Minnesota e-bike law: What's street legal, what could get you a ticket
Minnesota's new e-bike law: What to know
Minnesota will have a new law that will be cracking down on e-bikes. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the latest.
BLAINE, Minn. (FOX 9) - As bicycle season rolls in, Minnesota police are warning riders about new rules for powerful electric bikes.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story included information about a proposed state law clarifying which assisted two-wheelers fell into which categories. That bill passed in the state Senate, but did not pass in the House.
Police focus on overpowered e-bikes and new rules
Police across Minnesota are seeing more complaints about high-powered electric bikes being used in places meant for regular bikes and standard e-bikes.
Under state law, e-bikes with less than 750 watts of power are still treated like bicycles. These can be ridden on most sidewalks and bike trails, and riders do not need a license or insurance.
When an electric bike has 750–1500 watts of power, it's treated like a moped. And if it has even more power — like the 8000-watt model spotted at Blaine High School on Wednesday — it is considered an e-moto.
"They're classified 100% as a motorcycle. So when riding this, you need to be at least 16 years old with your motorcycle license. You're going to have to have insurance. You're going to have to have a license plate and registration," said Officer Kurt Greene, a traffic officer at the Blaine Police Department.
Blaine police are beginning to enforce a new city ordinance Thursday that largely matches state law, but the city will also limit e-bike speeds to 20 mph and require helmets for riders younger than 18 years old.
Police are also noticing more kids under 15 riding power-assisted bikes, which is only allowed on private property.
"We feel like with a lot of these, the kids are pestering their parents to get them to buy the item without the parents even knowing the rules behind it. So we're trying to blast it out, educate via social media, through the news," said Greene.
Blaine police are starting the season by sharing information, but will soon begin confiscating illegal e-motos and issuing tickets. Driving without a license is a misdemeanor.
Blaine police say sidewalk riding is a major concern, especially with faster e-motos.
"First thing that catches my attention is the sidewalk driving," said Greene.
The city is using public service announcements and social media to get the word out.
"We see these out on the streets a lot. They go faster," said Officer Brian Wiens in a PSA.
Blaine police hope education will help families understand the new rules before enforcement ramps up.
Big picture view:
The changes mean that riders, parents and sellers all need to pay close attention to the power and classification of electric bikes.
With more powerful models on the market, staying within the law could mean the difference between a fun ride and a costly ticket or confiscation.
The Source: FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard spoke with Blaine Police Department and covered the changes as they happened at the Capitol.