As the popularity of e-bikes continues to rise, it is increasingly important to know what they are compared to e-motos, or e-motorcycles.
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To the untrained eye, they look quite similar.
In Orange County alone, authorities say, three serious crashes with teenagers illegally riding e-motorcycles have led to two deaths and two parents facing charges.
E-bikes are moving fast and local laws, safety measures are trying to catch up
And how can parents ensure what their children are riding is legal?
Legal e-bikes come in three classes:
- Class 1: Motor provides power only when the rider pedals, with a maximum speed of 20 mph.
- Class 2: Motor powers the bike even when the rider is not pedaling, with a maximum speed of 20 mph.
- Class 3: Motor provides power only when the rider pedals, topping out at 28 mph.
Those riding a Class 3 e-bike must be 16 years old or older. All riders under 18 must wear a helmet while riding an e-bike.
E-bikes, which cannot have more wattage than 750, do not require a driver’s license to operate.
By contrast, e-motorcycles, or e-motos, are not street legal unless the rider has a proper motorcycle license, the vehicle is registered and insured, and it has all of the required safety equipment, including a headlight, tail lights and a license plate.
E-motorcycles can reach speeds of 30 to 50 mph and be modified for even higher speeds.
Oftentimes, children ride e-motorcycles on public streets — which is illegal. Some e-motorcycles have been sold with pedals to look like e-bikes.
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E-bikes have pedals, while e-motorcycles have pegs.
Besides streets, in some cases, e-bike riders can go on sidewalks with low foot traffic, but cities may have laws prohibiting sidewalk riding. E-bikes are allowed on some bike paths.
When on streets, e-bike riders are required to follow the rules of the road — largely what drivers of cars and trucks and motorcycle riders must.
Clockwise from top left: A Retrospec Chatham Rev Plus Class 2 electric bike, a Trek Verve+ LT Class 1 electric bike, and a Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro Class 3 electric bike at Two Wheels One Planet in Costa Mesa. (Photos by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An E-Ride Pro SS 3.0 E-moto electric bike is seen at CA E-bikes in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Recently, collisions of e-motorcycles have grabbed headlines.
Last week, a 13-year-old was allegedly riding an e-motorcycle on Magnolia Street in Garden Grove when he hit the center median, lost control, crashed and died.
An Aliso Viejo mom is facing an involuntary manslaughter charge after her son, authorities say, was doing wheelies on an electric motorcycle in Lake Forest and fatally hit an 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran and substitute teacher as he walked home.
And a Yorba Linda father was charged in March with child endangerment after, authorities say, his 12-year-old son, on an electric motorcycle in July, ran a red light and was struck by a car and critically injured.
The mother had been warned by deputies about her son riding an e-moto. Months before his son’s collision, authorities say, the father and son had attended an e-bike safety class after the boy was cited for riding an e-motorcycle.
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