Scooter Comparison
There are many imported imitations
available at much lower cost, included among these are
imports without any recognizable name as well as a few
better products with some name recognition like Razor or Schwinn.
Typically these "brand-name" products are re-badged
versions of imported scooters made by another company
and with only slightly better support. We've put
together a checklist of Go-Ped ESR750 features and
benefits when shopping so that you'll see there really
is NO comparison.
Design - Simple yet Mature
The California Go-Ped Brand Scooters
were the first of their kind developed by Steve Patmont
in 1985. The simple yet elegant patented
single-tube/frame chassis and design of the basic Go-Ped
has had over 20 years of development and refinement,
including extensive racing experience and is not simply
a cheap copy of another company's product. Compare
this to the often complex frames and cheesy suspensions
found on some of the imports, the seats do not mount or
dismount easily, the scooters do not fold or transport
easily, and they are often much heavier due to the
materials used.
Materials - Built to last
The frame/chassis is based on the
cantilevered aircraft grade 4130 Chromoly carbon steel
frame proven to the the lightest and highest performing
design used in racing Go-Peds. The front fork, also made of
aircraft grade 4130 Chromoly Carbon steel is also well
proven and the patented cantilevered design is simple,
low-weight, and low-maintenance. The handlebars
are made from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum. Wheels
are made of super-strong but very lightweight cast
Magnesium allow and feature large pneumatic tires for
smooth rolling and a comfortable ride. The front
Mad Dog Disc Brakes are ventilated and provide
exceptional stopping power. Finally, the deck is
made of beautiful light weight Latvian Birch plywood
which provides the best attributes of a low deck and
excellent feel while riding. Go-Ped's feature a
400lb+ capacity due to their exceptional strength and
efficient design. By comparison, the imports use
low-grades of steel, they don't tell you exactly what
kind, and generally poorer materials throughout.
Weight ratings are often only 160-200lbs -- very
telling!
Workmanship - Made in the U.S.A.
No cheap Chinese import here, one look
at the quality of the welds, the finish of the paint and
deck, and the precise controls and you'll know you've
got a quality scooter! By contrast, look at the
imports, the welds are of poor quality, the fit and
finish bad, the battery and electronics often unsealed,
and they often have missing parts when unboxed!
Electronics - Unmatched Technology
The ESR750 computer-controlled motor
has the ability to be re-programmed for various speed
and acceleration parameters in addition to diagnostics
similar to your automobile. As a result of this,
the ESR750 models also are able to provide two modes of
operation; Econo and Turbo so you can pick the speed and
power you need. Also, the on-board charger keeps
the batteries properly charged without a lot of
guesswork and without having to carry a bulky external
charger. The imports offer no such advanced
controllers resulting in less-efficient transfer of
power to the road and batteries that won't last as long
or perform as well.
Motor - Power to Dominate
The ESR 750 watt electric motor
completely dominates any competition, providing enough
power for an ADULT rider not just children. Their
750 watt rating is "continuous" and actually develops
OVER 1000 watts of power (great than 1 hp) whereas
competitors generally always quote "peak" power. Cheap
competitors often have 100, 200, 300, or 500 watt
peak output motors. Anything less than 500 watts is an
absolute waste of money since you won't have power to
carry an adult or go up even the slightest grades.
The stock Go-Ped ESR 750's are hands-down the best
hill-climbers on the market due to their power!
Replacement Parts
Patmont Motor Werks has been doing
this since 1985 and has an extensive dealer network plus
years of racing with a developed after-market parts
business as well. Based in California and Nevada,
you won't ever need to search for a part for this
scooter. With many imports, if something breaks,
you'll need to buy a new scooter. You'll probably
want to anyway - then you can buy the Go-Ped you should
have purchased in the first place!
Compared to some Brand Name Products
Feature
Winner |
Go-Ped Brand |
Versus Schwinn (Currie) |
Versus Razor |
Versus Others Imports |
|
Overview |
Go-Ped brand scooters are made in
teh USA with over 20 years of refinement by
Patmont Motor Werks, the company that invented
the California Go-Ped scooter. They
manufacturer three electric models currently,
the ESR750Ex, the 750, and the 750 Sport.
