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My teenager wants an E-bike

D

DynoSoarUs

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2026
Moto(s)
Ducati Panigale
You know this age old scenario: the overconfident teenager getting too big for his britches. Mine simply wants to fit in with his peers just like we all did when we were kids.

Mine is now saying all his friends are riding E-bikes and it’s all the rage right now.
I couldn’t believe my inner voice was sounding like my old man when his adage replayed in my head “If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?”

I suffer from PTSD due to violently overbearing tiger parents during my childhood, so I indulge in spoiling my kids and live vicariously through them by trying to give material thing they ask for.

So of course I held my tongue and suppressed my father’s influence. With a melancholic sigh, we logged on Amazon and searched for an E-bike with decent reviews that wouldn’t break my wallet.

Right when I was about to hit the purchase button, the wife (the one that plays the “bad cop” in the house) notices the $1,099 purchase I was about to make.
She quickly put a stop to what she called the biggest parenting mistake of my life and showed our boy a barrage of news report after news report of kids getting horribly injured or even killed on these contraptions.

I could tell my son was ready to escalate the argument so I pivoted and reminded him that we should be outside trick or treating right now and were wasting valuable candy acquisition time.

When we got outside I told my son to be patient and wait until Christmas for the E-bike. The Boss is more forgiving that time of the year so I’ll risk her wrath in December.

Interspersed with the begging of candy around our neighborhood, I told my son about how I loved the movie Easy Rider as a kid. I was heavily influenced by it growing up since Peter Fonda represented the huge generation gap between me and my parents. I told him that a similar generation gap is fissuring a chasm with him and his friends on one side and on the other side stands me and my wife.

From his point of view, we are old and out of touch and just want to spoil his fun. I tried my absolute hardest to get through his thick teenage skull that I didnt want to see his name on the news or ever see him in the ICU. From his body language, I could tell he didn’t accept a single word I said.

For all you parents out there, do you let your kids ride E-bikes? If so, at what age? Any valuable lessons to share? At this rate, I think my kid is going to have to learn the hard way.

If I could really have my way, he should just ride his ancient bicycle. It’s way safer and he could sure use the exercise.
 
From the age of thirteen to the age of nineteen my son had no access to motorized vehicles, sharp pointy things or edged blades.

Sometimes mother knows best, he graduated college with no emergency room visits. Your teen may be different, but I doubt that because of the mention of peer pressure.
 
Please take some time and do some research before you pull the trigger on this. How old is your kid? Where do you live? Where is he planning to ride?

There are several different classes of e-bikes which are legally classified as bicycles. I ride a Class 1 pedal assist e-mountain bike. That means there is no throttle, it only gives you power when you pedal, it only assists you up to 20mph, and it is limited to 750 watts of power. Then there is Class 2 which has a throttle and Class 3 that is pedal-assist but can assist up to 28mph.

Kids are allowed to ride some but not others based on age and location.

There are others that are actually "e-motos" that require proper licensing and registration and insurance to be ridden on the street. Some of these things cannot be registered for the street and some cannot even be registered as off-highway vehicles, and thus are illegal to ride anywhere other than private property.

Many parents are buying their kids "e-bikes" which are actually "e-motos" and are finding out the hard way when the kid's school won't allow them to be ridden to school, or the cops are writing them tickets. Some have sued the shops that sold them these expensive contraptions that are illegal to ride anywhere.

Amazon has recently stopped selling some of these things. https://www.calbike.org/amazon-kcra-ebikes/

Some parents have ended up in legal trouble from their kids riding illegally, in some cases repeat offenders are getting the bikes confiscated. You could also be sued if the kid hits a pedestrian or whatever. You definitely want the kid to be riding legally to keep your liability under control. Consult your insurance company to make sure you're covered, etc.

