'Where illegal e-bikes go to die': Compliance crackdown ramps up

Authorities are ramping up the crackdown on illegal e-bikes by sending them straight to the crusher, as concerns grow over the increase in riders suffering "traumatic" injuries.  

On Thursday, 23 illegal e-bikes were destroyed and turned into scrap metal at a wrecking facility in Blacktown, in Western Sydney. 

The e-bikes were seized in the northern beaches under new powers given to police to confiscate and dispose of non-compliant e-bikes.

"This is where illegal e-bikes go to die," Minister for Transport John Graham said at the live demonstration on Thursday. 

Police could previously seize and destroy high-powered illegal e-bikes but were required to first seek a forfeiture order through the courts, a lengthy and resource-heavy process.

Earlier in the year, the NSW government introduced new laws to extending seizure powers to police and Transport for NSW to streamline enforcement action. 

The batch of e-bikes destroyed on Thursday was the first to be crushed since the legislation was introduced, with Mr Graham reiterating riders were required to "do the right thing".

"If you are on high powered bike, if you have tampered with your bike, if it is illegal, if it's going too fast, it will be seized and it will be crushed."

Transport for NSW legislation states a legal e-bike must have a maximum continuous power of 500 watts, and a motor function that cuts out at 6 kilometres per hour if the rider is not pedalling.

They must also not exceed speeds of 25km/h.

'Real high risk of death'

Acting director of rehab medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Ed Lewis said about 42 per cent of the patients who had presented to the hospital with e-bike-related injuries required a "trauma response". 

Dr Lewis said the hospital often received patients suffering head injuries, internal bleeding and organ perforation.

The most serious injuries were attributed to not wearing a helmet and riding under the influence or at high speed, he said. 

“With a severe brain injury there is a real high risk of death. What we try and promote with e-bikes is safety," he said. 

"So we want people to be wearing helmets, we want people to be acknowledging that they’re really fast, so watching their speed, but also making sure they’re not driving or riding an e-bike impaired where they’re using drugs or alcohol as well."

E-bike injuries in children quadruple

According to new data from the Sydney Children's Hospital Network, the number of children presenting with injuries from e-bikes or scooters has more than quadrupled since 2023.

So far this year, 183 children have presented to Westmead and Randwick hospitals with e-bike or e-scooter injuries.

A spokesperson for the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network said injuries from electric vehicles were now the third most common reason for admission.

"Children's injuries range from minor soft tissue injuries and bone fractures through to deep tissue wounds, friction burns and severe head injuries," the spokesperson said. 

"Around one in five presentations have involved major trauma, requiring intensive care, surgery and extended recovery."

There were 40 presentations for injuries related to e-bike and e-scooters in 2023, compared to 166 in 2025 and 78 in 2024.

Mr Graham said the government had received the final report into a review of minimum age limits for e-bike riders, which was due in June this year. 

The expert review, led by Transport for NSW, had recommended a legal age limit between 12 and 16 years.

"I want to be clear I don't think it's sensible to have primary school kids on these heavy e-bikes," he said.

"I think the idea there's no age limit...makes common sense, but we need to strike the right balance."

The report will be released to the public at a later date following government consultation.