Product Review: Currie Electric Scooters

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Urban and suburban transportation has never had so many options, and kids and adults of all ages will be happy to zip around town on these new electric scooters. They're environmentally friendly, much quieter and cleaner than gas scooters, and definitely lots of fun.

All of these Currie scooter models also offer an optional seat kit that, along with the large 12" tires, makes them much more comfortable than the pure stand-up scooters with smaller wheels. And as they grow in popularity they're becoming much more affordable -- especially if you can find them on the Internet. Some online retailers offer free shipping, and you won't pay any sales tax if you're not in the retailer's home state.

You can find the most up-to-date selection of Electric Scooter and electric bikes at Urban Scooters.

These Currie scooters are as queit as a bicycle, very reliable, have a 6-month manufacturer's warranty, and replacement parts are readily available. All come equipped with a virtually maintenance-free brushless motor, inflatable 12" tires, an easy-to-use thumb lever throttle to control the speed, top speeds of about 16 mph, and can support riders up to about 225 pounds. They also free-wheel when coasting, which means that you get better range, and can easily push the scooter along when the throttle is not engaged.

Below, you'll find information on the newest Currie-manufactured scooters. Currie no longer sells scooters under its own name, but still manufactures these excellent quality scooters, now sold under the Schwinn, GT and Mongoose brand names.

The old Currie Phat Flyer SE, for example, is now sold as the Schwinn Zone 5, GT Asteroid, or Mongoose Impact. Currie also made a specially branded Sam's Club Currie Lightning FS scooter (which is no longer available). The Lightning looks very much like the GT Shockwave or Schwinn F-18, but don't be fooled -- it has a much smaller 400W motor, rather than the powerful 600W motor of the F-18 and only has a rear brake as opposed to the front and rear brakes on the Shockwave. You'll probably find the best Internet deals on the GT brand scooters, as the other brands generally don't allow Internet sales.

As Currie makes the same scooter re-branded for various companies, this chart will show you the corresponding brand and model names for the Currie scooters -- except for the brand name on the scooter, these models are nearly identical (for example, the Schwinn F-18 is the same as the GT Shockwave):

Schwinn	GT	Mongoose	Retail Price	Buy Now
F-18	Shockwave	Hornet F5	$439.95	Buy Online
X Cell	Tsunami	Fusion	$449	Buy Online
Zone 5	Asteroid	Impact	$399	Buy Online
New Frontier	Trailz	Cosmic	$349

Currie Scooter Review Summaries

Model	Price	Front Shocks	Rear Shocks	Top Speed	Distance
GT Shockwave Schwinn F18 Mongoose Hornett F5	$499	Yes	Yes	16 mph	8 miles
The Shockwave is the same model as the Schwinn F-18 and the Mongoose Hornet F-5. All are manufactured by Currie Technologies. One of the newest Currie scooters, the top-of-the line Shockwave boasts a powerful 600W motor, with 40% more torque than the previous Phat Flyer SE model (which had a 350W motor), so it's great for hills and is quick off the line. This is the only Currie scooter to have both front and rear shocks, so if you're planning to ride off road or in pot-holed urban streets, up and down curbs, or on dirt trails, this is the scooter for you. The Shockwave weighs about 67 pounds and can support a 225 pound rider. [FULL REVIEW & SPECS]  [ONLINE PURCHASE INFO]

Model	Price	Front Shocks	Rear Shocks	Top Speed	Distance
GT Tsunami Schwinn X Cell Mongoose Fusion	$449	Yes	No	16 mph	15 miles
The Tsunami scooter is made especially for longer trips, boasting a 15-mile range on a single charge. Though it requires about 10 hours for full recharge using the included 2 amp charger, you can get an optional 5 amp charger for a 5-6 hour recharge. An optional seat kit is also available. The Tsunami has a longer deck than the swing-arm GT Shockwave (Schwinn F-18), but also weighs in at a hefty 78 pounds, so if you have to carry your scooter up the stairs, you may want to opt for one of the lighter models. The GT Tsunami has good hill-climbing power, and good off-the-line acceleration, though its extra weight makes it a bit less peppy than the Shockwave. [FULL REVIEW & SPECS]  [ONLINE PURCHASE INFO]

Model	Price	Front Shocks	Rear Shocks	Top Speed	Distance
GT Asteroid Schwinn Zone 5 Mongoose Impact	$399	Yes	No	16 mph	8 miles
The GT Asteroid replaces the 2002 model year Currie Phat Flyer SE, and sports a more powerful motor than the Phat Flyer, with better hill-climbing ability, as well as a front shock absorber. The Asteroid is the same model as the Schwinn Zone 5 or Mongoose Impact. The Asteroid has a 350W motor, which is somewhat smaller than the 600W motor of the higher-end Currie scooter models. It still has a 16 mph top speed, and an 8-mile range on a single charge, and requires 5-6 hours for a full recharge with a 2 amp charger. This scooter has a front shock (no rear shock) and weighs in at 48 pounds, which makes it much easier to carry up and down stairs than the heavier Shockwave and Tsunami models. [FULL REVIEW & SPECS]  [ONLINE PURCHASE INFO]

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