Rising e-dirt bike complaints prompt RCMP safety crackdown in Campbell River, B.C.

Police say enforcement can include fines, penalty points, vehicle impoundments and, in more serious cases, criminal charges. (Maple Ridge RCMP)

What might look like harmless fun on two wheels is becoming a serious safety concern in Campbell River, B.C., where police say dirt bikes and high-powered electric dirt bikes are increasingly being ridden through neighbourhoods, sidewalks and public trails where they do not belong.

The RCMP says it is responding to a growing number of complaints involving off-road vehicles being used in areas such as Beaver Lodge Lands, Willow Creek Conservancy, bike lanes and residential streets, spaces where neither gas-powered nor e-dirt bikes are permitted.

Police say the problem is no longer occasional, but part of a broader trend that has led to close calls with pedestrians, near-misses with vehicles and damage to community property, including sports fields.

“If you have a dirt bike or an e-dirt bike in a residential area, the only legal way to move it to an approved riding location is by truck or trailer,” said Const. Maury Tyre in a statement.

“What we’re seeing instead is riders choosing to take them onto roads and trails, and that’s creating real risk for everyone.”

RCMP say part of the issue is confusion among young riders and parents, who may assume electric dirt bikes fall under the same rules as regulated e-bikes. In reality, police note, they are treated very differently under B.C. law.

“While street-legal e-bikes are limited to 32 km/h, restricted to 500 watts of power, and equipped with functional pedals, dirt bikes and e-dirt bikes are designed for off-road use and cannot legally operate on public roads unless they meet licensing, registration, and insurance requirements,” Tyre said.

Police say enforcement can include fines, penalty points, vehicle impoundments and, in more serious cases, criminal charges. Some tickets can also be issued to parents or registered owners when youth are involved.

Officers are also warning about a concerning trend of riders fleeing from police, which they say significantly increases the risk of serious injury and escalates potential legal consequences for those involved.

“Police are not blind to the fact that young people will push boundaries, but it is also the job of adults to hold them accountable,” explained Tyre.

“Just being kids, is not putting other people’s lives at risk or damaging public property and it does take effort from the community, police and parents to ensure the young people using these vehicles ride in a safe, responsible and legal manner.”

RCMP say education and targeted enforcement will continue as they try to curb dangerous riding behaviour and protect people using roads, sidewalks and trail systems across the community.

Anyone who witnesses illegal dirt bike or e-dirt bike use is asked to contact the Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221.