Buying A Electric Scooter: A Good Idea?

[gpop]

I had a bicycle but that's much more dangerous here. And this city is not ready fit for it.
And thanks for your comment Gpop, I'm doubting between the models Joy and Cool of Lucky Lion. R u happy with your Joy? Cool is 3K more expensive but the wheels seem better and it has a bit more of volts but does it justify the 3k? On the other hand, you may take the batteries of the Joy out and charge it at home, but that's not possible with the Cool.

Not aware of a "Cool" model, theres the Cute and the joy is a bit more sturdy if not as 'vespa'-like. These are 800 watt bikes with 4 batteries. there's the XSG5 with 1000 watts and 5 batteries. The difference isn't much in performance/range. You would have about the same, except the XSG5 accelerates faster. There are no bikes with more than 1000 W in Argentina. Colombia has some models with 4000W, but at that point, I think you would need to have them registered and licensed. Wheels are the same in pretty much all models. XSG5 has disk-brakes, where the others have drum brakes.
I got my Joy for 10K, the price has gone up i guess... you could always get a used one and replace the batteries.

 

[syngirl]

I'm tired of the public transport: colectivos are extremely cheap but also extremely slow, the subte is ok but accustomed to the metro in Barcelona and Amsterdam this sucks, it's filthy, it covers only a small part of the city and the taxis...expensive and outside the centre difficult to get one sometimes.
So I'm thinking about buying a electric scooter: you don't need an A21 (drivers licence for motor-riders), no patente, it costs 1 peso to refill the battery and there's no oil, nearly no maintenance. I would only use it for in the city, I'm not a long distance driver so a car to drive in Argentina is not for me.
But I'm doubting about the fact I'm every year off for 3 or 4 months to travel or to live in Amsterdam and because of safety of driving a scooter in BsArs.
The prices: new from 16 k to 21 k pesos.
Anybody here has one? How are the experiences?

I'm tired of the public transport: colectivos are extremely cheap but also extremely slow, the subte is ok but accustomed to the metro in Barcelona and Amsterdam this sucks, it's filthy, it covers only a small part of the city and the taxis...expensive and outside the centre difficult to get one sometimes.
So I'm thinking about buying a electric scooter: you don't need an A21 (drivers licence for motor-riders), no patente, it costs 1 peso to refill the battery and there's no oil, nearly no maintenance. I would only use it for in the city, I'm not a long distance driver so a car to drive in Argentina is not for me.
But I'm doubting about the fact I'm every year off for 3 or 4 months to travel or to live in Amsterdam and because of safety of driving a scooter in BsArs.
The prices: new from 16 k to 21 k pesos.
Anybody here has one? How are the experiences?

You said electric scooter, I thought you meant this: http://www.gizmag.com/jac-electric-scooter/25928/

They are becoming quite common in Vancouver, basically you can wear your work clothes and arrive without needing a shower like you might on a bike... Depending on where you live, what distances, and what bike paths are near you it could become an option.

 

[syngirl]

http://www.razor.com/products/electric-scooters/ecosmart-metro/

Or something like that, in Amsterdam I'm sure you have lots of options, my concern would be where to leave it during day, they are not common here therefore attract eyes (We bought an aluminum balance bike for our toddler, $100 USD but NO ONE has them here, at the most there are some wooden ones and those are few and far between. When we're out with it I'm actually a little uncomfortable with how much attention a small bike with no pedals draws, so I can't imagine the attention a commuter scooter would get....)

 

[mariano-BCN]

Not aware of a "Cool" model, theres the Cute and the joy is a bit more sturdy if not as 'vespa'-like. These are 800 watt bikes with 4 batteries. there's the XSG5 with 1000 watts and 5 batteries. The difference isn't much in performance/range. You would have about the same, except the XSG5 accelerates faster. There are no bikes with more than 1000 W in Argentina. Colombia has some models with 4000W, but at that point, I think you would need to have them registered and licensed. Wheels are the same in pretty much all models. XSG5 has disk-brakes, where the others have drum brakes.
I got my Joy for 10K, the price has gone up i guess... you could always get a used one and replace the batteries.

The Cool 2 model had 800 watts, I thought it has more but I was mistaken. It has exactly the same battery/motor as the Joy but the wheels seem to be better, it has a digital meter, the frame is in the first wheel, I wonder if this makes the difference of 3.000 pesos (20k pesos is the price) worth. The model XSG5 is still not in Argentina I understood.
Two more questions for Gpop:
where did you buy yours, would you recommend it? I was in two places: that one in Belgrano in Ricardo Balbin and the main reseller in Av. Juan Justo, there I was told I could get a bonus of 1.000 pesos if I pay cash. I called also the other reseller in San Martin but he doesn't have discounts for paying in cash.
And: did you have so far any technical problems?

I think I'll go for the Joy, just for one reason: during the months I won't be here in BsArs I can take the battery out and ask somebody to recharge it every once a week.
thx!

