# E Bikes/WMA’s



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

E-bike use now illegal in Utah wildlife areas


Electric bikes are becoming more popular in the state, but the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is reminding cyclists that riding them in wildlife management areas is illegal.




www.fox13now.com


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## gander311 (Dec 23, 2008)

I don’t know what separates the “classes” of e-bikes. Does this apply to any e-bike, including ones that you still have to peddle also? Or just the type that only go with a throttle?

I don’t have an e-bike, but considered buying one last year to use on the dikes at WMA’s but I was worried that something like this was coming.

Some will hate me for saying this, but overall I’m glad to see them go.


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## gander311 (Dec 23, 2008)

gander311 said:


> I don’t know what separates the “classes” of e-bikes. Does this apply to any e-bike, including ones that you still have to peddle also? Or just the type that only go with a throttle?
> 
> I don’t have an e-bike, but considered buying one last year to use on the dikes at WMA’s but I was worried that something like this was coming.
> 
> Some will hate me for saying this, but overall I’m glad to see them go.


Nevermind, I found the answer. Looks like the pedal assist kind are still allowed. That’s always been my understanding of what the law was as waterfowl management areas, so is this actually a new law?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I wasn’t sure of the different classifications either. I could care less if they are restricted or not. I know the WMA by my house just put signs up saying “no bicycles allowed”.


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## Deacon92 (Jun 6, 2017)

What will be more interesting to see is the ban on forest service lands versus city lands, and the enforcement of that. WMA's seem like an easy sell/rule because the state controls that. The Salt Lake County trails and trail systems especially ones that start city, end in forrest service, or ride through forest service will be the rules/law to watch to see what happens.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I don't have an e-bike, and don't hunt WMA's. What's the reasoning why they won't allow bikes? Looking at the environmental side of it, an e-bike is less invasive to the area than a 16' boat propelled by a gasoline engine.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

taxidermist said:


> I don't have an e-bike, and don't hunt WMA's. What's the reasoning why they won't allow bikes? Looking at the environmental side of it, an e-bike is less invasive to the area than a 16' boat propelled by a gasoline engine.


Or a group of pack horses. Yeah, I don’t get it either, other then the E Bike is a motorized vehicle. They actually banned all bicycles at the WMA by my house. (Pine Canyon WMA)


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Some places are also cracking down on the UTVs, roads closed to "off highway vehicles" including UTVs with kits to make them road legal with license plates. Signage directly calls them out for being banned, even if they are licensed with the state.

-DallanC


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

DallanC said:


> Some places are also cracking down on the UTVs, roads closed to "off highway vehicles" including UTVs with kits to make them road legal with license plates. Signage directly calls them out for being banned, even if they are licensed with the state.
> 
> -DallanC


Moab tried that. If I recall they were sued by local businesses. 

Some FS guys were giving warnings to sxs drivers on mirror lake hwy this year as well. I know interstates are banned and I think you're not supposed to go over 50mph but I'm told you're not supposed to drive them on roads posted 55mph or more. I think this is an old law and haven't read anything updated.

As for ebike classifications, they're a bit convoluted since a screw driver can adjust it from one to the next.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Some places are also cracking down on the UTVs, roads closed to "off highway vehicles" including UTVs with kits to make them road legal with license plates. Signage directly calls them out for being banned, even if they are licensed with the state.
> 
> -DallanC


I'd fight that in court if it went that far. If I'm street legal (which I am) and I'm paying for the plate and registration to use my UTV as a "means of transportation" they can kiss it! I'd cry discrimination on that.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

taxidermist said:


> I'd fight that in court if it went that far. If I'm street legal (which I am) and I'm paying for the plate and registration to use my UTV as a "means of transportation" they can kiss it! I'd cry discrimination on that.


Good luck with that. Feds dont care about state laws.









