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Scooters for Big Dawgs?
A question arising frequently in our business is ‘What scooters do you have that will suit a bigger rider? That’s putting it politely. ‘I’m a fat c***, do you have anything that will work for me?’ is how one chap (let’s pretend ‘C’ is for ‘Chap’) put it. ‘Of course sir’ I replied, ‘You’ll need our FC range. Right this way….’
How do you choose a ‘FC’ scooter? Let’s dive in…..
Scooters have weight limits. It’s not just there for the construction, although that does play a part. It also relates to the guage of the wiring, tyre capability, and output. How so?
Extra load generates extra heat. Ask too much of a motor, typically uphill with a single motor, and you will start to cook those cables. Warning signs are slowing and smell. If it stops completely, you have probably melted wires together, shorted the controller or motor, possibly wrecked it. This is an awkward conversation to have with a customer, as you can imagine.
Scooter also have load limits on areas like suspension mounting points, neck joins, etc. These are not published figures, but remember these are nearly all made in China, not a place famous for the heftier individual. They don’t really do ‘heavy’. There is also a big difference between static and dynamic load. You may be 120kg stationary, but add movement, and the downwards force from unweighting over a speedbump then coming down on the scooter, and that 120kg could be 180kg of dynamic force. The results can be….spectacular (and not in a good way).
You may also find that a scooter just doesn’t have any get-up-and-go if the motor is too small for you. Perhaps the chassis is strong, but a single, 300-600watt motor may just be so underwhelming that all sense of fun evaporates. And kids walking to school with their mum’s pass you by.
You will also rip through the battery as a larger rider. The motor will be drawing many more amps than a light rider will demand, and you will find useable range isn’t within a country mile of the manufacturer’s stated range. Go large on battery choice.
What to do? First, ignore all ludicrous load-bearing claims in the ‘250kg’ category. That’s nonsense. Many scooters claiming a 150kg load limit have serious points of potential failure in the design. 250kg is pie-in-the-sky thinking (however nice thinking about pie might actually be). We recommend leaving a 20kg buffer between any stated load limit, and actual rider weight. 100kg rider? 120kg rated scooter, at least.
What fits the bill? Here are 3 rides that suit the bigger lassie or fella…
Mukuta 10+: (Manufacturer Rated to 150kg, rated to 130kg by ourselves)
Although we would suggest that with only 10” wheels, and hence smaller tyres, 130kg bodyweight is probably a better match. Plenty of power at 1400w x 2 motors. Only a 20.4ah battery though, so range will be limited. A solid scooter though, with a sturdy deck and twin shocks each end.
Teverun Fighter 11: (Manufacturer Rated to 150kg, rated to 140kg by ourselves)
A fantastic sports scooter boasting 2000w per motor, and a decent 25ah battery. Sturdy build, robust neck and 11” x 4” tyres for a lot more support. Rated to 150kg, and we feel capable of that, or close to it. Maybe 140kg rider, although this isn’t an exact science, and remember that static vs dynamic weight relationship.
InMotion RS, or RS Lite: (Rated to 150kg)
OK, now we are up to the best match for the bigger rider. These scooters are BUILT. Heavy-duty everywhere, from the 72v system (hence 20% more kick than the 60v Fighter 11), 2000w x 2 motors, twin necks, beefy fully-adjustable hydraulic shocks, and suspension arms you could build a bridge from. Of all the scooters we have tried, this is the only one we believe is a safe bet for the true 150kg rider. The 40Ah battery on the top-range model will give you the longest range available, and the 30ah option in the RS Light is no slouch either.
As always, we are on hand for free advice and for test rides to experience the scooters we discuss here. Come and see us any day of the week to discuss your next ride!
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