Black Friday InMotion Sale - V11 or KS16X

[abrtyler]

Hello!

I am looking to purchase my 1st EUC and I saw that InMotion was having a great sale on the V11 for black friday. I have been comparing it to the KS16x which is around the same price right now as the V11. Is the drop in price of the V11 worth getting it over the 16x?

I keep reading that the 16x is more rugged, but is the v11 really that fragile or is that kind of overblown? I don't want to miss out on a sale, but if the 16x is still a better buy than there's no point.

[Robse]

I think that the KS16X belongs to the slightly more rugged end of all EUC's, having said that, there is no guarantee that you cannot smash the entire shell in a relatively innocent crash.  The KS16X is an "old" machine.  It has no suspension, which among many has almost become a must today - but it also depends on what you want with the wheel.  Personally, I do not miss the suspension, but I am not the most aggressive off roader either.   If you can still find and buy the original seat for the KS16X, it will be the most amazing and simple machine to ride long rides on, nice, comfortable and soft. The acceleration is very good, related to the "small wheel" and the relatively low weight, and the range is quite amazing for a wheel with only a 1554 wh battery. I've tested it many times and can guarantee that if you don't ride wildl and aggressively, and sit down for part of the trip, and stay at approx. 35 - 40 kmph - then you can ride at least 80 km and still have 15% power left. The light is ok, but can always be supplemented with extra. The pedals do not have spikes, but are large and the sandpaper is of such good quality that it should probably last at least 8000 km or more before it needs to be changed. The wheel is not waterproof from the factory, but you can fix it yourself by taking it apart and applying extra silicone. Or you can just not ride in the rain.

I think it's still a really good entry-level machine at a good price. And then there is just a small detail about the maximum speed. The KS16X is advertised for and sold as a 50 kmph wheel. This is technically correct, but in practice it is absolutely not cool to do 50 kmph on this wheel. Firstly, this speed is the maximum the wheel allows via firmware, and if you are in that range you will be constantly reminded with "please decelerate" and tiltback - which is not very good when riding fast. Secondly, the wheel is not the world's most stable above 45 kmph - there is a tendency for wobbles, some worse than others. So remember: This is a 45 kmph wheel. 

[abrtyler]

2 minutes ago, Robse said:

I think that the KS16X belongs to the slightly more rugged end of all EUC's, having said that, there is no guarantee that you cannot smash the entire shell in a relatively innocent crash.  The KS16X is an "old" machine.  It has no suspension, which among many has almost become a must today - but it also depends on what you want with the wheel. 

Thank you. Idk if you have any experience with a onewheel, but without the suspension, how much bumpier of a ride is the KS16X compared to a onewheel ride? That is what I have most experience with. 

Since it is considered an "old" machine, should I hold out for a successor or is that not something coming up anytime soon?

[Robse]

1 hour ago, abrtyler said:

Thank you. Idk if you have any experience with a onewheel, but without the suspension, how much bumpier of a ride is the KS16X compared to a onewheel ride? That is what I have most experience with. 

Since it is considered an "old" machine, should I hold out for a successor or is that not something coming up anytime soon?

I have only ridden onewheel once. I met a group and they let me have a go - I actually managed to be able to ride it in 5 minutes, great fun but not for me. Have ridden a lot of skateboards in the past, and what I don't feel so good about on onewheel is the lack of "front wheel and rear wheel" - together with the fact that you stand sideways on a plate that can stick its nose in the ground .. at any time. Ok, an EUC also only has one wheel, but at least you are correct in relation to being able to take off in the event of a crash, and the principle of a onewheel is that the rider must have contact with the contact plates on the wheel, otherwise it can't figure out the balance... enough about that, I didn't get to notice if it was hard or soft. but I think that a onewheel with the small wide go-kart tire has a relatively good springing/damping effect. Think of it like a bicycle. A fairly normal bicycle has no other suspension than approx. 1.5 cm of travel in the tyre, but it is actually enough for you not to feel the road as long as you are not driving on a gravel road. Suspension on an EUC makes it easier to ride smoothly off-road.  But regardless, it is you the rider who has to keep an eye on the condition of the road, because even the best suspension cannot save you from all unexpected (pot)holes in the road.

The successor to the KS16X is probably called the S16 - but then you're up to a completely different price, and probably more maintenance too, and the worst: It's a brand new wheel, and I've yet to see a wheel launched without all sorts of version 1.0 issues.  Even the KS16X was not lucky at first; The firmware in the first ones was at times quite crazy;  strange behavior, tilt back / forward.  Badly mounted headlights, some were delivered with wrong firmware / serial number so the wheel thought it was a different model, and some had problems with burnt motherboards.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Robse

[litewave]

1 hour ago, abrtyler said:

Thank you. Idk if you have any experience with a onewheel, but without the suspension, how much bumpier of a ride is the KS16X compared to a onewheel ride? That is what I have most experience with. 

