What to consider before buying an Electric Scooter – 6 Essential Tips

There are different time-saving ways to commute, but an eco-friendly and cost-effective ride is an exception. The e-scooters are becoming popular day by day because of the riding ease it provides along with the portability of the fun vehicle.

You can use your urban commute partner to run errands or even drive it to work. If that is not enough, you can take your off-road electric scooter to explore the city and travel through different terrains as you please.

The electric scooters that were once considered the kid’s ride are now becoming technologically advanced to cater to the needs of every kind of rider. After a little bit of research, it becomes absolutely a no-brainer to decide which model you are going to hop on soon. But do not succumb to temptation and make mistakes like most of the newbies do. Continue to read to become a pro already.

Note: This post was written in partnership with Varla Electric Scooter.

1-Purchase Preferences

While purchasing an electric scooter, there are several factors to consider, like your budget, the total mileage, motor type, design, weight, etc. A good range of e-scooters starts from $1000 and above, and with increased features increases the price.

You can go with almost all the options available except for the few irreversible ones, such as choosing a weak motor e-scooter that is not fit for your weight. To make sure it is not you, check the Varla electric scooter with a dual 1000 watt hub motor and a payload capacity of 265lbs.

To surprise you more, it is not only for the people with extra pounds but its own weight, and a wide solid design gives much-needed stability to all kinds of riders who are afraid of the wobbly rides.

2-Poor Assembly

So after the purchase, your PEV (personal electric vehicle) is home, and you can’t wait to hit the road. Seriously, the excitement level is uncontrollable, and we all have been there. But wait a little more before the actual fun begins.

Most of the electric scooters need a proper manual; however, some of them come pre-assembled and need only a few minutes to attach the handlebars only.

Even if your scooter comes pre-assembled, always check the joints, tighten the screws and ride it on medium speed to check your grip and solidity. Remember, weak joints may result in parts coming off during the ride and may cause scary accidents. To top it off, never forget to wear your protective gear, especially the helmet, and adhere to the electric scooter laws of your country.

3- Battery

If you are a new electric scooter buyer, you may want to keep this precaution in mind—the battery substitutes to the fuel of your ride. Over or under fueling will always result in mishaps. To avoid that, you must learn the battery in depth. While undercharging will give you a shorter ride and accelerated vulcanization, overcharging will result in a heated and inefficient battery. The vulcanization phenomena refer to the accumulation of coarse crystals in your battery, which affects the battery life.

So when is the right time to charge the battery? For Lithium batteries, the ideal charging time is when 25% of the battery is left.

Pro tip? Charge till the battery blinks red and indicates it is full than when the LCD says it. Always use a compatible charger to enhance the battery life.

4- Deck and Foot Position

The growing popularity of micro-mobility to reduce the carbon footprint has introduced so many options for eco-friendly rides. If you have chosen a scooter with a standing option, you must explore the built of the deck and your foot comfort because that is the essential part of your cockpit.

A wide design of the deck is preferable as it allows a novice rider to explore the foot positioning in many ways. The back foot support also gives you more grip on the platform. However, the front foot is recommended to point straight towards the stem.

What if I tell you that you that you can paste textured stickers on your deck to amp up your style statement? Cool, right?

5- Tire Pressure

While riding an off-road electric scooter, the tire gives you much-needed traction for sudden brakes or acceleration. There are two types of widely used tires: airless and air-filled pneumatic tires.

If you are riding on different terrains other than smooth roads, then pneumatic air-filled tires are best to sail you through the bumpy paths. Thanks to the handlebars that helps tackle the inclinations, but tires take the major credit for a better quality ride as they absorb bumps and adjust with pressure.

Sometimes, the off-road scooter comes with tightly inflated tires, but you can always deflate them a little to adjust the pressure around 46-60 psi for better stability or refer to the tire’s standard air pressure guidelines.

Attention beginners! Do not release too much air from the tire, or else you will end up having a flat tire soon.

6- Weight Distribution

Weight distribution can be a tricky topic for beginners and can only be learned through experience. Nevertheless, one can always learn from experienced riders to avoid initial riding mistakes.

These are a few essential tips for beginners to balance weight efficiently:

• While cruising at a constant speed, divide your weight evenly with a knee bent slightly.
• When accelerating, lean forward to adjust to the speed.
• While applying brakes, shift your weight backward and extend your arms for extra support.
• Focus on the road during turning points, adjust the speed accordingly.
• Practice on different surfaces at different speeds to become a pro.

Weight distribution is a thing that is entirely in control of the rider and can be mastered with time. But what is not under your control is the suspension system of your scooter.

No matter how much you practice balancing, you can not avoid accidents if the vehicle does not have a built-in suspension system. The off-road route can be rough and will demand much stability, and only a suspension system will help keep the center of gravity stable during a jerky ride.

Not all scooters install a damping system, but Varla Eagle One kept the user experience well in mind under this price range and equipped the scooter with a dual independent suspension system with Dual Hydraulic Brakes and ABS.

Conclusion

Gone are the days when electric scooters were only purchased to solve a last-mile problem. Nowadays, people also prefer an enjoyable ride to roam across the city in the evening or on weekends without having to look for parking or worrying about fuel consumption.

So grab your helmet, hop on your electric scooter and share your ride experience in the review section soon.