July, 2010
Frank M Sargent /by email/

Hello To Anyone Contemplating Buying A Motorino ebike

I have owned my Motorino Xpn for one month and have put on about 500 km so far. This bike feels, looks and rides just like a motorcycle, except it is quiet and I like that! I have over 10 years of motorcycle riding experience and have ridden bikes from a 500 cc Kawi Mach 1 triple set for Mossport Racetrack to a Kawi 900 and ZX 1000, Honda 750 and a Harley Softail. I am well aware of what a motor bike should feel and operate like. I love my Motorino Xpn ebike. It has the look and feel of a cross between a Vespa and a small Harley! For a small bike the suspension is phenomenal. I had a Gio ebike previously and sold it as soon as I test drove the Motorino. The shocks are Yamaha designed and handle almost all bumps including railway tracks. The front end forks are not offset which gives unbelievable stability to steering. Gone is the vibration and shaking of the handlebars present on cheaper kinds of ebikes. In fact the steering is so stable that I can ride with one hand safely which is important when giving hand signals. I tested the steering on a straight road and was even able to take both hands off the bars and the bike road straight and smoothly! Please do not do this unless you are a very experienced bike rider! The breaks are also magnificent. Power disc breaks with ABS protection separately controlled! While coming home from downtown I rode down Chilko Rd. that has about a 10 % decline and I hit 65 km/hr ! The suspension combined with the power disc brakes and the motorcycle styled higher frame made cornering and handling a thrilling adventure! Again please use caution as this was only a test! The next feature that I like is the mag wheels with larger tubeless tires that inflate to 50 PSI and have a high tech sealant inserted to automatically seal punctures. The bike has a plug puncture kit included for the rare exception. I plan to have a cigarette lighter installed so that I can carry and use an electric pressure pump for anything! I did buy a second battery and this enables me to ride from the Coquitlam Mall all the way to downtown and back on a single charge! There are various places such as at Costco that you can stop to get a 1 hour boost if need be. I was able to go to superstore and carry home 100 lbs. of groceries easily. Another feature that I like is the extended rear view mirrors so that rear traffic is highly visible. All in all the Motorino Xpn is an excellent ebike for the price if dependability,comfort,safety and pleasure are of import to you. The staff at E-Ride Motorino are the final determining factor when buying an ebike. The service is outstanding for maintenance and knowledge. I bought the disulphate attachment to extend my batteries lifespan. It is a pleasure to have an environmentally friendly, low maintenance, cheap means of transport that is serviceable within Vancouver where all your questions and needs will be taken care of politely and efficiently. Once again, have fun, but use caution and abide by all traffic and safety regulations!