Since it is considered an "old" machine, should I hold out for a successor or is that not something coming up anytime soon?

Either is a good choice, but I'd personally choose the V11 for $1500 over the KS16X for (slightly) more. The V11 successor, the V11Y, is already available to order for $2400USD.

You're overthinking this, as most of us do/did when choosing a first wheel. Here are some additional insights that may help:

1. OneWheels and EUCs are not that similar. Once you learn to ride an EUC, you'll probably never want to ride a OneWheel again.
2. You will likely fall in love with EUCs for good and will purchase several more in time, so your first wheel just needs to be good enough. Buy the best, newest, lowest cost wheel you can afford, and most importantly, the one you really want in your heart.

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by litewave

[Panzer04]

Second the recommendations to get a "decent" starter wheel for the cheapest you can. I bought a KS16X a month ago second-hand and i'm already looking at upgrading to something like a master! I suppose you never know how "into" it you'll get, but the KS16X was great for me. Can't speak to the V11, though it sounds like a better option given it has a little bit of suspension (though not very good).

If you are comfortable, it may be worth checking out used EUCs - these older generation EUCs that have been made for 3-4 years now are getting long in the tooth, and usually there's a decent used market from people upgrading to newer/bigger/stronger EUCs.

[abrtyler]

1 hour ago, litewave said:

Either is a good choice, but I'd personally choose the V11 for $1500 over the KS16X for (slightly) more. The V11 successor, the V11Y, is already available to order for $2400USD.

You're overthinking this, as most of us do/did when choosing a first wheel. Here are some additional insights that may help:

1. OneWheels and EUCs are not that similar. Once you learn to ride an EUC, you'll probably never want to ride a OneWheel again.
2. You will likely fall in love with EUCs for good and will purchase several more in time, so your first wheel just needs to be good enough. Buy the best, newest, lowest cost wheel you can afford, and most importantly, the one you really want in your heart.

 

This is great advice. Thank you.

[skunkmonkey]

I'm a new rider this year, so I can only give an opinion on the V11. I've found it to be a great wheel. The suspension is really nice, and totally smooths out the bumps. It's a great commuter wheel, and it has some capability of doing a little light off-road riding if you choose.

The light is sufficient, but not bright enough to ride at high speeds at night, so you'll have to keep your speeds under 20mph or so at night. The fan on the light can be a little loud, but I wear a motorcycle helmet, so I'm barely aware of it.

I have an 18 mile round trip hilly commute, and the V11 handles it like a champ. The final hill to my work is a very steep grade, and the V11 doesn't feel like it's struggling.

The pedals should probably be replaced with honeycomb pedals at some point before the sandpaper wears off, but I found the factory pedals grippy enough initially.

I've ridden it in the rain without issues. I did cover the top portion with a bag just in case, since there are vent holes for the fan, and I didn't want water getting in.

The only real concern I have with the V11 is the monumental difficulty involved with changing the tire. You literally have to completely disassemble the entire wheel to change the tire, or fix a flat. There was zero thought given towards maintenance on this wheel, and it shows.

I will also say that the higher pedal height (due to suspension) will mean it will probably take a bit longer to learn to ride, but IMO it's still worth it to go with a suspension wheel like the V11 that you won't grow out of in a month or two.

It's a fairly comfortable ride with the seat if you purchase that. I don't use the seat a lot, but it's nice to have on long trips, or when it's windy, since you are basically a land-based sail in the wind on an EUC..

The tire geometry is not good on the V11. There's a medial ridge that makes the wheel wobble easily. The wheel wants to go straight or turn, it doesn't want to do both, and this can cause wobbles when you go over small bumps and whatnot. I found that very lightly touching the top of the EUC with my knees though removed wobbles entirely, so it wasn't a huge concern, but until I figured out that trick I was about ready to get a different wheel because I was sick of the wobbles.

The panel geometry doesn't really allow you to add power pads, unless you buy an after-market fairing. Then you can put whatever you like on it, so not a big deal, but worth mentioning since it likely means an extra expense.

Edited November 25, 2023 by skunkmonkey

[Hellkitten]

You got some solid advice from everyone here, so I don’t have much to add. Both a decent wheels in the casual cruiser class. The V11 was my first wheel and honestly, it’s difficult to go back to a non suspension wheel. The V11 suspension is far from perfect, but I’d rather have that than none. I’ve ridden at 55kms regularly on it and it’s never cut out. It’s also been through some heavy rain with no problems so far. Either one will make a great first wheel and will be a good fit in your future stable. Have fun on your new journey and push through the steep learning curve ahead. Be stubborn and enjoy the ride!