SONDORS METACYCLE | RIDING IMPRESSIONS [QUICK EDIT]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ส.ค. 2022
- Quick ride the other day on the Metacycle. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section. This is my own personal bike that I'm getting used to. Anything I'm discovering is hopefully helpful for you if you're considering getting this bike.
Very much appreciate the ride video. Weird that there haven't been more videos posted with deliveries being made for over a week.
Also, hanging out in the middle of the intersection waiting to turn is a very dangerous place to be. Best to hang back and wait until it's all clear. Hate seeing any fellow riders get hurt.
I would love to see both a top speed pull, and a proper 0-60 pull.
I really like this bike, but the numbers they have been claiming on their site just seem way too optimistic.
It's a huge advantage to have regenerative brakes on an EV. Not sure why Sondors didn't implement it. I can get used to coasting, but it would be nice to have regen so I don't wear out the brake pads as much.
Thanks! Really appreciate you taking the time to do this.
Oh my gosh! I didn’t know this incredible bike existed!! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks and be safe. I'm glad that I'll be riding mine on relatively empty two lane blacktop!
I'm in second round, waiting patiently. Thanks for the review :D
The dual red lights are synced along with your speedometer, the faster you go, the more red lights there are. Since there is only 80 ft-lbs. nominal, 130 ft-lbs. peak power, that would explain your difference in "Punchiness". It's a good thing the seat can be exchanged, to combat the discomfort. The seat itself is attached by six screws and could be removed and changed or modified without issue.
thank you!
TL:DW
Seat is narrow and smashes your balls causing constant adjustment of riding position
Turn signals do not self cancel
No braking regeneration, must mash on brakes to stop
Brakes not strong
Trip meter resets at every power on/off
Odometer not visible when riding, only when parked
Not sure what the two red lights on the display are
Not sure what the exclamation mark on the display mean while braking
Suspension is stiff and feels every bump in the road
Decent acceleration
Mirrors are good
thank you
Thanks for the heads up,have one coming up am having second thoughts now.
Pretty well-done video. Thank-you.
Great content. Looks like a worthy 1.0 version. A few things like the self canceling signals, variable regen to simulate engine breaking, etc. hopefully will be remedied by the vendor in next iteration and/or aftermarket parts. Looks like the future of PEVs is slowly on the right path.
Nice ride! I hope it turns out to be everything it was advertised to be. Also, thanks for the GTA IRL tour.
Appreciate the long ride in real traffic. Looks like a fun bike to ride in areas with congestion.
getting ahead of the crowd quietly is fun!
Thank you sir for posting the video very cool good luck and be safe
That was cool, thanks. I'm disappointed with what seems like lackluster performance both going and stopping. However it looks like a fun ride. All the best and stay safe.
Excellent video answered a lot of my questions I think I'll wait till they make it better but I wanted one really bad at first but now I think I'll wait
Thanks for the write up! I am curious if there is even a regen or not 🤔 good to know about the brakes for sure. Something I would up grade first if there is no regen. Looks like the red lights on the sides are almost like an rpm meter. Faster you went the more they went up. Also so glad you got it up to 67 mph I plan on mostly being in the 40-60 range to be the most efficient no free way riding here, if so it will be for short burst. Look forward to see how close you get to the 80 miles on charge. If you are at 30 miles with only 2 bars gone then you might be close man. Stay safe brake often 😉
Thanks for sharing!! Perfect to get around town in LA :P
Of course that bike has regenerative brakes or it needs to go in a dumpster. But even a cheap controller allows you to select the type and level of regen.
You are wanting Throttle release regen”, which i have turned off on my ebike. I prefer brake lever activated regen, which you probably have.
As soon as you squeeze either brake lever enough to turn on the brake lights, you will get the eABS icon on the display and should feel regen, even before the calipers are squeezing the pads against the rotors.
That bike should have a user programing mode that lets you set these things.
I can’t believe they sold you a bike without a user manual or someone who will tell you how to set it up.
Excellent ride. Thanks for the pointers. I need to really consider the strongest parts. Can't get accidentally hurt on a ride. 😵💫
I could tell you were near me in DTLA, especially when you went over the new bridge! Nice!
The hub drive works take a pounding on the streets here which are full of pot holes , plus we have properly steep hills here in Yorkshire uk so hill starts might be interesting with no brakes and power together ..