July, 2009
Steve Tate /E-Ride customer, by e-mail/

Hi, I just wanted to provide some feedback on the people who work at E-Ride, the service they provide, and the equipment they sell. First, and most important of all the people: I met Steve and Peter at the Annual Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association’s Ride Electric Vehicles (REV) Show. They both were very friendly and helpful and took the time to answer all my questions. Well I was trying to decide which make and model I should buy, I spent a lot of time talking to Peter (even when it was time for him to go home!) to get a better understanding of the different ins and outs of the scooters. It was obvious to me that Peter is genuinely enthusiastic about Electric Vehicles and really enjoys what he is doing. In my opinion, Peter is a fantastic asset to E-Ride. Next the equipment: At the Ride Electric Vehicles (REV) Show, I took a test drive on one of the display scooters E-Ride had around the test drive area of parking lot. I was impressed enough to want to have a longer test drive to see if it would handle my daily commute from home @ 16TH/Cambie in Vancouver to work, just over the Oak street bridge in Richmond. I went to the E-Ride store in the following week and took the XPh for a little longer test drive to see how it could handle some of the hills in Vancouver. I again was very impressed at how well it did and ended up buying a Motorino XPh model E-Scooter. The XPh was the largest model they had and seemed to suite me just fine. I have been riding my Motorino XPh scooter back and forth to work now for some time and I must say I am really enjoying the experience. I am lucky in that most of my commute is on Cambie Street, which has recently be upgraded and is much more bike-friendly then it used to be (i.e. it has bike lanes on some parts). The scooter has no problem at all on the big hill starting on South Cambie at Marine Drive and heading north up to 49th. And the acceleration is so good that it flows very well with the general flow of traffic when starting from a dead stop. As well, I thought that I might need a second battery to make the trip, but as it turns out, I only use about ½ to ¾ of a battery for the whole trip. As I am able to plug the scooter in at work, the batter never goes below the ½ level, which is better for the battery. Finally the service: After some time I discovered a small leak in the rear tire and went to E-Ride to buy a repair kit. Steve asked me if I had every used one before, and when I said no, he offered to show me how to do it. After having some issues trying to fix the tire, Steve and Peter went the extra mile (or kilometer as the case may be) to not only fix the problem, but to fix a couple of other small things they saw that needed to be touched up a bit.. Great service guys! Bottom line: If you\'re looking for quick, reliable city transportation this is a great alternative to a gas powered vehicle, one of the new Motorino scooters is definitely the way to go. Regards and best wishes to E-Ride, Steve T.

Sep 23, 2008
Robert Matthis /by e-mail/

Hi Steve, Katy:

Although I've only used the XPC for less than 200 kilometers, as an owner of more than 10 ebikes and escooters since 1999, you have my vote for your CCT SYSTEM as the "MOST SIGNIFICANT ELECTRIC BIKE OR SCOOTER INVENTION IN THE LAST 10 YEARS!"

This is the FIRST ebike or escooter that is truly "at home" in hilly North Vancouver.

Thanks, too, to Peter for helping me with my "mods" with the internals.

This machine is PERFECT. You don't have to change anything. Essentially, this is an electric 50cc VESPA.

The range with a single battery pack is around 40 kms. including going up the bridges from North Van to Vancouver twice. Amazing.

Your CCT has made any other electric bike or scooter obsolete, in my opinion.

You deserve every success. The world is yours.

Kudus,
"Ebike Bob"

Apr 20 , 2008
Dave Steele /by e-mail/

I'm now on my third Motorino scooter. I admit it. I'm a sucker for the new and improved...but only when it comes to scooters. I've owned an XT, an XPi and now an XPc. The XPi was an excellent and reliable vehicle.What sold me on the XPc was the dramatically improved acceleration and hill climbing ability. I recommend it highly. I'm sure the other new Motorinos with the same drive system, the XPa and the XPh are everybit as good. The XPc, to my eye, though, is the best looking of the bunch.If you're looking for quick, reliable city transportation that's more ecologically friendly than even the bus, you can't beat a new Motorino. These things need to be all over Vancouver - and the rest ofthe world, for that matter.

Sincerely,
Dave Steele Vice President,
EarthSave Canada

Sep 22, 2007
Patric Madhere

Click here to watch the video >>>

May 25, 2007
Anne Jarvis /by e-mail/

Hello

I recently purchased one of your bikes for my husband who is unable keep his driving liscence because of an early onset dementia. Your product is an absolute godsend to us, it has given him back the independence he lost, and made such a difference to the quality of his life. I wanted to mention this as the bikes may be just perfect not only for people like Ron, but also for young adults with Down's syndrome, or other mental disabilities that prevent them from operating a car. I wanted to personally thank you for importing these wonderful vehicles.

Also, I did want to ask if your company is publically traded? I would be interested in buying some shares.

