E-Ride (Greenwit.com) lent me their latest, full-size scooter/bike to use for a week, for this review. (Personally, I don't think much of others' 10-mile "reviews" by some so-called electric scooter e-zines. A short test-ride should not be called a "consumer review", in my humble opinion.)
Cyclists rejoice! We should all be ecstatic that a wet-weather 'cycle (due to the unique rain-cape for this scooter) is finally, finally available for the Wet Coast, where we have 8 months of rain. With the hub motor, there are no "wear" parts, like bike-sprockets
and V-brakes. I rode this in the worst rainstorms, and I was laughing, laughing in the rain. I was hitting 2" puddles with it, no problem. Freezing rain and -2* weather, too!
Here's my summary opinion: This is the best wet-weather, short-trip, urban electric scooter full-size ebike/scooter out there. Its advantages over other scooters/bike include: Ultra-wide tires, locking handlebar, locking anti-theft wheels, torquey motor, and the included (unique!) rider's rain-gear. In other words, for a rainy city, like Vancouver, this is the best ebike on the market! Homepower magazine's staff rode the XP to the Electric Drive conference.
My ratings for the Greenwit Motorino XP are as follows:
MY OVERALL RATING: B
RIDEABILITY: A+
COMFORT: A+
ANTI-THEFT FEATURES: A+ (For comparison, a Currie bike is a "C")
FLAT-TIRE RESISTANCE: F
HILL-CLIMBING POWER: A
AS A POWER-ON-DEMAND BIKE: A+
AS A PEDAL-ASSIST BIKE: D
WET-WEATHER USE: A+ (with special E-Ride helmet)
BRAKING: A+ (strong electric-regen brakes)
E-RIDE SERVICE: A+ (Their E-Ride mechanic, Colin, is a gifted technician, in my view)
STORAGE SPACE: B
RECHARGE TIME: B
REGEN BRAKING EFFICIENCY: B+ (Best I've seen. Generates >2.5A at times.)
STYLING: A+ (subjective)
HANDLING: A+ (for comparison, an Ego-2 is a "C")
RIDING SLUSHY-ICY ROADS: A (with rain cape to keep warm)
The unusual and unexpected: The Motorino XP scooter does not skid on wet leaves, as a normal bike does. The reason? Its wide, Vespa-wide tires, in my opinion. With its anti-theft features, it does not need to be U-locked to a bike-rack. Riding stability, braking power, are all awesome.
My complaints? Just minor ones, except for the flat tire.. Here they are: There is no room on the handlebar to mount an extra headlight. The headlight could be brighter. I would pay extra for folding pedals. The rear-view mirrors are not wide-angle, so an owner might want to paste on an "aftermarket" mirror, on top. Charger cord is too short. The horn isn't as loud as the Air Zounds airhorn that, in my view, should be mandatory for all 'cycles.
Advantage over an EVT electric scooter: With pedals, the Motorino XP requires no insurance, nor license, and can be legally parked on the sidewalk. Unlike a Vespa.
E-Ride is the only vendor with a full-size scooter-style electric bike available today.
Is it environmental-friendly? Dave Steele, the president of Earthsave in Vancouver, wrote in the Earthsaver newsletter, that an electric scooter is "greener" than taking a bus. Dave rides an E-Ride scooter, too.
What keeps me from buying it? I already have several customized electric bikes along with spare motors and a small fortune in 24-volt chargers and spare parts. (The
Motorino XP is a 48-volt scooter.) And, alas, no room, for another 'cycle.
Is there anything better out there? For wet-road riding, not that I've seen. The Motorino XP is the top choice, by far, for "Raincouver", anyway.
I'd like to add that Steve at E-Ride appears to be dedicated to keeping customers happy. He's got a money-back satisfaction policy, it seems.
Its range? In my use, 10kms.
On a general note, whatever type of e-cycle, I would ask that retailers find a way to make them flat-proof, perhaps with airless (foam) tubes, thorn-proof tubes, or the green goop that goes into the tires' tubes. I got too many flats with these ebikes, which was more than just an inconvenience to me.
For comparison, here is a different electric scooter-style electric bike, from Motor Sport in Vancouver.
Click here to see the world's best electric scooter made yesterday!
Solar powered vehicle workshop at William Osler school mentioned in Vancouver Courier, for Assn of Bright Children BC.