YADEA Trooper 01 Review: Is This a Motorcycle or an Ebike?

3 weeks ago

It looks for illustration a motorcycle, and rides for illustration 1 too—in that pedaling nan point is simply a nigh impossible.

Key Takeaways

The Yadea Trooper 01 is much for illustration a mini motorcycle than an ebike, pinch its ample headlight and bench-style seat.
It is champion suited for shorter riders and relies mostly connected its throttle, arsenic nan pedaling acquisition is constricted and not practical.
Despite being difficult to pedal and having a higher value tag, nan Trooper 01 offers a unsocial motorcycle-like quality and a soft centrifugal capacity that makes it enjoyable to thrust utilizing only nan throttle.

Sporting a ample headlight and a bench-style seat, nan Yadea Trooper 01 looks little for illustration an ebike and much for illustration a mini Triumph Street Twin motorcycle. This is 1 of those bikes that's judge to move heads, and it mightiness person group return a double look erstwhile they think, "Why is this motorcycle riding successful nan motorcycle lane?"

With its 750W motor, nan Yadea Trooper 01 offers fantabulous powerfulness and soft delivery, making moreover these steepest hills consciousness effortless. Despite its much blase looks, this is simply a straightforward motorcycle pinch its stock of limitations. It is yet nosy to ride—assuming you're a shorter rider aliases don't mind forgoing nan pedaling.

Yadea Trooper 01

The Yadea Trooper 01 is simply a nosy motorcycle if you dainty it for illustration a motorcycle, alternatively than a bicycle. It's champion suited for shorter riders, and moreover then, it's only worthy considering if you don't mind relying mostly connected its throttle. The pedaling acquisition is very constricted and is mostly intended to thief return immoderate of nan workload disconnected nan centrifugal alternatively than supply immoderate meaningful personification input.

Brand Yadea

Battery 48V 20Ah

Weight 73lb

Maximum Speed 20mph

Brake Style Hydraulic

Suspension Full

Motor (W) 750W rear hub

Range Realistically, astir 20-25 miles

Electronic Power Assist 3 levels

Charging 3A accelerated charger

Connectivity None

Rider Height 160-180cm (5'1" to 5'8")

Tires CST 20 x 4.0"

Gearing None

Walk Mode Yes

Frame Straddle

Pros

Styling - Looks for illustration a mini-motorcycle
Very comfortable spot and ride
Full suspension
Smooth power
Built-in undersea storage
Good size for smaller riders
Surprisingly compact
Arrives mostly pre-assembled

Cons

Very difficult and impractical to pedal
At 5'10", this motorcycle feels very cramped if I pedal
No information features
Rather basal info display
No further features to warrant its higher value tag

A batch of nan trading pinch this motorcycle would propose that it's designed for off-roading. While its afloat suspension and 4-inch fat tires surely make it tin of handling bumpy roads and immoderate ungraded paths, this would not beryllium my first prime for way riding.

Instead, I deliberation nan Trooper stands retired for its comfortableness and convenience for thoroughfare riding. The spot is ace plush and nan built-in under-seat retention is awesome for holding your smaller items for illustration h2o bottles and bags. Despite its bolder styling, this motorcycle is deceptively small. On nan 1 hand, it makes it amazingly compact, elemental to get connected aliases off, and easy to move astir and assistance connected your own, thing that can't beryllium said astir galore different 750W ebike. On nan flip side, astatine 5'10", I consciousness for illustration an absolute elephantine riding connected this thing.

The Trooper 01 provides an fantabulous thrust and plentifulness of punch, but erstwhile I effort to pedal, it's a different story.

Assembly Mostly Not Required

Aside from its styling, 1 of nan champion things astir this motorcycle is really elemental nan setup is. The Trooper arrives successful a importantly larger container than astir different ebikes that I've reviewed, which astatine first made maine deliberation that this motorcycle was going to beryllium perfectly massive. Opening up, however, I realized that this motorcycle chiefly came pre-assembled, which astir apt saved maine astatine slightest 30 minutes aliases truthful of work.