Bumps prob hit hard due to the heavy motor in the rear, the shock certainly looks beefier than others, overcoming that weight has got to be it. Thanks for posting the vid man
Love the video, thanks!
As a former 2015 Zero SR owner, I see several similarities…but for a third the price. That’s nice. But the downsides aren’t worth owning at any price such as obvious discomfort, both in seat and suspension. Some commenters want Zero-like performance and features but this is about two things: low price and made in China. Zero’s Brambo brakes weren’t that good either but it was 400 lbs. Needs two disks but again, weight and price. Had enough trouble with my US built Zero even at 20 miles from the dealer that I would have to really pause before buying a Chinese vehicle with no dealer network unless one can afford to gamble on seven grand or whatever. BTW, a current reading of the Q&A will bring some of you more up to date. Ex: the battery weighs 54 lbs and has carry handles for removal.
Thanks again for sharing your experience of riding your METACYCLE. I think I may upgrade to brembo brakes and rotors when I get mine. I am curious about the controller being used and the BMS in that battery. If the controller is programable then that could be the way to address the REGEN feature if one is available. Thanks Smith!
TROUBLING (but thanks for posting) Brakes with slow reaction time becomes a problem where a quick stop or swerve is needed to avoid a collision with an object ... OR A PERSON.
Having Coast instead of Regen makes the bike way more efficient if you can read the road enough to avoid braking (including other road users patience levels ) I love the Bike, it's just what I need for my commute, I want one but am in UK so would pay approx $2K import tax 😑
Very excited for those who are receiving your bikes. I wanted to ask if Sondors assists you when registering the bikes with the CA DMV. When I bought my Cake Kalk& and tried to register it with the CA DMV it was a NIGHTMARE. I'd never purchased any vehicle that wasn't either pre-owned or new or not purchased at a dealership. Just FYI the DMV wanted to know the engine number and I had to search for it while at the DMV. The guy had to see it and even then he would not register the bike. It took a letter from Wille Ford the CEO of Cake USA to get the bike registered after a month of hassles.
Anyway, I hope you have an easy time registering it. I ended up making Cake buy back my Kalk& because the battery went bad after 8 months. They could not replace or loan me one even though they had new bikes to send to the media. Worst 14k mistake of my life. The other thing that pissed me off is Cake never did much to get any owners the Fed tax deduction for EVs, like Zeros and Harleys do. Not sure if Sondors is checking into that but I hope so.
Thanks for the real-time experience! A few Qs re the display:
- On the display, does anything show on that 0-to-eleven scale when you ride?
- Does the display brightness automatically adjust for ambient light?
- Have you tried simultaneously pushing two different buttons to see if you can get mode options?
Again, many thanks!
i think that 0-11 is the rpm, so far i've only ridden during the days so i dont know if the dash adjusts at night and no i haven't tried pushing two buttons at the same time but i'll take note of that next time i ride.
@13:20 The exclamation mark is just an indicator that the brakes are engaged. Very much an e-bike thing. Interested to see what the range test ends up being like with real-world testing.
thank you!!
I just watched Fortnine do a review. Apparently he was able to disconnect the brake throttle thing so he could use the brake and throttle at the same time.
Sounds like Superman's butt whistling as he is flying threw the air with the greatest of ease .
Come to SF for real hills lol 😂 one day hope I get to test that bike. Stay safe budd 🙌🏼
Thank you. I ask Sondors if they had a video like this and they only showed me that commercial one with the background music. You have answered more question than they ever had. If they showed this video maybe they would have lost some but gained others. My one question is how big is the actual charger?
it's around 10lbs. as far as i can see, you can't take out the battery. i don't know how sondors is gonna deal with that because people want this bike so they can bring the battery into their apartment or in their workplace.
I love LA. Beautiful ride around Echo Park and Downtown. Beautiful 6th Street bridge. My dream is to one day vacation in LA for a month or more and either buy or rent a bike. Just ride around all day. I live in Denmark lol
you'd enjoy LA and the surrounding areas it has to offer. make it happen!
They really should have used the standard J1772 plug for charging even if they rate limited it. Those are abundant and would extend the range of the bike.
