REVIEW – Electric scooters are all the rage among city commuters. They are generally light, portable, powerful, and efficient. I’ve tried several, and as someone over 6 feet tall, I often feel cramped. And with height comes weight (190 lb, in my case), and with weight comes a need for power. Enter the InMotion S1 electric scooter, which is positioned as a full-featured scooter for adults, with a larger cockpit area and floorboards, range for days, and plenty of power. So far, it delivers.
What is it?
The InMotion S1 is a rechargeable electric scooter for adults, that’s slightly bigger than most. It has shocks front and rear, three drive modes, and a pretty good app.
What’s in the box?
- The InMotion S1 electric scooter (in some pieces)
- A few basic tools for assembly
- The charger
- Manual
- Tire valve extender (needed for inflating the tires
- Screws and fasteners needed for assembly
Hardware specs
- Folded dimensions: 50 x 21 x 21 inches
- Unfolded dimensions: 50 x 48 x 21
- Weight: 24 kg / 53 lb
- Payload capacity: 308 lb
- Max speed: 18.6 mph
- Typical range: 59 miles
- Max slope: 30%
- IP waterproof rating: IP55
- Battery Capacity: 675 Wh
- Charge time: 7 hours
- Normal motor power: 500W
- Peak motor power: 1000W
- Ride Modes: Eco, standard, sport
- Shock absorbers: front and rear
- Tires: 10 inch pneumatic
Design and features
The design of the InMotion S1 electric scooter is pretty similar to most other commuter scooters on the market – black and gray, some lights, a deck to stand on, and a handle bar to hold on to. There’s a thumb throttle on the right hand grip, and the brake on the left hand grip. There’s a large display that’s easy to ready in daylight in the center, with one button to do everything (plus the app).
So much for the design, which is definitely not where this scooter shines. What sets this scooter apart is that deck – it’s about 20% larger than most long-range scooters in this price range. And that handle bar? It’s taller than most scooters. So if you’re a taller or larger adult, this scooter might be a good choice.
Aside from the larger size, I think my favorite feature of the InMotion S1 electric scooter is the front and rear suspension. This is the first scooter I’ve tested with both front and rear shocks, but on others with just front shocks, the shocks are usually so stiff that they don’t do much. Not so on this scooter. The shocks, combined with the 10 inch pneumatic tires, significantly smooth out the ride. Broken pavement and sidewalk joints melt away. My street an old one still paved with brick, and while I could definitely tell I was still on a brick street, the ride was much better than other scooters. The lighting on the scooter includes a bright headlight, a tail light with brake light feature, and purple LED lights underneath.
There are also turn signal lights which can be turned on or off in the app. The scooter can hit speeds of 30 Km/hr (18.6 mph) across three ride modes, and has a range of about 59 miles (95 km).
It takes about 7 hours to fully charge the InMotion S1 electric scooter’s battery, but you can cut that in half if you have a second charger, as the scooter has two charge ports. The scooter features 500W of normal power which peaks at 1000W, which is enough to get you up slopes of 30%. The app gives you a lot of control over the scooter features, and is actually required to commission the scooter for use. No app, no scooter.
Assembly
The InMotion S1 electric scooter comes in more pieces than other scooters I’ve reviewed. Most come with the handle bar attached but simply folded. Not so with the InMotion S1. You actually have to attach the front wheel and the handle bar to the body of the scooter. It’s not too hard, and somewhat intuitive, but the directions were really lacking in this area. The assembly was very similar to bicycle front ends, with which I have a lot of experience. Without that experience, I think it would have been much more challenging and taken some trial and error. The illustrations in the manual are very small and not easy to read, and no where does it actually indicate that you have to assemble the pieces in a particular order for the whole thing to be sturdy and safe. It took me about 20 minutes, but there is the potential for some challenge here. Any local bike shop would be happy to put the scooter together for a reasonable fee.
Once the InMotion S1 electric scooter is fully assembled, you have to get the app from either the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android). The app is required in order to activate the scooter. So if you don’t have a phone or don’t want to get the app for some reason, this might not be the scooter for you. The app does work well and steps you through the setup process nicely.
Performance
There are four things I look for in a scooter; speed, power, range, and safety. This scooter really has all four. The maximum speed is determined by some limits you can enable or disable in the app, and by the ride mode. Faster speeds will kill the battery faster, buy you’ll get places faster. The scooter is plenty fast. In terms of power, it was impressive. It easily carried me up a 30% hill. Not at full speed, but it didn’t need any help from me. Other scooters failed on the same hill. Plenty of power. As for range, this is definitely a long-range scooter.
I took the InMotion S1 electric scooter to my parents’ house along the Atlantic coast, and rode it there for a solid week, putting about 23 miles on it. That only dropped the battery 2 bars. Other reviewers have done actual range tests, and have surprisingly found the range estimates by InMotion to be accurate. Of course, range depends on many variables, but the range is probably longer than your commute. In terms of safety, the InMotion S1 seems pretty solid there too. The lighting is bright enough to both see in the dark, and to be seen. The tail light could be brighter, but it’s effective.
The under-body lighting is quite bright in both day and night, but the turn signals are ineffective. They are designed to be automatic, but they are overly sensitive. Turning ever so slightly while avoiding a crack in the road or even just shifting your stance on the scooter activates them. I turned them off in the app. Another feature that contributes to safety is the front and rear shocks. A smooth ride is a safer ride.
Other reviews of the InMotion S1 electric scooter indicate that one challenge with the scooter had to do with the rubber plug covers on the charging ports. Apparently they were very challenging to replace after charging, possibly leaving the ports open to water and dust. InMotion must have fixed those rubber plug covers because I had no issues.
What I like
- Tall handle bar, large deck
- Smooth ride thanks to front and rear shocks, and wide pneumatic tires
What I’d change
- Better instructions in the manual for assembly
- The turn signal feature is too sensitive
- Allow use of the scooter without the app
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a full-feature scooter with plenty of power, speed, range, and safety, take a look at the InMotion S1. Especially if you are taller or larger person, since that’s who this scooter is aimed at. The scooter will get you around your city or town easily and safely, and you’ll have some fun along the way!
Price: $699 to $999 (depending on where purchased and sales)
Where to buy: InMotion or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by InMotion.
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How fast are they and I would love one
This one tops out at about 18 mph, but faster ones are available.
Can you send me your own scooter for me for free when you don’t what it anymore.
I would appreciate it because it’s really hard to get hands on stuffs like that in my region. If you would, kindly email me.