Electric scooter for casual use recommendations

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lchiu7

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#305818 6-Jun-2023 11:54

I could not find a recent thread on this so I thought I would start another one.

Looking at getting an electric scooter primarily for recreational use, not for commuting. Just something to spin around town and other less congested places for fun. Possibly even for a short tip to the supermarket :-)

Looking at many videos on YT it seems dual suspension is a nice feature to have to reduce some of the bumps etc. that a hard wheel will provide.

Don't care so much about great range, or speed (casual and safe use) but suspension and light would be good since I might be packing it up, taking it to a safe and flat area and tooling around.

Budget aorund $1200 or less if possible.

Looking at AliExpress saw these as one example

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005259230197.html?

Price is good and free shipping. Or am I taking a big risk here?

What about local recommendations?

Thanks

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#3085396 6-Jun-2023 12:04

I wouldn't buy from AliExpress.

EScooters have all the potential to cause serious injury to you. You don't want something to break while traveling at 30kmh!

For $1200 I'd look for used EScooters or buy a Xao Mi/Ninebot.

Handsomedan

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#3085398 6-Jun-2023 12:16

Something like this would be a good shout.

https://electricrider.co.nz/shop/etrax-09/

etrax .09 front

Personally, I ride a Xiaomi M365 Pro, which does me just fine, but I am not even sure if you can still get them.

I paid about $1000 for mine and it's been great for a few years now.

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lchiu7

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#3085400 6-Jun-2023 12:22

Handsomedan:

Something like this would be a good shout.

https://electricrider.co.nz/shop/etrax-09/

Personally, I ride a Xiaomi M365 Pro, which does me just fine, but I am not even sure if you can still get them.

I paid about $1000 for mine and it's been great for a few years now.

OK that looks reasonable. I was also looking at this

https://kiwihoverboard.co.nz/product/segway-ninebot-max/

Is suspension a good thing to have?

Handsomedan

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#3085402 6-Jun-2023 12:29

There's also this, which is basically the new version of what i have

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/HEAMIX26354/Xiaomi-Electric-Scooter-PRO-2-Black-Portable-Foldi

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Nathan4

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#3085403 6-Jun-2023 12:33

I ride a Max around and it's great. The lack of suspension means I slow down for bumps more than I would otherwise but I think the simplicity means less points of failure too.

Mine has been through an awful lot of puddles, Rain and cyclones without any issues.

Handsomedan

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#3085405 6-Jun-2023 12:42

lchiu7:

OK that looks reasonable. I was also looking at this

https://kiwihoverboard.co.nz/product/segway-ninebot-max/

Is suspension a good thing to have?

The one you linked is a slightly beefier version of what i have - it's a similar design with bigger battery, longer range etc and it's also significantly heavier.

Re your question on whether suspension is worth having? Yes and no. I don't have any, but I have pneumatic tyres, so they absorb enough bumps for my needs.

A good scooter with decent suspension would be great, but it is one more thing that can need servicing or can go wrong if not looked after.

It's entirely up to you and your use cases.

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duckDecoy

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#3085406 6-Jun-2023 12:46

Handsomedan:

Something like this would be a good shout.

https://electricrider.co.nz/shop/etrax-09/

Personally, I ride a Xiaomi M365 Pro, which does me just fine, but I am not even sure if you can still get them.

I paid about $1000 for mine and it's been great for a few years now.

My son has the ZERO 8 which is the model down from this and it works really well. And really importantly - the Auckland retailer has tons of spare parts for this too and can fix them, nothing worse than a minor accident breaking something that effectively bricks the entire scooter.

For my weight (85kg) the 8 is a bit too small for the steep hills around us so I would recommend the 9 or higher if hills are a thing.

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jonathan18

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#3085407 6-Jun-2023 12:46

Going s/h is good way to let someone else take the hit from paying new prices, plus it’s a good way to test the water - if it’s not for you you’ll not lose much selling it on.