Thanks for taking the time to produce the review. I would have liked to see a timed 0-60 and a top speed run but it's clear even from the bits you have shown that this machine grossly under-performs compared to all the hype. At best, it looks like, it's equivalent to a pretty average 125. The lack of engine braking/regen is concerning as is its inability to do a hill start, safely. All-in-all a bit of a disappointment.
i had no high expectations for this bike. it's good for commuting to and from work if most of your commute is in the city and it's a 30 mile round trip
Nice ride! With the brakes seeming weak I wonder what the aftermarket will look like for these bikes or if any parts would be interchangeable with another bike.
the ball crushing and the brakes is definitely a concern. people are saying there's regen but i've ridden the livewire and the zero, and this thing does not feel like it has regen.
Is still cheaper then a eRoad bike in UK!The second gen will be redefined for sure,but as a starter is a very good effort.I like the new Ryvid Anthem ,but that bike is still a year away and cost $.2.5k more
I wonder if/when they will release in Europe. Not putting down a preorder, I want to see if it will be worth it first. For commuting and city trips on sunny days it might be cool enough.
it would work in europe's small streets.
I appreciate your videos. I am hoping that I’ll get an update on when I’ll get mine (2nd Round, South Carolina).
What’s the charger look like? I thought I read that the red lights on the side indicated regenerative braking. But only when brakes are engaged?
i'll post a different video on how to charge. pretty straight forward. but still haven't found a way to remove the battery.
I'd be interested in how long you can go on a freeway ride. Thanks.
I'm sure you can disable your break sensors. I did on my Sur Ron.
I'm sure there are some aftermarket exhaust available
Right lever is front brake and left lever is rear. I’m not a betting man but this I would bet on since every single bicycle and motorcycle I’ve ever seen has it that way.
you're right. i'd be surprised if Sondors messed THIS up lol
Nice, glad to see ya get out a ride on it!. I'm strangely getting ONYX rcr vibes here ha ha, not that i have one/i have a Sur Ron, but thats not a bad thing.. Hmm been looking at the Kawasaki klx 300SM , similar price, weight and performance. I guess the real big thing is how it handles the fwy, can it cruze at 70, 75? or does the battery dump at those speeds, as alot of people are predicting? time will tell. Anyway thanks for the vid, -Cheers
i've only gone up to 67mph. battery definitely drains faster at higher speeds. can't really say how far you can go at hwy speeds.
Have you had a chance to do a full mixed city/highway run yet? If so what's the range like? I'm waiting on my Supermassive, and with a mixed use commute I'd love to know what real world numbers are! Thanks
mostly city riding. i got on the fwy once but it was gridlock traffic.
I ordered the metacycle in December. The website said 100 deposit but they billed my card $5000. I cancelled my order and I have been trying to get my money back ever since. Today they sent me an email asking if I would like to reinstate my order. I guess they think I might rather have the bike than nothing. They are wrong. I know how they treat customers if something fails guaranteed you are left in the cold. These people do not care about their customers at all. I'll sue to get my money back. Better than trying to sue if I get a lemon. Just telling you about my experience with this company, take it for what it's worth.
Ex motorcyclist who had my beloved SV650 stolen.. switched to ebikes so I can keep it safely in my condo. I'm on my 3rd Sondors ebike.. they've been great but parts/support are sketchy so I'm not sure I trust them for this electric motorcycle. Not YET anyway, yeah maybe v2 or 3.
Thanks for posting the video. What did that on off switch do in the right handlebar? That is not regen on and off. I would think right would still be front brake and left should be rear brake since left is the standard for the front brake. What is the fastest speed you have gotten it up to, does it achieve 80mph like they said? Also, i would look into the ! when you brake, sounds like there may be a problem with the braking system.
the on/off button is the kill switch. it can still be in Drive, but if the button is in off mode, the throttle won't work. i've gone 67mph so far.
Great Video, awesome ride over the new 6th St bridge.. Can't wait for mine in the next few weeks, did CA DMV give you the EV credit when registered?
i'll ask them once sondors sends me the MCO with the correct VIN
I'll stick with my Royal Enfield Classic , gives me 80 mpg. That bike is not worth 6500 at all, its great wall art i must say.
aha nice review.
