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My 84-volt Nikola Triumphs, Tribulations, and Failures


Marty Backe

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Posted

I made a raw First Impressions video as I introduced myself to the Nikola

 

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Posted

Great open box video, beautiful lights, look forward for all your test rides and review:thumbup:.

PQ 

Posted
3 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I made a raw First Impressions video as I introduced myself to the Nikola

 

Great video marty , i love the close up video , i think I'm taking back saying i don't like the nikola🙁 seeing it close up it looks nice 😊 

Looking forward to your tests,

So now you've had no choice about the nikola pedals but you've not mentioned them yet, maybe in your tests , do you like the size 😁

2 weeks for the hill test ,,,jeeez marty ,, I'll wait for my notification on YouTube 👍

Brilliant box opening video thanks

Posted

The lights look really nice!  Looking forward to a review of the ride.

Posted
49 minutes ago, Jim Martin said:

The lights look really nice!  Looking forward to a review of the ride.

Yes, the lights are very cool. I think what sets it apart from all other wheels is the density and number of LEDs

Posted

very good video! btw, the sound on startup would drive me crazy, forced me to come up with a solution the seconds you talked about it. haha

id be glad to make a small module for you that shares the BT power and that controls a small relay for the power to the BT speaker itself. just have it delayed until after the sound is played, then connect wires. just install and forget about it. :)

Posted

Great review as always Marty! So glad you didn't drop that beauty while performing the initial reversals. 

So are you planning to address the slippery sides for those occasional times you need additional grip? 

Posted
1 hour ago, stephen said:

Great video marty , i love the close up video , i think I'm taking back saying i don't like the nikola🙁 seeing it close up it looks nice 😊 

Looking forward to your tests,

So now you've had no choice about the nikola pedals but you've not mentioned them yet, maybe in your tests , do you like the size 😁

2 weeks for the hill test ,,,jeeez marty ,, I'll wait for my notification on YouTube 👍

Brilliant box opening video thanks

Thanks Stephen. I don't know why, but I feel pleasantly surprised on how it rides, the very little riding that I've done. Does not feel huge like it looks, and the quality of the ride is very nice. Looking forward to getting it on the road.

The pedals are certainly nice, but I want to see how they work in bumpy conditions. Remember, the Nikola pedals probably have half the dihedral angle of the MSX, so grip is more important.

I normally do a bunch of more normal riding before I take wheels into the mountains. And I'm doing some traveling soon which will cut into my riding time :( 

Posted
7 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

Great review as always Marty! So glad you didn't drop that beauty while performing the initial reversals. 

So are you planning to address the slippery sides for those occasional times you need additional grip? 

After the video I did install the side pads. I think this wheel needs pads for sure. Helps a lot with the handling.

It is a very pretty wheel in person. This is going to be my new night wheel :thumbup:

Posted
20 minutes ago, EUC GUY said:

very good video! btw, the sound on startup would drive me crazy, forced me to come up with a solution the seconds you talked about it. haha

id be glad to make a small module for you that shares the BT power and that controls a small relay for the power to the BT speaker itself. just have it delayed until after the sound is played, then connect wires. just install and forget about it. :)

Thanks for the offer Mathias. I'll let you know if I can't get over the sound. Part of the problem is that this sound appears to be played at full volume, and the speaker(s) in this wheel are LOUD.

Really don't know what Gotway was thinking. And I was surprised because nobody else has mentioned this startup sound. Oh well.

