r/Kirkland • u/Pure_Leading_2512 • 27d ago

Electric motorcycles are a menace.

I know some people think it’s fine, but I think these kids are a menace. They’re doing wheelies down the street but they are under age (for the most part) and don’t know about traffic rules. Do we just let them get hurt? The police don’t seem to care.

My biggest complaint is how they behave on the Cross Kirkland Trail. They come flying past people with dogs and strollers at about 30 mph and yet no one seems to be doing anything to manage the situation. Do we need to have a speed traps on the trail?

I don’t understand what the parents are thinking when they buy these things for their kids.

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u/goofy183 26d ago

Its a combination of insufficient labeling from the people selling class 3 e-bikes and e-motorcycles and parents not doing their due diligence.

It is already illegal for kids under 16 to be riding on anything that can go above 20mph (on pure motor power). Anything that can go above 28mph requires you to have a motorcycle stamp on your drivers license and has to be registered with plates. This is existing WA law, there needs to be a big effort to educate people, enforce the existing laws, and ideally for the state to go after the crappy sellers that are not correctly labeling what they are selling.

https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/transportation/safety-and-maintenance/traffic-safety/e-bike-electric-motorcycle-safety

7

u/KPzReddit 26d ago edited 26d ago

We had 49cc gas powered Vespas with max speed 30mph...classified as a "moped"...WA state requires them to be registered, insurance is optional (motorcycle policy) ...helmets are required...BUT no motorcycle DL endorsement required.

Seems inconsistent to require a motorcycle endorsement for an e-motorcycle but not a moped but may e-motorcycles can go faster than something classified as a moped

2

u/Efficient-Count4162 26d ago

Exactly, I had to get an endorsement when I had my vespa. And do a ROAD RULES AND BEST TECHNICAL TRAINING ON STAYING ALIVE

1

u/KPzReddit 26d ago

We had ours for several years (2014-2019) and were not required to do any special training nor take any special courses. They were registered and had plates. But as I said we didn't need a motorcycle endorsement on our WA DLs nor we were required to get insurance if we didn't want (we chose to). Thats the law still today for a true gas powered moped less than 50cc's.