Sakura S50

In principle, electric scooters are the perfect vehicle for London. The Sakura S50 seemed an economical option. However, despite being an ardent environmentalist and very keen on electric vehicles, I should share the problems so that a) the manufacturer, b) the government c) retailers can get their acts together:

Problems: Short Range: 15 miles (7.5 each way), even though I was promised 30 (After I complained the retailed said the battery would improve with use, but it didn't, and by then the 6 month guarantee had expired). The scooter conked out in a busy road in the rain - v dangerous. Acceleration is dreadful, which is v dangerous with cars crowding you from behind. Indicators are unreliable - also dangerous. No re-charging points in London. Insurance v expensive (this is a government issue: insurers are exploiting this market by claiming they have no experience with electric scooters and charging vast premiums; they need regulating).

I received my Sakura S50 last night and have travelled around 60 miles on it so far.

I managed to get 35 miles range near enough driving flat out on full power so that's great and it just dipped into the yellow! This included quite a few hills which slowed the scooter down to about 25mph on full power.

I just tried to see what the full range could be as I can't see any other info about the range of the scooter. I would guess if you throttled down abit you could get probably another 8-10 miles on top.

Also have had 40mph as the top speed which is also very good!

My build quality is good but the left indicator switch is a bit touchy so i spoke to www.sbsb.co.uk who manufacture/distribute? and they are sending me one by return of post - excellent service!

If you have any doubts - forget them! BUY IT!

All in all exceeds manufacturers data in speed and range - (i think they were being cautious).

An excellent machine at a good price and with good aftersales/advice!

I have used my Sakura S50 for 18 months to travel around 6 miles per day to work and back...it saves me around £12 per week in bus fares and I dont have to wait for buses so my journey time is much shorter...I charge the bike at work so it costs nothing to charge up...longest journey I have done on the bike was around 25 miles and it was still going strong...overall it is well suited to my needs.

I bought my Sakura S50 last week and I have used it all this week for commuting 12 miles a day. It does 35 mph and has an excellent range. Its fantastic!

I received my Sakura S50 5 days ago. It's AMAZING! It has exceeded my expectations in many ways. I travel to work (11.9 miles) and back again every day on it. The roads are mainly flat from mine to the West End of London where I work with only a couple of hill climbs. I ride it fairly defensively and am as conservative as I can be on the throttle.

I have managed on a full battery charge to do the return journey without even touching the yellow on the battery indicator. Apparently when it hits the yellow I should place the bike into the lower speed setting to ensure I get an additional 5 miles out of the journey. By my reckoning I should be able to get around 30 miles out of a full charge!! Of course, I suppose there are many factors to consider; I am 10 stone and not constantly on the breaks or fiercely hitting the throttle. I can also get it up to 40mph on flat roads which is the greatest bonus as its advertised as having atop speed of 30mph. So all is good so far!

Last night I travelled to work then charged the battery for 3 hours which was enough to bring the battery back to a full charge. I did my return journey and arrived at home still with the needle indicating a full battery!

Its very easy to operate although when I received it I slightly damaged it. I was stationary and off the bike, holding it upright when I lost my grip. The bike rolled onto its side. Its heavier than I expected and it scuffed the side panel which was protecting the speed changer. This in turn snapped the mechanism to change from lower speed to higher speed. However, thanks to the amazing service offered by my supplier, I was talked through how to temporarily fix the problem over the phone. In minutes I was riding it again with no problems and its being fixed today at no extra charge even though it was my fault. I bought the bike directly from the importers and they couldnt be more helpful.

Everyone I have shown has been amazed at it. It looks just like a regular sporty moped but without an exhaust. Its silent so you need to ride it very defensively and watch out for pedestrians stepping out into the road. No tax, no congestion charge, no charge for parking and Westminster Council run a scheme for electric vehicles so I can charge it on their streets for no cost! I would recommend this bike to anyone. Its cute, cheap to buy and to run and I even pull away from lights faster than most small cars!