Posted

Pretty wheel! Day or night. I'd hate to scratch it. Thanks for the vid, Marty. I want to share what I had posted earlier about my first ride event: "Look up YouTube channel: TheBlackCobra . He let me come down to learn. It was great! More people came with their wheels. One guy went home and brought a few wheels. Some big, heavy, powerful, and fast wheels. I did a short drone video, YouTube: "Yuginot Y", of some of them on their wheels. Long drive, great fun. Started with the Inmotion V8. I was a total klutz! The Ninebot Z10 was the easiest to me, with which I had my longest ride. Wheels smaller and lighter, others heavy and powerful, making the selection of my first much more difficult. And, possibly, more expensive! I've even thought about the Gotway Nicola. I'm really trying to analyze how I may use a wheel realistically. Torture!!!!!". Learning event was in south central Mass. A 3 hour drive from here, yet well worth it. Marty, what do you think about the Nicola as a first wheel? Thanks...Guy

Posted

Edit for my previous post: Correction: YouTuber: ThaBlackCobra  .

Posted
5 minutes ago, Guy said:

Pretty wheel! Day or night. I'd hate to scratch it. Thanks for the vid, Marty. I want to share what I had posted earlier about my first ride event: "Look up YouTube channel: TheBlackCobra . He let me come down to learn. It was great! More people came with their wheels. One guy went home and brought a few wheels. Some big, heavy, powerful, and fast wheels. I did a short drone video, YouTube: "Yuginot Y", of some of them on their wheels. Long drive, great fun. Started with the Inmotion V8. I was a total klutz! The Ninebot Z10 was the easiest to me, with which I had my longest ride. Wheels smaller and lighter, others heavy and powerful, making the selection of my first much more difficult. And, possibly, more expensive! I've even thought about the Gotway Nicola. I'm really trying to analyze how I may use a wheel realistically. Torture!!!!!". Learning event was in south central Mass. A 3 hour drive from here, yet well worth it. Marty, what do you think about the Nicola as a first wheel? Thanks...Guy

I think the Nikola has a potential to be a good first wheel. It has a great feel to it and isn't too agile (super easy to turn). The one downside is that because it's such a pretty wheel, it wouldn't handle the scratches that come with learning. However, it the wheel is sufficiently padded up, it would survive the ordeal just fine.

Posted
5 minutes ago, Guy said:

Edit for my previous post: Correction: YouTuber: ThaBlackCobra  .

Probably best if you just post a direct link to the video. Otherwise too difficult to go searching. Post it in the Video thread unless it's specific to the Nikola.

Posted

Thanks Marty. I will...Guy

Posted

Very nice video Marty - I'll look forward to the upcoming ones very much!

Yeah, the startup sound.. I'll agree there, not a winner. It's not something I though about that much when getting it, but it's not great when used for commuting and as you leave you turn it on for walking it to the exit and the noise it kind of fills the room ("eh he, sorry guys, that's the exit signal again I'm afraid" - the joke gets old!).

I'm betting my 2 öre that you won't have a problem on overheat hill, but it will be interesting to see. It seems to handle load very well from my own tests, but perhaps your higher ambient temperature will expose something else. Regarding the fan, I seem to notice it when I'm done with a ride and stop the wheel, and the fan turns on (?). Could be that I just never heard it while riding and only when stepping off, but that's the impression I have so far, will have to pay some more attention to it.

Keep em coming.. :thumbup:

Posted

Amazing timing @Marty Backe , as a 100volt  1230wh, version was delivered today here in nyc. Looking forward to your review and the range and speed differences from my 💯v

Looks like the voltage out of the box is the same temp as our blood.

 

C1002304-33BF-499C-949F-FA3301079B69.jpeg

2CE12AAE-CC47-4671-9CEB-4F747096A07C.jpeg

Posted
Just now, Mrd777 said:

Amazing timing @Marty Backe , as a 100volt  1230wh, version was delivered today here in nyc. Looking forward to your review and the range and speed differences from my 💯v

Looks like the voltage out of the box is the same temp as our blood.

 

C1002304-33BF-499C-949F-FA3301079B69.jpeg

2CE12AAE-CC47-4671-9CEB-4F747096A07C.jpeg

You bastard ;)

Trying to one-up me huh? :D

That's very cool. Too bad we don't live near each other. We could do some drag races and see who wins.

