Hunting eBikes vs ATVs vs Side-by-Sides: What's better?

[John Murphy]

I recently put together a article comparing electric hunting bikes, quads/atv's and side-by-side to see which one is best for hunting. Would love to know your thoughts? You can check it out here: https://ebikegeneration.com/blogs/news/hunting-ebike-vs-quads-atvs-and-side-by-sides-whats-better

 

[Bravo 4]

Mr Murphy, I'm not trying to bust your biscuits but should/can a bicycle of any kind be compared to an ATV or SxS? Wouldn't a more fair comparison be the benefits of biking over walking?
I guess the word "better" is subjective and conditional. Up till a few years back I didn't own an ATV. On hunting trips I drove my truck to walk in trails and humped it in from there. There were some places I wouldn't take my truck. 20+ miles up a mountain range and very bad "roads" limited my access to a lot of locations. So I got a 4wheeler and mounted a good rifle case on the front & big lock box on the back for inserting myself into harder to get to places. My last elk hunt the conditions were so bad that I had a rough time just driving on constituted dirt roads in my Ram 2500 w/new 35" mud tires and chains. Even my 500 Sportsman was severely handicapped in 4wd. My buddy's Ranger plowed right on like it was nothing, most of the time in 2wd. I'm currently looking for one now.
Learned a lesson that trip; if the locals aren't going into certain areas, may be for a good reason!

 

[WildRose]

Mr Murphy, I'm not trying to bust your biscuits but should/can a bicycle of any kind be compared to an ATV or SxS? Wouldn't a more fair comparison be the benefits of biking over walking?
I guess the word "better" is subjective and conditional. Up till a few years back I didn't own an ATV. On hunting trips I drove my truck to walk in trails and humped it in from there. There were some places I wouldn't take my truck. 20+ miles up a mountain range and very bad "roads" limited my access to a lot of locations. So I got a 4wheeler and mounted a good rifle case on the front & big lock box on the back for inserting myself into harder to get to places. My last elk hunt the conditions were so bad that I had a rough time just driving on constituted dirt roads in my Ram 2500 w/new 35" mud tires and chains. Even my 500 Sportsman was severely handicapped in 4wd. My buddy's Ranger plowed right on like it was nothing, most of the time in 2wd. I'm currently looking for one now.
Learned a lesson that trip; if the locals aren't going into certain areas, may be for a good reason!

There's a reason the Mountain Men road mules if they could get one.

 

[Dosh]

Since your president shut down the Keystone pipeline and curtailed oil drilling on the first day in office, it's possible you'll need your E-bikes while hunting. Should not be very difficult to find a charging station in any US wilderness area.

 

[Reelamin]

I have constantly seen the illegal use of ATV's in closed areas and where motorized vehicles are prohibited.

Now seeing the electric motorcycles doing the exact same thing!! Oh sorry advertised as "bicycles". Have not talked to one single enforcement person who even has a clue by their own regulations and laws ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES ARE PROHIBITED.

Stutter stammer stutter.....uh uh uh I guess your right. So are you going to actually stop and ticket them like you do the ATV's? Uh uh uh I don't know I'll have to look into it. Don't you have a radio, phone, mdt in your truck to find out now? Uh uh I don't have service here I'll have to go to service. Oh so you don't have a booster in your truck that relays your portable radio to your dispatch through your 100 watt mobile?

Real close to how it goes.

 

[Reelamin]

Since your president shut down the Keystone pipeline and curtailed oil drilling on the first day in office, it's possible you'll need your E-bikes while hunting. Should not be very difficult to find a charging station in any US wilderness area.

Nah we all just need to go buy a Tesla, EZ go, etc etc etc electric vehicle with a monthly label change kit and we are good to go. It's electric so it doesn't have a motor. Just ask them...ITS ELECTRIC NOT A GAS ENGINE.

 

[John Murphy]

I have constantly seen the illegal use of ATV's in closed areas and where motorized vehicles are prohibited.

Now seeing the electric motorcycles doing the exact same thing!! Oh sorry advertised as "bicycles". Have not talked to one single enforcement person who even has a clue by their own regulations and laws ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES ARE PROHIBITED.

Stutter stammer stutter.....uh uh uh I guess your right. So are you going to actually stop and ticket them like you do the ATV's? Uh uh uh I don't know I'll have to look into it. Don't you have a radio, phone, mdt in your truck to find out now? Uh uh I don't have service here I'll have to go to service. Oh so you don't have a booster in your truck that relays your portable radio to your dispatch through your 100 watt mobile?

Real close to how it goes.