Thanks for posting this man. What your opinion on the range realisticly? Do you think it will be safe on the highway? I would like this bike to be my only bike but I'm concerned about the range.
i'd say this thing could probably do a range of 50 miles in the city. i honestly wouldn't feel safe riding this on the fwy because having to brake abruptly and then trying to accelerate in sketchy situations just doesn't have the torque and power. when i put it in Sport mode, you feel the power but like i said in the video, it turns off automatically, and i don't look down enough to see when it deactivates.
Sweet bike man, would love to meet up on my Sur Ron and see your bike and cruise a bit this week, want to?
if i could get registered with the dmv this week sure.
Pretty interesting. Nice review. What do you think for a 6'3" rider? trim build?
you should be comfortable. it'll definitely feel like a toy to you.
Would you say the brakes are irresponsibly insufficient? Do they modulate well via varied hand pressure? Sounds like there's no ABS. Is the suspension tuneable at all? How much do you weigh?
no abs. brakes are fine. suspension is not tuneable. i weigh 170lbs.
How is the headlight at night? Is it sufficient to the task of ~10 miles on urban highway and another 5-10 on arteries after a work day, commuting home on a winter evening?
headlight at night is fine. if you have a place to charge the battery at work this thing is perfect.
Can you show it on some more rural roads? Please and thanks!
Would you recommend it compared to one of the others (like the super soco TC max)?
i'd need a truck to haul it and drive out to rural roads and then ride it around and i don't know what a super soco tc max is. this bike is more for city riding and if you really need to, maybe some hwy riding while the flow of traffic is slow.
So what is the real range on a full battery charge if you drive most of the way at around 60 to 65mph. ?
i can't say. but the battery does drain quicker at higher speeds. i've only done city riding
BTW, how's the power and torque? does it feel like a big bike or at least go side by side with a 400 cc bike?
feels like a 300 or a 350cc bike. best for riding around town. i wouldn't suggest taking this thing on the hwy for long periods of time.
Thanks for the video! I bought one…will the phone compartment hold an iPhone pro max? (6.7”) Also, what kind of camera did you use for the video and where is it mounted?
i have an iphone 12 pro max and it does not fit in the wifi compartment so i just use it as a little storage. i use a gopro and it's mounted on my helmet on the chin area.
Did you figure out if the battery is removable? Some of the early deliveries there seems to be no way to do it.
nope. i don't wanna unscrew anything either. if it was removable, there should be a key or some kind of latch or something but there's nothing.
I have to say that it's a beautiful bike for sure! Reminds me of an Apple laptop or a Leica camera. Simple, beautiful, and designed with use in mind. Was it easy to register and get insurance for it in CA?
go straight to DMV. pretty simple.
Well from all the comments All I can say it's a good thing it's pretty
Not scientific but 0-47 around 12:16 was about 8 seconds?
I wod put high visibility flashing light in the front, people in cars will see you better lat long distance.
@Smith Longworth My commute in SF Bay area is 15 miles on the freeway (no traffic) at top speed 70 mph. What's your highway experience now, 3 weeks later?
i rarely ever go above 50mph. the couple times i've ridden above 65mph for 5 miles or less, the battery decreases significantly.
Can you tell us what brand is on the side of the tire? Website says kenda pictures say Michelin tires??
Michelin yes
(Edit: Never mind, apparently Sondors confirmed there is no regen!)
When the battery is full, all EVs have no regen braking, since there is nowhere to dump the energy. Have you checked for regen braking when the battery is under 80%?
(Diesel electric train locomotives are an exception, as they have banks of giant air cooled resistors for this purpose, but they aren’t BEVs)
i wish it showed battery % instead of the bars.
Cool frame but why use cast aluminum rear wheel when QS.MOTORS offers hub motor for spoked wheels !
How fast have you gotten it up to? Someone else claimed to have hit 80mph.
67mph so far
What a bummer there’s no strong regen, that’s half the reason I love driving a Chevy Bolt, I pretty much never touch my brakes.
i've driven electric cars and that's what i expected of this but no bueno.
about hill starts can't you just squeeze only the back brake, twist the throttle then release the brake?
nope. tried. both brakes need to be let go.
I was very interested in Metacycle until I saw your video. Thank you for showing us the Sondors marketing hype is not accurate (no surprise there). I have a 40 mile round trip commute to work and it looks like this would not cut it for me.
if you have enough space in your back pack for the 8lb charger and access to a wall socket at work, then it should be fine.
