Illegal e-bikes to be seized and destroyed in major New South Wales crackdown:

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-08/illegal-e-bikes-seized-and-destroyed-in-nsw-crackdown/106317782

So the video shows them crushing one E-Bike.

The NSW government are too heavy handed.

What a waste. They could be sent to one of the many poor countries in the world where 2 wheeled transport is popular.

Worked a treat for motorcyclists in SA. Mind you, this is a different age group and these guys had to spend their own hard earnt buying them.

Went for a 10km pushbike ride up the hill (no wind at the moment). Spotted two illegal e-bike/scooter riders on my way. One kid, 10YO, riding his e-scooter on a 1 metre wide path. No helmet. I reckon he was was going at least 30km/h. He takes a blind right hand corner hugging the 2m iron fence. If the timing was bad, I would be in a police station making a report, instead of sitting here typing this with a Kirin.

I'm in two minds about it. I saw a guy all responsible on an e-scooter doing about 60kph in the bike lane on a major road. In peak hour, he beat us by a long way on, say 10km, journey to work. No harm done. That should be encouraged. All the oldies whining that they go so fast with no warning oooh my heart almost stopped = same as their complaints about cyclists doing 50kph on a dual use path..... that they've been whining about for 30 years. Walk on the left and don't just step sideways for no reason ya dopes.

But teens on the electric MX bikes that cost $6K plus (how??!!! privileged little w^nkers ) are a bunch of muppets that need to be cracked down on.

OTOH I had to laugh at the ones on the golf course the other day, some kids were on those old folks lookin things like in the pic above. Yeah you're so hardcore mate

Usual Aussie response ban ban ban.
issue is mainly parent supervision and instilling manners.

Spot on

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hilly said..
Usual Aussie response ban ban ban.
issue is mainly parent supervision and instilling manners.

I knows what ya saying but....

buuuuut....

The only thing that is banned is throttle controlled e-bikes (unless they have rego, insurance and licensed rider) and pedal assist e-bikes that don't cut out the motor at 25kmph.

I am not sure I'd disagree with either of those things.

Yep, OK the 25kmph cut out is stoopid, especially on an e-mtb off road (but then it isn't banned off road, just when on-the-road) and maybe it should be 32kmph like other places or something.... and maybe there is a case that a very low power / low speed throttle controlled e-bike, scooter or skateboard poses little risk to anyone (because somewhere is a line between a toddlers tiny e-balance bike and a surron).

But..... I am not sure this is an example of ban, ban, ban. More of enforce, enforce, enforce. And enforce the rules that stop dickheads riding or driving relatively high speed and high power motor vehicles on public roads without licenses and insurances.

Plenty of alternates around. Plenty of throttle control e-bikes that can be registered, plenty of pedal assist e-bikes that can ridden on the road by anyone. Plenty of places to ride off road. None of it banned.

Oh, also if they are going to destroy all the e-bikes they catch on the road like that, it is going to be a very slow and expensive exercise to crush 'em all.

This might help to explain to some of the more conservative minded why we are in this current situation

Loving my pedal assist legal E-MTB with 100Nm of torque, happy with the 25Kph speed limit if the legislation stays the same
My motorbike rarely gets a ride these days

We should be surprised, Barnaby is in there somewhere.

Beetroot strikes again. Thanks for posts IanR.

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IanR said..
This might help to explain to some of the more conservative minded why we are in this current situation

Loving my pedal assist legal E-MTB with 100Nm of torque, happy with the 25Kph speed limit if the legislation stays the same
My motorbike rarely gets a ride these days

100nm is massive.

I have 8 bikes, 2 roadies, cyclocross, dualie etc etc.

Amongst the 8 are 2 pedal assist e-bikes for commuting. They are the best and fastest way to get around the inner city. More people on e-bikes the better - less peanuts on the road. Obey the law, don't modify the 25km/h max, no problems.

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Pugwash said..

IanR said..
This might help to explain to some of the more conservative minded why we are in this current situation

Loving my pedal assist legal E-MTB with 100Nm of torque, happy with the 25Kph speed limit if the legislation stays the same
My motorbike rarely gets a ride these days

100nm is massive.

I have 8 bikes, 2 roadies, cyclocross, dualie etc etc.

Amongst the 8 are 2 pedal assist e-bikes for commuting. They are the best and fastest way to get around the inner city. More people on e-bikes the better - less peanuts on the road. Obey the law, don't modify the 25km/h max, no problems.

E-bikes are fine, but its only the numpties that you notice overtaking you doing over 30, round a corner, while on the phone. No helmet for a few of them too.

