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City officials crushed nearly 100 dirt bikes Tuesday, with Mayor Eric Adams saying he’s determined to eradicate the menacing vehicles from local streets.

In all, 92 of the illegal rides were pulverized under a bulldozer at the Erie Basin Auto Pound off Gowanus Bay in Brooklyn — as Adams vowed to continue City Hall’s war on the unauthorized recreational machines.

The bikes are not street-legal in the city.


  A bulldozer destroyed nearly 92 illegal dirt bikes in Brooklyn on June 21, 2022. Paul Martinka A bulldozer destroyed nearly 92 illegal dirt bikes in Brooklyn on June 21, 2022. Paul Martinka

  Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “freeing ourselves from these destructive piece[s] of machinery” before the bikes were destroyed. Paul Martinka Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “freeing ourselves from these destructive piece[s] of machinery” before the bikes were destroyed. Paul Martinka

  Adams posing with one of the confiscated dirt bikes. Paul Martinka Adams posing with one of the confiscated dirt bikes. Paul Martinka

“The NYPD heard the call, and they did a Herculean task to get rid of these loud, intimidating and dangerous and illegal dirt bikes and ATVs that are on our streets,” the mayor said at a press conference. “For years, we’ve witnessed what happens when they go under control or we do not enforce. They continue to grow over and over and over again.

“And I’m not going to give up on my promise and commitments to rid our streets of these bikes and make all of our boroughs a place where people can move about,” he said. “As you can see from the number of bikes here today, we are making good on our promise.”

Adams said the NYPD has taken about 900 of the bikes and ATVs off the streets of the Big Apple so far this year — an 88% bump over last year.


  Adams waving a checkered flag before the bulldozer destroyed the bikes. Paul Martinka Adams waving a checkered flag before the bulldozer destroyed the bikes. Paul Martinka

  The 92 vehicles will be turned into scrap metal and recycled. Paul Martinka The 92 vehicles will be turned into scrap metal and recycled. Paul Martinka

  According to Adams, the NYPD has seized about 900 illegal bikes and ATVs in 2022 so far. Paul Martinka According to Adams, the NYPD has seized about 900 illegal bikes and ATVs in 2022 so far. Paul Martinka

“Today, as we stand in the shadow of the Freedom Tower, we are freeing ourselves from these destructive piece[s] of machinery that’s on our streets,” Adams added.

“They will be crushed today so they can never terrorize our city again, each and every one of them,” he said. “They will be turned into scrap metal and eventually recycled.”

Adams said the vehicles were not resold to ensure they would not motor their way back into the city and wreak more havoc on the streets.

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