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E-Scooters Questions & Answers

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Safety Issue


Lets discuss the safety issue first. Electric scooters fall into two categories those with seats and those
with no seats

Electric scooters with no seats ( sometimes called motion boards)
     The simplest form of these are the non electric that you see around the neighborhood. Children use
these. They are a board with two wheels underneath and handle bars. Children have one foot on them
and use their other foot to push themselves. These are for the most part are relatively safe to use.
However parents should make a point to go over with their children the rules they want them to
follow.
     The electric equivalent is much the same only built to take more punishment. However they are
extremely extremely dangerous. Notice I said extremely twice. These scooters are very light and when
powered with even a modest 150 watt motor they can reach speeds of 8 - 12 m.p.h. That may not sound
fast but if one is thrown from the scooter serious injury can result. I guess the best way to think of it
is would you ride a hrose standing up on its back. Probably not.

Electric scooters with seats
     These are manufactured from a simple no seat scooter where they add a seat, to scooters that start
to look like motorcycles. The most common ones are like the ones for sale on this site. They look like
a very simple motorcycles, attractive looking and come with such things as key start, lights, speed and
battery level gauges, horn, padded seat and lockable storage box. These scooters are not as dangerous
as the stand up kind but they can be very dangerous if the person using them is careless, shows off
and doesn't pay attention to the road ahead when riding. It all comes down to commom sense. If
you own one and drive carefully, obey the rules, don't show off and pay attention to where your driving they are very safe. You will receive many hours of enjoyable riding. Manufacturers recommend these
scooters should not be used by teenagers under the age of 14.
     If parents are thinking about buying one of these scooters for their children then it is the parents
responsibility to make sure their children are educated in the proper use of these machines.

     So what makes these scooters more dangerous than an electric bike,  basically the small wheel
diameter and tire size. 

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What the customer should look for when purchasing an Electric Scooter

1)   Check to make sure it is a chain drive and not belt driven.  Most belts tend to crack and break.

2)   Check to see if it is equipped with front and rear lights for high visibility during the day and night.

3)   Check to see that the batteries and charger are included with the scooter.

4)   Check to see that the tires are filled with real air and are not the imitation plastic ones.

5)   Check to see that it has a gauge that warns you when it's time to recharge the battery.  A speed
       gauge is also a nice feature to have.

6)   Check to see if it was designed to fold down for quick storage.

7)   Check to see if it comes with a removable storage trunk that locks with a key and also an ignition
       lock.

8)   Check to see that the rim size is at least 12 inch.

9)   What style should the tires be?
       Scooters come with one of two tire styles.  The first one is the narrower road tire.   This tire is
       generally the one put on scooters because most scooters are used around the neighborhood,
       parks and bike paths.  An optional tire is the off road tire which is physically much wider with
       grips.  This tire is more efficient for course gravel roads, fields and mountain paths.  Keep in
       mind if you have the off road tire and use it on paved roads your overall speed will be less.

10)   Do scooters qualify for partial reimbursement under private or provincial health plans for the
        elderaly?
        The answer in some cases is yes.  It's best to check into this.

11)   Do scooters come in front and rear wheel drive?
        The answer is yes.  However rear wheel drive is the most common and practical.  It is best to stay
        with a rear wheel drive.

12)   Is a 24 volt or 36 volt scooter better?
        The answer is the output voltage does not make the scooter better or worse.  The item to look for is
        the power of the motor measured in watts.   The Scooters sold on this site have 350 watt motors
        which provide plenty of power.  They can handle a person who weighs up to 280 pounds. 
        However check the scooter out carefully because some higher output motors can only travel
        14 m.p.h.  

13)   Do scooter batteries have a memory?
        The answer is no. These batteries are the same as batteries you use for an electric bike. They are
        lead acid gel type which love to be fully charged.  To get the most charges out of your battery
        everytime you come back from using it charge them up even if your trip was very short.
       
14)   What can you tell me about scooter battery chargers?
        First make sure they are the smart charger type. With these chargers you can leave them plugged
        in and they will not over charge the battery.   A two amp charger charges faster but a one amp
        charger will work just takes a bit longer to charge them up.

15)   What kind of warranty do manufacturers give?
        The most common scooter manufacturers give a 30 day warranty on defects only.

        The Mach 1 comes with a 90 day warranty.   However this warranty starts from the day of purchase
        by the retailer.

        Our M1 & Patriot electric scooters carry a 90 day limited manufacturer's warranty. This warranty is extended
         to replacement parts and necessary labor of covered products for defects in material or workmanship.  We will
        send you the part necessary to fix your scooter if you are able.  This warranty does not extend to the transportation
        costs to repair or replace either the product or its parts. 
      
        We do not cover misuse or broken parts caused by the user or by any other event.

        Return Policy: If your scooter is defective and you would like our support department to make the necessary
        repairs, you can return your scooter to our warehouse along with $ Contact Mach 1 scooters to see what the
        cost is for Canada   to cover the cost of shipping the scooter back to you.
        All scooter returns must be authorized prior to being returned. To receive this authorization, contact
        our support department. (If you do not have authorization for your return, we will reject the delivery). After
        14 days, unopened scooter returns are not accepted.

        Mach 1 Scooters will not be responsible for shipping charges on received or refused packages. Freight collect
        and COD packages will not be accepted