The heartbroken father of a teen killed riding a powerful dirt e-bike is calling for a ban on conversion kits that can boost the speed of ordinary bikes and e-bikes to 45mph.
Richard Murray is terrified other people will die while using the souped-up “death traps”.
His son Owen David Jones was 17 when he suffered a catastrophic brain injury coming off a pal’s high-powered Sur-Ron dirt e-bike at up to 30mph last May.
Our investigation uncovered kits being sold online capable of boosting ordinary e-bikes to speeds of up to 45 mph.
And we found YouTubers filming themselves riding the powerful e-bikes on public roads. Richard said: “These kits can make bikes as quick as the one my son was riding when he died. They shouldn’t be allowed.
“Every hour of the day I think about Owen. It’s a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
In one YouTube video, titled “How to convert a fat ebike into a 40mph beast!!!”, Hertford man Andrew Kirby, 43, is seen fitting a 1,500W conversion kit and riding the e-bike up a dual carriageway and along a pavement.
Kirby’s website claims riders can “easily” reach 40mph – although it warns the £899 kit is for off-road use only.
The law states any e-bike with a motor above 250W, or which boosts speeds beyond 15.5mph, must be registered as a motorcycle to be legal on public roads.
The vehicle must meet certain standards, be taxed, insured and the rider has to wear a helmet.
A second YouTuber, Steve King, 46, of Benfleet, Essex, is seen installing one of Kirby’s 2,000W conversion kits and saying while riding his bike: “38, 39, 40, pretty much spot on, 40 miles per hour.”
In a third video, Moto Machinez UK is seen reaching 45mph on a public road after he says he fitted a £799 1,500W Vandervolt kit.
In the footage, the YouTuber says: “S***, 45mph, Oh my God... I don’t want to come off at those sort of speeds. This is getting a bit dangerous.”
We also uncovered YouTube films of youngsters riding Sur-Ron e-bikes recklessly, skipping red lights, standing on the seats while doing wheelies and riding on the wrong side of the road in Brighton. Sur-Ron’s high-speed dirt bikes are not fitted with conversion kits.
It has off-road and road-legal models. Vandervolt states its kits are not road-legal.
YouTube removed the Brighton video for breaching its policy on harmful or dangerous content involving minors. Mr Kirby’s has been made private, but the other two remain up. Richard, of Baxenden, Lancs, said: “Youngsters don’t know how to handle modified bikes. The faster the bike, the bigger the mishap.”
Duncan Dollimore, of charity Cycling UK, said the availability of the kits was a concern, adding: “You could be putting yourself and others at risk.” Sussex Police urged people to report dangerous riding. Mr Kirby and Mr King declined to comment. Moto Machinez UK did not respond.