E-Bike Parent Resources | Safe Routes to Schools – Marin County

www.saferoutestoschools.org www.saferoutestoschools.org

The safety and training issue comes up next. Is the kid riding a bicycle now? Good balance, etc? Good judgement? Part of the problem is lots of kids are ripping around on these things, mixing it up with traffic and they have no training, no idea how to ride legally and safely. Riding with passengers, no helmets, through the park, on the sidewalk, wrong side of the street, through busy parking lots, all kinds of dumb and dangerous moves. Kids need to understand this is risky business and to take it seriously, just like riding a motorcycle.
 
Here's some more info that further clarifies that there are a few types that sort of fit in between e-bikes and e-motos, but they note that rules and regulations are changing fast so you must look for the latest info for your location, and try to look ahead to see what might be coming next. Check in with your local schools, police, and your local bicycle advocacy organization.

www.calbike.org

What Is an E-Bike? A Guide to California E-Bike Classifications. - CalBike

There are many two-wheeled vehicles on the road today, but not all are e-bikes. CalBike's guide to e-bike classifications.
www.calbike.org www.calbike.org
 
The mistake made as a parent was agreeing to his request before bringing your wife, who is your partner in raising your son, into the decision.
He’s not asking for a candy bar.

It would have been better to say “I’ll discuss with your mom and we’ll let you know”.

It’s better to present a united front on big stuff like this.
 
I would not let my kid ride a bicycle or e-bike on the public roads. I have a machine safety view of vehicles and roadways.

There are high energy masses moving in semi predictable fashion that cannot be isolated or covered. The most experienced operators still get amputated or killed because of irregular motions or accelerations of some of those objects.

There is no critical component of output such that this operation needs to continue. We shut it down until the hazards are better controlled.
 
Nice post Dyno. Best wishes with it.

My kid had a dirt bike at 16 so don’t listen to anything I have to say.

Oh… and I had A dirt bike at 12-16 and a street bike at 15-1/2. I visited in the ER once. So don’t listen to anything I have to say.

How is he on a bike? Is he athletic?? Does he actually show common sense?? Do you live in a crazy busy city / burb?

Please continue not listening to anything I say.

Good luck pops.
 
I work at a national chain motorcycle accessory and parts retailer. Just the other day I sold a tire and mounted it on the wheel to a guy for his kids e-bike. This tire wasn't for an e-bike, it was for an e-moto. He told me how they had just gotten the bike out of impound and he noticed the rear tire was smoked. Not only is the spawn riding illegally, he was hot dogging yet papa was keeping him on the road. Unfreaking believable.
 
This discussion boarders on when to get the first cell phone, how to navigate social media, do's and don'ts of dating, resisting peer pressure to do stupid stuff, etc.
He's touching the world outside of yours and he doesn't know what he doesn't know.
Serious consequences can happen that he can’t see coming and you’ll have to deal with.

One idea, after you get the buy-in from Mrs, is to set up a plan where he works for the bike. Either by getting A's in school or cutting lawns for neighbors or volunteer work. That sort of thing. Make him prove he deserves it.
Chores around the house don't count.

This way he'll learn that hard work pays off and he'll treasure the bike more.
 
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If the kid starts out in the dirt I don't see a problem.

Teaching the kid street riding of course is far more complex in terms of risk/reward.

It is the riding in group mentality that seems to be an issue as they seem to egg each other on.

I'm glad my daughter never show an interest in motos.

That being said my parents refused to let me get a mini bike at 14 but did let me get a CB50SS when we moved to Belgium and I was 16. At least your kid would get some real training from you unlike me back then who got none which, of course, led to several low sides and being T boned by a car when I trusted his turn signal.

Landed on my hear so I was fine! :laughing
 
Start with a good helmet and at least some gear, even if the "cool" kids aren't. To kids, these moment are a lifetime, but as parents we know it's just a blip in life so protecting the melon is non-negotiable. Some view scars and a casts as a sign of bad parenting, but my wife and I view them as a sign that parents understand that adulting is hard and the unintended consequence of bubble wrapping them inevitably makes it much harder.

