Do you currently ride a motorcycle on the road, and are you considering getting an electric dirtbike? Firstly, welcome to our community! We’re a group of riders here at GritShift, from all different backgrounds and skill levels who share a passion for getting outside and riding. I (Margie) have come from a dirtbike/road racing background, which I still love doing, but I have also added e-moto to the mix!
However, as electric dirt bikes, also known as e-moto, have advanced at an incredible rate, you may have noticed the law hasn’t kept up. This is true for most of the world! The different States in the USA have slightly different rules, and even amongst law-enforcing individuals, the rules are ambiguous.
If you’re thinking of commuting to work on your electric dirt-bike, the question that comes up often is: Can you actually ride on the road? Quick answer (thankfully!) is yes, and I’ll explain how to make it happen.
NOTE: Please do your own research for the location you live in. I’ll share all of my resources with you so you can make your own decision. (I’m a bike rider, not a lawyer!)
Is riding an electric motorcycle legal on the road?
TLDR: If you can’t register your e-moto in your home state, don’t panic, Dirt Legal (Our sister company) will be able to help you out easily and quickly. Click here for more info.
If your electric motorcycle or e-moto is registered for road use, insured (if that’s what’s required for your home state) and ticks all the boxes, then yes, it is legal. An e-moto cannot fall into the category of ‘e-bike’ almost anywhere, as it isn’t pedal-assisted, and is way too powerful. So, in most parts of the USA and the rest of the world, you’ll need to register your e-moto as you would a gas-powered motorcycle.
Here is where it can get a bit tricky. We’ll stick with e-moto (electric dirt bikes), but this applies to most electric motorcycles also. A few of the big brands – Surron and Talaria for example – released road-legal e-motos in some countries. That will make it easier for you, as it has all the requirements physically needed. Mirrors, turn signals, brake lights, etc. You can just copy what the road legal version has done and put those parts on your bike.
If you’re in the USA, California is known to be one of the hardest states to get anything registered, so we’ll use Cali as an example. To register your e-moto you’ll need:
- Certificate of Title
- Proof of insurance
- Motorcycle license (DMV CA)
You will also likely need:
- VIN
- Engine number
- Emission label
This video explains it well:
This is where things can get grey-area. While electric dirtbike companies have started putting VINs on their e-motos, I’m not sure about the emission label. (It’s electric, duh!) But, just because it’s electric, that by itself doesn’t satisfy the rules.
It could be worth a try to register your new e-moto, the law is changing to try to keep up, but it’s currently lagging behind the new technology. If you’re getting nowhere with registering your e-moto, contact our sister company Dirt Legal.
Here is a great article Dirt Legal wrote that explains things in much more detail:
https://www.dirtlegal.com/blog/how-to-make-your-ebike-street-legal
I wanted to start with one of the most asked questions for road riders. If you’re thinking of riding on dirt tracks only, you won’t need to worry about the process of road registering. Either way, don’t let all that boring legal mumbo-jumbo stop you on your e-moto quest.
What emoto do you choose?
Now, on to the exciting side of things. What e-moto do you choose? The e-moto you choose will depend primarily on what you want to use your bike for. Will it replace your current gas-powered machine or complement it? Will it be a commuter or for weekend fun on the tracks? Keep in mind that you can mod any e-moto to perfectly fit you and your riding style. If you have your heart set on a particular bike, you’ll make it work.
If you’re looking at getting an e-moto to complement your current ride, and take it out to the tracks and some single line on the weekends, check out this article:
One of the best all-round e-motos we’ve seen (and that most of us here personally own!) is the E-Ride Pro. Great right out of the box, but also awesome to mod. It has some of the biggest capacity batteries on the market, giving a larger range. Check the E Ride Pro out here:
Here’s a few other random things to consider for commuting:
Random things to consider for commuting:
Road legal
We’ve already touched on this topic, but if you’ll be using your e-moto for commuting, see if you can get the road-legal version through a local shop or dealer. This will save you the hassle of sourcing parts like mirrors, turn signals, number plate lights etc. However, it is easy to mod your e-moto and do it yourself. A quick search on GritShift will show you how simple it is to get any of these parts.
Ergonomics
Look for a comfy seat. Dirtbikes are renowned for having super uncomfy seats. It’s unlikely you’ll be standing all the way to work, so either look for an e-moto that has comfy seats or find a good seat upgrade. The same goes for handlebar position, ride height, etc… These are all mods you can do to tailor your e-moto to you. (Hint, you can do way more for cheaper in terms of modding for good ergonomics than you can on a gas-powered motorcycle.)
