‘Unleash your inner rebel’: Company promotes dangerous electric dirt bike tricks

An electric dirt bike company is advertising a ‘thrilling’ dirt bike reaching speeds of 90km/h while Queensland police battle rising e-mobility injuries and deaths.

Amid an e-mobility crisis, an online American electric bike company promoted its product in Queensland by posting a video of a person performing wheelies on an electric dirt bike.

The company has an Australian section on its website.

The video appears as a 79Bike sponsored Facebook post.

It comes just weeks after three deaths related to e-mobility devices.

Multiple people have suffered injuries and others have died while riding electric mobility devices in Queensland this year.

This advertisement appeared within a couple of weeks of a teenager, Fudou Stovell, dying while riding an electric dirt bike near a Broadbeach pedestrian crossing on Saturday, November 1.

An eight-year-old Mountain Creek boy, Zeke Hondow, also collided with another e-bike on Thursday, October 30.

Another 15-year-old boy, Hudson Gagg died when he was riding on the back of an e-bike when it was collided with an SUV seven weeks ago.

In the advertisement, the rider is seen on a sealed road performing stunts like wheelies and balancing on the front wheel.

He also does tricks as the electric dirt bike continues to move forward.

The rider is in long pants and a long shirt but not wearing personal protective equipment made for motorcyclists.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said more than half of personal mobility device (PMD) offences were related to a lack of safety equipment while riding.

“Of the more than 3700 PMD-related traffic infringement notices issued so far in 2025, almost 2300 (or more than 60 per cent) have been for riding without a helmet, and 700 for riding on a prohibited road,” he said.

Despite the current crackdown on dangerous e-mobility devices, companies continue to advertise.

According to the Queensland Government, it is only legal to ride an electric dirt bike on the road if it is registered and the rider holds a licence.

A police spokesman said officers were continuing to crack down on unsafe behaviours through education and intervention.

“Queensland Police Service is continuing its strong focus on community safety by addressing unsafe behaviours associated with e-mobility devices, including e-bikes, personal mobility devices (PMDs) or e-scooters, and electric motorbikes,” he said.

“QPS officers are committed to addressing the challenges associated with e-mobility devices, engaging with the community, educating people about their responsibilities and enforcing the laws to prevent unsafe behaviours.”

Police have launched Operation Raptor Wheelie on the Sunshine Coast that specifically targets dangerous PMD activity.

As of Tuesday, October 1, police had seized three illegal PMDs as part of the operation and would continue it into the Christmas holidays.

According to the Queensland Government, the top speed of a legal electric road bike is 25/km, less than half of the advertised bike’s maximum speed.

79Bike was contacted for comment.

People are urging the government to take action to ensure the safe use of electric-mobility devices.

At a Nambour press conference on November 6, David Crisafulli said increased police presence would be the solution to e-devices until the March inquiry is released.

“In the meantime, police are going to put the extra resources into policing what’s there,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We must drive change in everything from the way that these things come in, to how they are operated, and where they operate.

“All of that will happen, no other state has been able to do it.

“I hope that gives people the confidence of how seriously we take it.”

Mr Crisafulli said they will they will “deal with an issue that Queenslanders demand change on”.

“No other state has delivered the change that’s needed, and we are going to do that.”

Originally published as ‘Unleash your inner rebel’: Company promotes dangerous electric dirt bike tricks