Debating KS 16X or Gotway Tesla V2 as my first wheel

[Edidas]

Let me start by saying that i have been watching countless youtube video and read many of the post here regarding all brands of EUC for a few months, but i do want some unbiased opinions on comparing both wheels as this is my first EUC. 

For your info i'm 6'1 185lbs and i came from onewheel Pint then XR but then sold it after broke my wrist because of battery cut-out, i currently owns a electric scooter but i want to ride EUC because of the fun factor and how compact they are for storing, i'd like to have an EUC that had potential of 30-35 mph with 30+ miles range, mostly street or bike trails riding. With that i've narrowed my choice down to 16X & Tesla V2. (i believe 16" is the great tire size to begin with)

so which one is better learning wheel in your opinion? Tesla V2 seems to be the best bang for your bucks in terms of stats, is the extra 500ish watt hour on 16X worth the extra $640? handling between the 2.1inches to the 3inches tire? wheel performance and the overall built quality from KS and Gotway/Begode? Ease of servicing on your own compared both wheels?

Sorry for all these questions but i don't see quite lot of people comparing these 2, usually 16X vs Nickola or Tesla vs 16XS.

 

[Tawpie]

I've only ridden the 16XS so can't comment on the differences, but I chose the XS as my learning wheel because I wanted to have a general purpose on-off road toy. It's not for commuting, and not for speed—just for fun. My experience with it as a learner wheel has been excellent and I'm tickled pink with my choice. My attitude when falling is self-preservation over wheel preservation so the wheel has taken a lot of falls and rolls in its Roll.nz cover. I've had zero issues with the wheel (or cover, Roll.nz is a good investment IMO, if nothing else it makes the sides a little less slippery and a little less hard on your calves). I have yet to approach the top speed of 30 mph because 1) I know I have half a battery and that means my safety margin is way thinner at speed, and 2) 20 mph to me is plenty fast enough since when I'm riding I'm entertaining myself and don't have to be anywhere at any particular time. I was worried about the wheel's weight and how it might affecting learning but I was able to get going in a couple/three sessions... seems typical so I don't think it hampered me.

I like the 3" tire, it does want to tramline a little but it's super maneuverable (nimble is the proper term) and I like the thought that wider should be 'better' than narrow off road. Again, I have nothing to compare it to so there's that.

HOWEVER. I do find myself wondering if the half battery was as brilliant a choice as it was when I clicked "buy now". Again, it's a safety margin question. As I've found that I really like riding this thing, I do see myself in less pedestrian situations where the extra parallel pack and current it affords would be comforting. I'm hoping (heard rumors) that if I decide the second battery is important it can be added... although I suspect it'll want a new main board to go along with the battery. The potential for adding the second battery was an intellectual option when I chose the XS... if it is even possible to do it'll be a bit more expensive than starting with the X but less expensive than taking the depreciation hit and buying up. So far, I haven't seen anything (including the X) that I absolutely gotta have so it's a bit of a moot point today.

When summer rolls around and I can hit the bike trails, who knows. Wants change. For me, this wheel riding thing is a want so I have lots of options.

[RockyTop]

The 16x is a great wheel and over all better than the Tesla ...... but you won’t see me riding it past 25mph. I have done the math and the top end safety margin is not OK for me. (Others will disagree) The Tesla has a smaller tire. It actually measures in the 16.5 inch range. The 16X is actually 17.6 inches. The Tesla is a more capable wheel even at the higher top speed. 
 

So witch of these two wheel would I suggest? Well , I would go with the Nikola. It is like the 16X except better. ( others will disagree) 

 

 

[Lylesgold]

It's a tough call. I have a 16x and sometimes ride with a friend on a Tesla V2. The main Tesla advantages: Price, higher top speed and less heavy. 16x advantages: better ground clearance, more power, stability and range.

From this experience the Tesla is clearly more nimble, while the 16x is more stable, more forgiving as a cruiser, and has the additional range.

The Tesla rider would frequently scrape pedals which was annoying, particularly compared to the exceptional 16x ground clearance.

 

So you have to decide what matters most to you:

An interesting observation is that the top speed difference was not significant on our rides, but may be for you if you're competing with NYC drivers.

Does the weight matter? If you have to climb stairs regularly pick the Tesla over the 16x. If you don't have that issue or like long rides the 16x is best. 

If it comes down to price you will not regret getting the Tesla.

[mrelwood]

29 minutes ago, Edidas said:

Tesla V2 seems to be the best bang for your bucks in terms of stats

If only build quality and concentrating in details were included in the stats...

 First of all, 16XS is exactly the same as 16X, just with half the battery. So everything else in the comparisons should be head on.

