding is not necessarily what you think it is,” she said.Cyr also urged consumers to consult professionals before purchasing.”Go to your local bike shop,” she said. “Those folks have all the knowledge, even if you’re showing them something you’re purchasing online. They will let you know if that’s an e-moto to steer away from or an e-bike.”
On a sunny summer day, Burlington’s bike path is filled with runners, families and cyclists enjoying the waterfront. But some say a different kind of ride is becoming increasingly common — and raising safety concerns along the greenway.
“E-moto is very importantly not an e-bike. That’s where a lot of confusion comes up,” said Val Cyr, communications director at Local Motion.
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Unlike e-bikes, electric motorcycles — also known as e-motos — are considered motor vehicles under state law. That means they are not permitted on bike paths and require registration, insurance and a licensed driver who is at least 16 years old.
But Interim Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke said many people are unaware of those distinctions.
“What we’re seeing are families buying these e-motos for their adolescents, and those are actually, under the law, motorcycles that require registration, insurance and licensing,” Burke said. “Now you’ve got 13, 14, 15-year-olds riding these around the community.”
Burke said the bike path has become one of the areas of greatest concern for enforcement and safety issues.
Community members say they are seeing the same trend firsthand.
“Especially here on the bike path itself, I’ve seen a lot of close calls, and I’ve seen some people who just obviously they don’t care,” said Reg Vance, a Burlington resident.
Val Cyr, communications director for Local Motion, a bicycle advocacy organization located along the bike path, said the problem is visible daily from their office.
“We see them on the bike path all the time. Our office is right here, so we see them zipping up and down,” Cyr said.
Cyr said confusion is sometimes driven by marketing, with some high-powered e-motos being advertised as e-bikes.
“You’ll see them often shown as e-bikes, and then it’ll show able to go 50 miles an hour, which, by definition, is no longer an e-bike,” she said.
E-bikes are generally capped at 28 miles per hour, while e-motos can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour or more, she said.
While Local Motion is pushing for more regulation at the state level, Cyr said education may be the most immediate solution.
“We have a lot of resources to help, especially schools and camps, just to notify kids and parents that what you’re riding is not necessarily what you think it is,” she said.
Cyr also urged consumers to consult professionals before purchasing.
“Go to your local bike shop,” she said. “Those folks have all the knowledge, even if you’re showing them something you’re purchasing online. They will let you know if that’s an e-moto to steer away from or an e-bike.”