Thanks

Anne Jarvis

Visit my webpage at www.annejarvis.com
For current work see www.annejarvis.blogspot.com

For updates on Ron's condition go to http://updatesonron.blogspot.com

May 12, 2007
Motorino HTh
by Zoran from Vancouver

This is my second scooter. Before I had one (I bought it from a different company), but I would say it was useless for the purpose I needed it. I live on Beach Ave and work close to the VPL in downtown Vancouver. I have an 8 year old daughter which I have to take every morning to Lord Roberts Annex. The shortest way is if I go up on Bute St. With my old scooter before, I wasn’t able to take this hill even by myself. If I wanted to go in the north side of downtown I had to make a big loop to avoid the hills. Now with my new scooter I can make all the hills even with my daughter on the back.

I would say that this scooter is the best investment I’ve ever made. It makes my life so much easier. I would recommend all people working in downtown to get one. Since it is classified as a bicycle it gets me anywhere in Vancouver faster than a car, faster than a bus. Plus I don’t need to pay for parking. I wouldn’t say that it is a replacement of a car, it is better than a car. When it rains I put my rain cape on and cover the bike with the rain cover while outside of my office (both came with the bike and very useful for Vancouver weather). What else do you need for your city transportation needs?

Zoran, Vancouver, BC

Oct 12 , 2006
Motorinos in Old Montreal
photo by Tracey and Robert

Tracey and Robert from Montreal enjoy treir Motorino scooters since Dec 2005 and July 2006 respectively.

July 29, 2006
E-Ride Service / Support / Variety
by John Angelo Paiero

Hi Steve.

I have been to every shop in Vancouver and you are with out a doubt
the best. You have the most powerful machines and the most friendly
customer services. Most importantly you stock all of the parts for all
of the machines that you sell - unlike a lot of shops that will sell a
whole bike and not even know what makes it go. You and Colin are the
best e-bike guys in town. Keep up the good work. I would recommend you
to anyone and everyone I know.

John Angelo Paiero

July 20, 2006
by Sam & Sandy Li, Richmond

Steve,

Since we bought the XPi about a week ago my wife and I have put about 80km on the bike. We've been looking for a powerful enough electric bike that can carry two persons (about 245lbs.) over most of the hills within Vancouver and we're very happy to have bought the XPi. We tried a few bikes from other shops before we bought the XPi and the other bikes just were not powerful enough for two-up riding over hills.

Yesterday was the first time we rode the bike from our home in Richmond to our office in downtown Vancouver and back. The bike had plenty of power going over the Heather street bike route which has long but moderate hills. By the time we got to d/t Vancouver (about 23km one way) the bike still had plenty of reserve left. I think it could've gone on for at least another 10km without problems. We parked the bike at my work place and charged it which took less than 4 hours to complete. On the way home, we came by your store, then out east to Main and Broadway, then over the Ontario street bike route, over the Oak Street bridge back to Richmond, bought some grocery and rode home with again quite a bit of reserve left. Amazing!

Overall we are very happy with the XPi. It is definitely a fun and practical bike that I would recommend to anyone.

Sam & Sandy Li

April 18, 2006
by Matti Weiss, Vancouver

Dear Steve and staff,

It has taken me over almost a year to write and thank you for selling me the best little scooter in the world! But today, I have even more reason to send you my appreciation because the Mororino XT that i bought from you last July actually saved my life!

First let me begin by saying that these scooters are the best investment on the market! They ride so clean and quiet, are peppy on hills and flats and cost so little to operate. I have gone a good 80k all over the Vancouver area, from Burnaby heights to Wreck Beach and back on it in one trip. I have used it to commute back and forth to jobs, beating traffic and busses, all the while keeping Vancouver free of carbon monoxide fumes and gasses!! I usually ride with my dog in my backpack, and she just loves the ride as well. It was an amazing vehicle.

I say "was" because recently I was hit by a car while riding my Motorino. And although she didnt make it through the crash, she managed to save me from injury. If i was on a regular bicycle, the impact would have crushed my legs, or I would have flipped off the bike and over the car. Because the scooter was heavier than a bike and because the breaks worked to slow me, i actually remained upright and the front of the scooter took the brunt of the impact. I will never ride a regular bike again!!! Steve and his staff have been wonderful and have worked closely with myself and ICBC to settle my claim and repair my scooter.

