‘Reckless’ e-bike ‘gangs’ taking over suburban Queensland roads, with police cracking down on illegal bikes
They’re high-powered and often illegal, and they’re being used by gangs of teens to terrorise suburban streets. Now, the Queensland parents of these e-bike brats can face criminal charges.
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Teen e-bike “gangs” are taking over Queensland suburbs, with large groups of bike brats riding rampant through the streets on often illegal high-powered machines.
The Courier Mail has obtained footage of teenagers in large groups doing burnouts, riding without helmets and performing dangerous stunts across south east Queensland.
It comes as the first public hearing into e-bikes and e-scooters as part of a state parliamentary inquiry into the hugely popular but highly dangerous machines is set to be held on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
Multiple social media pages are dedicated to videos of young riders performing wheelies and stunts across Brisbane suburbs and the CBD.
In one video, four riders use a main road as a jump, narrowly missing passing cars.
Earlier this month, a 19-year-old from Boondall was found riding an illegal e-bike and charged with seven offences and arrested in Brisbane’s CBD.
The Courier Mail viewed multiple motorised bikes listed online for sale, ranging from $999 to over $2000.
Jimboomba motocross business owner David Mimica, of MX Imports, said inner-city youths were buying e-bikes online, assembling them and riding them recklessly through the streets.
“There are gangs of them on the electric bikes and they’re harassing everyone,” he said.
“Do they pass the road safety checks and how are they legal to be imported in the country?”
Mr Mimica said many e-bikes were too powerful to be ridden on the streets and there was a lack of off-road facilities.
“People are getting these bikes and they have nowhere to ride … so they end up on the roads,” he said.
In Queensland, a motorised bike is non-compliant and can’t be ridden on public roads or paths if it is petrol-powered or internal combustion engine, an electric motor capable of generating over 200 watts and an electric motor that is the primary source of power.
Police have launched a series of blitzes on e-bikes, even charging parents for allowing their children to ride them.
The Crisafulli government announced an inquiry into e-mobility devices in May following a surge in deaths and injuries, and public outcry over a lack of regulation.
Hundreds of concerned residents are expected to flock to the inquiry’s first public hearing on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
Coast MP and Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber helped initiate the inquiry after a growing backlash in her Currumbin electorate over mainly school-age e-bike riders tearing up the streets and footpaths.
The inquiry has already received more than 1200 written submissions and Ms Gerber urged residents to turn out in force to the public hearing at the Robina Community Centre to have their voices heard.
“Illegal e-scooter and e-bike use is a huge concern for locals on the southern Gold Coast and I share their concern,” she said.
“The inquiry has a broad remit to look at changes needed to address community concern and the rising injuries and fatalities linked to e-mobility use, and the number of submissions received so far demonstrates just how important this issue is for communities.”
The inquiry was launched after eight deaths involving personal mobility devices last year, and a 112 per cent rise in injuries between 2021 and 2024.
The number of people presenting to hospitals with personal mobility device-related injuries more than doubled from 773 in 2021 to 1638 in 2024.
The parliamentary inquiry will focus on the benefits of e-mobility devices, safety risks, enforcement options and importation laws.
Announcing the inquiry, Transport and Main Roads Minister Brent Mickelberg said all options were on the table, but it is understood e-scooters and e-bikes are unlikely to be outlawed.
The RACQ has called for tougher enforcement, including using existing laws to remove “dangerous and illegal” devices from the state’s roads and footpaths and full-faced helmets for riders.
The motoring body said that since 2018, almost 6300 people had presented to Queensland emergency departments with injuries from e-mobility device crashes.
Ms Gerber said: “ “We want to hear from the community, road use groups, disability advocates, health and trauma experts, industry stakeholders and all levels of government because it’s important to consider all research and opinions to ensure a safe and reliable future for e-mobility on the Gold Coast.”
The parliamentary committee is expected to hand down its findings in March.
Originally published as ‘Reckless’ e-bike ‘gangs’ taking over suburban Queensland roads, with police cracking down on illegal bikes
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