City Attorney Wes Duncan Warns Against Dangerous and Illegal Operations of Electric Dirt Bikes or Motorcycles Amid a Rise in Citations, Crashes, and Complaints

Sparks, NV - City Attorney Wes Duncan warns against dangerous and illegal operations of electric dirt bikes or motorcycles amid a rise in citations, crashes, and complaints.

In response to a surge in illegal and dangerous electric off-road vehicle activity, City Attorney Duncan is issuing this educational message as well as a strong warning to riders and parents: Illegal and reckless dirt bike operations is putting lives at risk and will not be tolerated.

"We are seeing a disturbing increase in unlicensed, high-speed electric dirt bike use in densely populated neighborhoods and high-traffic roadways," said City Attorney Wes Duncan. "These bikes are not street legal and the way they are being operated, primarily by juveniles, poses a significant risk to the riders and the public. Although the City Attorney's Office appreciates outdoor recreation, use of these electronic dirt bikes will not be tolerated in this manner in the City of Sparks."

Please be aware: The use of off-road vehicles or unequipped motorcycles or dirt bikes-whether electric or fuel-powered-are prohibited on sidewalks, city parks and paths, and public roadways, with limited exceptions.

Specifically, the operation of electric motorcycles or electric dirt bikes, such as those manufactured by companies such as SurRon, Talaria, or E-Pro, is illegal on sidewalks (NRS 484B.117), city parks and paths (Sparks Municipal Code 12.24.020), and public roadways (NRS 490.090). There are limited exceptions to the use of off-road vehicles on public roadways: A person is permitted to operate an off-highway vehicle on a paved roadway if (1) it is for the purpose of crossing the highway, (2) it is for the purpose of loading or unloading, or (3) during an emergency. NRS 490.090(2).

Under Nevada law, these electric off-road vehicles or dirt bikes or motorcycles are not mopeds, electric scooters, or electric bicycles. NRS 486.038; NRS 484B.018; NRS 484B.017. These particular vehicles exceed the wattage, weight, and speed limitations for moped and electric bicycles and do not have operable pedals.

E-Pro markets that their Pro SR motocross bike can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour and has a rated motor power of 6,000 watts.

https://www.eridepros.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop6nWWjKxCbRK8xtDCexOwK3liEXyVouL4ty54lFh2b3dsJoXat.

These vehicles are manufactured for off-road use and do not have pedals. According to SurRon, these electric bikes are "easy to maneuver like a bicycle, with the torque and power of an off-road motorcycle." https://sur-ronusa.com/. E-Pro's mission statement is "unparalleled off-road electric mobility." https://www.eridepros.com/about-us.

These electric bikes are for off-road use only. To operate these off-road electric vehicles on public roadways, they must be registered (NRS 482.545), insured (NRS 485.185), equipped with required safety equipment (NRS 484D.230)-such as tail lamps, turn signals, a horn, mirrors, and more-and the operator must have a driver's license (NRS 483.550).

Additionally, even if the vehicle is street legal, the operator must still comply with the traffic laws of the State of Nevada and cannot exceed speed limits, cut off other drivers, or engage in other dangerous driving maneuvers.

Sparks Police Department has experienced a surge in calls for service, crashes with severe injuries, and complaints relating to the operation of these vehicles. For example, there have been complaints of juveniles utilizing these vehicles on sidewalks and pathways with pedestrian traffic at extremely high speeds. Additionally, Sparks Police Department has cited numerous individuals for illegally operating these off-road vehicles on roadways in a dangerous manner, resulting in citations for Reckless Driving, among other violations.

Importantly, the Sparks Police Major Accident Investigation Team ("MAIT") has responded to three crashes involving these types of vehicles with severe injuries in the past 6 months. On January 22, 2025 and June 8, 2025, Sparks Police responded to two separate crashes on or near Vista Boulevard wherein a juvenile was riding an unequipped off-road vehicle on the roadway-in one case, it was a Coleman "mini bike," and in another it was a Talaria electric dirt bike-and the juveniles were struck by a car, causing severe injuries and an EMS transport to the hospital. On July 19, 2025, a juvenile was driving a Coleman mini bike on a public roadway, while violating traffic laws, resulting in a near fatal crash.

"These vehicles are not toys and we continue to see an increase in dangerous usage of these vehicles on public roadways," said City Attorney Duncan. "They are powerful machines that can cause serious harm when misused. Riders must understand that ignoring traffic laws or operating these bikes in unauthorized areas puts lives at risk and will not be tolerated. Our top priority is keeping everyone in the community safe, and even though school has started, the community is still facing this issue daily."

For more information about the legal and safe operations of motor vehicles, please contact the Sparks City Attorney's Office or Sergeant Shawn Congdon at the Sparks Police Department at 775-353-2241, extension 5530.

Media Contact and in-person interviews for this story-please contact Sparks City Attorney's Office:

Roxanne Doyle

[email protected]

(775) 353-2324