So...with any luck I'll be back in the saddle again in a couple of days.! Electric Scooters ROCK! And so do Steve and all the folks at E-Ride!
--
Matti Weiss
Girl Friday Odd Jobs
345 W 13th Ave
Vancouver BC V5Y 1W2
604 537 7776

April 10, 2006
by Andree Carboneau, Quebec

Hi Steve!

Quite a surprise!!! A beautiful scooter, nice looking, and I took a short
ride but what a ride, I thought I was in a "Cadillac". Thanks for being so nice for me.
But.....first the good news I want to order 2 more motorino XPi for some friends,
one silver and one burgundy. So, you have to call me tomorrow, I will give you all
the details.

— — —

So, I will wait for your call tomorrow and you forgot to include some
business cards. If you knew how many people stopped me this afternoon too have
some details, it is unbelievable. So don't forget to send me soome business cards.

Bye Steve and I wait for your call tomorrow morning

Andree

January, 2006
Impression

by John Miller

Hi Steve,

Thank you for letting me try your scooters a few days ago when I visited your shop. I am planning to buy one soon. I was impressed with how experienced and knowledgeable in electric vehicles you guys are. I have done quite a lot of research and tested different electric scooters and I was fascinated with the power, speed and the smooth ride of your Motorino XP. I liked the wide wheels and the double hydraulic suspension of this scooter which gave me the feeling of driving a Cadillac. This will be the scooter that I want to buy.

I live in the West End and work in North Vancouver. I often see a guy riding an electric scooter with the name of your shop on the back of his rain gear. He must go back and forth from work at the same time I do because I see him quite often in both directions. This guy is beating the car traffic both ways!!! He probably reaches his house while I'm still waiting in the traffic jam to get onto the Lion's Gate Bridge. I was impressed by the rain cape which comes with the scooter that you let me try. Even commuting on the rainy days like we have recently had in Vancouver won't be a problem.

See you when I am ready to buy one,

John Miller

December, 2005
Motorino XP Electric Scooter

by David Steele

I bought my Motorino XT in August of 2005. Since then I've used it as my daily commuter and my main vehicle for getting around town. It's reliable, comfortable and tremendously economical. Better yet, it's just plain fun to ride. With my rain cape, I can even get around, perfectly dry, in the worst of Vancouver rainstorms. I highly recommend these vehicles to anyone who wants convenient local transportation that is not only fun to drive but is environmentally friendly as well. As a bonus, the service and attention from the E-ride staff has been second to none. I am extremely impressed and highly recommend them as the place to buy.

David Steele, Ph.D.
Vice President
EarthSave Canada

and

Research Scientist
University of British Columbia

November 25, 2005
UNO Electric Bike
by Allen Ko

I have been riding the UNO for about six months and am just fascinated by how my life was made more rich by its ability to derive enjoyment. I rode it everyday I had the chance after work. I took it to a frequent park that I enjoyed which was Trout Lake. I could ride with ease on a round trip 3 hour journey through bike trails on my way from Vancouver East through False Creek and turning back from the Stanley Park Pool. It still had energy which I estimate 25%. I would just ride at my own pace up hills, and using the throttle to assist with power. I wouldn't even break a sweat. What a treat!!! Sometimes when I feel like cruising I just turn it into my stealthy motorbike.

