HOLMES BEACH – As a follow-up to a previous city commission discussion, Police Chief Bill Tokajer provided an update on the state and city laws that apply to electric bikes (e-bikes) and higher wattage electric motorcycles.
During the May 13 city commission meeting, Tokajer said, “You had asked me about the e-bikes and the problems with the e-bikes so I did a little bit of research. I found out that there’s different levels. They have to be 750 watts or less; they have to have pedal operation as well. The e-bikes you’re seeing out there that have a stationary foot peg, they are not e-bikes; and they have as many as 8,000 watts instead of the 750.”
“These other ones, with the foot pegs, are going as high as 60 miles an hour. I’ve seen them on our roads and I’ve seen guys driving on the sidewalks on them and it looks like a little dirt bike. It’s an electric motorcycle that’s unlicensed, unregistered and they have no license to be on them. It is a motorcycle,” Tokajer said. “If they’re under 21, they have to have a helmet and you’re not seeing anybody with a helmet. I sent out pictures of ones that I’ve seen out here and I’ve looked them up online. They’re actually listed as an e-bike off-road vehicle when they sell them.”
Tokajer instructed his officers to increase their enforcement of the state and city laws applicable to e-bikes and e-motorcycles.
According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department, “If you wish to operate any two or three-wheel motorcycle whose engine size is more than 50 cc, you are required to have a motorcycle endorsement on your driver license or hold a ‘motorcycle only’ license. Please note that anyone driving a motorcycle without an endorsement is violating the law.”
When Commissioner Dan Diggins asked if the higher wattage models are being rented on the Island, Tokajer said, “Every one rented on the Island that I’ve seen has pedal power.”
More information
The following day, Tokajer shared a copy of an email he sent to the mayor, city commissioners and city attorney.
His email said Florida Statute 316.003 defines an electric bicycle as “A bicycle or tricycle equipped with fully operable pedals, a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and an electric motor of less than 750 watts which meets the requirements of one of the following three classifications:
- “Class 1 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
- “Class 2 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the electric bicycle and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
- “Class 3 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour.”
Tokajer’s email referenced Florida Statute 316.20655, which says, “An electric bicycle must operate in a manner so that the electric motor is disengaged or ceases to function when the rider stops pedaling or when the brakes are applied.”
Tokajer’s email referenced City Ordinance 62-87, which says, “Motorized scooters, mopeds, segways, motor scooters, commercial megacycles, autocycles and motorized bicycles are prohibited from being operated on all sidewalks within the city limits; provided, however, that segways which are part of a guided tour may use city sidewalks for short distances to provide safe access to streets with speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less.”
Tokajer’s email contained links to retail websites that include photos resembling the e-motorcycles he’s seen on the Island. One looks like a full-sized dirt bike and advertises 8,000 kilowatts of power and a maximum speed of 75 mph. Another looks like a powerful mini-bike/dirt bike.
The Holmes Beach Police Department recently posted similar information on its Facebook page and included two new graphics pertaining to e-bikes and other motorized devices.
“Whether you’re cruising to the beach or commuting around town, it’s important to know the rules of the road for electric bikes and other motorized devices in the city of Holmes Beach,” the post says.
“Not all e-bikes are created equal. If it has a throttle, can’t be pedaled manually or exceeds certain speeds, it may be classified as an electric motorcycle, which means it must be registered, you must have a motorcycle endorsement (and) riders under 21 must wear a helmet.”
The post references the state’s electric bike classifications and says, “If your e-bike doesn’t fit these classes, it’s likely a motor vehicle and you must follow all motor vehicle rules.”
The post advises riders to ride responsibly, obey stop signs and traffic lights, ride with the flow of traffic and follow all traffic laws.
The post ends with the following message: “These rules help keep our sidewalks safe, our roads clear and our community connected. Let’s share the road and protect what makes Holmes Beach special.”
Related coverage:
E-bikes regulated like bicycles
