SEGWAY - Official Site - Ninebot ES1/3:
https://www.segway.com/products/consumer-lifestyle/es1-kickscooter

SEGWAY - Official Site - Ninebot ES2/4:
https://www.segway.com/products/consumer-lifestyle/es2-kickscooter

PRICESPY - Best Deals on the Ninebot ES2:
https://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=4770504

PRICESPY - Best Deals on the Ninebot ES4 (ES2+Battery):
https://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=5032102

I have an ES4, overall pretty happy with it.  Mostly does what it says on the tin, has been very reliable so far and I do like it a lot.  Would recommend.

If I was to list a few niggles:

• there are a couple of rubber grommets near the front 'hinge' that come off
• the rear-mudguard is pretty useless, driving through a puddle at any speed faster than 15km/h will splash your backside
• the screws that hold on the top handle-bar and dashboard part need regular tightening
• the range and max climbing angle are embellished.  You might get 45kms out of a charge if you weigh 30kg, ride on the flat in normal mode (rather than high-power) and there is no wind.  Similarly, i expect I'm close to the stated weight limit with my bag and coat on, and I need to give it a hand (or is that a foot) getting up  what I would consider normal suburban hills
• the app is pretty pointless really

floydbloke:

 

I have an ES4, overall pretty happy with it.  Mostly does what it says on the tin, has been very reliable so far and I do like it a lot.  Would recommend.

 

If I was to list a few niggles:

 

• there are a couple of rubber grommets near the front 'hinge' that come off
• the rear-mudguard is pretty useless, driving through a puddle at any speed faster than 15km/h will splash your backside
• the screws that hold on the top handle-bar and dashboard part need regular tightening
• the range and max climbing angle are embellished.  You might get 45kms out of a charge if you weigh 30kg, ride on the flat in normal mode (rather than high-power) and there is no wind.  Similarly, i expect I'm close to the stated weight limit with my bag and coat on, and I need to give it a hand (or is that a foot) getting up  what I would consider normal suburban hills
• the app is pretty pointless really

I have been using another branded E scooter for nearly a year and if its wet around I always get the mud up the back legs too. I try avoid if its too wet !!

I've got the ES4 and find it excellent - agreed regarding the battery life, I get around 25km on a charge but my commute involves quite a big hill.

Something I've found is the tires have zero traction on wet, mossy surfaces (eg - bricks). I've ruined myself a couple of times now and currently have a couple of nasty bruises on my legs from losing traction around the Wellington Waterfront.

BuckoNZ: @michaelmurfy as a scooter owner in Wellington, I'm interested in where you would and would not ride your scooter in the CBD.

I was on a Jump scooter the other day on Lambton Quay. It was reasonably busy, so I was only riding at walking speed and not making any sudden movements. Where there was a clear and open gap, sure I speed up and over took a few people. But nothing reckless or agreesive.

Jump (and the others) operating licenses say they are not to be used on Golden Mile footpaths, 

The GPS on the scooters are not accurate enough to tell if you are on the road or footpath,) ,  so they are currently allowed on the street,...

But., if it gets ignored enough,  at the end of the 6 month period the Council might look at getting them to enforce a Geo block on both the street and footpath...

Jump (and the others) operating licenses say they are not to be used on Golden Mile footpaths, 

The GPS on the scooters are not accurate enough to tell if you are on the road or footpath,) ,  so they are currently allowed on the street,...

But., if it gets ignored enough,  at the end of the 6 month period the Council might look at getting them to enforce a Geo block on both the street and footpath...

 

 

BuckoNZ:

 

Jump (and the others) operating licenses say they are not to be used on Golden Mile footpaths, 

 

 

 

The GPS on the scooters are not accurate enough to tell if you are on the road or footpath,) ,  so they are currently allowed on the street,...

 

 

 

But., if it gets ignored enough,  at the end of the 6 month period the Council might look at getting them to enforce a Geo block on both the street and footpath...

 

 

 

I heard something about that. However how does that apply to private scooter owners?

I doesn't apply to private ones, 

Council only has power over the commercial ones because they need a "Street permit" to do business on public property...

As long as NZTA still exempt e-scooters from being motor vehicles, they are allowed on footpaths....

@BuckoNZ Where I can (and if there are people around) I ride on the road as the ES4 is powerful enough to. I am however very careful to not get in the way of traffic.

1) Don't ride down Courtenay Place or Lambton Quay (seriously).
2) Keep your speed low if there are many people on the waterfront - scooters are allowed and often I can go full speed if there are not many people around.
3) Wear a helmet! I find people yell at you if you don't. I just use a Flamingo helmet (just pay for shipping): https://shop.flamingoscooters.com/collections/frontpage/products/flamingo-helmet

Also, around where Crab Shack / TSB and around Te-Papa there are some bricks. These are very very slippery during wet weather. If you're ever down at that end of town and it isn't bone dry then walk your scooter. Speaking from experience, I've seen people fall off on the rental scooters and I've also fallen off my scooters around there (both M365 and ES4) and when you fall, it does indeed hurt. If it is wet also I would strongly recommend not using sports mode and just use what I call eco mode due to wheel spin.

If you're courteous, don't pass people closely at fast speeds (I normally walk around people if there are a few too many around) and keep your speed low where there is many people you shouldn't get anyone yell at you. Also be careful of idiots on rental scooters - some blast the scooter at full speed around people, traffic and other riders and I've had a couple of close encounters because of them.

BuckoNZ: @michaelmurfy as a scooter owner in Wellington, I'm interested in where you would and would not ride your scooter in the CBD.

I was on a Jump scooter the other day on Lambton Quay. It was reasonably busy, so I was only riding at walking speed and not making any sudden movements. Where there was a clear and open gap, sure I speed up and over took a few people. But nothing reckless or agreesive.

Anyway some woman in her late 50's waved her finger at me and mentioned something about scooters are not to be used in the central city. I just gave her a look like "and I bet you hated push button phones when they came out" and moved on. But it got me thinking.

So as a scooter owner in Wellington, keen on where you would and would not ride it.

If you are riding Lambton Quay or Willis footpath, I'm siding the the woman.

To add more context. One random rider at the moment at walking speed, not making any sudden movements, not really a major issue. But project out a couple of years as scooters become more popular and imagine a busy Lambton Quay crammed equally with pedestrians and scooters, with many scooter riders not being as slow, careful or considerate as you - it will be a nightmare, really.