For those that ride responsibility they are great, but for some reason a lot of them want to show they can do high speeds.

I am almost sure that the cops were going to pull me over one day locally for riding an e-bike too fast. They pulled up next to me, but I think they changed their mind when they saw me actually pedalling. To be fair I was doing about 45/50, on a flat section with a hefty tail-wind. It wasn't an e-bike but I can understand why they might have thought it was. Little do they know that the locals ride e-bikes with thongs on, not cycling shoes.... (Maybe they saw the lack of tatts and wearing shoes and then changed their mind?)

Around here in southern Sydney the kids in their mid teens seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety. I recently came very close to becoming very up close and friendly with three of them doing wheelies and slides in my local pedestrian mall. I admire their obvious skill but mourn their lack of awareness and respect for public spaces.

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UncleBob said..
Around here in southern Sydney the kids in their mid teens seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety. I recently came very close to becoming very up close and friendly with three of them doing wheelies and slides in my local pedestrian mall. I admire their obvious skill but mourn their lack of awareness and respect for public spaces.

Wonder whether there parents are road cyclist.
Some people seem to get the idea of social responsibility other not so much.

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IanR said..

UncleBob said..
Around here in southern Sydney the kids in their mid teens seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety. I recently came very close to becoming very up close and friendly with three of them doing wheelies and slides in my local pedestrian mall. I admire their obvious skill but mourn their lack of awareness and respect for public spaces.

Wonder whether there parents are road cyclist.
Some people seem to get the idea of social responsibility other not so much.

I can't imagine any road cyclist actively wanting their kids to ride e-bikes. Most likely the opposite.

In my riding around Perth I have seen bogans riding ebikes badly and rich kids riding ebikes badly. I am not sure its a income level thing, but probably similar parenting.

I wonder why I see rich kids riding big fat ebikes along the PSP to expensive schools, but I guess I would too if I had the chance and mum and dad got sick of driving me to school. It wouldn't bug me as much if they even pedalled or stopped looking at their phones for more than a second or two.

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UncleBob said..
Around here in southern Sydney the kids in their mid teens seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety. I recently came very close to becoming very up close and friendly with three of them doing wheelies and slides in my local pedestrian mall. I admire their obvious skill but mourn their lack of awareness and respect for public spaces.

Did they look a bit like this ?

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FormulaNova said..

IanR said..

UncleBob said..
Around here in southern Sydney the kids in their mid teens seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety. I recently came very close to becoming very up close and friendly with three of them doing wheelies and slides in my local pedestrian mall. I admire their obvious skill but mourn their lack of awareness and respect for public spaces.

Wonder whether there parents are road cyclist.
Some people seem to get the idea of social responsibility other not so much.

I can't imagine any road cyclist actively wanting their kids to ride e-bikes. Most likely the opposite.

In my riding around Perth I have seen bogans riding ebikes badly and rich kids riding ebikes badly. I am not sure its a income level thing, but probably similar parenting.

I wonder why I see rich kids riding big fat ebikes along the PSP to expensive schools, but I guess I would too if I had the chance and mum and dad got sick of driving me to school. It wouldn't bug me as much if they even pedalled or stopped looking at their phones for more than a second or two.

I'm a road cyclist - yes, funny shoes, funny clothes, a bike that costs as much as a car (but is cheap compared to windsurfing) and I am comfortable with the e-bike for legal-aged kids (my kids).

I did get passed on my commute home by a 14-15 yo school kid on an e-hardtail that was clearly worked. I was doing 32km/h and he was going gas - no pedalling. Stupid.

you know What else was stupid? The drivers stuck n traffic this morning coz we had 2mm of rain. Screaming abuse out their car windows at each other. Honking their little hornies. Got so many good giggles passing the peanuts in cars on my way to work. Schadenfreude.

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FormulaNova said..

Pugwash said..

IanR said..
This might help to explain to some of the more conservative minded why we are in this current situation

Loving my pedal assist legal E-MTB with 100Nm of torque, happy with the 25Kph speed limit if the legislation stays the same
My motorbike rarely gets a ride these days

100nm is massive.

I have 8 bikes, 2 roadies, cyclocross, dualie etc etc.

Amongst the 8 are 2 pedal assist e-bikes for commuting. They are the best and fastest way to get around the inner city. More people on e-bikes the better - less peanuts on the road. Obey the law, don't modify the 25km/h max, no problems.

E-bikes are fine, but its only the numpties that you notice overtaking you doing over 30, round a corner, while on the phone. No helmet for a few of them too.

