GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — You’ve probably seen them on the roads or, in some cases, in your neighborhoods.
Electric dirt bikes are in high demand, especially amongst teens, according to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.
Neighbor’s Complaints
A joy ride became more of a headache in the Ridgewood neighborhood for an anonymous homeowner
“It’s extremely amplified. It’s very, very loud. You can hear it with all the windows shut,” the homeowner said.
The anonymous homeowner says she took a video on Monday of a group of people on electric dirt bikes going through her yard to get to a hill that features a pipeline.
“The pipeline has signs up there that specifically says no off-road vehicles are allowed. But the problem is that by the time you call the sheriff, they’re not there anymore,” the homeowner said.
GCSO First Lieutenant JR Hicks says situations like that are all too familiar.
“With the weather changing, and it getting warmer, we might see more of it,” Hicks said.
‘Don’t Want Anyone to Get Hurt’
Hicks says there are different classifications for electric bikes.
“North Carolina defines an e-bike as a bike with pedal assist. To be an operatable bike, it has to have pedals on it. To move up to a class 3E bike, you go over 28 miles per hour and on up from there,” Hicks said.
Using e-bikes improperly also comes with consequences.
“If you have an electric bike as a dirt bike, if they are trespassing on private, you can be charged for trespassing, and, in extreme cases, vandalism if there’s damage to property,” Hicks said.
Ridgewood homeowners hope it doesn’t get that far.
“I think it’s great that they’ve got them. I don’t want anyone to lose them. I don’t want anyone to get hurt on them. I don’t want anybody to get any fines,” the homeowner said.
Hicks said the GCSO is working closely with the High Point Police Department and Greensboro Police Department to deter street takeovers and illegal trespassing that involve electric dirt bikes.
Additionally, if you want to use an e-bike legally, Hicks wants parents to remind their children to wear a helmet if they’re under 16, to wear pads and gloves and to also search for posted trails or ATV parks rather than someone’s backyard.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
