Teens on e-motos elude police
By KEZI Staff
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EUGENE, Oregon (KEZI) — Two 13-year-olds tried to elude police on electric motorcycles Wednesday, according to the Eugene Police Department.
EPD officials said that, at 5:55 p.m. on Oct. 21, a Eugene police officer witnessed two children on electric motorcycles driving on Willakenzie Road toward Coburg Road. The children were popping wheelies on the roadway. When police attempted to stop them, they slowed down in a nearby parking lot before taking off down Coburg Road. One of them was eventually stopped and the matter was dealt with by police and the child’s parents.
The second child successfully eluded police. The motorcycles go 35 mph and did not have pedals.
According to the City of Eugene, e-motos are illegal everywhere in Eugene except private property or lands where off-highway vehicles are allowed. If a bike can go over 20 mph with a throttle, it is not an e-bike but an e-motorcycle, even if it has pedals. The speed limit on paths is 20 mph max and 12 mph when others are present. Riding an e-moto in Eugene can result in a Class B Traffic Violation. E-bikes can go up to 20 mph with throttle or 28 mph with pedal assist only. Many e-motos are being sold as e-bikes.
A 2027 state law will ban selling e-motos labeled as e-bikes. Anyone who sees someone using an e-motorcycle recklessly or on public property can report it at epd.mypdconnect.com.
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