At the present time, electric bikes are covered by the same Pennsylvania regulations that allow gas engine assisted bicycles as assisted pedalcycles. Under 50cc, 1.5HP or less, top speed under 25MPH, still pedaled, rider needs driver's license, must obey all bicycle regulations/laws, etc. A 750Watt motor is about the same power as a 1 horse gas engine, so almost all e-bikes are legal now, though the 25MPH top speed could probably be exceeded by most 750 Watt motored bikes. e-bikekits.com is now located in Pennsylvania(moved from NJ), so I'm sure they will be keeping up with Pa regs. I have 2 e-bikes and have never been stopped by the local police here in Erie. Of course I was never stopped on the 4 gas engined bikes I have owned before either. I would guess that cops who are stopping assisted bikes are just ignorant of the law. A test case here was won by the cyclist and the results have been widely disseminated to the local police, so they know we are legal.
The catch is that all unregistered/unlicensed motor vehicles(assisted bikes, micro-motorcycles, unlicensed scooters, etc) have been banned from all Pa State Parks by the agency that runs them. I have been stopped on Presque Isle State Park and warned not to ride using the gas engine on the park, though they did say I could ride by pedalling without using the engine. They have not stopped me on an e-bike yet because I'm not sure they realize they are motorized, or perhaps they feel e-bikes are okay because there is a federal regulation covering them. I will keep riding my e-bikes on the beautiful all-purpose trail on Presque Isle as long as I can. The time I was stopped there on the gas engined motored bike I was riding on the road at the posted speed limit of 25MPH. I was being obvious and it bit my in the a**. I was never stopped on the gas bikes when I was riding on the trail slowly and respecting walkers, skaters, and pedal bikers, though you could tell from the looks they were giving me that they didn't like it. I don't get the evil eye on the e-bikes.
