Mikemo
Edit: Just 30 days past the 90 day warranty, the battery in my scooter failed. I guess I'm not surprised for such a low cost device. Good batteries are expensive. A new battery from Gotrax is about one hundred dollars. Yuck.
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I've had the Gotrax GXL V2 for about a week now. Summary: This scooter is a bargain at sub-$300.
Build quality is quite good. It comes mostly assembled. All you need to do is attach the brake cable and the handlebars. Go to the Gotrax website for assembly videos and instructions. The instruction manual that came with the scooter is out-of-date. There was a little bit of paint inside the threads for the safety pin which made it a little difficult to install the first time. Everything else seemed great.
I gave it a full charge before riding the first time. It was mostly charged out of the box and only required about an hour on the charger. The light on the charger turns green when the battery is full. I did a 10 mile ride on residential streets and a bike path. I weigh 160lbs and the terrain here is mostly flat. I was at maximum speed for most of the ride, and returning home the battery gauge was between one and two bars, depending on the throttle. It was at two bars cruising and would drop to one bar when accelerating. I didn't notice any slowdown of the scooter through the trip.
The speedometer shows a top speed of between 15 and 16 mph. However, I believe this is generous and the actual stop speed is closer to 13 mph. Regardless, this seems like a reasonable speed on a vehicle with small wheels. The scooter has two "gears" as Gotrax calls them. They really aren't gears, they are just the controller limiting your top speed. Speed 1 is the default when you first turn the scooter on. Its top speed is about 8 mph which is perfect for navigating sidewalks or anywhere that you'd have to be careful when riding. Speed 2 tops out at an indicated 15 mph, but I believe it is closer to 13 mph. The acceleration is quite good for a 250 watt motor. I have no doubt that the motor is capable of moving the scooter faster than 15 mph, but the controller keeps you there or below. Not only is that safer, but much easier on the batteries and all the components on the scooter (tires, bearings, welds, etc.). I think Gotrax did a great job here.
As for range, I'm perfectly happy. My 10 mile trek was about as far as I'd want to go without a break. You'll see some poor reviews complaining about range. Keep a few things in mind. It is possible to have a defective battery that could cause severely limited range. Open a problem report with Gotrax and get it replaced under warranty. However, even with a good battery, range will vary with several factors. The heavier the rider, the more energy required to move them. A large part of the energy expended is accelerating to speed and climbing hills. The heavier you are, the more battery that takes to do. If you weigh 80 pounds and live where it is flat and you never have to stop, you will get great range. If you weigh 220 pounds (scooter's rated maximum) and live where there are many steep hills and lots of stop-go, then you will get much less range. That's just the way the science works.
I did notice that Gotrax has fixed some things that people have complained about in the past. There was a bug that if you press and hold the power button to turn off the scooter, if you keep it pressed too long it will turn back on. They fixed that bug. Also, I was impressed to see that they filled the tubes with some kind of sealant from the factory. I bought a bottle of "slime" for these tires but didn't need it. Thanks Gotrax.
The scooter uses regenerative (engine) braking on the front wheel and has a disk brake on the rear. I wish that the regen brake had a separate button to engage as that would make smooth braking easier. Even the way it is, it's fairly easy to brake quickly. Just lean back a bit. But when the regen brake kicks in you can really feel it slow down. Practice braking a bit before venturing out into traffic. Also, I really dislike the throttle lever. It is a little thumb-operated lever where you push to accelerate. It is very difficult to hold a constant speed at anything other than "full throttle" because as the scooter bounces, so does your hand. That also makes using the cruise control difficult because the throttle needs to be held constant for 5-10 seconds. Good luck doing that at anything other than full throttle.
Those are my only negatives. Gotrax did an excellent job in designing this scooter. All the electronics are in the handlebars. The battery is very easy to replace. It is fairly light, smooth and stable. A great buy at this price.
| Brand | Gotrax |
|---|---|
| Color | Matt Black |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Special Feature | Anti-Puncture Tire, Non Slip Deck, Lights, Cruise Control, Foldable |
| Weight Limit | 220 Pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 42"L x 17"W x 43"H |
| Number of Wheels | 2 |
| Model Name | GXL V2 |
| Wheel Material | Solid |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Item Weight | 27 Pounds |
| Handlebar Type | Fixed |
| Handle Height | 16 Inches |
| Wheel Size | 8.5 Inches |
| Wheel Type | Pneumatic |
| Suspension Type | No Suspension |
| Grip Type | Ergonomic |
| Brake Style | Rear Braking |
| Warranty Type | Limited |
| Charging Time | 4 Hours |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Commuting |
| Maximum Distance Range | 9 Mils |
| Manufacturer | ZHEJIANG TAOTAO VEHICLES CO., LTD |
| UPC | 857754007737 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00857754007737 |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 39 x 14 x 8 inches |
| Package Weight | 13.79 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 42 x 17 x 43 inches |
| Brand Name | Gotrax |
| Warranty Description | 365 days limited warranty |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Part Number | GXL V2 |
| Style | 9miles 250W Black |
| Included Components | User Manual |
| Size | 43" x 17" x 42" |
| Sport Type | Electric Scooter |
| Hand Orientation | Flexible |
| Grip Size | cracker |