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Scooters-Cycles

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The San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association promotes the use of electric vehicles of all types but it does not endorse any particular manufacturers, brands, dealers, or vehicles. The information on this page is provided to assist potential EV buyers to learn more about the choices available. The information listed is primarily from press releases and published information and has not been independently verified.

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Scooters

An electric scooter is a two-wheeled vehicle that has handlebars, a floorboard designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by a electric motor. The California Vehicle Code does not require registration, license plates to be displayed or the scooter to be insured. An electric scooter may be operated on a bicycle path, trail or bikeway, but not on a sidewalk. On the roadway, it must be operated in the bicycle lane, if there is one. On roads without bicycle lanes, electric scooters may operate where the speed limit is 25 mph or less.

Information about the requirements for registration and operation of scooters can be found at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/scooters.htm

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Bay Area Dealers

  • Mission Motorcycles, http://www.missionmotorcycles.com/, 6232 Mission Street, Daly City, CA 94014, 415.333.1234 - Zero Motorcycle Dealer
  • Scuderia West Motorcycles, http://www.scuderiawest.com 60 Duboce Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415.621.7223 - Vectrix Dealer
  • Marin Vectrix, http://www.marinvectrix.com 511 East Francisco Boulevard, San Rafael, CA 94901, 415.454.2041 - Vectrix dealer.
  • Electric Motorsport, http://www.electricmotorsport.com/ 2400 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA 94607, 510.839.9376 - Sells several brands of scooters and motorcylces.
  • Thunderstruck Motors http://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/ 3200 Dutton Avenue #319, Santa Rosa, CA 95407, 707.575.0353 - Sells several brands of scooters and motorcycles. Also converts motorcycles to electric. Thunderstruck has the Lepton scooter and Pima ebikes on sale with a special group purchase deal for club members ThunderstruckOffer
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Scooter Manufacturers

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Motorcycles

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Manufacturers of Two Wheeled Motorcycles

And see other links on our E-bikes page and Scooters-Cycles page.

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Enclosed Electric Vehicles

In addition to traditional motorcylces, there are also fully enclosed three-wheeled electric vehicles available. These vehicles are classified as motorcycles for purposes of safety standards and registration requirements.


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Product Reviews

If you've had an opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle and would be willing to write a review, or if you'd like to write a review of a vehicle you've purchased, please send it to info2008(at)sfeva(dot)org and we will publish it here. If you have questions or comments about reviews listed here please post your comments and questions on the SFEVA discussion Forum.

The reviews listed below reflect the personal opinions of the reviewers and are not the official position of the SFEVA.


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Review of 8 Electric Scooters

On October 22, 2008 CNN published a review of electric scooters at:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/10/22/aa.electric.scooters/


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Lawrence Rhodes Electric GPR-S Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes saw the Electricmotorsport GPR-S at the 2008 Palo Alto EV Rally & at Electricmotorsport in Oakland and filed this report:

I have always enjoyed Todd Kolins electric vehicle expressions. Here is the URL http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_electric_motorcycle_gpr-s.php I didn't want to ride this vehicle. It is very peppy much like a 200cc 4 stroke motorcycle. It has BMS, Lithium batteries & a quick charger. The GPR-S has a 40 mile range & is geared for around 62mph. It has excellent fit & finish. With a price tag of between 5 & 8 thousand dollars (lead acid vs. Lithium) it is a better handling option to the Vectrix which I liked but is a bit bigger. The GPR-S is very performance oriented. If you want to test one yourself contact sales through the above url.

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Jim Robinson Vectrix Log

SFEVA member Jim Robinson User:Ratwerks commutes on his Vectrix and maintains a Google Group at http://groups.google.com/group/vectrix documenting his experience.

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San Francisco Chronicle Vectrix Review

Michael Taylor, San Francisco Chronicle Auto Editor reviewed the Vectrix in his August 10, 2007 article "New scooter zips along nicely for pennies per mile". The article can be found at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/10/BAVBRG1C4.DTL

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Lawrence Rhodes Vectrix Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes test-drove a Vectrix on July 25th 2007 and filed this report:

