As a cyclist, motorcyclist and driver, I have to say that the use of high powered ebike (surron, cake etc) on the road is pretty high where I live (Bournemouth), and I'm not keen on it. They are taken where normal bikes would go but tear up the ground like an MX bike would do, leaving damage that will take a year to grow back.
They have replaced the MX bike as the illegal transport of choice for obvious reasons. They are great, but shouldn't be on the road (unless properly registered), and the problem is that a lot of people lump them in with pedal-assist ebike (which I also ride) which is really negative PR for what is good sustainable transport.
Having influential mtb riders like Sam Pilgrim hooning around on one in some videos doesn't help..
Ideally they'd make the S-Pedelec class of bikes (up to 28mph) much easier to own and operate legally.
The requirement for insurance and a helmet seems fine, but putting a full-size car number plate on an e-bike looks ludicrous (they need some sort of ID, but designed for bikes), and an annual MOT seems an unnecessary burden for what's still mostly a bicycle.
They have replaced the MX bike as the illegal transport of choice for obvious reasons. They are great, but shouldn't be on the road (unless properly registered), and the problem is that a lot of people lump them in with pedal-assist ebike (which I also ride) which is really negative PR for what is good sustainable transport.
Having influential mtb riders like Sam Pilgrim hooning around on one in some videos doesn't help..