As it happens…! I’ve got a Zero 9 I no longer use (solely because it exacerbates my [table]tennis elbow), and had planned on listing it for sale here on GZ so I can put the money towards its replacement (an e-bike). It looks like it’s the same as Etrax 09 above, and the info on the page confirms this. I’m in PN.

lchiu7

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#3085410 6-Jun-2023 12:52

i think what piqued my interest was this video

https://youtu.be/5C3VPhIidM4

Dual suspension for US$500

Handsomedan

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#3085456 6-Jun-2023 13:10

lchiu7:

i think what piqued my interest was this video

https://youtu.be/5C3VPhIidM4

Dual suspension for US$500

As has been said - I wouldn't be getting one off Ali Express - there's enough options locally to get something that will suit your needs with warranty, CGA coverage and less likely to explode or combust

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lchiu7

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#3085474 6-Jun-2023 13:58

jonathan18: Going s/h is good way to let someone else take the hit from paying new prices, plus it’s a good way to test the water - if it’s not for you you’ll not lose much selling it on.

As it happens…! I’ve got a Zero 9 I no longer use (solely because it exacerbates my [table]tennis elbow), and had planned on listing it for sale here on GZ so I can put the money towards its replacement (an e-bike). It looks like it’s the same as Etrax 09 above, and the info on the page confirms this. I’m in PN.

Just out of curiosity, how much would you want for the Z9? What is its condition?

lchiu7

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#3085475 6-Jun-2023 14:00

Handsomedan:

lchiu7:

OK that looks reasonable. I was also looking at this

https://kiwihoverboard.co.nz/product/segway-ninebot-max/

Is suspension a good thing to have?

The one you linked is a slightly beefier version of what i have - it's a similar design with bigger battery, longer range etc and it's also significantly heavier.

Re your question on whether suspension is worth having? Yes and no. I don't have any, but I have pneumatic tyres, so they absorb enough bumps for my needs.

A good scooter with decent suspension would be great, but it is one more thing that can need servicing or can go wrong if not looked after.

It's entirely up to you and your use cases.

Having only ridden the public scooters, mainly Lime and Flamingo, it's hard for me to know about how good suspension would be since I don't think those ones do. But I did ride Lime in Lower Hutt, Paris and Berlin :-)

tehgerbil

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#3086212 7-Jun-2023 18:05

I used to Lime a lot, so researched and bought a Ninebot Max for $700 second hand.

In that price range you've suggested there's a lot on offer, probably the best is the Sonic 600 from Blacksheep for no water resistance, or Ninebot F40 for water resistance.

The ability to ride i the wet was a real stickler for me, as I'm in Chch and naturally it's wet/damp a lot. Being able to just put it/take it out of the boot no matter the weather whatsoever was a real winner.

As for front/vs rear wheel drive there's not a lot of difference in real-world situation. I do love my rear wheel drive though, very stable around corners and on wet grass.

jonathan18

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#3086276 7-Jun-2023 19:30

lchiu7:
jonathan18: Going s/h is good way to let someone else take the hit from paying new prices, plus it’s a good way to test the water - if it’s not for you you’ll not lose much selling it on.

As it happens…! I’ve got a Zero 9 I no longer use (solely because it exacerbates my [table]tennis elbow), and had planned on listing it for sale here on GZ so I can put the money towards its replacement (an e-bike). It looks like it’s the same as Etrax 09 above, and the info on the page confirms this. I’m in PN.

Just out of curiosity, how much would you want for the Z9? What is its condition?

It hasn’t done a huge amount of distance and is in decent condition; there are the usual scratches on the underside, a bit of flex in the stem. It has indicators on the ends of each handlebar that I fitted (I generally drove on the road, and I live in a city with so many roundabouts so the ability to signal was kinda key!).

I’m really not 100% sure what it’s worth - say $650 ONO?

If I have time tomorrow I’ll see if I can list it in the FS forums, including some photos, in case someone on here’s interested; looks like my new bike will turn up by the weekend and I could do with the space.

lchiu7

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#3086292 7-Jun-2023 20:54

jonathan18:

It hasn’t done a huge amount of distance and is in decent condition; there are the usual scratches on the underside, a bit of flex in the stem. It has indicators on the ends of each handlebar that I fitted (I generally drove on the road, and I live in a city with so many roundabouts so the ability to signal was kinda key!).

I’m really not 100% sure what it’s worth - say $650 ONO?

If I have time tomorrow I’ll see if I can list it in the FS forums, including some photos, in case someone on here’s interested; looks like my new bike will turn up by the weekend and I could do with the space.

I could be interested. What does flex in the stem mean? Is that from wear and tear?

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