Finding the electric scooter that's Right for You!

It's time to join the latest craze; Electric Scooters! You can find them everywhere these days. On TV, in the movies, kids zipping up and down the block on them. Even their parents use them to run local errands to the store, post office, etc.. People commute to work or the local bus, train or subway station on electric scooters. Students and Professors zoom across campus on electric scooters. Vacationers keep electric scooters on board their RV or boat. Active seniors use electric scooters to help them get around town. As a matter of fact, you find people young and old having a ball riding electric scooters for all sorts of reasons.

 
Finding the electric scooter that's Right for You!
The electric scooter that's right for you is out there and our goal is to help you find it. This section outlines key factors to consider when purchasing an electric scooter.

QUALITY: Quality is the number one factor to consider when buying an electric scooter. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of overseas factories flooding the market with poor quality off brand scooters, no brand scooters and clones. Poorly manufactured electric scooters aren't built to last. They break down shortly after purchase, repairs are expensive, parts may not be available, safety can be a concern and ultimately these scooters find themselves in an early grave. Sadly, too many people have been ripped off by unscrupulous vendors selling poor quality scooters. You'll even find these cheap scooters sold in normally reputable establishments! You can save yourself much heartache and frustration by doing your homework and steering clear of poor quality electric scooters.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid poorly manufactured electric scooters:

   ● Stick with brand name electric scooters (avoid off-brand, no brand and clones).

   ● Avoid vendors who sell off-brand scooters, no brand scooters and clones.

   ● If the price sounds too good to be true… it is!

   ● Buy electric scooters that offer at least a 90 day warranty. 

   ● Purchase from a reputable vendor.

PRICE: There is a big price range among electric scooters, but generally speaking electric scooters for kids sell for about $200 - $400 dollars and electric scooters built for adults sell for $300 - $1,000 and up. The better the specifications and the more bells and whistles the scooter comes with the more it will cost.

SPEED: Electric scooters vary in speed from 8 mph to 25 mph, however electric scooters that hit speeds over 20 mph are rare. The speed of an electric scooter is affected by several factors. The weight of the rider, the level of charge in the battery, tire pressure, inclines, hills and rough terrain can all influence an electric scooters speed. Typically the speed rating the manufacturer lists for an electric scooter is its maximum speed under ideal conditions.

RANGE: This is the distance an electric scooter will take you on a single charge. Electric scooters vary in range from 8 miles to 20 miles per charge. Electric scooters that offer a range of more than 15 miles are rare and more costly to purchase. The range of an electric scooter is affected by several factors. The weight of the rider, tire pressure, extreme temperatures, inclines, hills and rough terrain can all influence an electric scooters range. Typically the range rating the manufacturer lists for an electric scooter is its maximum range under ideal conditions.

CARRYING CAPACITY: This is the maximum amount of weight an electric scooter can carry. Keep in mind that the heavier the rider the slower the acceleration and top speed of an electric scooter. Heavier riders will also reduce an electric scooters range and decrease its hill climbing ability. Riders under 180 lbs. can typically ride any electric scooter out there and achieve maximum performance.

RECOMMENDED AGE: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that children under the age of 12 not ride motorized scooters. Local laws may require a rider to be a certain age to operate an electric scooter as well. The manufacturer will post a recommended riding age for their electric scooters. Manufacturers tend to recommend a riding age from 12 & up to 16 & up depending on the specifications of the electric scooter.

TERRAIN: The ideal riding surface for an electric scooter is a relatively flat street or road. If you plan of taking your electric scooter off-road, climbing hills or scooting through rough terrain you will want to purchase a scooter with a high watt motor. For a 180 lb. rider a motor rating of 300 watts or above will do the trick. Generally speaking, the higher the watt rating of the motor the better your electric scooter will tackle demanding terrain. Riders heavier than 180 lbs. will want to compensate by purchasing a scooter with an even higher watt rating.

PORTABILITY: Will you need to carry your electric scooter around? If so, then portability is a big factor to consider. Check the weight of the scooter and its dimensions when folded. Electric scooters can weigh anywhere from 30 lbs. to 100 lbs, so you'll want to make sure it's light enough for you to carry. You'll also need to check the folded dimensions of the scooter to make sure it fits in the trunk of your car or wherever you might need to store it for travel.

CLIMATE: Do you live in sunny California, the snow covered North or rainy Seattle? Wherever you live you'll want to make sure your scooter can handle the local weather patterns. Temperature will affect the battery of an electric scooter. Extremely hot or extremely cold weather will decrease a scooters range. You will typically want to avoid the rain. Electric scooters tend to offer some resistance to wet weather and your scooter will probably survive a real light rain. However, if water gets into the motor, the motor will short out and need to be replaced. Some Currie built scooters (Currie, Schwinn, Mongoose and GT) come with weather resistant motors and can handle wet weather. High winds will also affect the performance of your electric scooter. Traveling against a high wind will decrease your speed and range.