I found that the initial problems of the bike were that the spokes became loose in the rear hub. The wheel became slightly warped. One spoke broke and many were loose. I brought it back to E-Ride and the owner's were very friendly and helpful and offered to fix it under warranty. It was only $18 dollars to true the wheel and fix the spoke which was covered under warranty. I also had the bike shop on Cambie and "15th?" tune up my bike at a surprisingly affordable price of $7. Now my bike was better than new and ready for more city action. I find the seat very comfortable to ride on. The springs in the seat, front and rear suspension bring great value to a bike which is quite competent going up medium hills and riding along trails. Although the ride is not as solid feeling as the Caper LT, the shocks make up for the rough streets, trails, and sidewalks that I frequent. This bike goes everywhere. Folding it is quite easy and placing it into my small trunk space can be done within 1 minute. The 5 speed gearing is just enough to still give it the bike feeling and keep me puffing away when I feel like expending my energy.

I'm very happy with this product and have been grabbing attention from many people. It's quite the conversation piece. And parents who were fascinated by its style and trendy look often want one for their kids. It's a real attention getter. You feel responsible driving it as if you are making a statement about doing our part to keep the environment clean.

Allen Ko

November, 2005
Motorino XP Review

by Robert Matthis

E-Ride lent me their latest, full-size scooter/bike to use for a week, for this review. (Personally, I don't think much of others' 10-mile "reviews" by some so-called electric scooter e-zines. A short test-ride should not be called a "consumer review", in my humble opinion.).
Cyclists rejoice! We should all be ecstatic that a wet-weather 'cycle (due to the unique rain-cape for this scooter) is finally, finally available for the Wet Coast, where we have 8 months of rain. With the hub motor, there are no "wear" parts, like bike-sprockets and V-brakes. I rode this in the worst rainstorms, and I was laughing, laughing in the rain. I was hitting 2" puddles with it, no problem. Read more...

November, 2005
JETDEK Skateboard is
Paul Stacey's "shuttle"

The Problem:

I started off with a dilemma. I'm an on-site computer technician, I spend a lot of time downtown where parking can be as much as $5 an hour in some areas. I really don't want that much coming out of my hourly wage, I don't make enough money as it is. The other issue I have is time. Congestion downtown can drive one nuts. Parades, protests, construction, accidents, all contribute to a bad day plus wasted time and gas. I needed some type of short range electric vehicle that would allow me to park in the free or cheaper parts of downtown and use the small vehicle from the van to zip over to the customer's location. Essentially, a shuttle of the mothership.

Click here for the solution.

September, 2005
Motorino XP Electric Scooter
by Dorothy - Kelowna, BC

Hi Steve: I am really pleased that I got a reply e-mail from you.

Just a little background - I have owned an e-bike that I bought here in Kelowna. It was poorly manufactured and assembled.

I love the concept of e-bikes but I am determined to own one that performs as promised. I have done a great deal of research on line. I saw your web site some time ago but I really like to buy local. I am glad (?) I did because I had problems. During the troubleshooting process, I was disassembling some parts of my bike and saw how poorly manufactured and assembled it was. Retailers here in Kelowna see the trend coming, are trying to capitalize on it but know little about the bikes, manufacturing or assembly.

After returning the bike at some expense, I restarted my research. I stumbled upon the company profile you have listed on alibaba web site. Your profile convinced me that you know exactly what you are talking about and have taken pro-active measures to deal with the problems I have experienced.

I prepared to travel to Vancouver if you have stock on hand of the bikes I am interested* in.

The Motorino ST 480 & XT 480 are of interest to me.

Thanks,
Dorothy

__________
* Dorothy purchased and currently owns a Motorino XP scooter

March 17, 2004

Review of E-Ride's Motorino 48V electric bike (scooter frame)

by "Kyoto Bob"

WHAT IS IT? From a distance of 30 feet, the pedals look almost invisible. The Motorino looks like a modern scooter with 18" wheels, with scooter-style headlights, turn signals, (loud) electric horn, dual rear-view mirrows, front and rear suspension.

