Port Moody Police is reminding residents that gas and electric dirt bikes are not permitted on city streets.
In a press release, Port Moody Police said they have responded to dozens of calls this year about dirt bikes being driven dangerously, mostly in the Heritage Woods area. On Saturday evening, patrol officers stopped a 13-year-old who was riding an electric dirt bike uphill on Noons Creek Drive at 60 km/h in a 30 km/h zone.
The rider’s parent was called to the scene, the bike was seized, and a ticket was issued.
Police remind that in BC, a bicycle must meet several requirements to qualify as an e-bike. It cannot exceed 32 km/h on flat ground, it must have working pedals, and it must remain within a set wattage limit. Riders must also be at least 14 years old. More details are available on the Province of British Columbia’s website: E-bike requirements – Province of British Columbia.
“Operating an unlicensed dirt bike on the road, whether electric or gas, could result in a minimum $598 fine for no insurance,” said Const. Sam Zacharias, Port Moody Police Department. “These bikes present a risk to public safety, and we have had several recent near misses with motorists and pedestrians.”
The nearest legal area to ride dirt bikes is on Eagle Mountain Crown Land, the press release noted.
