42 • November 2026 • Powersports Business

California has brought some clarity to the concerningly opaque legal lines between electric bikes and electric motorcycles and mopeds, after it recently enacted SB 1167.

As detailed in its Oct. 7 Ride Report, the Motorcycle Industry Council said it spent months improving the bill’ s vehicle definitions, classifications, and related requirements.

California Senate Bill 1167, which was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 30, effectively changes the type of vehicles that are prohibited from being advertised, sold, offered for sale, or labeled as e-bikes.

The bill’ s co-sponsors— CalBike and PeopleForBikes— sought to clearly define what qualifies as an e-bicycle and which vehicles fall outside that definition, giving law enforcement clearer guidance as higher-powered off-road e-motorcycles are increasingly used on public roads.

The law maintains California’ s definition of an e-bike as a bicycle with operable pedals and an electric motor of no more than 750 watts. Motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, mopeds, and off-highway e-motorcycles cannot be advertised, sold, or labeled as electric bicycles. The law also establishes disclosure and labeling requirements intended to make the differences between those vehicle categories clearer to consumers and law enforcement.

CALIFORNIA FOLLOWS WASHINGTON In June, Washington state also enacted a similar law that established a clearer distinctions between e-bikes and e-motorcycles. It’ s safe to anticipate other states making their own definition between e-bikes and e-motorcycles, and MIC says it will continue to monitor similar legislation as states consider how these electric two-wheel vehicles should be classified, labeled, advertised, and sold.

California seemed to be at the center of the concerns, and the bill was in part a response to the growing public safety crisis surrounding high-powered e-motorcycles being marketed as e-bikes. These concerns peaked in April following an incident where a teenager driving an e-motorcycle struck and killed an 81−year-old pedestrian

DEALER IMPACT For dealers, the new law now regulates how they advertise, label, and disclose products. The law draws up a clear regulatory line between legal, low-speed electric bicycles and high-powered e-motorcycles.

LIVEWIRE

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• Fully electric powertrain with no clutch or shifting required

• Tuned top-speed profiles equivalent to first- and second-gear learning environments

• Up to 73 miles of range at 20 mph, including swappable batteries

• Simple charging, vehicle protection kit, and fleet management for training operators

LiveWire says these characteristics help remove obstacles that may discourage prospective riders. As rider training organizations continue to explore new tools and technologies that support rider success, LiveWire believes motorcycles like the S4 Honcho can play an important role in attracting and developing the next generation of motorcyclists.

KTM

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power-tool-type battery, delivering a maximum of 50 Nm. Also, an external charger supplies up to 500 W and can connect to any 110− or 230−volt socket, charging to 100 % in 60 minutes.

The SX-E 2.12 features a roll-over sensor that cuts power in crashes or tip-overs. A wrist lanyard key also provides a direct connection between the rider and the kill switch, stopping the motor in the event of an uncontrollable riding scenario. An illuminated multifunctional display located on the handlebar also makes keeping an eye on selected ride modes simple, with different colors indicating which ride mode is selected.

The 2027 SX-E 2.12 is currently available at authorized KTM dealers, with an MSRP of $ 2,349− $ 2,699.