Bountiful council hears police report on rising e‑bike incidents and high‑powered e‑motorcycles; no ordinance adopted

Police and council members in Bountiful discussed enforcement challenges tied to the rapid growth of electric bicycles and high‑powered electric motorcycles during a council work session on Oct. 14, 2025. Police Chief Bealer told the City Council the devices present classification and enforcement problems under current state statutes and city ordinances, and council members discussed education, coordinated state legislation and potential city ordinances to limit e‑motorcycles in parks and on certain trails.

Bealer summarized state and local law and why they complicate on‑the‑street enforcement. “The Utah law recognizes currently a three‑class system for e‑bikes,” Bealer said, but he added that “the emergence of high powered e motorcycles and out of class e‑bikes has blurred the lines between classes and created confusion among users and enforcement agencies.” He described e‑motorcycles commonly seen in Bountiful (sometimes referred to in the session as “Siron”/“Suron” style vehicles) as having 750 watts or more and, in many cases, not street legal unless converted with mirrors, lights and a license plate.

The issues, Bealer told the council, include difficulty distinguishing class 1, 2 and 3 e‑bikes by sight; modified or disabled…