King Song S18

Learning to ride euc 4th day today, s18 is way easier to control compare to my V5F, I will never jump back to my V5F again and possible selling it.

So, this is my first wheel after learning on an Airwheel X3. I don’t have much to reference with that being said. I can say the wheel performs great. It hauls my 200 lb. frame up 40° Inclines and is comfortable soaking up bumpy terrain. My only real complaint is the stiction on the suspension slides that are making the wheel not move freely. They say the fix is dry Silicone spray but I say BS, my fully suspended bikes and motorcycles don’t need sprays to help with stiction. There is a design flaw and after paying almost $2000.00 I’m a bit upset. No reviews I watched mentioned this problem & I’m sure it is a common issue.
Range is good, I don’t feel any difference between beginner and expert mode on the phone app. All in all I’d probably buy it again to have a friend roll with me, my daughter is ready to graduate from the X3 now so I’ll use my 5% discount on buying another. Maybe a 16x next?

So, I wanted a personal electric vehicle that was capable of crossing my small town, something to run quick errands, get me out of the house and take me to places to skate. Because of the hills, that meant most single-motor scooters were right out. The Zero 10X had my attention for a while, actually. Dual-motors could handle the hills, the suspension could handle the rough, neglected roads... but I'd want the hydraulic brake upgrade, and then there's the stem clamp, I'd want to upgrade that based on the reports of the wobbly stock clamp, and then if I ever do hit 40mph, I'd really want a steering dampener too... by the time that's all said and done, that's a $2500 piece of hardware... and I'm sure it's fun...

But most of my near-misses at the skatepark were from scooter kids not paying attention. Scooters have made skateboarders forget that they hated rollerbladers at one time. And I don't think it's easy for a 38-year-old dude to look cool on any scooter, as neat as the 10X looks.

So then I started thinking back on my fascination with self-balancing robotics, the core concept behind Segways, OneWheels, and EUCs. And then I came across the sexy beast that is the King Song S18. It was love at first sight. Still, love is fickle, so I researched a bit more. At the time I write this, the only other EUC with a progressive suspension, the Inmotion V11, has a neat look, too, but lacks that aggressive stance, that motorsport-inspired edge that the S18 has in spades. While the V11 has a beefier battery, the software in the S18 seems to be better at stretching its range by keeping your speed in check. Most reviews out there say that S18 has a superior-feeling suspension. And there seem to be some long-term reliability issues that some V11 owners are reporting.

That all made the decision rather easy.

I received my S18 earlier this week. At first, I had some frustration - the official King Song app just plain doesn't work on android. When it opens, it asks you to try to download the latest version of the app which isn't on the play store yet. Opening the link always fails, though, and the current version refuses to sync with the unit. Syncing with the app is a necessary step, as the system ships with the motor locked out, it won't work at all until you use an app to unlock it. Thankfully, there are other third-party apps like EUCWorld that are compatible with the S18. I was able to use that to unlock the motor, as well as to monitor the battery charge and voltage, speed, and more. But this isn't really a review of the app, and I should hope that KingSong will update their app eventually.

Onto the learning process. Just like when I got started back into blading 4 years ago, I scoured youtube for tutorials. I knew there would be a learning curve. I think the only thing that can really prepare you for this is busting out the old Wii Fit Balance Board. For the first few training sessions, I practiced drills I saw in those vids, accepted the temporary crutch of using a wall, but after that third session, I was able to kickstart without a wall and ride my S18 home from my training grounds. Three 30-minute sessions over a few days was what it took for me. The 60-year-old cyclist below has my admiration for getting it after only one 30-minute session. My next couple sessions were just taking around my quiet street, a few laps around the circle.

But today... today I took her out into the real world for the first time. And she handled *everything* I threw at her. I'm not even that capable a rider yet, but if I felt like taking a bumpier route over a smoother one, she did not punish me for it one bit. That suspension is an absolute joy between your feet. If not for the weather turning against me, I'd probably still be out there pushing the limits of the battery. I can't wait to take her out again.

RevRides support has answered all my questions as well, and they included a couple parts in the box intended to replace the foot pedal clips (I can definitely imagine the spring wearing out...). That kind of preemptive, anticipatory service is hard to beat, and I haven't heard of other S18 vendors doing the same yet. Glad I went with RR.

I rec'd my euc in just a few days - very fast! It came in perfect condition. I'll be 60 years old in 2021, but I'm a very good bicycle rider, but still, this is my first euc. It only took me 30 minutes of practice before I was up and riding! On day 2, I had put on another 10 miles and by day 3, I had over 18 miles on my euc. I love it! I live in a retirement community in Daytona Beach Florida (Margaritaville) and I use my euc to get back and forth from the amenities. The app is very well written. I highly recommend this model and Rev Rides as a retailer/distributor.

These aren't that hard to learn to ride, just resign yourself to falling and be prepared with good gear.

My biggest issue was switching to boots with good ankle support and everything clicked into place. The third generation S18 seems to have addressed the various early production issues. Great wheel!