 

Posted

IMG_20190604_171734820_HDR

I wore white shoes to match the wheel

First Ride - Yee-Haw

Took it for my first ride today - 24 miles. And I rode it hard. I prefer the low-20's and sometimes accelerate to 25, but today I rode it at 27-mph. Smooth as a baby's butt :D.

I love the ride of this wheel. I can finally say that my ACM2's can be retired as best all-around wheel. The tire is beautiful. Every bump I hit was taken smoothly. Must be the 3-inch wide plus thickness that does it. Much like the MSX, but this is a smaller tire, so the ride is much better IMHO. OK, I'm finally convinced. Every EUC should have 3-inch tire from here on out.

Carving was joy, and at 27-mph I only stopped accelerating because I don't feel comfortable at those speeds. But the ride is smooth.

Temperatures never exceeded 41-degrees C, and it was a borderline hot day today.

It certainly has more low-end power (torque) than the MSX, the the wheel is very zippy. I was kind of anticipating an MSuper V3s+ experience, but that it was not.

It does not feel wide like the MSX or ACM2's. It's certainly not thin, but does not feel as wide as you might think it was based on the pictures. What's deceptive is the handle. It make the whole wheel look big, but in reality it does not feel big.

I tell you, I was in love with this wheel after the first 10-miles. The hills have yet to be tested, but based on a few very steep little hills, I think it has the power to succeed.

After my 24-mile ride I had exactly 50-percent battery (what are the odds?). And that was hard riding (because I was having so much fun). So I'm anticipating some good numbers when I do my typical range test.

I think this is going to be a sleeper hit by Gotway :thumbup:

Posted

White shoe Marty is best Marty!

How would you compare the acceleration/oomph/zippyness/"torque" of he Nikola vs. the ACM2? Maybe that is better answered after some mountain riding though, which will clear that up some more.

Posted
5 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

How would you compare the acceleration/oomph/zippyness/"torque" of he Nikola vs. the ACM2? Maybe that is better answered after some mountain riding though, which will clear that up some more.

@Marty Backe while you are at it, make a comparison to the MCM5 as far as zippiness as well. I'm sure the 14" MCM5 is more zippy, but how much more. I'm sure you'll tell us if this is now your go-to wheel vs the Z10.

Posted
13 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

White shoe Marty is best Marty!

How would you compare the acceleration/oomph/zippyness/"torque" of he Nikola vs. the ACM2? Maybe that is better answered after some mountain riding though, which will clear that up some more.

I'll have to pull out the ACM2 so I have it fresh in my mind. Wouldn't surprise me if the ACM more zippy because of the tiny tire :D But the Nikola is no slouch.

Posted
7 minutes ago, maltocs said:

@Marty Backe while you are at it, make a comparison to the MCM5 as far as zippiness as well. I'm sure the 14" MCM5 is more zippy, but how much more. I'm sure you'll tell us if this is now your go-to wheel vs the Z10.

The Z10 will still be a funner hanging-around-the-stoplight wheel due to it's low speed handling characteristics.

I see you hunting all over for comparisons to the MCM5. No wheel will be zippier than the MCM5. You have to be willing to accept a little less. But the Nikola is no dog.

We'll have to meet so you can ride it and form your own opinions. I'll be doing a ride the weekend after next, if you're around.

Posted

I'm particularly interested in steep uphill starting torque, and how it feels to go down a steep hill, which is where you notice the torque (or not *cough* Z10) the most:)

Posted
4 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

I see you hunting all over for comparisons to the MCM5. No wheel will be zippier than the MCM5. You have to be will to accept a little less. But the Nikola is no dog.

We'll have to meet so you can ride it and form your own opinions. I'll be doing a ride the weekend after next, if you're around.

Absolutely meet! I've come to the realization that no 50+lb wheel is going to be that zippy. I'm definitely in the market for a 1600Wh+ wheel that can come as close to an MCM5 as possible. If only they made the MCM5 with 800Wh swappable batteries. But so far this looks to be the closest thing. Even looks like the MCM5's big brother.

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