Amazon to stop selling ‘hooligan bikes’ in California after investigation

Amazon says it will stop allowing the sale of high-speed electric motorbikes in California that exceed the state’s legal e-bike limits, marking one of the largest crackdowns yet on the increasingly fuzzy line between e-bikes and electric motorcycles.

The move comes after California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert last month reminding riders, retailers, and online marketplaces that legal electric bicycles in California must follow the state’s three-class e-bike system.

Under California law, throttle-controlled e-bikes are limited to 20 mph (32 km/h), while pedal-assist Class 3 e-bikes can reach up to 28 mph (45 km/h). Anything faster falls into moped or motorcycle territory, bringing additional licensing, registration, insurance, and age requirements.

Despite those rules, a quick Amazon search had still been turning up numerous so-called “e-bikes” advertised with top speeds north of 40 mph (64 km/h), often with motorcycle-style designs and questionable compliance claims.