Is this 350w scooter worth getting?

Jonny333

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Oct 20, 2017
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Hi guys
So I was looking at this scooter just for fun with the kids (and me). It’s about 350$ after shipping.
https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/x502284359
Apparently it comes with 2 12ah 12v pb batteries for 24v to run the motor wich claims 350w. I believe it’s steel, so a monstrous 32kg. Has a overload resettable fuse.
I’m currently in japan, so reasonably priced options are very limited. Apparently it’s also technically illegal (read: grey area) to run These on public streets or sidewalks, which kind of put a damper on it.
They had a more powerful 800 W unit, but it looked hideous and the motor mounted on the deck made it even smaller.
Anyway, just wondering if this is even worth getting. This looks like a Chinese import, so I’m sure they’re similar units out there. But I couldn’t find any videos anywhere about their performance.
Not expecting miracles, but should be able to move me, at 80 kg, faster than walking, and be able to go up mild hills. It may be mistaken information, but it’s citing a maximum of 65 kg load, which seems a bit light for a steel framed scooter like that .
No torque rating, and no specs on the motor, but claims it can go 25 km/h I believe, 15km on a charge.
Anyone guess what this can do? I’m also skeptical about using those nice tires, as there doesn’t appear to be much clearance to take it off road or anything.
Things I liked are that it appears to be quite strong and simple, so I could work on it a bit myself. No fancy electronic controller’s or digital stuff that’ll stop working soon and be impractical to replace.

Thanks
 
I got the brand new Currie 350w for $179. The wheels/tires weren't as good. It didn't take 200 pound me up hills. It claimed 12mph but I'm not sure it got that.

Your kids are one thing, I can't believe YOU will be happy with it.
 
Hmm, maybe bad idea then. Pretty heavy for exclusively a kids toy as well, maybe dangerous.
 
If it doens't have a controller, then every time you press the power button/trigger/whatever it uses, *all* of the power will surge forward, no limiting, so there's no roll-on of power; if you're not ready for it, that will dump you on the ground.

I have this:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=89541
that has no controller/throttle, just a twist-on switch, and at only "100w" it would do that to me; I still havent' learned to ride it without that problem.

The watt rating is only a nominal one for the motor itself--what it's rated for continuous. How many watts you actually get out of it depend on the battery voltage at the time, how much current they can supply at that moment, because there's nothing else besides wire resistance limiting the startup current.


I've been looking at adding a brushed controller to mine, and an actual throttle, to prevent that problem--partly because the SLA were dead so I have to use a much more capable-of-delivering-high-current battery pack to replace it, so the problem I'm having is probably worse than with the SLA.
 
It may actually have a controller, there’s just no specs listed. I was able to find a couple of videos of novices riding the 800w 36v, and they seem to behave like a normal scooter with decent power. No idea on the nicer looking 350w 24v one.
I think the biggest limiting factor is that they’re technically illegal on the street and sidewalks. That would leave throwing them in the back of the car to play around parks or something with the kids. At 30+ kilograms, it may be pushing it.
 
30kg sounds almost like they'd be made of solid metal rather than tubing. ;) Even the SLA shouldn't make it weigh that much, and the motor certainly isn't big enough to weigh much.

Perhaps they are giving a "shipping weight", overestimated and including the box and packing?

I have an old 1000w kickscooter similar in design (but motor is above deck, and it had a seatpost/saddle) and even when it had it's SLA in it I don't think it weighed that much.
 
They are poorly designed, I could have done better if I had shop access. Here’s the larger ugly one. Can’t find any footage of the smaller one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz72G1kZFuQ
 
My 1000w one looks almost exactly like that 800w unit, except for having a seatpost/saddle on it. (and mine is in pieces in the shed awaiting "upgrade" to the battery/wiring/etc.)
 
I currently have 2 ezips that I bought on craigslist with bad batteries for $75.00. Most of the components can be upgraded like the brakes,wheels etc.
 
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