Dozens of high-powered and illegal ebikes have been seized by police on Sydney’s northern beaches just weeks after the force was granted new powers to destroy dangerous bikes. The operation was part of a coordinated push with the New South Wales government to ensure people only ride legal ebikes that have not been modified to reach high speeds. One of the ebikes seized on Friday belonged to a 14-year-old boy from Warriewood.
Police said it was capable of reaching speeds of more than 90km/h. NSW police said they seized 36 “illegal ebikes”. The operation was launched on the northern beaches “following following recent incidents of illegal, dangerous and reckless e-bike use”.
Assistant commissioner David Driver said police would be launching more operations across the state in coming weeks. In late August, NSW police were given new powers to destroy ebikes capable of exceeding the legal speed limit. Owners of seized ebikes now have 14 days to let police know whether their bike was stolen and being used by someone else on Friday.
After that two-week window, the bikes will be “crushed”, the government says. The legislation also allowed police to seize ebikes that do not cut power assistance at 25km/h, with non-compliant bikes to be removed from the streets. The government invested in a number of “dyno units” – portable speed-testing devices – to measure an ebike’s power output.
The Transport for NSW secretary, Josh Murray, said one of the units was used on the northern beaches on Friday to inspect suspect ebikes. But they have come with a cost. NSW recorded 226 injuries related to ebikes in 2024.
In just the first seven months of 2025, that had already to surged to 233 injuries plus four deaths. Murray said most people were legally using ebikes but a small group ignoring the rules endangered other road users. If your bike can operate like a motorcycle under throttle or go more than 25km/h while being powered, it is not legal to ride in public.
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