WHAT I LIKED? The twist-throttle. Power-on-demand. The 500-watt hub motor does away with the problems of chains and belts that are usually encountered with previous-generation electric bikes. This bike's hub motor is direct-driven, waterproof. and brushless, thus, essentially maintenance-free. This bike's dual suspension soaked up minor road ruts adequately. Goes uphill adequately. Crowd-pleasing style. Dual bike stand - side and center stands. Because it looks like a gas scooter, automobile drivers gave me more "respect" than a bike - cars gave me wider berth than they would, if I was just on a bicycle. Obviously, that is a major safety advantage for a cyclist, like me. Ability to charge using any 115v outlet. Comfortable saddle. In gridlock traffic, I overtook gas scooters by manuevering around stopped traffic.

RIDE & PERFORMANCE IN MILDLY-HILLY STREETS: For the first four kilometers of stop and go riding, the Motorino went as fast as I wanted. After four kilometers, this ebike went uphill slower. The optional second battery would eliminate the voltage slump causing the slowdown.

ANY PROBLEMS? Speedometer inaccuracy. However, the speedo corrected itself after a stop. Horn button position slightly too far from the thumb, but I could get used to it eventually.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Very practical in the city. Park anywhere, even on sidewalks, without fear of getting parking tickets. Too heavy for bike thieves to steal. Ignition key security. The signal lights' audible reminder is a first-rate safety feature. This e-bike is a "buy" in my humble opinion.

RIDING TIPS: The battery works better after short [20 minute] rests. For best speed, do not "max" the throttle all the way; rather, find the least power needed to maintain acceleration because the hub motor actually works better [faster] without being over-amped. As with any electric bike, the battery [and your bike's range] performs better with a 5-seconds-on, 10-seconds-off, "throttle-blipping" method. For example, using a "throttle-blipping" technique on my Montague ebike nearly doubles its riding range.

Lashout Electric Bike Testimonial
by Vicki Kahri, Vancouver

Thank you Steve for giving me great service and for delivering my e-bike. I love my Lashout electric bicycle. I'm 50 years old and use it for leisure and transportation. It has enough battery power to take me across Vancouver, from Boundary Road and uphill to UBC with effortless peddling. I'm also able to cycle effortlessly up the steep hills of Boundary Road from Hastings Street to Imperial (49th Ave) when I visit my sister in Burnaby. It's also the most comfortable bicycle our family has ever ridden.

I bought my electric bike in the Summer time for leisure cycling and exercise, but wanted power to help me up the hills. I ride from east Vancouver to Stanley park, around the seawall and back again. Other times I travel to Science World, along False Creek to Jericho Beach, then back home using the motor to assist me on the hills. I no longer need a car to take a bicycle to scenic locations for leisure cycling. I just turn on the battery and go - no need to pay for insurance or gas, and there are great cycle routes in Vancouver where I can avoid the traffic and stop lights. I can also bring the electric bike on the sky train when I go to Coquitlam, New Westminster and Surrey.
I enjoyed the bike so much, I started riding across Vancouver to my office at UBC. I charge the battery at UBC, then ride home again after work. Travelling on the e-bike takes the same amount of time as transit. UBC has a bike shop called "The Bike Kitchen" that charges only a small fee to park the bike in their store. The students at the university have taken quite an interest in the bike.

The Lashout e-bike comes with an excellent warranty service. The first battery I had didn't make it to UBC and started losing power after a couple of months. The Warrenty service immediately sent me a new free battery after I contacted them about the problem. It turned out the first battery was defective and didn't work to it's fullest capacity.
Thanks again for a great electric bike!

Ulla enjoys her Motorino ST480 since Oct 2004

hi steve, just quickly letting you know how much fun i am having scooting literally all over town in my newly aquirred scooter. either for shopping or sightseeing. with the extra battery i have no problem reaching a radius of 50 km, which is a lot. it is so nice and quiet and not contributing to the polution is important to me as well as no insurance, gas money or parking expenses. and the positive response i am getting is amazing. what a great deal. needless to say, i think everybody should have an electric scooter. kind regards. ulla

Ulla Soehle, Vancouver