For those that ride responsibility they are great, but for some reason a lot of them want to show they can do high speeds.

I am almost sure that the cops were going to pull me over one day locally for riding an e-bike too fast. They pulled up next to me, but I think they changed their mind when they saw me actually pedalling. To be fair I was doing about 45/50, on a flat section with a hefty tail-wind. It wasn't an e-bike but I can understand why they might have thought it was. Little do they know that the locals ride e-bikes with thongs on, not cycling shoes.... (Maybe they saw the lack of tatts and wearing shoes and then changed their mind?)

45-50. that's not the speed of a typical reccie cyclist.

I've seen cops on bikes do as many dumb things as public on bikes recently - cops using mobile phones whilst riding on Wellington st. Nearly t-boned a cop on a bike that ran a red light.

Did follow a motor bike cop down the bike lane today. was gunna tell him to bugger off, but he caught a peanut in a car using their mobile phone. More schadenfreude.

Interesting thread
I'm a kiwi e mtb rider and we have 32km cut off, 25km is too low.
Some flatter pedally slightly downhill runs non e mtb can go faster!
90% riding in the forest but occasional shared track and roads, drivers can be aholes!

Don't want to be a fun sponge but same problem in Auckland North Shore with entitled rich kids acting badly on e motorcross bikes and scoters in packs. Too young to have a car learners' licence and know road rules and someone's going to die!

No wind today, off to the forest for a ride

Hi FN
In way of explanation for my statements. UncleBobs first line where he Said "seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety." Reminds me of a lot of the behaviour I see from roadies on shared pathways

If you want to do wheelies or stoppie's or jumps go to empty parking lot or some open park with few people around
If you want to pump out speeds of 40 to 50 kph go to a velodrome or on a road.

Just be considerate of other users

515
Growing up in Perth WA
I was riding a bike to school at 10 years old
I was well aware of the road rules. I'm sure your local entitled rich kid do to as should their parents.

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Pugwash said..
45-50. that's not the speed of a typical reccie cyclist.

Who said 45/50 was a typical speed? I wish! As I said, it was on a flat section with a strong tailwind. One of those days where you are glad you are going with the wind but know that you are going to have to ride back into it on the way home.... except I was on the way to pickup my car so I got to avoid the headwind too.

It was sort of funny because I was not in normal cycling gear, so they might have assumed it was an ebike because of that as much as anything else. Either that or I was racing away from a break and enter somewhere.

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IanR said..
Hi FN
In way of explanation for my statements. UncleBobs first line where he Said "seem to gather in flocks with absolutely no regard for others or any idea of road or pedestrian safety." Reminds me of a lot of the behaviour I see from roadies on shared pathways

If you want to do wheelies or stoppie's or jumps go to empty parking lot or some open park with few people around
If you want to pump out speeds of 40 to 50 kph go to a velodrome or on a road.

Just be considerate of other users
...

Yeah, I have mixed feelings about other cyclists. Some are clueless and do dumb things and others seem to be unaware of things around them. Even stopping on pathways there is always the genius that will stop in a clearly stupid place. Meanwhile I drag myself across into an area out of the way. I can't control other cyclists but I want to avoid problems.

It even bugs me at one particular intersection where there are two lanes, one turns left and the other goes straight or right. When you know the phasing of the lights there you know its fine to sneak up infront of the cars on the left because they will not get to turn for quite a while, but it looks bad to other motorists/road users. You hold up no one, but people assume that you will. It gives the public a bad impression even though it is harmless.

Who does wheelies? I have noticed this over here in WA and it seems like some people are stuck in their teen years. Even riding hands-free seems like something you do as a kid but then as an adult there is no need. Still, I do see adults do it like it's a merit badge or somethinge.

My pet hate is idiots that ride up or down the PSP along the freeway in a group ride. Just the 'idiots' as I also ride up and down there in group rides. Most paths are meant to be single-file as they are shared paths, yet you get groups that ride 2 abreast, very fast, and only the guys upfront are really aware of whats up ahead on the path. These are not for training rides as there are plenty of walkers, dogs, slow riders, ebikes, scooters, and anything else. On the road I don't mind this, but not on a PSP.

To show you the other side of the coin though, when groups do go on group rides on the road, and do around 30 to 35 on the flats, other road users get angry. Early on weekend mornings you often get someone that is angry that you have somehow ruined their day by being in a separate lane on a day and time where there is almost no traffic.

I guess you can't win. You just try and not be the idiot where you can.