Snowmass Village Police Add Electric Motorbikes for Trail Patrol
Two UBCO two-wheel-drive bikes expand the department's trail presence at $6,400 each
Source: Town of Snowmass Village ↗
Two electric utility motorbikes have expanded the Snowmass Village Police Department’s fleet, purchased for trail patrol work at $6,400 each.
The bikes are manufactured by UBCO, a New Zealand-based company. Each unit is a two-wheel-drive model weighing approximately 150 pounds, with a top speed of 35 mph and a range of 50 to 70 miles. Both are street legal but will be used predominantly by the department’s Trail Patrol unit on the town’s paved trails.
The purchase came as higher volumes of electric-powered bicycles have appeared on Village trails. Snowmass Village limits paved recreation paths to Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes; Class 2, Class 3 and e-motos are prohibited on all Village trails and recreation paths. The department’s UBCO bikes are authorized for law enforcement use on those same paths under applicable law.
“These bikes give our officers another effective way to be visible and accessible throughout the community while allowing us to respond quickly when an incident occurs on the trails,” said Assistant Police Chief Dave Heivly, who led the department’s research into the purchase. “They also give us added flexibility during large events, when we need to move quickly through crowds and maintain a strong police presence.”