All feature very similar specs but we focus on
the top-of-the-line 750Ex here. |
Schwinn exists in name only,
Currie is the manufacturer of these scooters and
they use the Schwinn name for marketing
purposes. They make quite a few models,
either Izip, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, or Currie
labeled. They also makes scooters with
150watt up to 1000watt motors, the three larger
models feature 500, 750, and 1000 watt ratings
so we'll focus on these. |
Razor makes many models, the most
closely resembling the ESR750 series would be
the E300 Razor. |
There are many "knock offs" on
the market so it is hard to generalize, but for
the most part they use substandard materials,
small motors, and offer poor service and
support. |
Strength/Materials
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped uses chromoly aircraft
grade steel and aluminum, latvian birch deck,
maximum weight limit of 400+ lbs. |
Specs say "high-tensile steel"
and "plastic" deck and maximum weight limit of
only 240lbs. |
Not designated. Maximum
rider weight of 220lbs speaks to lower quality
components.
|
Poor quality, missing parts, etc. |
Speed/Power/Battery
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped is 750 watt continuous,
OVER 1000 watt peak, speeds up to 20mph!
Go-Ped out-powers all of its competitors and has
the best hill climbing ability even stock.
Power is provided by four 12-volt batteries and
charged with a built-in smart charging system,
no extra chargers to carry or lose! |
Specs say 500, 750, or 1000 watt
which are peak, not true ratings, speed up to
15mph, battery pack is either two 12-volt or
three 12-volt batteries, chargers are
proprietary and external. |
Up to 15mph from a 300 watt
motor. No comparison and only suitable for
lightweight riders and no hills.
|
Small motors, heavier designs,
poorer performance. |
Weight/Design
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped is 59lbs, handlebar folds
low, much smaller and easier to handle, will fit
in a trunk and can easily be loaded by one
adult, plus battery and electronics are sealed
to protect from moisture. |
Specs say 68lbs for the 500 watt
model, up to 90lbs for the 1000 watt model,
handlebar folds but from a high point,
electronics not sealed. Difficult for one
person to handle, load or unload. |
Not designated, products
electronics are not sealed. |
Heavy chassis due to inefficient
design. |
Brakes/Tires
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped features a ventilated
front disc brake, given that front brakes
provide up to 90% of the stopping power, having
a front disc brake is far superior. Go-Peds
wider and taller tires offer much better performance
especially on soft surfaces, act as shocks like
an off-road vehicle with large tires, plus better
cornering capability for street use -- designs
tried and tested in racing Go-Peds! |
Specs indicate either rear band,
rear disc and front V-calliper front brakes.
Tires are 1.75 to 2.25" width street tires
designed more like a bicycle tire and not
well suited for dirt, grass, or gravel. |
Cheap caliper brakes, large 10"
diameter tires similar to Go-Ped. |
Usually substandard. |
Chassis/Suspension
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped's patented frame design is
the strongest and most elegant on the market,
the large tires provide shock absorbing
properties similar to off-road trucks with large
tires. The ride can be firmer
than models that have monotube "shocks" but there is
nothing to break or require maintenance plus the
ride is more controlled and no adjustments need
to be made for rider weight differences. |
Some models have no suspension,
some have shocks, providing an advantage over
rough surfaces one would think, but due to the
bicycle tire design off-road driving is not
great and the shocks have to be adjusted to compensate
for different rider's weight.
More complicated design and maximum rider weight
of 240lbs will result in greater maintenance. |
Chassis design simple but weight
up to 220lbs speaks of materials versus Go-Ped. |
Poor designs. |
Service/History
Go-Ped |
Go-Ped's have been around since
1985 when the original was invented, features an
extensive network of dealers and after-market
parts and made in the USA. |
Imported product with different
designs, parts, and little after-market support.
Better than unbranded import however. |
Imported product with no long
history of service or after-market parts.
Better than unbranded import however. |
Little or no support, these are
generally "throw-away" when they break scooters. |
With electric scooters as it is
with most products, the
bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the
sweetness of low price is forgotten...
|