After removing it from its box, each you'll request to do is connect nan beforehand handlebar, instal nan pedals (although you won't beryllium utilizing them much, if astatine all), plug successful nan battery, link a fewer wires for its headlight and controller, pump up nan tires, and time off it connected nan charger for astir 2 hours to get to 100%. With a importantly larger container than astir different brands, I tin only ideate that this adds rather a spot to Yadea's shipping costs; but it's difficult to opportunity nary to little work.

Inside nan box, you'll besides find nan manual, though fixed really elemental nan installation process is, you astir apt won't moreover request to mention to it unless you're checking connected its attraction and troubleshooting sometime successful nan future. There are besides keys for unlocking and removing nan bike's battery, but it's worthy noting that it isn't required to move nan motorcycle on, truthful if information is simply a concern, support that successful mind. There is nary search aliases siren system.

Design and Features

Chances are, if you're considering this motorcycle astatine all, it's because of its bold styling. At first glance, this tin easy beryllium mistaken for a motorcycle, albeit a mini one. It's not until you announcement its pedals and concatenation that you recognize this is expected to beryllium a bicycle, contempt it hardly riding for illustration one. However, speech from its alternatively unsocial looks, nan Trooper 01 whitethorn time off you emotion underwhelmed.

It features an under-frame built-in basket, which is wide and heavy capable to fresh a fewer compact items aliases a smaller bag.

For my smaller commutes, it was bully being capable to fresh my h2o vessel and a satchel pinch my iPad and a fewer accessories without needing to transportation them connected my back. That said, unless nan items are wide capable to beryllium snugly successful nan basket, location will astir apt beryllium tons of rattling there. There is nary measurement to adhd a rear cargo rack aliases a beforehand basket. Not that you'd want to pinch this bike, but it's worthy mentioning.

Your controls are straightforward, pinch a thumb throttle lever connected nan correct broadside and a alternatively basic, mini monochrome show interface supra it that allows you to alteration powerfulness modes. If Yadea wanted to thin into its motorcycle heritage, they should person gone for a twist throttle.

With higher-priced bikes, this is typically an area wherever we would find larger colour LCDs for keeping way of your bike's stats. Given its $2000+ asking price, I consciousness for illustration Yadea could've afforded a much premium option. Additionally, location aren't immoderate smart features for illustration smartphone integration, aliases thing that I ever look for successful bikes now: move signals.

On nan left, there's a fastener for turning nan headlight on, and beneath that a fastener for its horn, which, though mini successful my opinion, I find positioned successful a awesome spot to scope easy pinch my near thumb without needing to fto spell from nan handlebar. Right away, you'll besides announcement that this motorcycle is missing gearing. Having tested a fewer different ebikes that besides lacked this, I knew this would person its drawbacks, though I wasn't prepared for its existent extent.

Surprisingly Smooth

The Trooper 01 is equipped pinch a 48V 750W rear hub centrifugal that delivers 80Nm of precocious and 3 levels of pedal assist: Eco, Mid, and High. Power transportation is soft and predictable.

It lacks nan accustomed abruptness you find from a bike's centrifugal either being connected aliases disconnected erstwhile you statesman to pedal aliases prosecute nan throttle. Yes, there's a hold successful centrifugal assistance earlier powerfulness assistance kicks in, and it's surely not arsenic responsive arsenic a mid-drive motor, but it gets nan occupation done pinch nary important hiccups. Even successful its high-power mode, slamming nan throttle results successful a graceful acceleration alternatively than a neck-snapping jolt. If you're looking for a thrill that'll pin you to your seat, you mightiness beryllium retired of luck, but it has nan oomph to tackle steep hills and moreover smaller inclines pinch ease, which is what I look for successful my commuter bike.

Yadea Trooper 01-Riding successful Traffic 2

However, arsenic I've continued to hint at, nan acheronian unreality hanging complete nan Trooper 01's capacity is its absence of gears. When mixed pinch its astir 80 lb curb weight, pedaling tin beryllium a existent struggle here. If you want to effort and commencement this motorcycle from a dormant extremity by pedaling, you'll quickly recognize nan limitations. It's for illustration being successful apical cogwheel erstwhile you should beryllium successful first—only you can't displacement down to make things easier. I often recovered myself relying connected nan throttle to kickstart activity earlier I'd statesman to pedal. Alright, really astir erstwhile you prime up speed? Using nan throttle continues to beryllium great, but unfortunately, things don't get overmuch amended pinch pedaling. More connected that successful a bit.

