NQiGTS Pro Electric Scooter (1)

The First 100 Miles.

Here is the first update on my NIU electric scooter which I've now owned for 17 days.

I didn't take it out on the first day as I wanted to prepare myself for the new experience, especially things including becoming familiar with the charger and the various operations of the 'ignition' switch.

The key operates the seat-opening mechanism, the steering lock and, of course, the on/off switch.

There is a fairly standard-looking remote which operates the alarm and immobiliser.

I thought I'd write a list of pros and cons but, rather than do that, will describe various features that have become apparent already.

The first couple are specific to the NIU as opposed to a conventional petrol-engined scooter.
I discovered almost straight away that when the brakes are applied, the motor is switched off. This may seem obvious but has a major effect on pulling away from a stand. My house is built on a slope. When I back the Silverwing out of the back yard I naturally end up pointing up the hill; obviously, when free-wheeling, it's easier than trying to pedal up hill.
This is fine since one can hold the scooter on the brakes, open the throttle and release the brakes almost as if one is doing a hill-start in a car.
However, when I followed the same pattern on the NIU and opened the throttle with the brakes on nothing happened! I opened the throttle more in the hope that I'd move forward. It wasn't until I released the brake that I shot forwards rather suddenly. Fortunately, I was parallel with the kerbs so didn't hit anything.
This feature of the scooter has taken a little while to get used to.
Since the NIU is so light I do back up the hill so don't have to hold it on the brake.

The switch for changing between modes is on the right-hand side of the handle-bars and is operated by the thumb. This means that one doesn't have to let go in order to use the switch. However, it is somewhat easy to roll the throttle back, increasing speed, when reaching for the switch, especially when 'changing down'. This, as riders will know, is not ideal! Practice is making perfect and I think summer gloves will make the action easier.
I'm using the facility almost like a gearbox. The scooter is humping my 18+stone bulk around so slows noticeably going uphill in the 'dynamic' – middle –  mode. It isn't proving a problem although I suppose it might be reducing the range a little.
Eco-mode is proving useful for slow-speed manoeurving, such as when I ride into my yard and get on to my parking place outside church. Today, I went over to the nearest branch of my bank which is 16 minutes/7.2 miles away. I scouted around the back of the shopping-centre to find handy railings to which to lock the scooter and used the Eco-mode for that, too. Eco-mode hauls me around at about 12 mph so gives me time to think.

I am also aware of the 'extras' like dynamic braking; it doesn't feel any different from ordinary engine braking but the comprehensive dash tells me it's doing it.

Slightly odd is the fact that the sound the indicators make is not in time with the indicators themselves. That they make a sound has proved useful, attracting the attention of pedestrians about to cross side-turnings.

The silent running has not proved a problem so far with regard to pedestrians being aware of my approach.  The only time I've had to use the horn was this morning to alert a cat sauntering across the road.

I shall be glad when the windscreen arrives; it's cold up here at the moment and although I'm wearing thermals and several layers, my chest gets cold. I suppose it's not surprising as I can whiz along at 45 mph, peaking twice at 47!

I'm getting used to doing all the charging business; it's becoming second nature.

I bought a largish Shad topbox and am glad I went for a big one. I carry an Oxford Boss alarmed padlock and two cables; the NIU is light and would be easy to lift into a van. There's plenty of room as well for my man-bag and waterproofs.
My crash helmet and gloves fit easily in the box when the other stuff's not in there. I haven't yet experimented to see if my jacket will go in as well but I think it might …. just!

The ride is a bit choppy but not jarring; I'm being more careful about avoiding drains and potholes. That's not difficult as the scooter is quite agile and can be flicked about.

Much as I no longer enjoy riding in the dark, I have done so and will continue doing so through the Winter. It is made tolerable by the fact the headlight is very good for a scooter doing a maximum of 45 mph.

I bought an all-enveloping cover from Amazon which allows me to put the charger in the footwell and charge it in the yard overnight. I haven't monitored the charging but it seems to be as suggested by the manufacturers.

So far, so good; no regrets.

I've struggled to write this; it hasn't flowed but I hope it's given an insight into progress made.
Please ask questions if you wish and I'll answer if I can.

Good report, keep it updated.

Thanks. Interesting to read.

Thanks for the update as I'm also waiting for a NIU dealer to pop up in my area one day. Your model is the one I'd be most interested in. I'm still using a ebike (RadRunner1) and I really like it.

No you need to do real range test. My Rad will do 25-30 max in fat kid mode. All throttle/no pedaling. No noticeable drop in performance as the battery drains until it gets to super low blinking 1 bar.

Have you tired riding a passenger yet? My ebike has a option for a passenger kit but I have no interest in doing it and ended up mounting a SHAD 37 liter trunk on the rear. I know my ebike is not a cool NIU but its the same concept.

Keep us updated as you put more miles on it!

Thanks.
I don't think you'll be disappointed when you get the chance to test-ride a NIU.

I will do a range test now I'm more used to reading the battery gauge and so on.

Although the scooter is designed to carry a passenger I think that both rider and pillion would need to be a bit smaller than me; I sit more or less on the join between the seats in order not to crowd myself.
As it is my insurance doesn't cover me for carrying a pillion; quite why, I don't know.

I will write more in due course.

My apologies for not having posted updates; the bike is so unspectacular it's become a habit.
Sure as eggs, if it wasn't I'd have said so!
However, 3000 miles came up on the dash after lunch today so I wrote a brief report for Maximuppets and I have posted it here, too:

'Update:
3000 miles came up on the dash just after lunch today.
I'm still very pleased with it and enjoying the ride.
No real moans except that the cast swing-arm is/was plastic-coated and the coating is peeling off. When Summer comes, I will brush off the oxidization and paint it.
I have also Fertanned the bottom of the rear spring.

So glad I bought it. '

Good to hear it Mike.
For cross town riding electric scooters and bikes are the answer; affordable, simple maintenance, cheap to run if you can charge at home, cross town range isn't an issue. What's not to like?
You're ahead of the curve for the North East, although I hear from friends in the cities that they are now becoming ubiquitous.
You'll still need the Forza though for next rideout, which isn't going to be before April the way the weather is going.

Thanks, Steve.
Not only is it a good and useful ride, it is also a focus of interest locally and I've had many brief encounters with people asking about it in the most friendly way.
I'm looking forward to meeting again; I shall be tied up until mid- April but ready to go after that.
The weather down here by the coast has been pretty good; inevitably, the wind is quite often strong and cold but ice, frost and snow are only very occasional visitors.
Having said that; I attended the Vigil for the Ukraine on the Green last Friday and the NE wind was so strong and cold that finger-tips became painful cold although I was wearing my very-expensive Richa lobster-claw winter gloves. The rest of me fared a little better but I was glad the event lasted only 30 minutes.
I feel for you wrestling with your Silverwing; it's the reason I gave up doing my own work. I hope you get it sorted soon.

Very interesting alternative for short hops:

https://www.niu.com/us/product/n-gt/

That's the one!
I have the white with the red stripe as in the picture at the top of the link.