29 minutes ago, Edidas said:

 is the extra 500ish watt hour on 16X worth the extra $640?

GW doesn’t utilize the battery as far as KS, so the 16X will get more range than the additional 500Wh would suggest.

29 minutes ago, Edidas said:

handling between the 2.1inches to the 3inches tire?

Huge. The width also increases the size enough for the 16X to be called a 17” wheel.

29 minutes ago, Edidas said:

wheel performance and the overall built quality from KS and Gotway/Begode?

The 16X is a strong EUC as well, but in my understanding it loses the power much earlier than the Tesla. So while they may be comparable at lower speeds, the 16X must be ridden carefully above 40km/h (~26.5mph).
 

 While the overall design and build quality of GW wheels in general leaves much to hope for, when it works, it works like a tractor. Many of the small issues and annoyances you could or will have with the 16X are simply not possible to happen on the Tesla.

 Comfort is an aspect you didn’t ask about. The 16X is one of the most comfy wheels to ride, with nothing sharp looking at your legs. The Tesla is low and wide with a sharp edge and uncomfortable padding, potentially allowing for tighter maneuvering in tight places,  but OTOH the 3” tire in the 16X makes it turn much tighter, so you don’t have to tilt it as much for turning.

 The beepyness of the 16X is an aspect as well. It usually beeps with an annoying 7-8 beep pattern every time you connect to the wheel with your mobile. 

29 minutes ago, Edidas said:

Ease of servicing on your own compared both wheels?

I don’t think there is a major difference between any EUC regarding this. Once in a blue moon you might have to spend a little more servicing the other, but it is meaningless when choosing an EUC. After all, the more important things are present every single yard you ride.

 Some of us boycott KS due to the punishments they keep laying on some customers by remotely locking their wheels.

[houseofjob]

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

For your info i'm 6'1 185lbs and i came from onewheel Pint then XR but then sold it after broke my wrist because of battery cut-out,

Wow, damn, sorry. Unfortunately, I've heard so many OW stories like this, which makes sense how underpowered the battery pack and motor is.

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

i'd like to have an EUC that had potential of 30-35 mph with 30+ miles range, mostly street or bike trails riding.

Neither are really gonna hold and sustain 30-35mph, more like just burst.

King Song in general is a more conservative power tuning, esp with sub 40% battery, so if holding, or rather getting close to holding 30mph+ is your priority, go with the Tesla. There's a reason why speed guys go Gotway (evident here in NYC).

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

so which one is better learning wheel in your opinion?

IMHO, wider tires make learning easier, but you can learn on any wheel.

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

is the extra 500ish watt hour on 16X worth the extra $640?

More parallel battery packs, more the power load is shared across the number of cells / "horses", the less likely you'll get dropped from aggressive leans, esp with a deplenished battery pack.

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

handling between the 2.1inches to the 3inches tire? 

I hate 2.1 for NYC Swiss cheese pavement, you feel the crap so much more. Wider the better IMHO

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

wheel performance and the overall built quality from KS and Gotway/Begode?

Tesla is worse build quality IMHO, tho that's gotten better. For reference, the Tesla paradigm is an older part of Gotway's egg-shaped wheel design evolution. The more recent Gotway eggs are fortified much better, with the Nikola integrity being the best.

Performance-wise, the 2 companies are completely different opposite engineering ethos. Gotway is performance over everything (even QC many times), whereas King Song pulls the performance back, tuning things more conservatively, which can be both good (less chance of burning/smoking components) and bad (overlean faceplant).

40 minutes ago, Edidas said:

Ease of servicing on your own compared both wheels?

For tire changes, King Song is gonna be easier since you don't have to split the shell, can just slide out the wheel/motor assembly

But for board swaps, which I've done for both, 16X is gonna be a bigger pain IMHO, due to the higher intricacy and top board mounting (Tesla is slide out).

[mike_bike_kite]

1 hour ago, Edidas said:

For your info i'm 6'1 185lbs and i came from onewheel Pint then XR but then sold it after broke my wrist because of battery cut-out, i currently owns a electric scooter but i want to ride EUC because of the fun factor and how compact they are for storing, i'd like to have an EUC that had potential of 30-35 mph with 30+ miles range, mostly street or bike trails riding. With that i've narrowed my choice down to 16X & Tesla V2.

The 16X is a great wheel but it's not safe to go 30mph. 30mph might seem slow in a car but it's quite fast on an EUC. The Tesla v2 will reach 30mph but that's very close to it's top speed. If you're wanting to ride any EUC at their top speeds then you will suffer a cut out at some point. Personally I'd learn on a used wheel, then use that time to decide what it is you really want in a wheel. You can then sell the used wheel to buy the wheel of your dreams. If you're determined to go 30-35mph then you should look at something like the Nikola plus or an MSX which are fairly cheap at the moment. 

