Kaaspeed Scooter

Overview

If you want to stand out on the trail or the street, the Kaaspeed is guaranteed to turn heads. This fat-tire electric scooter is the primary vehicle offered by the company, and they sell it in a wide variety of colors. I got my hands on the gorgeous bright orange model, and it looks absolutely beautiful when the bright sun hits the paint. It is honestly the type of vehicle that makes people stare wherever you ride it.

The most defining feature of this scooter is easily the massive 9.5-inch wide tires. They offer this model in both a street tread and an off-road tread, and I opted to test the smooth road version. One detail I really appreciate about the overall aesthetic is that all the wiring is routed internally. The owner actually asked me to point that out in my testing notes, and I have to agree—it gives the frame an incredibly sleek and clean look without a rat's nest of cables ruining the vibe.

Real-World Performance

When it came time to test the speed, I put the scooter directly into Extreme mode. The Kaaspeed is officially rated to hit 26 mph, but during my full-block acceleration test, I topped out at 24 mph. I currently weigh 180 pounds, so if you are a slightly lighter rider or happen to have a strong wind at your back, you might be able to squeeze out that advertised top speed. Off the line, the 1000W rear motor and its roughly 90 Nm of torque provide a very solid punch that gets you up to speed in a hurry.

I wanted to see how that power translated to climbing, so I took it to my local 60 percent grade test hill. I started at the very bottom with zero momentum to see if the motor would bog down. Instead, it powered me all the way to the crest while easily maintaining 8 mph. That is an impressive display of low-end torque for a hub motor pushing a heavy scooter up a steep incline.

You absolutely need to know about the handling, because there is a serious learning curve when it comes to steering these 9.5-inch tires. When I first hopped on, it was honestly a little bit scary. I even set up a mini obstacle course for my wife, and she had a tough time navigating the tight turns initially. Because the tires are so wide, you cannot just turn the handlebars to corner. You have to lean significantly harder than you would on a standard bike or scooter to force the rubber onto its curved edge.

After riding it for a couple of hours, you start to pick up the tricks. Once you learn to trust the lean angle, you can practically rock yourself to sleep weaving back and forth. When you finally find that sweet spot, you can aggressively rip around corners and shred the pavement. It transitions from feeling terrifying to feeling incredibly rewarding.

As for range, the small compartment under the deck houses a 19.2 Ah LG battery equipped with standard BMS protections to prevent overheating and overcharging. A full charge takes roughly 6 hours, and the company claims it can deliver up to 38 miles of range. Based on my testing, your actual mileage will heavily depend on your weight, the weather, and how hard you lean on that Extreme mode throttle.

Design & Build Quality

This is not a highly portable scooter by any stretch of the imagination. It weighs in at a hefty 105 pounds, but that bulk allows it to support a massive 400-pound rider payload. The overall cockpit is huge, and at 5'11", I felt perfectly comfortable stretching out. If you are a smaller rider, there are three screws you can loosen to pull the handlebars back, push them forward, or adjust the angle to fit your exact reach.

The ride quality is surprisingly plush. Even though there is no active suspension system, those huge soft-rubber tires are incredibly cushy. I intentionally rode over sidewalk cracks and rough transitions, and you almost can't even tell you are hitting them. It is a wildly smooth experience compared to typical solid-tire commuter scooters. The tires actually have a self-balancing nature to them. You can physically tilt the scooter upwards of 30 degrees and it will hold its ground, making it very stable when coming to a stop.

My only real build complaint centers around the hydraulic mineral oil brakes. The right lever controls the front tire and the left lever controls the rear tire. While they provide excellent stopping power and feature motor cut-off sensors so you cannot apply the throttle while braking, the rotors on my test unit were grindy, loud, and squeaky right out of the box. Whenever you hit either brake lever, the rear taillight flares up brightly, which is a great safety touch. I will just need to spend some time adjusting the calipers to eliminate that annoying brake rub.

Key Features

Starting the Kaaspeed is completely keyless. You hold down the bottom power button and tap the included NFC card to wake up the display. It defaults to a safety parking mode where the right-side half-twist throttle is disabled, ensuring you don't accidentally launch the scooter while walking it. From there, you can toggle between Eco, High, and Extreme riding modes.

The unboxing experience is also exceptionally well thought out. Unlike some massive electric rides that require you to slice up heavy-duty cardboard, you simply cut the plastic straps and the entire top box pulls right off. You just have to insert a safety pin into the folding mechanism and snap on the cover so the handlebars stay completely rigid when you hit bumps.

I also love the versatility of the mounting setup. It features an easy step-through frame for mounting and dismounting. If you are feeling brave, you can actually ditch the seat completely and ride it standing up like a massive skateboard, which adds a slightly terrifying but highly entertaining element to the ride. Finally, there is a quick-release accessory mount on the rear for adding extra storage or racks.

Who It's For

I'd recommend the Kaaspeed to riders who want a highly stylized, incredibly smooth-riding cruiser for beach paths, flat neighborhood streets, and sunny weekend rides. It is perfect for anyone who values a comfortable, seated ride with massive payload capacity and a head-turning design.

Who Should Skip It

If you are looking for a highly portable, nimble scooter to weave through tight city traffic or carry up a flight of stairs, skip this entirely. The heavy weight and the wide turning radius make it poorly suited for cramped urban commutes.

How It Stacks Up

I reviewed one other fat-tire scooter similar to this roughly a year and a half ago, and the ride quality was night and day. On that older model, hitting sidewalk lines or curbing was jarring and deeply uncomfortable. The Kaaspeed completely outclasses it in comfort; the soft rubber compound used on these wide tires absorbs bumps effortlessly, allowing you to glide over pavement without the scooter fighting back against you.

Final Verdict

The Kaaspeed is the type of vehicle that simply makes people stare. I love the look, the bold color options, and the plush ride quality. While the heavy weight and squeaky brakes are minor annoyances out of the box, the massive low-end torque and uniquely smooth carving ability make it one of my favorite rides for casual cruising.