The Maricopa Police Department is trying to play fun police this holiday season, making sure everybody follows the rules with e-bikes, minibikes or other motor-driven cycles that Santa drops down our Southwestern chimneys (doggie doors?).  

In a video message released yesterday, Officer Sean Horst of the MPD Traffic Unit said the city has seen “an uptick” in the use of these motorized devices and expects even more as Christmas approaches. 

“Not all e-bikes are considered the same under the law,” Horst said. “Arizona classifies electric bicycles into different categories, and while many are treated just like traditional bicycles, other high-powered e-bikes may actually be considered electric motor-driven cycles.” 

A 2019 law tried to lay out some rules for e-bikes. It really comes down to the gittup-and-go (as this writer paraphrases) your bike has. Electric bicycles generally have the same rights and duties as pedal cyclists, and most e-bikes are not required to be titled, registered, insured, or operated with a driver’s license. But when an e-bike exceeds the legal definition by having too much motor wattage or no functional pedals, it may fall into the motor-driven cycle category instead. 

“Motor-driven cycles must be registered and insured, require a motorcycle endorsement and are permitted only on roadways,” Horst said.

He emphasized that one rule applies across the board: Gas-powered minibikes, e-bikes and motor-driven cycles cannot be ridden on sidewalks or in crosswalks. “These areas are reserved for families, children and your pets, too,” he said.

Arizona law also regulates where different classes of e-bikes may ride.  

Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes (pedal assistance up to 20 mph) may use bicycle and multi-use paths unless restricted by a local authority, while Class 3 e-bikes (up to 28 mph) are generally banned from paths unless those paths run alongside a roadway.

Horst reminded riders that these path restrictions are often misunderstood, making it important to know your bike’s classification. 

How to know your bike’s class? In their wisdom, state lawmakers required that each e-bike carry a permanent label showing its class number, top assisted speed and motor wattage, a detail Horst said parents should pay close attention to when considering a bike as a gift.

Most gas-powered minibikes, he added, are not street-legal under any circumstances and may only be used on private property.

The department urged parents to verify how a motorized vehicle is legally classified before giving one as a holiday gift.  

“What is meant to be an exciting and joyous present could quickly turn unsafe or illegal if the rules are not properly understood,” said Horst. 

That reminder comes as Maricopa is already seeing the consequences of unsafe and illegal motorized riding. Just this week, police arrested 28-year-old Alterra man Victor Lamont Holloman Jr. after he allegedly fled the scene of a crash that injured a 15-year-old on an e-bike near Senita.  

Officers later tracked down Holloman and arrested him on hit-and-run charges. His lengthy traffic history, including prior violations for speeding, driving without insurance and texting while driving, underscores exactly why police say holiday riders need to plan for their actions and those of other drivers. 

“If it has a motor, don’t just treat it like a bicycle. Know your ride before you ride,” said Horst in the video filmed inside Copper Sky.  

And while Horst seems like a nice guy, it’s better to see him in this video than on the side of the road at a traffic stop.

“Ride safe, ride smart and have a happy holidays,” he said, ending the message with one more reminder:  

“Don’t forget your helmet.”