“This is a long-term review of the Hornet after having ridden this model for about 3 months and putting about 150 miles on it. I'm currently riding the second one from e-wheels after the first one came delivered with a dead front motor that was incapable of operation, leading to its return to Jason. To his credit, he sent a prepaid RMA and Fedex'd out a replacement Hornet to me within days which exemplified his stellar customer service. Jason's enthusiasm in helping customers with after-sales service should be high on the criteria list for any potential customer of e-scooters, since almost all of us will have minor (and maybe not-so-minor) issues that occur.
Here’s a partial list of positives and negatives:
+ Power. Hornet’s dual motor will get you up almost any 11-12% grade for a 200lb rider. It can be ridden with both motors working or with just one motor on flats to save on battery and increased range.
+ The fast fold and unfolding puts it in a league by itself and makes it an awesome commuter tool. Complete handlebar flat-fold and steering column into locked-position collapse takes 4 seconds. Complete reassembly to riding portion takes less than 10 seconds including turning on the ignition. 57 lbs is luggable by most guys up two flights of stairs so this can complete the last mile commuting solution.
+ Built-in horn with front and rear LED lights help with jaywalkers and stop-sign runners in traffic. Working rear brake light is another bonus.
+ Dual hydraulic disc brakes are a big win. You’ll thank your lucky stars you have more than a single foot-actuated rear brake on your first close encounter. ABS I can imagine would be even better but the dual disc braking system are a good close second. Make good braking part of the purchasing choice - a consideration worth noting as scooters like the Mercane have had recalls over their braking systems and the Wide Wheel had only one rear brake to start with.
- The suspension on the front and back are almost decorative and will not provide much plushiness if that’s an important criteria for you. I’m about 200lbs and don’t feel much dampening even with a bit of preload tinkering. Combine this with the solid wheels and the ride can be jarring. Big potholes are to be feared.
- Some spot welds are not great and a few screws need to be tightened/loosened to more appropriate amounts of torque.
- The rubber grips it comes with are trashy and need to be replaced as a safety precaution. Same with the plasticky trolley wheels. Replacement with spitfire tablets made a huge difference.
- Tiny diameter wheels lead to the lack of gyroscopic effect, and the Hornet's 8-inch wheels are smaller than most. Not faulting the Hornet regarding physics but people coming off motorcycles and bicycles will be in for a surprise to feel the instability, especially at higher turning speeds. Anyone who claims it’s thrilling to take an e-scooter to 50 mph through the twisties has a death wish.
For a gadget meant for consumer enjoyment, the Hornet is engineered well and it’s a bucket-load of fun. When schlepped through the transit station, the built-in trolley makes it super-convenient and a feature most will instantly appreciate. While it doesn't provide the best ride for the wide-open suburbs, in my use as a commuting solution paired with public transit, I give the Hornet an overall I rating of 4.5 star but the service component notches it up to the full 5 stars. I promised Jason that I'd leave positive feedback on my purchasing experience and hope this review compensates for his wonderful help.”
“Love the unit - but it did not come with an owners manual, so it's an adventure to make any changes to the parameters. Hopefully they'll post one to the website soon.”
“It gets up and goes. Very sleek look, definitely beats all the competitors I've seen and used with ease. Tells you your power, miles and everything else needed to know when traveling.
It's a little heavy but still compact and can be moved around easily. I recommend looking into this if you want a bang for your buck.”
“Weight: Heavier than DT Spider and TW Dart which makes it feel more stable. By that I mean the feeling of having to suddenly stop while going at top speed.
Suspension: Not as smooth as TW Dart and light years away from DT Spider.
Portability: A- compared to it's little brother however built in trolley makes up for it.
Lights: Front light feels aftermarket but serves it purpose, however the horn it's built into the posterior aspect of the front light and is loud enough. No ambient lights, what!? Just get strip led lights w/ battery box from Amazon if you want to increase night visibility.
Acceleration: Feels sligthly slower than it's little brother but range is twice as much.
Brakes: A+++, worked really well. We had a car ran a STOP sign, scoother stopped well and both tires remained on the ground without loosing control. My wife was on DT Spider, she was able to stop but back tire and frame went forward and sideways. That is what I mean when it comes to scooter weight and comfort level while riding at high speed.
Fender: Metal and powder coated, nice finish!.
Charger: Stock charger is slowwww, get the fast charger from ewheels website.
Overall: Very happy with purchase, this is my go to scooter from a lineup of TW Dart and DT Spider.”