I sell to multiple NFS agencies that use the bikes themselves for covering their area quickly and quietly.
None I've ever spoke to are against the use of ebikes as long as they stick to the typical power. Hunters are not going joyriding at 35+ mph, tearing up the land. It's just a good tool for guys get around, and as long as they don't break any local rules there's no harm.

 

[sp6x6]

Its another way to access.And like all things it is going to get abused by some.Ive hunted all over and many places have trails more motor bikes,and side bys. I was hiking in such a spot that was open,but marked no motorized. I asked a warden about it and also,mentioned a guide I saw in area.His reply was ''who do you think put sign up"Some of these spots I was archery hunting,and others just out for a joy ride. Ive had my jeep real remote in MT and ID on open ,so called roads.When snow is real deep, Im often only one in area.

 

[Reelamin]

I sell to multiple NFS agencies that use the bikes themselves for covering their area quickly and quietly.
None I've ever spoke to are against the use of ebikes as long as they stick to the typical power. Hunters are not going joyriding at 35+ mph, tearing up the land. It's just a good tool for guys get around, and as long as they don't break any local rules there's no harm.

I'm glad for you and making a living doing what you enjoy is awesome.

The agency is always exempt from
their own rules to a certain point. Again because an individual even a area manager personally has no issue does not mean anyone else can violate the law without risk of consequence.

I will take a pic next year of the ruts and spinning tire marks in our elk area. I'm glad you don't have hunters riding 35mph. I don't have radar eyes to know their speed. I can tell you they travel old single and two track faster than any horse we have can run.

You sell as many as you cani absolutely believe. I will feel the same until the LAWs and regulations allow ALL motorized vehicles not just ones the activists THINK are ok.

 

[CMP70306]

I'm glad for you and making a living doing what you enjoy is awesome.

The agency is always exempt from
their own rules to a certain point. Again because an individual even a area manager personally has no issue does not mean anyone else can violate the law without risk of consequence.

I will take a pic next year of the ruts and spinning tire marks in our elk area. I'm glad you don't have hunters riding 35mph. I don't have radar eyes to know their speed. I can tell you they travel old single and two track faster than any horse we have can run.

You sell as many as you cani absolutely believe. I will feel the same until the LAWs and regulations allow ALL motorized vehicles not just ones the activists THINK are ok.

Um the e bikes have nothing to do with activists, the main reason they are gaining popularity is because they are quiet compared to a normal gas powered vehicle but have the range and ease of use advantage over a normal pedal powered bike. As far as I can tell they really only go about 20 mph on flat roads and significantly slower on trails unless they are going down hill at which point they are no different than a normal mountain bike. However it does seem like the electric assistance would make traveling up mountains significantly easier than walking or regular mountain biking.

The main reason that a lot of motorized vehicles aren't allowed on public lands is because they have a tendency to tear up roads. People on electric bikes don't have the capacity to tear up the roads because they don't have enough torque and aren't spinning tires to power themselves through the mud.

We are dealing with this now on our property, what started as two wet spots on an old logging road has turned into 200 yards of mud pits after just a couple times running the side by sides and quads on them during hunting season. That wouldn't have happened with ebikes.

 

[Bob Wright]

My 4 seat General serves trail riding adventures and hunting as well. I respect the land and the laws regulating the land. No "E" anything is capable of doing that same service for me. Maybe 20 years from now. Not in the immediate future.
E bikes would be fun in campgrounds, going back and forth fishing. Needs to be close to charging stations or a fire breathing generator in my camp spot. Charging any electric vehicles still burns fuel somewhere. Solar panels alone can't do it quick enough. Unless you pack a lot of amp hours in panels, inverter, etc.
Not sure about packing an elk out of a deep canyon or long trip around either. How does that work?

 

[Troutslayer2]

I dread that a time will come when the e bike lobby wins their fight to have these stupid contraptions regulated like mountain bikes instead of the motorcycles that they are.

 

[CMP70306]

I dread that a time will come when the e bike lobby wins their fight to have these stupid contraptions regulated like mountain bikes instead of the motorcycles that they are.

Maybe I'm just out of the loop here as I have no experience with these things besides a brief period where I considered one a few months back but my understanding was that they weren't all that powerful and they already had limits on the power output where they could be used.

Are they really that big of an issue to get the level of discontent they are in this thread?

 

[Troutslayer2]

Maybe I'm just out of the loop here as I have no experience with these things besides a brief period where I considered one a few months back but my understanding was that they weren't all that powerful and they already had limits on the power output where they could be used.

Are they really that big of an issue to get the level of discontent they are in this thread?

I have no issue with them being used anywhere one is legally allowed to ride a dirt bike or ATV. What I do have issue with is that the e bike industry is pushing a narrative (and legislation) that these are "bicycles" and should be allowed anywhere a bicycle is allowed. They are motorized. They literally have motors in them.