"The reality, however, is that no tinkering, modifying or altering is required to achieve speeds far in excess of the 20 mph limit of throttle (class 2) e-bikes. Ironically, Mariano is living proof of that fact. He irresponsibly boasts of riding a 3,000 watt Segway Xyber with a max speed of 35 mph, zero to 20 in 2.7 seconds. That's not an e-bike, even though that's how Segway misleadingly describes it on its website."
"That's not an e-bike, even though that's how Segway misleadingly describes it on its website. That's an e-motorcycle, and it's not street-legal from the starting line -- no hacking, tinkering, modification needed. And Segway is not alone. Indeed, a review of manufacturers' websites reveals that almost all throttle "e-bikes" come with motors larger than 750 watts or capable of working above the 20 mph limit."
Bob Mittelstaedt is a retired lawyer, avid e-biker, and co-founder of E-Bike Access who consults with governments, school officials, and law enforcement on e-bike and e-moto issues. The Mineta Transportation Institute study identifies illegal, over-powered devices as a central safety problem. Many high-powered throttle devices are sold or described as e-bikes despite motors exceeding 750 watts or exceeding the 20 mph limit. Some models, such as a 3,000 watt Segway Xyber capable of 35 mph, require no user modification to operate as illegal e-motos. Manufacturer settings and simple app or code changes can enable unlawful speeds, complicating regulation and enforcement.
Read at Streetsblog
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