Here is a great article to help decipher how to mod for ergos:
Range
E-moto batteries have come a long way since they were first being sold. However, do check the range of the battery if your commute is a rather long way! Again, it is simple to upgrade to a bigger battery for a longer range, but it’s better to work this out now before your first ride. Check to see if you have a safe place to charge your e-moto at work if you need a top-up for the return trip. Keep in mind that official range ratings for electric dirt bikes are generally not calculated based on holding the throttle at a steady position on paved roads for miles on end. You might get better numbers, or you might get worse.
What is different, e-moto vs gas-powered?
Let’s talk practical. Yes, one is electric and needs to be charged, and the other is gas and needs topping up. Apart from the obvious, there are a few differences. Here are a few things you’ll find different between a typical road bike and an e-moto for commuting:
- Ride position: The ride on an e-moto will be a lot more upright than many road motorcycles. It will be very similar to an ICE dirt bike position.
- No clutch: As it has an electric motor, you won’t have a gearbox/clutch setup. Turn the throttle and you’re on your way!
- No rear brake: The brake setup is on your handlebar. You still have a rear and front brake, but they are levers in many cases.
- Acceleration: Depending on the e-moto you have, you’ll likely find the acceleration is faster from standing compared to a road bike. The electric engine has instant oomph!
- Top Speed: This will be dependent on the e-moto, but higher performance e-motos or an upgraded motor/battery/controller combo go fast – certainly fast enough for a city commute! Check out this:
Electric Dirt Bike Maintenance:
Maintenance on your e-moto is very similar in many ways to your road motorcycle, but overall it will be easier. Tires, suspension, chain – all the same as what you’re used to. What changes is the powertrain.
There is very little maintenance required on the motor/controller/battery – just follow the instructions from your manual, but generally checking connections are secure and no damage is all that is needed.
To prolong the life of your battery, it’s a good idea to make sure you charge after each ride, store it properly, and operate it at the correct temperature, but nothing that isn’t too surprising.
Unlike some complicated road motorcycles requiring computer software to diagnose data, e-motos are much more straightforward, and a lot of the maintenance you can do yourself. Of course, you can still choose to take your e-moto to get it serviced at a reputable mechanic.
How to maintain your electric dirt bike:
For a full rundown, check out this article:
When looking at doing your own maintenance, it helps to have a bit of an understanding of how the powertrain works so here is a quick, condensed explanation:
- Battery: Supplies the power
- Controller: The brain – it tells the motor how much power to output and how much power to take from the battery depending on sensors such as the throttle.
- Motor: Drives the rear wheel through a belt/chain, chain/chain or gearbox/chain combo depending on the brand.
Each of these parts need to talk to each other and requires very little maintenance. They are also very easily upgradeable, with options to extend the range, increase top speed, torque and more.
For an in-depth discussion of e-moto motors, check out this article:
What else do you need to consider?
Gear
Riding an e-moto on the road will require the same gear as you already have. If you want to head to the dirt on the weekends, then it may be worthwhile to invest in some gear that is specific to dirt bike riding. It’s made with light and flexible material but still gives you the protection you need if you come off your e-moto.
Storage
A typical e-moto is smaller than your road bike, so it works out well if you’re planning on adding to your collection! Keep in mind it would make your life easier if you have a power point close by – park your e-moto and charge it up. I would suggest storing your e-moto somewhere inside. As it’s smaller and lighter, it can become an easy target for the wrong people.
Tools
If you’ve always done your own maintenance on your road motorcycle, you’ll likely already have all the right tools to do your maintenance on an e-moto. If you haven’t done your own maintenance, an e-moto is a great bike to start learning on. Grab yourself a basic tool kit, ask your friends with the know-how, and give it a go.
What’s all the fuss about modding?
Unlike your road bike, an e-moto is way easier to modify. However, let’s face it – with brands like E Ride Pro delivering super fast, awesome e-motos right from the factory, there’s less need to modify your bike.
But it’s way cooler if you customize! Even something as simple as changing the footpegs – which is the most common first mod, makes a big difference. Upgrade the parts to something that really fits you and your riding style.
Working on an e-moto is simple, and there are a huge amount of aftermarket options at very reasonable prices. Even swapping the powertrain for something larger and more powerful is more or less a quick plug and play. You don’t have the complexities that a CAN bus introduces in modern motorcycles.
Adding an E-moto to your collection
If you’re thinking about getting an e-moto either for your daily commute or fun on the weekends, just do it! E-motos have a different riding style, different handling characteristics, are more simple, yet they are unquestionably fun.
Whether you’re environmentally conscious or not, going ‘green’ on your vehicles also means it will save you a few dollars at the gas pump. It will also be a quieter ride if your commute starts nice and early – your neighbors will thank you! And it will open up so many more opportunities to tinker with your new ride and mod it as much as you want.
Generally, you’ll also find these electric dirtbikes are great value for money. There are not too many gas powered motorcycles I can think of that deliver the same amount of acceleration at the same price point.
Check out some e-motos today at GritShift and give your gas motorcycle a friend 🙂
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