See, we are/we're FAFO parents so we rarely shielded or hid (most) things from our girls. We had some baselines rules and age appropriate curbs where necessary, but from a young age allowed them to explore boundaries and most importantly, held them personally responsible. They helped with cooking (including knives), how to safely handle/shoot guns, rode dirt bikes, did their own laundry, had jobs, saved for cars, and had parents modeling (mostly :LOL:) appropriate behaviors. We let them fail and struggle and they learned consequences and the benefits of good choices. This has translated into adults that confidently navigate life and understand boundaries of all types.
 
I am pro e- bikes for kids. Wish we still had neighborhood vacant lots where they could be goofy little twats but sadly the world has changed. Kids are resourceful, if a kid has any kind of job and really really wants it, he/she will buy it and hide it from the parent. In a perfect world the whole family could each get an e-bike and ride it together-gawd only knows where.

IMHO-as a single cat owning women without kids, I'm just glad seeing kids out there on their bikes as opposed to indoors playing bloody violent sexist games / :rant
 
I put myself in the ER plenty riding mountain bikes as a teenager and into my 20s as well. Probably would have fared similarly if my folks had been into motos and gotten me a dirty bike. I've seen some kids riding very well on ebikes and then I've seen plenty just being idiots in traffic showing plenty of balls and little skill. If you think you cna guide him towards how to behave reasonably on the road (and ensure he wears a good helmet) I'd say let him go for it. But if you think he's gonna be a sidewalk demon with no regard for other folks then, well, he'll probably do it anyway on a friends bike. Anything to get 'em on two wheels I suppose, but they're yougn and dumb so you gotta make sure you're keeping them honest as far as how to behave.
 
greenmonster said:
This discussion boarders on when to get the first cell phone, how to navigate social media, do's and don'ts of dating, resisting peer pressure to do stupid stuff, etc.
He's touching the world outside of yours and he doesn't know what he doesn't know.
Serious consequences can happen that he can’t see coming and you’ll have to deal with.

One idea, after you get the buy-in from Mrs, is to set up a plan where he works for the bike. Either by getting A's in school or cutting lawns for neighbors or volunteer work. That sort of thing. Make him prove he deserves it.
Chores around the house don't count.

This way he'll learn that hard work pays off and he'll treasure the bike more.
Click to expand...
Good discussion.
“ This discussion boarders on when to get the first cell phone, how to navigate social media, do's and don'ts of dating, resisting peer pressure to do stupid stuff, etc.”

I had to buy my own toys and obey laws so treated stuf with respect. Usually.
Folk buy kids too much, IMHO.
Though a reward for maintaining straight A’s or something is very coo.
 
J-Boat said:
Seen the latest Fortnine video?

Click to expand...
"Chasing a market norm that turned out to be a phantom this whole time..."

Same thing as the massive wave of flames and choppers mid-aughts. Middle boomers were seeing explosive home equity and strong employment around the real estate gold rush. Powersport sales surged, and credulous shows flooded the media ecosystem. When the music stopped, V-Rods were selling for 1/3 the list price. My neighbor bought one, and promptly crashed it, because like many others, he hadn't been riding since he was a kid.

I would agree that the fervor for extra vehicles has cooled as real wages dip all along the under-$100K curve of workers. It's mostly vibes, like when the ME war dragging on contributed to high gas prices and SUV/Tank sales fell off. Hybrids, mostly the prius, were entering the market at the same time. Now kids will drive a prius proudly. I can tell you firsthand that was anathema to teen drivers 15 years ago.

Risk aversion is baked in to all under 18s now. They want uber eats and uber rides and mommy to go to the mall with them. Frictionless. Owning a moto, or even a car that has insurance and gas consequences, is not the default. Hasn't been for a long time. Making smaller, more "accessible" models is only holding the dam together with tape. We are on the cusp of drastically reduced private car ownership, for a multitude of reasons. Developers are designing out garages and designing in retail/common spaces along the Korean model. We are dinosaurs.
 
Doom worriers, have been around forevers,
Back when I was learning motos, on dirt, way before street, Nay Sayers all against motos, too everything, for moms back then.
There was a saying, that got to be the final argument.
Buy your boy a moto, for his last Birthday.
 
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