novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Just completed my orders of three wheels. Ninebot s2(the 24kph one) was my last order just now. The other two coming are the KS-16S and KS-18S. Chose these three wheels just based on internet research. Never seen a wheel in person up close. Never been on a Segway or anything that resembles it. Use to inline skate 20 miles an evening and ride motorcycles, so I'm hoping that will help. Other than inspecting, analyzing, charging, padding etc. I'm gonna wait until all three are ready to go before attempting them so I have a clean palate as to which is best for me to learn on. I have a good place to start on, my asphalt driveway, it's about 2000' and lined with oak trees. Originally I only wanted one to exercise my Anatolian Shepherd puppy, just turned 10 months and 105 pounds already, but the more I researched, the more I realized how perfect these would be in Tampa, FL, my home city. Bayshore in Tampa has the longest continuous sidewalk in the world ( I think ) and our beaches at Clearwater and St. Pete with miles of beach plus several colleges, this transportation should fit well, if, and the big if, our attention deficit people will put forth the effort/get enough results and not get discouraged, can learn safely. I'm pretty sure I'll get to some level of competency without killing myself but will I be able to teach others safely and quickly enough to make it a viable purchase. When I was at Las Olas marina with my boat there was a sailboat guy there that made it look easy. I was always watching him think he'd roll off the dock, but he never did. Only ones in the wild I've ever seen. Since my last name is King, I'm kinda disappointed "Hello, King Song" went away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddylaz Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Congrats, and welcome to the community. Plenty of people from Florida here, I think. Wish I was too but sadly stuck in rainy London! You'll have a blast. just make sure you pad the wheels during the learning process and invest (if you don't already have one) in a decent bike/track pump so you know what PSI you're riding at. The tire pressure makes a BIG difference to handling and the speed of the learning curve. I don't own any of those wheels myself but plenty on the forum here do so you'll find this place a goldmine of tips/advice/chat. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Yes I've thoroughly enjoyed all my research and once I attempt it for myself, I'll probably enjoy it a second time. Around the year 2000 I got into remote control helicopters. Another small community. Then I was trying to develop/build them to be like our flying cameras(drones) now. Some success but not like drones. I also have the typical 4 drones, inspire v2, phantom 4 and pro and a mavic with fav goggles arriving Wednesday, (finally). Hoping these wheel batteries are better than dji's big inspire batteries, I've got two bad ones out of four and barely use them once, just storage and maintenance charging. At $200 a pop, that's not good. I got out of rc about when my buddies started using batteries instead of cool power nitro/alcohol so the battery thing is new. We used nicads for controls. So battery ease of maintenance and durability is a biggie, I would think, for wheels to go mainstream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Whoa. You've never ridden one, so you just decided to buy 3 of them? There's taking a leap. Well I'm only 52, but I picked it up without too much trouble. Wrapped the wheel in foam and packing tape. Put on helmet and pads. I started in a parking garage that's empty on weekends. Hold onto pillar, get balanced, and try to roll forward (and fall off) - repeatedly for several hours. Once I was able to make it more than about 20 feet it got easier. I actually never "fell" practicing, was able to step off - sometimes with the wheel falling wildly. Pad your inner shins. My skin is pretty tough, I almost never bruise, but I ended up sore and with some small bruises after the first day. Good luck. I practiced for several weekends - probably about 15 hours - before I had the guts to take it out in public. Riding slowly behind people on a sidewalk is the hardest thing, so once you get the basics, practice riding slowly. And small figure-8s are good practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveThomasPilot Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I'm the same age as you, and didn't have too much trouble. I've just gotten to the point where I can I ride 10 - 20 miles without much discomfort. It was like three, one hour sessions to where I could stay on without falling off, then several months before the foot pain wasn't much of an issue. I used to have to get off the wheel every five or ten minutes to give my feet a break, but now I can move them around enough without dismounting so it's not such a big deal. If you haven't already, make sure you read the thread on this forum about how to learn to ride. Lots of good tips! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Thanks for the advice. Any is appreciated. You never know what trips the brain. I figure all three specialize in three different kinds of riding and terrain. Knowing me, if I like it, I'll be lucky to keep my wheel number to three. I've got a lot of twenty something gfs, mostly just friends which is my preference, that I might try to teach one or two of the most coordinated ones, if they choose, or might just be me and Bob, my puppy. Bob and I are inseparable. Finding time sneaking away from Bob is gonna be the toughest. My driveway is fenced but Bob could get out and he'd think knocking me over is great fun. Pretty sure Bob is a sadist but I love him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Whoa. 2000' driveway in Florida. Boat at the marina. DJI Inspire. 