 

[gpop]

The Cool 2 model had 800 watts, I thought it has more but I was mistaken. It has exactly the same battery/motor as the Joy but the wheels seem to be better, it has a digital meter, the frame is in the first wheel, I wonder if this makes the difference of 3.000 pesos (20k pesos is the price) worth. The model XSG5 is still not in Argentina I understood.
Two more questions for Gpop:
where did you buy yours, would you recommend it? I was in two places: that one in Belgrano in Ricardo Balbin and the main reseller in Av. Juan Justo, there I was told I could get a bonus of 1.000 pesos if I pay cash. I called also the other reseller in San Martin but he doesn't have discounts for paying in cash.
And: did you have so far any technical problems?

I think I'll go for the Joy, just for one reason: during the months I won't be here in BsArs I can take the battery out and ask somebody to recharge it every once a week.
thx!

I got mine at the flagship store on Av. Juan B. Justo 3720. I do recommend them. I don't know about the the other consesionarios.
I haven't seen the new models recently; there have been some technical and price changes lately.
I have not had any technical difficulties. Occasionally, after hitting some bumpy roads, the cable that connects to the battery chain comes loose and "unplugs", but if you ever loose power suddenly, you just have to push the connector firmly to the battery. I've devised a rubber sling to make sure that these don't decouple on bumpy roads.

 

[gpop]

You said electric scooter, I thought you meant this: http://www.gizmag.co...-scooter/25928/

They are becoming quite common in Vancouver, basically you can wear your work clothes and arrive without needing a shower like you might on a bike... Depending on where you live, what distances, and what bike paths are near you it could become an option.

nooo, I think the scooter is the confusing word. Motorcycle is not right either, it's not a moped. But ...well you be the judge:

Then theres the one i really want : Smart is developing this scooter and an electric bicycle. Recoops energy during braking, canopy is a solar panel, connects to a smartphone for all the travel data... lots of neat stuff in a little package. Can't imagine when these will be available in BA though, and at what price is anyone's guess.

 

[Napoleon]

Try a bicycle.

Another vote for the humble bicycle. The bike lanes make getting around the city surprising safe, easy and enjoyable.

Depending on where you ride, there are fairly safe bicycle lanes in the city and its suburbs.

KICKSTART your way into this:

https://www.kickstar...it-electrify-yo


And then this:

https://www.kickstar...urity-bike-lock

 

[gpop]

Whichever way you go with this, it's a step in the right direction.
There are too many cars taking up too much space on the streets, spewing too much noxious fumes into the air for the type of movements done on a daily basis. There would be a lot less congestion, a lot less smog, and as roads don't get the same amount of wear - maintenance would be less and less expensive for the municipality. Probably a lot less stress for everyone too.

This place would be better off two-wheeling it... that said, lets also consider that even a bicycle is a vehicle and subject to laws of the road. This is problematic not only here. Anyone using the roads MUST adhere to these laws. With or without licensing; cyclists and motorcyclists breaking the law ought to be fined. Car drivers need to be more aware of and considerate of two-wheeled traffic. Often you get drivers thinking that they are the privileged ones and that is just not so. Both parts have to change in how the road is shared. Buses and taxis... well, those guys are just sadistic, ignorant pricks!

 

[Napoleon]

...that said, lets also consider that even a bicycle is a vehicle and subject to laws of the road. This is problematic not only here.

Anyone using the roads MUST adhere to these laws. With or without licensing; cyclists and motorcyclists breaking the law ought to be fined. Car drivers need to be more aware of and considerate of two-wheeled traffic. Often you get drivers thinking that they are the privileged ones and that is just not so. Both parts have to change in how the road is shared. Buses and taxis... well, those guys are just sadistic, ignorant pricks!

As long as you agree that all jay-walkers should also be fined, then I can accept your argument.

I agree that bicyclists should follow traffic laws... up to a point.

I stop at intersections where I'm supposed to stop, and then I look around and start again. I've done this in front of police. I show that I respect that I don't have the right of way, but then like a pedestrian, after the coast is clear, I go again. I also am like a car in that I want to crush any dumbass who just walks out into the bike lane and then stands there waiting for the light to change. A "lane" is a "lane". No sane pedestrian would walk out into the middle of Santa Fe, Cordoba, or Libertador and then just stand there in the middle of a lane... waiting for the light to change. It's going to take some time and a few more crushed skulls for people to start respecting the bike lanes.

It's similar to people crossing Santa Fe at Scalabrini Ortiz when the S.O. buses and cars have a turn signal and the pedestrians have a DON'T WALK sign. You have to first respect the right of way. THEN, if no one is turning, you can walk across Santa Fe even though you don't have the walk sign yet. But you can't do it anyway because Santa Fe has a red and you don't can't wait 8 seconds for the buses to finish turning. (That's when I wish the buses would show the pedestrians who's boss. It will solve the jaywalking thing quickly.)

 

[gpop]

@Napoleon, I agree absolutely about the pedestrians. The fact is that ignorance of the laws is widespread.
To me though, a stop is a stop and different cyclists judgment on when it is safe to cross is not always a sane judgement. They cross when it suits them even if it may seem to be safe, but force on-coming traffic to slow down or even stop if their attempt to cross doesn't go as they'd hoped. This translates to bad blood between drivers and cyclists. Cyclists, as drivers or pedestrians cannot (or should not) have different interpretations of the laws according to their varying judgments. Better to have a uniform stop/slow down/go policy for all who use/cross the roads.