[Edidas]

Thanks everyone for your input, some great point that i haven't really though of.

i'm not a speed demon (not yet i think), since i haven't ridden an EUC yet, only tried on my brother's ninebot but gave up after a few tries last year, my expectation of the speed around 30-35 mph is only for the expectation that if one day if i need it it'd be there, also that i won't outgrow the wheel easily with hitting the top end speed constantly.

i do consider myself comfortable cruising around 20 mph range on my e-scooter and onewheel (which wasn't very capable lol), with the higher top speed at least i won't overspeed by accident and faceplant like i did on my onewheel.

good point about 16X being more comfortable and better handling with wider wheel (for NYC road), king song also has reputation on putting safety before speed as well so that would be a plus for me. the good thing is the Tesla is cheaper so there will be less buyer remorse if i gave up riding or wanting to upgrade later, taking less hit on value depreciate.

some even suggest Nikola but my budget for my first wheel is under $2000 and would like to be purchased via reputable dealer like ewheels with warranty.

 

[Scottie888]

I started off this EUC game late this spring with nought a single iota of knowledge & now with 3 wheels (soon to be 4) in the stable, I'm gonna throw you a curve ball & say none of the above even though I own the Tesla V2 1480ah. Knowing what I know now, I'd start off with the MSX 84v 1600ah. Its proven, super reliable, 18x3" tire for all round usage, great offroad as onroad, tons of ref for easy maintenance, lots of mods available & best of all, its still available (I think) on some Ali stores for <$1.5k as its no longer available in NA.

Its no more difficult to learn on as any of the mentioned above, will sustain 30+mph til 40% (maybe more) & will do anyone well from beginner to advanced rider. The day you find its limits will be the day you know exactly what to upgrade to (if ever).

[Edidas]

47 minutes ago, Scottie888 said:

I started off this EUC game late this spring with nought a single iota of knowledge & now with 3 wheels (soon to be 4) in the stable, I'm gonna throw you a curve ball & say none of the above even though I own the Tesla V2 1480ah. Knowing what I know now, I'd start off with the MSX 84v 1600ah. Its proven, super reliable, 18x3" tire for all round usage, great offroad as onroad, tons of ref for easy maintenance, lots of mods available & best of all, its still available (I think) on some Ali stores for <$1.5k as its no longer available in NA.

Its no more difficult to learn on as any of the mentioned above, will sustain 30+mph til 40% (maybe more) & will do anyone well from beginner to advanced rider. The day you find its limits will be the day you know exactly what to upgrade to (if ever).

Interesting, with the price and specs it's really tempting, i also heard many praise on the older Gotway except the new release hollow motor which plague with bearing issues.

my questions is how reliable is buying from aliexpress? ive heard many horror stories about purchasing from ali seller, things broken during transit and poor aftersales customer service, do they offer warranty and which particular seller there you'd recommended?

[Scottie888]

31 minutes ago, Edidas said:

...my questions is how reliable is buying from aliexpress? ive heard many horror stories about purchasing from ali seller, things broken during transit and poor aftersales customer service, do they offer warranty and which particular seller there you'd recommended?

2 of my current 3 wheels are bought from an Ali store with zero issue/s except the vaunted covid shipping delays. Strangely enough, the one wheel I bought in country (online as there's no physical EUC store in my city) has the most problems, the 1st batch S18 & its QC + suspension which ultimately, is a DIY fix & not warranty. Take that for it is but I hear Ewheels have superb CS.

My 4th wheel (MCM5 V2) will also be from an Ali store. My solemn advise is not (maybe never) buy a new 1st gen product for obvious reasons. As mentioned, the MSX is true & well proven product & even if repairs are to be had, there's tons of help resources. Far's Ali store/s go, I purchased mine from Wheel Riders Store but honestly, its not likely that any of them will be a rip off as Ali has its protection & so do PP &or CC. 

Regardless, its always Caveat Emptor. So if u do, go into it with an open mind re. shipping & service (or lack thereof). Like anything, there's not much to be done about shipping damage as its not their fault. If the wheel is faulty, they'll ship u parts but again, it won't be a next day service. Just so you know, you're likely not the only one buying from them so they do know what they're doing....usually.

