Are Electric Dirt Bikes Street Legal?

Electric bikes are fantastic machines that make riding more manageable and more accessible. But there's a new trend of electric dirt bikes becoming more popular. This is hardly surprising, as these things are lots of fun to ride and can take you to places previously inaccessible. In this article, we'll answer the question, "Are electric bikes street legal?".

Woman riding a Fiido C11 electric bicycle on the road

What Is An Electric Dirt Bike, And How Does It Differ From An Electric Mountain Bike?

Let's start with the basics of what an electric dirt bike is. An electric dirt bike is an electric motocross bike. Instead of a traditional gas-powered engine, it runs on an electric motor connected to a battery. With an effortless twist of the throttle, an electric dirt bike can accelerate up to and over 70mph. People who ride electric dirt bikes love the feeling of instant torque and power delivery. They are also almost silent, especially when compared to traditional dirt bikes with noisy engines. This quietness may not appeal to die-hard motocross riders, but it means you don't disturb people and wildlife or draw attention to yourself while riding.

When you compare an electric dirt bike to an electric mountain bike, you'll see several key differences. Firstly, you need to pedal an electric mountain bike, and the motor assists you in your efforts. It resembles a regular bike, while a dirt bike looks more like an off-road motorcycle. These are for people who don't want to pedal and ride much faster.

Electric mountain bikes are designed for mountain bikers who want to explore further than they can on their regular bikes. The motor makes it possible to climb steeper hills rather than pushing up or turning back. Depending on your location, you can ride Class 3 electric mountain bikes on the road without a license, insurance, or other road safety features. However, it's still worth checking your local laws so you don't get into trouble.

Why Ride An Electric Dirt Bike On The Street?

You may want to ride an electric dirt bike on the street for several reasons. The most common is that electric dirt bikes are cheaper to buy and run than cars. They are also lots of fun and much faster than an electric bike, making your commute highly entertaining. Another reason for riding an electric dirt bike on the road is that you may want to ride it to the trails rather than load it onto a trailer.

A woman removes the battery from a Fiido C11 electric bicycle

What Makes An Electric Dirt Bike Street Legal?

Although electric dirt bikes are designed for off-road use, In most cases, they are street legal. But before you ride one on public roads, you need to ensure that it meets the necessary requirements.

Just like regular motorcycles and cars, a few things determine if an electric dirt bike is roadworthy. For example, to be road legal, it needs to have the correct tires, lighting, and mirrors. If you need clarification on whether your electric dirt bike is street legal, we recommend researching your local regulations to stay on the right side of the law. But here are some things to consider:

Lights

One of the most essential elements of being street legal is lighting. By law, motorcycles must be fitted with turn signals, headlights, brake lights, and tail lights before being ridden on public roads. However, not all electric dirt bikes have these as standard; therefore, you'd be breaking the law if you rode one on the street.

Tires

Bikes designed for off-road use usually have chunky tires with deep treads. This gives them traction and stability on muddy and loose surfaces. The downside of these tires is that they may not work well on paved roads, making them potentially dangerous. Therefore, street legal motorcycles have tires designed to work better on smooth roads for optimum grip and control.

You can buy electric dirt bikes fitted with road tires or fit them later. Some people opt for tires that are street legal but still perform reasonably well off-road. However, whichever tires you choose, there will always be a compromise somewhere.

Mirrors

Another essential element of the roadworthiness of an electric dirt bike is its mirrors. To ride a motorcycle on the road, it must have rearview mirrors fitted to it, allowing the rider to see behind them.

You'll notice that most electric dirt bikes don't have mirrors, which creates a safety risk when riding on public roads. This is especially the case when there's lots of traffic. Some electric dirt bike manufacturers offer mirrors as an optional extra or put provisions on the bike so you can fit aftermarket items. So, if you intend to ride your electric dirt bike on the roads, select the option for mirrors or see if you can fit them yourself. You can always remove them if you think they will get in the way when riding through thick forests, etc.

Standard Safety Features

To ride a motorcycle on the street, it needs to have some standard safety features. These are things you'd find on any road-going vehicle, such as a speedometer, license plate, and horn. Without these features on your dirt bike, you'd be breaking the law by not riding a street legal dirt bike.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

All street-legal cars and motorcycles must have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This number allows the vehicle to be registered with the authorities and is one of the many ways the vehicle can be identified if stolen.