As for different features, it would person been a bully touch to person cruise control. As you astir apt won't beryllium pedaling overmuch here, you're mostly relying connected nan throttle to support velocity pinch nan Trooper 01. Why not easiness nan strain connected your thumb arsenic well, right? The Trooper 01 is equipped pinch Tektro 160-millimeter rotor hydraulic disc brakes. They supply reliable stopping power. Testing them, I could travel to a complete extremity quickly moreover from speeds of up to 20 mph, without losing equilibrium aliases traction.

Yadea Trooper 01-Riding successful Traffic

Keeping nan motorcycle moving, we find a 48V 20Ah artillery that supports 3A accelerated charging. While nan theoretical pedal assistance scope is simply a generous 56 miles, pinch really overmuch I had to trust solely connected its throttle, I sewage a max scope person to 25 miles.

Not Meant for Pedaling

While it whitethorn not look overmuch for illustration one, this is still a bicycle, but only successful nan astir method sense. Most of nan time, I recovered myself riding nan Trooper 01 for illustration a moped aliases motorcycle. The bike's pedal placement feels very cramped to me. With its fixed spot saddle tallness of conscionable nether 2.5 feet, they declare nan motorcycle is suited for riders betwixt 160-180cm, aliases astir 5'2" to 5'9". But it feels for illustration Yadea has their sizing estimates disconnected by astir 2 aliases truthful inches. In fairness, I whitethorn beryllium astatine nan higher scope of nan recommended tallness for this bike, but I've moreover ridden kids' bikes that felt much ergonomic. If I could raise nan spot 3–4 inches, I'd astir apt beryllium successful bully shape, but that's not going to hap here. Instead of having nan accustomed downforce powerfulness from my legs pushing nan pedals beneath me, erstwhile riding nan Trooper, my knees are positioned supra my waist, dramatically reducing nan output from my legs.

Combined pinch its deficiency of gearing, you're conscionable mounting yourself up for a reliable time. Once nan motorcycle is successful motion, pedaling pinch centrifugal assistance is doable. It helps return immoderate of nan strain disconnected nan centrifugal and extends your scope slightly. However, aft astir 14 mph aliases so, location is perfectly nary logic to pedal. At these speeds, nan motorcycle now feels for illustration it needs a higher gear. The pedals rotation truthful accelerated and freely that you're amended disconnected conscionable utilizing nan throttle exclusively. This is simply a problem shorter riders will besides brushwood arsenic it's a limitation of its single-gear hub.

To clarify, sloppy of rider height, this motorcycle is horrendous to pedal without immoderate powerfulness assistance. I'd spell arsenic acold arsenic to opportunity that I'd for illustration to get disconnected and locomotion this instead. Think I'm exaggerating? In 1 of my earlier trial rides, I miscalculated nan bike's remaining artillery life, and it ended up dying connected maine pinch astir a mile near earlier I sewage home. Mind you, my way is mostly level roads, but I could not reliably support nan motorcycle moving faster than 5 mph aliases truthful for much than a fewer minutes earlier tiring myself out. Not to mention, I looked for illustration an absolute fool trying to get nan motorcycle moving again aft stopping astatine intersections. It took maine little than 5 minutes to determine I'd beryllium amended disconnected doing nan locomotion of shame for nan remainder of my travel back. As you tin imagine, it near a sour sensation successful my mouth, but I came to an important conclusion.

Do You Want to Pedal?

If you're looking for a motorcycle that feels for illustration a bike, this is not nan thrust for you. So agelong arsenic you dainty nan Trooper 01 arsenic nan motorcycle-like electrical conveyance it's designed to emulate, things are great. I emotion nan aesthetics, and find that it comes very adjacent to giving nan acquisition of a existent motorcycle—but successful a much compact and power-limited body. If you exclusively thrust it utilizing nan throttle, hide astir its pedals (yes, you'll return a monolithic deed to range), past you'll beryllium treated to a torquey, comfortable, and effortless ride.

So what if we didn't telephone this an ebike? What if we called it a mini e-motorcycle pinch a apical velocity of 20 mph instead?