Bonus: If you're polite & is willing to exchange a couple online chats/emails with them, you can ask for a discount code. Who knows, there maybe a surprise for ya....😁

Edited December 22, 2020 by Scottie888

[RetroThruster]

Just my .02, you will end up with another wheel, we all do, well, darn near most of us, I started with a 16x a little over a year ago and now I'm 5 wheels in, I'd say start with the Tesla if you can't afford/want to spend the money on a Nikola, like RockyTop said, you'll have a better safety buffer for the speeds you desire.

I think the v3 Tesla coming has a larger battery (1500wh?) and priced around $1,650, if the Nikola is outside your budget, the v3 might be the answer.  

[mike_bike_kite]

12 hours ago, Scottie888 said:

I'm gonna throw you a curve ball & say none of the above even though I own the Tesla V2 1480ah. Knowing what I know now, I'd start off with the MSX 84v 1600ah.

Not much of a curve ball, I suggested the MSX two posts above yours

[I_Must_Bust]

I learned on the tesla V2 and it remains my only wheel. It has great power and climbing ability. I take it off road without any issues. I usually stick below 30mph though. If you want faster I'd go with a Nikola, an MSP, or an RS. IMO you want a decent safety margin and I never go above the rated speed despite the fact that with my my weight the tesla could probably handle it. I'll touch 30 occasionally but mostly go between 20 and 27.

When I don't have to carry my wheel up and down stairs any more I'll get a faster one.

Edited December 23, 2020 by I_Must_Bust

[Scottie888]

11 hours ago, mike_bike_kite said:

Not much of a curve ball, I suggested the MSX two posts above yours

As they say...Great Minds Think Alike😁

[I_Must_Bust]

20 hours ago, RetroThruster said:

I'd say start with the Tesla if you can't afford/want to spend the money on a Nikola, like RockyTop said, you'll have a better safety buffer for the speeds you desire.

 

Yeah this is exactly what I did. The tesla is an AWESOME wheel for a beginner with plenty of room to grow into. It has a great price, medium weight, good power, good speed, and it's multiple iterations into development so it's pretty reliable. I'll definitely get a faster wheel when I feel I need it but I for now the Tesla is exactly what I wanted. Admittedly, the weight was a pretty big factor for me so take that as you will.

[Mac]

In my never to be humble opinion the Mten3 is probably the best to learn on and you will never out grow it! You may want to purchase a faster longer distance wheel in the future but you will always love the Mten3! There isn’t anything like it. It’s just a great all round wheel.

[.....]

With your weight and speed requirements.... NEITHER. I wouldnt trust the lack of overhead or enjoy the throttling after such short distance, of either. Can the 16x even do 30-35mph? I dont mean inflated or for a mere 2/10ths a mile. I mean, can EITHER wheel do 35mph for even 5 miles, while sustaining safe overhead, for a 200lbs geared rider? Either you may need to lower your expectations, or increase your wallet. I LOVE my 18" wheel and it was a perfect learner. I also find it to be a refined cruiser. However, its top speed of 27mph and realistic range of 30miles, doesnt meet what you require. I feel safer with how my wheel limits my speed, and THIS allows me to enjoy the ride. When I want to expect a safe 30-35mph, I step up to the Sherman. Again, overhead is key to safety. The compromises are all around. weight, costs, nimble, elegance, reliability, range, speed, safety. Its so many variations of what YOU need and would personally compromise on and what you wouldnt, that makes it hard to say. Theres a LOT of great wheels and if you stay with a proven design and dont buy blindly, you will learn to enjoy it. You will also need an MTEN Trust me, you wont 'outgrow' a normal sized wheel for quite a while. The more I ride mine, the more I grow INTO them, limitations and all! Get ready, youll have a collection within a year! Here's one thing for sure. Respect the beep and dont ride tilbacks. The beep isnt a warning, it a huge mistake on your part! Ride like an animal, but KNOW the limitations of the hardware. YOU can learn to ride harder, but each wheel has a limit that doesnt learn with you.

Edited December 24, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[mrelwood]

1 hour ago, ShanesPlanet said:

With your weight and speed requirements.... NEITHER. I wouldnt trust the lack of overhead or enjoy the throttling after such short distance, of either. Can the 16x even do 30-35mph? I dont mean inflated or for a mere 2/10ths a mile. I mean, can EITHER wheel do 35mph for even 5 miles, while sustaining safe overhead, for a 200lbs geared rider? Either you may need to lower your expectations, or increase your wallet. I LOVE my 18" wheel and it was a perfect learner. I also find it to be a refined cruiser. However, its top speed of 27mph and realistic range of 30miles, doesnt meet what you require. I feel safer with how my wheel limits my speed, and THIS allows me to enjoy the ride. When I want to expect a safe 30-35mph, I step up to the Sherman. Again, overhead is key to safety. The compromises are all around. weight, costs, nimble, elegance, reliability, range, speed, safety. Its so many variations of what YOU need and would personally compromise on and what you wouldnt, that makes it hard to say. Theres a LOT of great wheels and if you stay with a proven design and dont buy blindly, you will learn to enjoy it. You will also need an MTEN Trust me, you wont 'outgrow' a normal sized wheel for quite a while. The more I ride mine, the more I grow INTO them, limitations and all! Get ready, youll have a collection within a year! Here's one thing for sure. Respect the beep and dont ride tilbacks. The beep isnt a warning, it a huge mistake on your part! Ride like an animal, but KNOW the limitations of the hardware. YOU can learn to ride harder, but each wheel has a limit that doesnt learn with you.