20 something girlfriends. Three EUCs ordered. Someone's living the sweet life, and it just gets sweeter. Niiiiice! Post some videos up if you get a chance. Of the girlfriends and EUC riding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 10 minutes ago, JimB said: Whoa. You've never ridden one, so you just decided to buy 3 of them? There's taking a leap. @novazeus, @JimB's comment was my thought too. I learned at 60 and am now nearly 62. I was fairly confident I could do it (windsurfing and skiing when younger) but sure as hell not confident enough to have bought 3 wheels. In fact I REALLY like the Inmotion V8 as a 16" wheel to complement my 14" KingSong and recently @Spinner was selling an almost new one just down the road from me at a VERY good price as he was going to Canada. I just couldn't think of enough of a justification to my wife to actually buy it ??? I also fly radio controlled helicopters - electric - Goblin 770, Trex550 DFC, etc. well worth it for not having to clean off all the oil after flying. At least Hobbyking sells batteries that don't have DJI's mark up. I'm afraid I find multicopters spectacularly boring after high performance helicopters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricpen Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Haha welcome! I just started learning on Tuesday, so been riding for 5 days now. I also bought 2 sight unseen without ever trying to ride one. I also used to do inline skating and rode motorcycles a little bit as well as snowboard. I also choose the ninebot S2 and the KS 16s. I held off on the 18", I may get that new ninebot that was announced today if it turns out to be good. Right now I am planning on using them to commute in San Francisco so the 18" wheel isn't that necessary yet. I have a thread that documents my progress in the Kingsong subforum. I'm a little younger than you but with a similar skill background I suppose and it wasn't too terrible to learn but it still took a few days to get up and running. I started on the KS-16s but I can't say I made a deliberate choice, it just arrived first and I was impatient to get started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 I'm 4th generation FL cowboy growing up on a 1200 acre cattle ranch, which I still take care of by myself. Pretty good for a 63 year old diagnosed with really bad prostate cancer over three years ago and given 3 months to live if I started drugs like chemical castration immediately etc etc my testosterone at 60 was 884 which is higher than normal for a healthy 30 yr old male and testosterone is the food of prostate cancer. I was told to get my affairs in order, funeral plans, will etc. I said "no" to the drugs but did cannabis oil instead, the only reason I'm alive today, and can probably kick anybody's ass on this forum. Not throwing down a gauntlet but no man scares me, I deal with 1500 pound beasts by myself. Cannabis oil works, no if, ands, or buts about it. If you get cancer, and you probably will if something else doesn't kill you, do some research, it works. Funny, around 2004, one of my pet bulls, i raised from a bottle because he was orphaned by his mother I think because he was so huge. So I got out of my truck to pet Brownie, and wasn't paying attention while I was petting him, and faster than I even knew what was going on, Brownie had knocked me down and was rolling me like a beach ball down the hill. Just playing. He finally stopped after he was worn out. I got up, broken sunglasses and probably broken ribs. My only regret was nobody saw it or filmed it. So a wheel crash doesn't look that intimidating to me. As cheap as I am, I'm sure I'll be more concerned about the wheel. My balance gets pretty whacked on Mother Earth when I'm medicating, walking is a feat. Who knows, maybe medicating, I'll become one with the wheel. Like I said, 63 year old guinea pig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 "Chuck Norris" of EUC riding just popped into my head. Or maybe "Charlton Heston / Clint Eastwood." Yeah you'll be riding these EUCs in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Yeah the drones are just for videoing my land and photography. More computer saavy stuff than flying skills. I sucked at flying helis but never crashed. I was a great builder though and was a rep for robbe, which is funny because I didn't fly like the other reps but I built helis that flew great. Invented a swashplate leveling tool that a friend made and marketed. I've done a lot of different stuff. It helps if you never get married. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puce Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I'm 57 and started in june with the V5F. Check the pressure, usually those wheels are delivered almost flat. Put some padding the protect it during the learning curve. Don't forget to wear good knee and hand protection. It took me two short afternoon to be able to stay on it for more than 50 meters. I've done a lot of bicycle and motorcycle not so long away but it didn't help. It's just something new your brain need to understand, exactly the same way we learned bicycle. I did about 300 Km with the Inmotion within a month and the switched for a gotway Msuper V3 820 Now I'm never leaving home without my wheel. If I'm not driving it, I put it in the back of my car. I call it "my personal magic carpet" :-) Have fun ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puce Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 One more thing, once you get used to your wheel, think of loosen your toes from time to time while riding. It helps a lot on long run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Not tagging anybody too lazy/too dumb to learn, sorry, been awhile since being active on a forum. Yeah I did Tae Kwon Do but I don't talk about it. I hate any kind of confrontation i.e. no wife, no gf with relations. But being raised by a cowboy 40 years older than me, in redneck Pasco county, I was encouraged to fight and never back away. Karate taught me different. Thank God my testosterone was off the chart, I would not have survived my child rearing, now my testosterone is feeding my cancer. If I learn how to ride a wheel, that's great, if I don't that's great, too. I don't view stuff as competition. I was teaching golf at 16 years old. Spent working at a local golf course from 13 to college. That was competition and I didn't like that. I liked being able to strike a golf ball properly, which most people will ever know, not the number you put in the little square. I'm different, that's for sure. Spent five years, 19 to 24 putting in vault doors, safes, safety deposit boxes, bullet proof windows, pneumatic tube systems, after hours depositories etc. Great physical job. Biggest door I ever put in was ten tons, took out bigger ones though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 When I rode, I'd try never to put a foot down if I could balance at a light or stop sign, you would think that would help, but I'll see soon. I'm excited and that's what life is about. Never jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 my driveway for learning. put the girls and me in the photo section. if you have been to FL, you probably have been by my ranch. It's where I-75 and I-275 split just north of Tampa. I have 8/10ths mile of frontage on the interstates. 325 acres. If you know anybody that wants the whole thing, it is for sale $50 mil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricpen Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Hmmm, thats a long driveway but it's probably not the ideal shape for learning. Ideally you would want something that is wider so you have space to practice turning and such but at least its relatively flat which is better than I had when I was learning haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 It's 12 plus feet but yeah I was thinking the same. Up near the old homestead is wider but I'll probably just slow down and grab something. I'm gonna scout the public dog park facilities. Bob goes everywhere with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 Tampa Bay Premium Outlets mall is next door on a piece of the ranch we sold years ago. Should be plenty of space over there after 9 or so. Bob can watch from my one ton Dooley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 I can't figure out the feeling of being on one from the internet. Idk if it's difficult side to side balance or front to back balance or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricpen Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Side to side. Front to back it balances for you like a regular Segway. The trouble is you control your speed and direction from how much you lean forward and back so even though you aren't going to fall in that direction you could have trouble going where you want before you get the hang of subtle shifts of balance in all directions. Pretty much at the beginning, it just feels ridiculous but it gets better as you get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 i don't know what a segway feels like. just watching that video again of that new big ninebot, think i might need that for ranch cruising, so i'll have 14 16 18 and fat 18 and then i'm done, i swear. i think i could throw on some heavy camo and these electric wheels, sneak up on the coyotes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricpen Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Probably not, dogs (and I assume coyotes) don't seem to like the high pitched electric sound the motor makes. Each wheel is different though who knows what the new ninebot will sound like. I agree though, I think half the people on this forum seem like they want to get that new ninebot if it comes to the US (including me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novazeus Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 i'm wait, get them all in, all of them white, line them ip and take a pic or two while they are all mew and pretty and then use that ipe insulating foam and duct tape like somebody illustrated. use to own an hvac company so i know i have that laying around. i don't care what they look like. i liked the look of the cardboard box, like a pizza box would be perfect, i think, for the ninebot. i don't want to leave tape glue residue on them that's difficult yo remove. i have no idea what solvent would be safe on the exteriors. maybe alcohol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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