Originally Posted by macstuff

I don't think that "most states exempt e-bikes from motorized classification." I'd have to see proof of that. Its counter intuitive. And I doubt that many States have even considered it yet. When the lawsuits become too much there will be an official look taken I'm sure.
These aren't bicycles though. The people that buy and use these are motivated by different circumstance than the bicyclists.
When you strap a motor to a bicycle it is a moped. It doesn't matter what it looks like or sounds like or smells like. Its a moped. It becomes a motor driven vehicle, it becomes more of a challenge to control.
There are electric trials motorcycles and there will be electric BMX and mountain and other types of off road biking, but an e-bike is a mo-ped and falls under all the rules we already have for mo-peds.
Mo-Peds can't use the bike lanes in Arizona, that I know. No motorized vehicles in the bike lanes.