-DallanC


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I've noticed those restrictions around Strawberry / Current Creek. I would guess they are forest specific.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

APD said:


> Moab tried that. If I recall they were sued by local businesses.
> 
> Some FS guys were giving warnings to sxs drivers on mirror lake hwy this year as well. I know interstates are banned and I think you're not supposed to go over 50mph but I'm told you're not supposed to drive them on roads posted 55mph or more. I think this is an old law and haven't read anything updated.
> 
> As for ebike classifications, they're a bit convoluted since a screw driver can adjust it from one to the next.


In Utah the law is you have to ride the far right side of the road on highways posted over 50 mph. That and you are required to have reflective tape.






Utah Code Section 41-6a-1509







le.utah.gov





Has the Grand Co lawsuit been resolved? It sounded like an interesting situation. I think they tried to regulate via sound ordinances on all vehicles with the recognition that ATVs were going to be the primary target. No idea how that panned out. I believe municipalities and counties are highly limited otherwise on how they regulate vehicles otherwise.

To other ideas, I don't think any complaint of discrimination would hold up as recreational vehicle usage isn't a protected class. I think the likely lawsuits will be based on policy inconsistent with state law (ie Grand Co issue). I'm no longer sure how USFS is managing trail usage since the relevant Utah law went into effect. I just know it caused quite the commotion when I worked there. I'm hesitant to believe they are unable to prohibit off highway vehicle use at all though. I think the problem comes into play when it's a designated public trail for motorized vehicles and they target a specific class of one, ie conflict with state law.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Here is a link to Wasatch Cache NF travel maps.


Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest - Maps & Publications


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Good luck with that. Feds dont care about state laws.
> 
> View attachment 154424
> 
> -DallanC


There isn't a picture of a SxS. I can't read small print when I'm blowing by at 50mph. It also says nothing about trucks, cars, jeeps or motorcycles. So, I guess one could drive their F-350 4x4 all over the trail?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thats just it, Motorcycles, Jeep and F350 Trucks are all allowed on this road. Type I and Type II atvs, even if road legal are explicitly restricted. I find it frustrating and nonsensical... especially when we ran into this, I was on a motorcycle and my wife & son on ATVs. I went in another mile or so to look over the next ridge while they waited.

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Colorado has been that way for 15 or more years now. 

ATV's of any kind are not allowed on designated roads and or trails where a pickup, car, bike, and a number of other vehicles can enjoy. 

The big problem with this is that it blocks off area where you can ride since there are no parking areas where a legal trail begins. I had a FS employee rag on me for 20 minutes for where I had parked my truck to unload my 4 wheeler.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I abide by the trail rules and hope the closure to said types of vehicles are for bettering the health of the trails. Eliminating erosion etc. But when a maintained roadway is closed to a street legal UTV/ATV I get frustrated. I do, and have seen a "select group" of ATV/UTV riders that just have to rip up a gravel road spinning cookies, figure eights and racing up the road. These are the ones that create the closures I think. 

But banning an Ebike on a dike or a trail? Come on, this is stupid. Someone paying 6K and more for an Ebike to go for a ride, is stupid to me. If I pay that much for a bike, the suckers going to have motor that uses a petroleum product that makes it go VROOOOOOM.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

The ATV/SxS Community frowns upon those that don't follow the rules. There seems to be a select few that always ruin a good thing by not following simple rules. The E Bike thing is a different story. How much damage can a frickin bicycle cause? I agree with taximan, if I'm spending thousands on a bike, it's going to say Harley Davidson on the tank.


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## Wbrim (Sep 5, 2021)

DallanC said:


> Good luck with that. Feds dont care about state laws.
> 
> View attachment 154424
> 
> -DallanC


This specifically states including “ATVs” 
Utah very clearly differentiates UTVs from ATVs, with separate requirements to be street legal. I would not expect this includes UTVs. 

Then again there’s a few roads I like to use, marked for street legal only. I always get passed by ATVs with no plates while I roll along in my truck.


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