I rarely post only “metoos”. But @ShanesPlanet did such a marvelous job with his post above, that I must. Extremely well said, every word!

[Unventor]

I put a 2cent in here. 

If you want 30-35mph speed there is no way to do that safely on a budget. That is just how it rolls. 

Like @houseofjob said some can do it in "bursts" but that need a little explanation if you have not ridden EUCs.

Most wheels are fairly fast starters. This is due to max torque from 0mph. As you go faster the torque is lost and it is very important to have enough torque to propel you forward yet maintain balanance when ever you hit an obstacles bump or pot hole alike. As a motor ask for power on a spike what is odd to get you head around is it isn't just motor power in watt. It is the long chain of things, battery output at the level of battery remaining, temperature, wiring, electronics and all that mixed together means it is not just one or two specefic actions to look at. 

I will argue it take the better part of 1500mil to get a native unconscious reaction of the body to safely ride at 30+mph.  An EUC is great and fun an very convenient but it isn't just to step up and ride. As an example going over a bump at vey low speed means you don't have momentum to help you so it can generat a huge (of then the most dangerous) spike demands of power. 

So to wheels. Most here know I don't favour GW at all. So I don't have ride experience with these as I wouldn't buy them. 

Now I have a KS16X and that is a great wheel if you respect that over 40kmh you need to be careful. I would never get a KS16X. It needs the full pack of battery. Half size is only asking for trouble. 

The good part of the KS16X is it is nimble and fast to get out of trouble from. Low up to 30kmh. After that you need to ease of. Simply because you hit the limit so fast. The other good part is it is now a mature model meaning initial batch issues are ironed out by now. It has a good range and practical trolley. This is something I find important as I use my EUC every where and when eg shopping. (I sold my car). 

You also need to accept the wheel you buy now is not your last. It is a lifestyle than once tested it sticks on most people. And the addition only gets stronger the more you ride. 

I do have one wheel that I like much more though. The V11 but it is not a starter wheel and it isn't yet matured there are still. Issues that Inmotion are working on fixing. But the suspension is great. But don't buy that now, as a first wheel. And that leaves out Inmotion as an option unless... 

You go for a cheaper solution now accepting that you need to start first and then late upgrade to where you want to be, but there is a learning curve and body/mind thing you need to build up first. The V10f could be such a wheel. Not as heavy yet good as a last mile solution plus 20mil range at modest speed (can go longer but that is speed vs range). Saving on the first wheel means you have a start with money not spend now to buy your 2nd wheel sooner. It never hurts to have two wheel. Either for back up or to get friends/familie into this too. 

I know this might not make your decision simpler. But if you spend time here you will see many that were in similar situation and then look at their profile 1 or 2 years later. Most are not on their first wheel. 

A lot for 2 cents. But that is on the house.. ofjob 😉. 

[Surfling]

@Edidas Any updates on this? What wheel did you end up getting - Tesla v2 or KS 16X? 

 

[Edidas]

8 hours ago, Surfling said:

@Edidas Any updates on this? What wheel did you end up getting - Tesla v2 or KS 16X? 

 

Hey thanks for checking up!

I ended up with a MSX 84v as some people suggested. I've put in around 100 miles so far and still learning but msx has been great in terms of size, range and speed, my top speed so far is only around 25mph so I still have much room to grow into it. 

I've also dropped my wheel many times while learning so I'm glad I bought it used instead, I might consider upgrade to suspension wheel once my riding skills is more polished for more comfortable ride but that will be later this year. 

[Surfling]

Oh, good one!

Lotsa good reviews on that from what I gathered.  So I'm currently deciding between MSX 84v vs Tesla v2.

Just doing more reading/research for now. 

 

 

[EUC Sharkman]

I got a Tesla v2 because I was looking for a lighter wheel but still decent in range and power. If I wasn’t looking for portability, the MSX was top of my list. The used ones are going for a great price for what you get for it.