Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1167 this week, drawing a legal line between electric bicycles and the more powerful electric motorcycles, or e-motos, that are often sold alongside them. Starting January 1, 2027, sellers must state in all advertising that e-motos are motor vehicles requiring registration, an M1 or M2 motorcycle license, and insurance, according to Streetsblog California and Bicycle Retailer. E-bikes remain capped at 750 watts. The law matters because it targets a widespread misunderstanding that has quietly shaped who pays when these machines crash.
Barry P. Goldberg, A Professional Law Corporation notes that the law arrives as motorcycle crashes remain a serious concern in East County; in 2023, El Cajon recorded 34 motorcyclists killed or injured, ranking ninth worst among 62 similarly sized California cities, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. The firm's motorcycle accident lawyer in El Cajon, CA represents riders, drivers, and families of those killed in these collisions. The classification gap can complicate an injury claim in several ways.
When an uninsured e-moto rider causes a crash, the injured person may turn to their own uninsured motorist coverage, which applies when the at-fault motor vehicle carries no liability insurance. When the e-moto rider is the one injured, many auto policies exclude uninsured motorist coverage for injuries on a vehicle the policyholder owns but did not insure, which can leave riders without a backup source of recovery. And when fault is disputed, riding without a motorcycle license does not by itself make a rider responsible for a crash, but insurers often raise it to argue the rider shares the blame.
"Most families who buy these machines have no idea they've bought a motorcycle," said Barry P. Goldberg, founder of the firm and a recognized authority on uninsured and underinsured motorist law in California. "The new disclosures should help. Until they take effect, anyone who rides one or shares the road with one should confirm their auto policy carries uninsured motorist coverage, because that's often what pays after an e-moto crash."
The practical effect of SB 1167 extends beyond labeling. By forcing sellers to disclose that e-motos are motor vehicles, the law aims to reduce the number of riders who unknowingly operate unregistered and uninsured vehicles. That, in turn, could reduce the frequency of disputes over coverage after a collision. Until January 1, 2027, however, the burden falls on riders and drivers to verify their own protection. Goldberg's warning underscores a broader insurance reality: when the at-fault vehicle is uninsured, the victim's own policy often becomes the only source of compensation, and policy exclusions can leave injured riders with nothing. For now, the new law signals a coming shift in how California treats e-motos, but it does not retroactively fix the coverage gaps that already exist. Riders and families who have a case to discuss can contact the firm to schedule a free consultation.
