This Homemade E-bike Is Illegal To Ride On The Street
Electric bikes are a heavily regulated category of bicycle when it comes to production. It makes sense because the government would not want dangerous bikes being used on highways.
However, that does not stop people from making their own electric bikes. Watch YouTuber Cam Engineering explain in detail the ins and outs of his homemade electric bike.
You may recognize this bike from the railroad e-bike we published a week ago. In that video, Cam made an attachment for his bike that allowed him to travel over abandoned rail tracks.
Related: Clever YouTuber Hacks E-Bike To Ride Abandoned Railroad Tracks
People were instead quite interested in his e-bike, and for good reason. In the railroad adapter video, he goosed it just a little, and you could tell that it was not a governed e-bike.
As Cam explains in this video, the e-bike is a one-of-a-kind. He sourced his own motor and batteries and welded the frame himself. It has a much bigger battery pack and motor than anything on the market. But is it legal?
Cam Engineering
Cam makes sure to point out in the video that he has a motorcycle license plate for it. This means that California classifies it as a motorcycle rather than an e-bike. Without that plate, it is illegal to travel over 28 miles an hour.
The important thing is it has governor modes that make it legally an e-bike. It can just be set up to be faster than an e-bike can legally travel. Read more about the categories of e-bikes here.
This bike was made to be able to commute to Apple headquarters over a mountain pass from Santa Cruz. Even going the legal speed, Cam was able to make the commute in about an hour, faster than a car in traffic would. If he were to not worry about laws, I am sure he could make the trip very fast.
At the end of the day, it is a good thing that people making their own e-bikes follow the laws. E-bikes on the street that could go faster than cars would cause chaos.
Don't miss another headline from Bike Mag! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of bike riding.
We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting, and engaging bike-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional rider or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on Bike Mag and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality bike videos.