I showed up at British Motor Cars in San Francisco & meet Tansy Brook for a quick demo of the Vectrix & its controls. It has reverse which is also a very controlable regen function. To start you turn the key, put up the kickstand, hold the left brake and tap the right brake. It then says GO. The main speedometer is in KPH with MPH in smaller lettering below. The bike feels light. I took it out on the street up a hill and it had plenty of power. I cruised up Eddy or Ellis(can't remember which) & went down Gough I got tremendous regen but halfway down the hill it cut out. I'm assuming that regen on a full charge isn't reliable. I grabbed the brakes and bounced down the hill. I weigh 242. The bike never felt out of control. I'm sure the wheelie poppers will like this soft but controlable suspension. On the rest of my ride I hardly used the hand brakes at all. I'm 6'2' with a 30 inch inseam. The Vectrix handled great. I was just a little cramped compared to the memories of my Honda Helix. The foot rests were just a little closer with a steeper angle than the Helix. I did get used to it and felt comfortable after a while. Off the line the Helix might be a little faster but at about 15 mph the Vectrix takes off like some of the performance oriented EV's I've ridden in. (Blue Meanie, Otmars California Poppy Porsche & Deafscooters rocket rides come to mind) The 250cc Helix probably wouldn't be able to catch up for a while. The pack is NiMH & had 48 miles registering when I left BMC. After a ride in wet fog to Taraval street going over twin peaks I then hit the freeway at Daly City Blvd. I dusted a BMW at the on ramp and sipped up to almost 65mph. But wait this vehicle has a capped speed of 62mph. It seems to me an engineer had something to do with this. This is where the Honda Helix and other 250cc class scooters could catch up. However the bike crused just fine at this speed the four miles to my offramp. At home I opened the garage door, parked the Vectrix & cleaned out the parking area. The Vectrix is larger than my Lepton & needed a little more room. I popped the trunk which is held up by a stiff spring. Touch the spring and the trunk closes. Very cleaver & cost effective I'm sure. I gotta say WOW. This vehicle went 14.5 miles & registered 29 miles left. This was up and down hills and zipping around. I really didn't try to save any amp hours. I would never drive any of my electric vehicles like this. The 4.5 mile penalty for hills and fast acceleration was very acceptable as most evs are designed to register flat ground as the basis for range. Anyone who drives two wheel vehicles will be impressed with this bike. I just checked the pack after setting over night & fully charged it registered 52 miles. The Vectrix Corp. has done their homework & produced a very acceptable ev. There are few things I'd do differently. This vehicle is perfect for going across the Bay or Golden Gate Bridges. As a commute vehicle it has everything you need for a safe & fast ride into San Francisco. .I replaced the energy I used in less than two hours at 120vdc. .I'm sure a full charge can be had in 4 hours or less(Vectrix claims 80% in two hours) which means with the NiMH batteries you could be 40 to 50 miles from your work and safely recharge for the ride home. If you are looking for a fully finished vehicle the Vectrix is in the same class with the EV-1, Honda EV Plus or the Lepton scooter. A turnkey solution to the end of commuting pollution. Lawrence Rhodes....

Contact: Tansy Brook British Motor Car Distributors, LTD 901 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 351 - 5114 (415) 776-7700 Main number

http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/450 This guy makes crazy fast scooters. http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/293 Otmars fast Porsche. http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/36 John Wayland's fit & finish exceeds the factory and his creations are fast to boot.

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Lawrence Rhodes Zap Xebra EV Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes test-drove a Zap Xebra and filed this report in November 2006:

"I got to test drive the Zap Xebra. It really needs to be geared down to about 30 mph & classed as a moped. It's a little zippy off the line but it really takes a while to get up to speed. The newer production run vehicles are better fit and finish. It's cute and practical. Looks like it could park at 90°."
"It is a typical conversion that many of us in the EV world have done. Series motor with a fan to cool it. Altrax 275 amp controller. Reversing contactor. Brake cutout of the controller on both the emergency brake and main brakes. Nice emergency cutoff switch under the front seat. Light and turn signals seem to work well no side marker lights just reflectors. All the wiring harness are marked for easy spliceing in if you want to add side marker and turn signals."
"It drove well and turned well. I'm not sure about the range but probably close to what an NEV will do. The speedometer was way off by 10 mph. There are some first-generation vehicles available for $7,000. The cars come into the country without controller and batteries. It would be really easy to reconfigure the batteries for a system of higher voltage. I'm sure the motor would take it. A 120v Curtis & 10 Exides would be a real hoot. You'd have to reconfigure the DC/DC & charger but I was told the price for a glider would be $8,500 with wiggle room."
"It's better than a Cushman with 4 seats, seat belts & shoulder harnesses. It has glass windows that roll down. There is no trunk but you could make one for a few things above or next to the motor."
"I liked it but I'm checking out other options."
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Lawrence Rhodes Oxygen/Lepton Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes owns a Lepton and filed this report in February 2007:

Now that I've owned and ridden the Lepton for several months I have to say it's one of the best OEM evs I've owned so far. It has been mostly carefree. I did lose my seat lock but I can get along with out it. To repair it the seat has to come off. I don't know how to adjust the headlight. These are the negetive points. The pluses are great hill climbing and weight carrying capacity. I have driven up to twin peaks with my daughter. Our combined weight is 400 pounds. The Lepton is reasonable in price as well. Where a 50cc Vespa will set you back 3k these electric vehicles are closer to 2k with one dealer selling for $1,350.00 on special for a bike in good condition with new batteries. Did I mention regen. I don't have to touch the brakes much comming down from twin peaks. All in all it's a nice looking package in the moped class. Don't expect speeds faster than 30mph. That's all they are allowed by law. It does have an eco mode but it is as slow in acceleration as many junk scooters. But even in this mode it will do 25mph on flat ground.

