Why would anyone buy an electric kick scooter that costs $2,700? It’s the question I asked myself after a representative from MiniMotors USA suggested I try the company’s new Dualtron Victor. It’s also a question a colleague, who has been riding a sub-$500 e-scooter, asked me.
After several weeks of riding it … well, I get it. This is the only scooter I’ve ridden that feels like it’s made for long treks. I took it on a 24-mile round trip from Brooklyn to New Jersey, and it still had 30 percent battery left in the tank. That’s probably the farthest I’ve ever traveled while standing upright!
It’s so powerful it casually zoomed up steep hills that would’ve crippled most e-scooters, and its suspension makes for a well-cushioned ride. It has a few quirks—and one big con—but this thing is practically perfect.
Breeze Through Setup
Photograph: MiniMotors USA
The Victor arrived on my doorstep in a giant, heavy box. No, I don’t know who Victor is, but I’m glad this e-scooter takes just minutes to set up. Tighten the clamp on the stem, then unfold the handlebars and secure them with their respective clamps.
There’s a hook at the end of the deck, so you can clip on the handlebar stem when you fold it. It keeps the stem from collapsing when it’s stored, and it makes it much easier to carry the Victor. Here is where I should mention my biggest problem: It’s heavy. It’s 73 pounds, which is even more than most electric bikes. Even lifting it to mount a curb is cumbersome. Thankfully, I live in an apartment with an elevator. But there was one day when the elevator wasn’t working and … well, let’s just say the stairwell heard some choice words.
It’s impossible to find a comparable scooter with this much range and power at a significantly lighter weight, but that doesn’t mean I won’t complain about it. If you can manage to lift it, it will fit into a trunk. It’s surprisingly compact when folded.
The Victor is almost fully equipped out of the box. There are front headlights, taillights, and rear and front mudguards. (A bell would’ve been nice.) It also has LEDs to illuminate the underside of the deck, and the Dualtron branding on the handlebar lights up like an RGB gaming PC. You can use the included remote to tweak the colors and lighting patterns if you like.
You’ll need to turn on the power switch on the underside of the deck before you can power the Victor on, via the dashboard on the top-right handlebar. There’s a Mode button here to switch the onscreen ride data, and the third button (with a dot on it) will change the e-scooter’s gear. These three gears will regulate your speed. The first gear, for example, limits you to 15 miles per hour.
