KS-18XL is still a good pick in 2022?

[FabioMLA]

Anyone knows if KS-18XL is still being produced by King Song? Or it has been discontinued? If so, any suggestion for a substitute with similar caracteristic? Thanks

[Tawpie]

I don't own one but those that do absolutely swear by them. The (in my opinion) best retailer in the US has them in stock too! (yes, KS still makes them)

https://www.ewheels.com/product/new-king-song-18xl-1554wh-battery-2000w-motor/

[UniVehje]

It’s a good and reliable wheel and still produced. Long range, comfortable to ride, easy to own. Just enough of everything and not ruined by being too heavy to reach bigger numbers. It sits at the right spot in the “law of diminishing returns” chart. The only thing I personally want more today is suspension, otherwise I’d be happy to buy it again. 

[Funky]

18xl is one of better options out there. So called "workhorse". (In my mind. Even new releases - most of them are garbage/have problems.)

Doh it's more or less only a pavement cruiser. It has no torque. (I also weight 280lbs maybe that's why..) But otherwise it's simply is one of the lightest wheels that can do ~50kph speeds. (I would ride 40-45kph as MAX speed.. Because riding at 50kph is asking for a faceplant - just a friendly reminder.)

I also see as not having suspension as plus - less moving parts, less something can break. (I don't care much about comfort - i need device that will work many years without issues.. So called workhorse.)

How much you weight? If you are light you may also have a look at 16X. I personally was choosing between 18xl and 16x. In store i tried "carrying" both of them and i didn't like the 16x handle. It's more square formed and it didn't feel so great in hand while carrying it. So in the end i went with 18xl just because of the handle.  

Sure i loved how 16x looks very much.. But i went with function over form. I later added 80/80-14 tire and hextech pedals in the end it's almost same as 16x.  Bigger tire, less torque. 18xl is simply amazing, if you need to ride straight flat roads. Even on gravel roads it's okayish.

Next best wheel that i personally would choose, would be Inmotion V12 HT  - but sadly that wheel still has many problems... Every other wheel is kinda "shit" and too heavy.. Too heavy is my biggest problem.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Funky

[sidderke]

I just bought one in February this year. Pretty much asked the same question, and everyone still thinks this is a very reliably, comfortable buy, although it is expensive. Bought it, coming from an InMotion V10F, and mostly been very happy. 

[yoos]

Yes, a good pick. Proven and reliable, which is also why it might make sense to buy one used (I got a used 18L in January). It's quite ergonomic and slim. Modern marketing tells people they need the newest model and that things definitely go obsolete after some 5 years. However, EUCs are more like bicycles than smartphones: their function is simple and there have been no recent breakthroughs [with the exception of suspension] - mostly incremental improvements. The 18XL is a very well-rounded wheel. I feel like the only inconvenience is the 18"x2.5" tire size. It's great for city riding but very few alternative tire options available in that particular size [or you have to trim down an 18"x3"]. But this only concerns me because of snowy winters . Should not be a problem in Florida.

Edited July 9, 2022 by yoos

[memelifestyle]

The 18XL is a stable workhorse, like others have mentioned.  I’ve put 500 miles on mine since I bought it in March, probably 75/25 pavement/off road.  It’s agile, relatively lightweight, good ergonomics(I really like the slim profile design), with enough torque and speed for normies like me who aren’t trying set the EUC land speed record.  I chose the 18XL based on reliability and build quality within its weight class and so far haven’t been disappointed.

[tenofnine]

Yes it is like the escalade of non-suspension wheels, very smooth, silent, and comfy.

The instant torque is lacking off the line but once you get to the mid-top end it's very responsive. It climbs very steep inclines easily and brakes very well. Extremely safe wheel could probably do 40 mph easily but King Song chooses safety over speed.

The only people I wouldn't recommend the wheel to is someone who is under 5ft5 or under 140 lbs because it will be unwieldy to stop and start on and it tends to be top heavy at a stand still. You need to have the height or weight to get the proper amount of torque out of the wheel (or really good pads and skill level if you don't).

It's also surprisingly agile and stable at walking speeds, It's a joy to ride slowly at any tire pressure. But it's really fun and stable to ride at 22-30 mph.

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by tenofnine

[LanghamP]

I bought a white one that coincidentally arrived the weekend of the start of the Ukrainian/Russian War.

It's probably one of the most refined wheels now made, and it has received upgraded motors and software throughout the years. It's the older traditional rounded design which we're seeing less of these days but which I strongly favor aesthetically. It has fairly unsophisticated LED lights compared to, say, the Gotway Nikola+. Watching other people ride my EUC, it just seems to look better proportionally than most other wheels, in my opinion. Most people look too big with a KS14, KS16, or Inmotion V8, but the KS18XL is a physically much larger wheel than any of those, and so from the side it looks like a proper road-going wheel instead of a toy.

The present iteration, which I have, is a fairly loud wheel because of its "powerful" motor. No one really knows how much these motors make but I'm guessing the XL is probably still near or at the top of powerful motors + batteries of modern wheels, but of course the once you start spinning the higher voltage motors will have much higher top speeds. Basically, it's a wheel that runs out of steam above 30 mph which not coincidently KS limits its top speed to.

So is it a good buy in 2022? Maybe, if you prefer the big wheel feel over the 16 inchers, but taking off from a red light going uphill is going to really suck. I think the Gotway Nikola+ is probably a much better and even safer buy for most people, and it's just a few hundred more. The XL is somewhat stuck/compromised between the lighter public transportation wheels and the very heavy super wheels. It's best to think of it as the successor of the KS16s; same shape, same feel, a bit heavier, MUCH bigger, but handles similar.

[Funky]

6 hours ago, LanghamP said:

It's best to think of it as the successor of the KS16s; same shape, same feel, a bit heavier, MUCH bigger, but handles similar.

It's nothing like ks16s. 18xl feels slower. Less agile and so on. But that's more or less because 16vs18" tire. I have ridden 16s and it's so nimble. It feels like a "toy" between my legs.  Also it can take up speed more quickly. 18xl is slower and less agile overall. Sure if you "superman" lean then it will take up speed faster. On 16s you don't need to lean and it's starts to race. They only look alike.

Our family got both wheels.  

Edited July 10, 2022 by Funky