In Arkansas, the use of high-performance electric motorcycles, such as the Sur-Ron Light Bee, is leading to new restrictions on where these vehicles can be used. These electric motorcycles look similar to mountain bikes but have the speed and power of small motorcycles. State officials and trail managers are clarifying and enforcing rules to keep them off bicycle paths and mountain bike trails in the state.
Sur-Ron and similar electric motorcycles do not fit clearly into existing vehicle categories. They look like large BMX or mountain bikes but have powerful electric motors. For example, the Sur-Ron Light Bee X has a 6,000-watt motor and can reach speeds over 45 mph. Unlike legal e-bikes, these vehicles often do not have pedals and use foot pegs and a twist throttle. This makes them more like electric dirt bikes than bicycles. Their speed and lack of pedals set them apart from e-bikes allowed on most trails.
Arkansas law, based on the 2017 Electric Bicycle Act, defines three classes of legal e-bikes. All must have pedals and motors under 750 watts. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are limited to 20 mph, while Class 3 pedal-assist bikes can reach up to 28 mph. Sur-Ron-style bikes exceed these limits in both power and speed. Their lack of pedals also means they do not meet the state’s definition of an electric bicycle. Even if pedals are added, their performance and throttle use keep them outside the legal e-bike category…