Other replies have made the point that they look like, but don't quack like ducks. I just wanted to point out that I was speaking from a legal perspective: specifically, "[those] who uncapped their limiters and installed 1000 W motors for their “sleeper” builds" are motorists, and they are prosecuted as such when caught (which is not often, because cuts to police, CPS, courts and legal aid have effectively decriminalized most crimes in the UK).

You have identified that they give cyclists a bad reputation, and we all suffer due to it. :(