𝗘‑𝗕𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡: Santa Monica Police Impound 12 Sur-Ron–Style Bikes at Beach Charging Station

SANTA MONICA, CA — On Saturday, July 26, 2025, a Santa Monica Police Department special task force impounded 12 Sur-Ron-type electric motorcycles from a public charging station at the Santa Monica Beach parking lot on Barnard Way. Officers from both motor and bicycle units responded to the scene, where a group of riders had parked and charged their high-powered e-bikes. No citations were issued, but two flatbed tow trucks arrived to transport the impounded vehicles—each carrying six of the electric bikes.

According to authorities, the operation followed a wave of public complaints and reports of serious accidents involving high-speed e-bikes in the beach area. Sur-Ron-style electric motorcycles, while sometimes mistaken for standard e-bikes, do not meet California’s legal definition of a street-legal electric bicycle. These off-road vehicles often exceed power outputs of 3,000 watts and can reach speeds above 40 miles per hour. In most cases, they also lack operable pedals, disqualifying them from being registered as Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bikes under state law.

In California, legal electric bicycles must be equipped with functioning pedals and powered by an electric motor of no more than 750 watts. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are limited to speeds of 20 miles per hour, with Class 2 models allowing throttle-assisted propulsion. Class 3 e-bikes permit pedal-assisted speeds up to 28 miles per hour and require helmets for riders under 18, along with other safety provisions. Sur-Ron models, by contrast, are designed exclusively for off-highway use and fall under the category of electric dirt bikes. They are neither eligible for registration as street vehicles nor protected by bicycle exemptions, making their operation on public roads, bike paths, or sidewalks illegal.

The seized vehicles can be recovered by their owners upon proof of ownership and payment of towing and storage fees. Police say enforcement efforts will continue as part of a broader push to address unsafe and unregulated e-bike use on the beach and in other public areas.