hey guys! I'm a long time lurker and first time poster here at V is for voltage...
I live in Brooklyn, NY and have seen a few of the new 'flykly' electric motorcycles around...has anyone ridden or seen one of these? The website is flykly.com, it looks cool but I want to know more before I purchase--any insight?
I bought a sample of the white model a few months ago from what I believe is the same chinese manufacturer.
I would not recommend this scooter because of the low general quality, flimsy front fork, bad brakes, "model plane" plastics and cheap electronics.
If you are interested, go for a look and a test drive first.
Best regards
Johnny
By the way, the price seems unreasonably high compared to what I payed for the sample...
We too bought an SLA version a year ago. It suffered from the divide by 2 rule: you get about half the range and about half the top speed. Despite all this, it was reasonably pedalable and was a nice size for a smaller rider. It did use 48V bulbs and accessories and had marginal build quality. Before we could get the parts we needed from the importer, poof, they was gone. Anybody want one at $650 plus shipping or pick up near Detroit? Pls contact off list.
JTH/Amp Brothers Electric Cycles/MI
Hey so I have to post an update!
After seeing them around town enough I finally sprung for one.
The 'modern' model seems to have a similar frame to a cheaper version I've seen that you guys seem to be referencing.
I did a little research too and it seems like the diff. is that the FlyKly has a lithium ion battery which is way more efficient than the lead acid in the cheaper models (and lighter! my battery weighs like maybe 15 lbs) and also customer service. They gave me a full year warranty and have INCREDIBLE customer service. As for quality, durability my flykly is holding up awesome and I ride it pretty hard (I work in the LES).
Anyway jsut wanted to put in my $.02...flykly is definitely different than those other models.
"...flykly is definitely different than those other models"
I doubt it, mine also has Li-batteries..
There are 2 different fork types available and the FlyKly might have the better one.
The brakes (drums) are not comfortable to use, they lock very easily.
My judgement regarding the general quality is based on 19 years of experience in importing chinese electric 2-wheelers.
Can´t say that I have been very successful, mostly because of quality issues and the extensive warranty laws we have here i Europe. :-)
By the way, you don´t seem biased at all! ;-)
Hi Johnny J,
I also live in NYC and encountered these FlyKlys, they look SO cool and I REALLY want to get one, but your post has kinda talked me out of it. You seem to know your stuff, so I wanted to ask you - what would YOU get, These FlyKlys are expensive at $1900 but they do come with a great warranty and the store is just full if really sweet guys that are super helpful.
I tried looking for a different store in NYC but couldn't find one, if there is a cheaper alternative, or a higher quality one I'd love to know about it, what do you suggest I get and where should I go to get it in my area?
Hey Jonny!
No im not biased I just like what i bought so far...but yea your post scared me! What sorts of issues should I be on the lookout for? So far the riding has been VERY fun and problem free...also no locking on the drum brakes. Can you give me some more info?? also what do you ride?
thanks!!1
also yoe I have to agree with you...the guys who run the shop are really nice! that was the other thing...I would maybe buy a different bike but I dont know where I'd get it serviced....sorry if I seem biased but I'm just giving my honest customer feedback here :)
Hehe, I thought you were the actual company trying to do some covert marketing :-)
As long as you like it that´s fine, what worries me is as I said before the general quality of the scooter, mostly the charger, controller and motor.
I would hesitate riding it when it rains much because of the risc of water leaking into the motor and controller. I would not store it outside if possible. Corrosion is tough on many chinese bikes and the lifespan of the whole bike (including electronics) is most likely shorter compared to a "western quality" bike.
Right now I´m waiting for a sample of a chinese electric motorcycle scooter...
Regards
Johnny
This forum has been very helpful, Johngood, how long have you had the FlyKly already? I have so many questions about driving this vehicle in NY that I can't really ask the guys at the store,
- Do you drive it on the road more like a bicycle? or more like a motorcycle? when I ride my bike I run though red lights and cops never stop me, I'm thinking it would be harder to get away with it with a vehicle that looks like a motorcycle.
- Do you leave it on the street? or are you afraid of it being stolen? do you lock it with a chain lock or do you trust the built in wheel lock and engine lock?
- How fast does it really go? when I took the test drive I got to 35mph pretty easily (maybe I'm just skinny)
- Do you ever bring it inside office buildings? or residential buildings?
- Do you ever drive inside Central Park?
JohnGood, is the store you are talking about NYCEWheels? I bought an LA Free Sport e-bike from them (via freight shipping) years ago, and while their initial service was ok, once they sent me a new battery (which I told them I was sure wasn't the problem) and my power cut-outs continued, they got a bit nasty and we parted ways with me stuck with a defective $1k bicycle. I eventually sold it for $100. Sometimes you need to see how a store deals with difficult problems before you can really be sure about them...
I would guess that the shop has the speedometer still programmed in km/h, mine has a top speed of 37km/h (23miles/h) with the same 500W motor.