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Pacelite Scooter

One SFEVA member provided this information about his Pacelite scooter:

  • Brand/Model: HCF 707/Pacelite
  • Manufacturer: He Cheng Fa Enterprise Co., Ltd, Taiwan
  • Price: about US$600
  • Speed: about 17 mph max
  • Range: about 13 miles per charge
  • Motor: 350-Watt DC 24-volt Brushed 4000 rpm
  • Load Capacity: 220 lb max. load (passenger + cargo)
  • Power: 24volt/10amp-hours
  • Batteries: Two 12volt/10amp-hour AGM sealed lead-acid batteries (DOT approved safe for transport in cars/buses/trains, etc.)
  • Charging: 2-amp/110-240 volt automatic charger; about 3-4 hours to 80%
  • Weight: 59.4 lbs including batteries (44 lbs without batteries)
  • Unfolded Size: 47.2" x 18.3" x 45.9"
  • Folded Size: 44.9" x 18.3" x 20.5"
  • Features: Removable seat. Heavy-duty construction. Full two-wheel suspension.
  • One Retailer: http://www.blueskyscooters.com
  • Customer/Owner's comments: Nice people. Very trustworthy and knowledgeable. Good prices. Good service. (HCF 707 currently priced at $569 w/free shipping)
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Lawrence Rhodes Oxygen Design by Itala electric bicycle Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes owns an Oxygen electric bicycle and filed this report in October 2007:

I got a good deal from Todd at Electric Motor Sports in Oakland & purchased an Oxygen electric girls bike for my wife & daughter to share. I liked the design of the motor drive system which is tied into the gear system unlike most electric bikes which tie directly into the front or rear wheel with no gearing. The advantage is a less powerful motor can climb hills better. In reality with the Oxygen you need to pedal all the time or there will be no electric assist. I weigh 240 to 250 pounds & I just tested it in the real world. I took it for my ride back after dropping off my veggie powered Suburban for a front wheel alignment. It moves you along briskly on level ground. However you have to keep up a certain rpm to do this. You don't have to press hard but you have to pedal briskly. When climbing any incline you must be in the proper gear. God forbid you stop on a hill or miss a shift and stop. It will be a little harder to get going untill the assist kicks in. I climbed the major hill in my neighborhood. Cortland Street from Mission in San Francisco. I didn't have to stand up and the power was steady all the way up the hill. I climbed the hill twice s fast as I would on a normal mountain bike with less exertion. I would have been sweating and breathing hard after doing it on my bike. I was hardly breathing hard partly because it was over so quick. When I got home my pack was down to 12.64vdc each battery within 1/100 of a volt. (I started with slightly discharged batteries at 12.95vdc) The system is designed using a saddle bag arrangement with instruction manual, charger, controller & batteries in the bag. All you have to do is unhook the bike from the saddle bag, carry the bag into where you are going & plug in. All the electronics are in the bag so you can lock the bike outside if needed. The bike rides & charges the same. You have to plug in the bike or charger into the same port & turn on the key switch. It makes an audible beep when done. However I noticed that the electronics will drain the batteries if you leave it after charging. I haven't had it long enough to see if the charger turns on again at a set voltage. The charger does a good job of equalizing the batteries though it takes quite a while. I'm pretty big & the bike held & fit me just fine even though it is designed for a woman's body. Itala is a well respected Italian bicycle manufacturer. The brakes worked well & the bike felt balanced. If you look around you may find a good deal on this electric bike. It sells in Europe for 699 euros. You should be able to find it here for that in dollars or less. This is for people that want a very simple, durable system that rides & looks like a simple bicycle but will allow you to go up hills with less exertion than a normal bicycle.

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Lawrence Rhodes I-Zip Electric Chopper Review

SFEVA member Lawrence Rhodes owns an I-Zip Electric Chopper and filed this report in November 2007:

I purchased a "broken" I-Zip from Todd at Electric Motor Sport in Oakland, CA. He said the controller was bad. I happened to have one that I got from Craig(Deafscooter) & promptly plugged it in and the bike worked. It was a new defective. These evs are very simple & durable. The motor shaped battery box is actually very practical. You can take the battery pack/controller case off for charging away from the vehicle. The electric chopper has plenty of power to take a very big person up steep hills. My son had no problem riding his chopper across San Francisco to and from our church which is up a steep hill & comming back to our house. We went the 4 miles to church, charged for an hour and a half and then did another 4 miles ending with a steep hill. The pack was down to 25vdc without much resting so about 50% DOD. This is real transportation & inexpensive. These vehicles can be had for under 500 dollars on the internet or from Electric Motor Sport. It also looks cool. It has better power than most junk scooters in the same price range & you can pedal them which makes the hills very easy on the bike. It is suprisingly fun & peppy. Since it claims a 25mile range this has to be on level ground with a lot of pedaling. No way this will do more than 8 miles using power & climbing hills all the time. The pedeling posiion isn't very good for fast speed by itself but with the power on you can keep up with all the road bike riders & climb hills better. The Lance Armstrong effect without the hard work. It is now legal for children to ride these vehicles but buy a good lock. These evs are head turners. One consideration though is the comfort factor. There are many electric bicycles that are a bit more comfortable.

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