>>1095680It has nothing to do with the environment.
that would be classified as a moped which would put you into all sorts of red tape (registration, licensing, inspection, insurance) and maybe bar you from using bike lanes and paths.
You may be right but it's the law that matters, and dont be so naive as to think it doesn't. The law constantly tries to tax and regulate the wheel, regulate what can or cant use the roads and when. Try rollerblading in a bike lane, a scooter, try putting a motor on a bike and see how many times you get pulled over. I wish I could slap a hub motor on a kick bike (pictured) and cruise to work, but cops would pull me over for not having pedals. It's stupid but its the shitty world we live in.
Electric bikes are protected because people perceive them as weak, and similar to the power of a bicycle. People understand that they have a right to ride a bicycle and electric bikes fall under that umbrella of protection. Laws were crafted in their favor as a result.
That motor will stick out like a sore thumb, anyone looking at it wont think cute low speed motorized bicycle, they will think "diy dirtbike leaks oil goes 40 mph thing"
>the new design weighs in at about 250 lbsbecause that is no tiny micro-engine. And it sounds 5 times more expensive to boot.