I understand that this is all new to you and you are just getting your feet wet with this bike and the editing and posting videos takes time as well.
If you can manage it, can you please, please fide a place to do a real 0-60 sprint and a top speed limit test.
Can you please demostrate the battery removal if possible? I am a fully paid customer and they have confirmed all my delivery information via Whiteglove but I dont have a confirmed delivery date yet. I just cant wait for more info!!!
there's no way to remove the battery. if there is, i wouldn't know how. one of their promo videos shows the guy unlocking the battery with a key and walking it into the house. this has no lock for the battery nor did they provide a key. just a key fob to turn on and off the alarm for the bike and remote start it.
Which hand is the rear and which hand is the front brake?
right - front, left - rear
I had originally reserved at the $5,000 price but cancelled. Sondors just sent an email saying they will let me order at the original price, actually $5,600 with delivery. After watching this I think I'm going to pass. The ride quality and comfort just aren't there. I don't want the ride to be about avoiding bumps and sliding forward on the seat experiencing discomfort downstairs. It looks fun but not overly impressed. Delivery wouldn't be until Q4 or Q1 of 2023. Not ideal in Wisconsin.
Hey the bike is 5k to 6k. What do you expect. I bought e bikes for this cost and don't get all these features. Doesn't seem like a traveling bike but decent to get around
thank you!
That seat looks like a ball-buster! If there is no regen it should have dual discs in the front. It looks slow. That Prius dusted you! OH my god! That never happens to me on my Z900. The suspension looks stiff and uncomfortable. I do like the silence of it. Overall, I am glad I cancelled my order and bought a Z900, but in the heat lately electric would be nice. But I think I would have have a Zero or Livewire. But even with them, you are lucky to get a 100-mile range. I read another guy with one only got 25 miles on a full battery and he timed it at 0 to 60mph in 11s. That is an awful short range and slow as a constipated tortoise!
Thank you for the video. Without the ability to use regeneration to slow down...I'm out.
Do you have motorcycle experience? If so, how would you compare this to ICE bikes? This category is new and I appreciate your efforts, especially with no manual. Thanks
i'd compare this bike to a 300cc motorcycle, maybe even 350cc.
time gap between order and receiving the bike?
i'd say 1.5yrs
Do you get the actual 80 miles range they advertise?
i'd say 60 miles if you stay off the hwy.
Can you please do a top speed run?
i will once they send me the MCO with the correct VIN
Did you get paperwork at all ?? Emails?? Title for the DMV??
waiting on Sondors to deliver MCO with correct VIN. emailing back and forth with Sondors.
What range do you get realistically?
i'd says it could last 60 miles in city riding. maybe more. hwy miles, a lot less.
What kind of delivery did they provide? Did sondors not walk you though the bike or anything? Seems like it was just delivered and then zero engagement from the company. They need to release a new owner's guide or video ASAP, it sounds like you're riding for the first time just wondering what features do or if it has regen etc.
i posted a video of the delivery. sondors themselves didn't deliver the bike. the delivery guy gave me very minimal info. i assumed from the two boxes he left there would be an owner's manual but nope.
How did you remove the battery?
can't.
What's the name of that bridge?
6th street bridge or viaduct
does it feel stable? how's the center of gravity?
feels stable enough for a super light bike. center of gravity is low just like my bmw.
this seemed like vaporware for so long. curious about it tho
Where you able to remove the battery yet?
no. i dont wanna attempt to till they send me a user manual.
Can you remove the battery to charge it?
no. i assume it is removable with tools. but it's not removable like what they promoted.
I’m also in Los Angeles, maybe we’ll run into each other when I get mine, I’m in the the second round unfortunately
you'll get yours soon enough. hopefully before the year ends.
Did you receive an owner's manual?
no. they said they're working on getting it out to customers. no timeframe.
Actual range, top speed and charge time?
charge time around 4hrs. actual range, still haven't tested that out but i figure city riding can achieve 60 miles. hwy speeds a lot less.
Range, top speed, 0-60, etc. How does it compare to an actual motorcycle/sport bike?
i'd compare it to a 350cc motorcycle. it's no performance bike. if your commute is 40 miles roundtrip and you don't mind carrying the 8lb charger and you have access to a wall outlet at work, you're golden.