According to Summit County Sheriff’s spokesperson Skyler Talbot, a deputy spotted two kids, ages 14 and 12, riding e-motorcycles recklessly through Pinebrook late April 7.
The pair fled when the deputy tried to pull them over, Talbot said. Deputies searched the area, found one of the kids and later contacted both sets of parents.
“At the end of the day, the deputy made the decision not to issue any citations or juvenile referrals to court. However, both of the e-motorcycles that were involved were impounded,” Talbot told KPCW.
Utah law defines three categories, or classes, of e-bikes. For more powerful bikes that are outside of those classes, Talbot said authorities can treat them like self-propelled motor vehicles, which can be impounded.
In this case, the bikes were impounded because the riders didn’t have licenses, registration or insurance.
But impounding laws predate e-motorcycle technology. This year, legislators tailored new legislation specifically for e-bikes and e-motorbikes.
“The technology surrounding these e-bikes, and now e-motorcycles, it's something that's just evolving so rapidly that the laws can't really keep up with it,” Talbot said. “Prior to this newest legislation being passed, really the only enforcement tool that we had at our discretion was enforcing this under the vehicle code.”
The new law, which explicitly classifies the fastest e-bikes as motorcycles, hasn’t taken effect yet. Some parts, including those requiring motorcycle licenses for riders, won’t kick in until May 2027.
Once it takes effect, Talbot says law enforcement will have more options. That includes holding an e-motorcycle without putting kids or parents through the “cumbersome” impounding process.
“It's almost like when you're in school and you're not supposed to be on your phone, and the teacher takes it until the end of the day, until the parents can come and get it,” he said. “That's how I kind of look at the new statute.”
The new legislation will also require safety courses and helmets for certain e-bikers. Cities are also allowed to pass laws banning e-motorcycles on trails.
