Electric-Bikes.com
Currie F-18 Swingarm Scooter
Starting with the front of a tried-and-true Currie Flyer, the F-18 adds more power and a rear suspension built to handle large people. At 4 feet long, the F-18 transports and stores easier than standard 6-foot bikes. At 2 feet tall in the folded position, don't expect to stow it under a seat; plan to roll it onto transit like a bicycle. With a range of 5-8 miles at 15-16 mph and great hill-climbing ability, the F-18 will take you where you want to go.
Although most popular as a stand-up scooter, a seat/basket option transforms your F-18 into a sit-down scooter useful for small shopping trips and errands. The 68-pound scooter comes with charger and Owner's Manual. Fixed-height handle bar measures 35" above the deck and folds down so you can take it with you. With a footspace measuring 11" x 15", most users stand with feet parallel.
The F-18 uses a hi-torque finned Electro Drive 24-volt brushless motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated speed controller. Superior torque for fast starts and hill climbing. Heavy duty, cast metal heat sinks surround the motor to reduce overheating when climbing long hills. Uses the street-proven Currie Electro Drive system. Thumb throttle for complete speed control.
Like the Flyer, the F-18 sports front shocks for smoother rides on rough roads. The frame is stronger. Power indicator light, on/off switch, and recharging port are located on the down tube for easy access.
KEY FEATURES:
New Full Suspension Design With:
Rear - coil over shock rear with 90 mm of travel; adjustable tension
- Front - Elastomer and Spring front shock with 70 mm of travel and linear pull brake
New Downtube Console With Built-In Indicator Light, On-Off Switch And Charger Port
Sure Stopping Rear Band Brake With Electronic Brake Inhibit Lever
Average 8-Mile Range With Maximum Speed Of 16+ MPH
Fully Recharges In 5-6 Hours With Standard 2-amp Charger Included
F-18 available in Currie red - $500
(Assembled and tuned at our shop - $550.)
Optional seat/basket kit (black) - $60.
Also sold as GT Shockwave, Mongoose Hornet and Schwinn F-18.
(The "Lightning SS", sold by Sams Club, comes with a 300-watt motor rather than the stock 400-watt motor on the F-18 models.)
Click here for more photos.Available from:
Electro Ride Bikes and Scooters, Milpitas, CA 95035-6913, 408/262-8975 (call for demo appointment)
- or to find a local dealer, use the dealer finder at http://www.currietech.com/
For the complete line of Currie scooters and bikes, see http://www.currietech.com/
If you ever want to upgrade performance, Powerpack Motors offers high performance brushless motors that are compatible with the PowerCat Tiger and all Currie, Schwinn and Lashout electric scooters. The external controllers can run at 24, 36 or 48 volts (36V and 48V provide higher torque and speed).
Product Reviews
Scott MacGregor at EVdeals offers his review:
http://www.evdeals.com/DynoData.htm/Dyno-F-18.htm
MOTOR: Exclusive 600 watt finned high Torque Electro Drive, 24-volt brushless all-weather DC motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated (PWM) controller that includes low voltage battery protection, motor overheat protection, peak amperage protection, and maximum speed protection.
- MOTOR CONTROL: Handlebar mounted on-demand variable speed thumb throttle is spring-loaded so it shuts off motor when released. No push needed to start. Front brake cuts off power to motor for panic stops.
- SUSPENSION: Front - 12" suspension, spring elastomer type with 70mm of travel; Rear - fully adjustable coil over shock with 90 mm of travel.
- BATTERY PACK: Dual 12V, 10 Amp-hour, sealed recyclable lead acid batteries (maintenance-free) in a steel box frame-mounted battery pack .
- OPERATING VOLTAGE: 24 VDC.
- FOLDS down for easy storage!
- FRAME: Ovalized tubular high-tensile steel w/ alloy deck and tail plate. Heavy duty one-piece handlebar and stem with folding mechanism for easy storage.
- BRAKES: Rear = hand-operated 90mm band brake; Front = hand-operated V-brake.
- DRIVETRAIN: Long-lasting chain/sprocket drive with built-in freewheeling.
- HUBS: Front Hub: Parallax style, 24H, nutted, chromed. Rear Hub: Alloy, 24H, nutted, LH threaded for Electro Drive.
- RIMS & SPOKES: Rims: Alloy 12 x 1.75 6N style, 24H on F-14G on spoked wheels
- TIRES & TUBES: 12" Kenda K-909 Tires with thorn-resistant tubes.
- EXTRAS: Kickstand, CPSC front and rear reflectors.
- SPEED: Up to 16 MPH
- RANGE: Level ground - up to 10 miles. (Speed and range will vary with rider weight & riding conditions. Most people can count on a 6+ mile range. Hills can increase or decrease the range.)
- CHARGER: Portable 2 AMP Smart Charger charges in 6 hours. (Faster chargers available.)
- DIMENSIONS: Length: 52" Deck: 11" x 15". Folded Height: 25". Handlebar Width: 20". Handlebar Height from deck plate: 35".
- WEIGHT: 68 pounds
- COLORS: Red metalflake; also available in red as Schwinn F-18 (see above) or blue as GT Shockwave (see "Product Reviews" above)
- OPTIONS: faster charge, seat/basket add-on, custom parts, etc.
The F-18 sports the new 600-watt MAC finned Electro-Drive 24-volt brushless motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated speed controller. Superior torque for fast starts and hill climbing. Heavy duty, integral, cast metal heat sinks (3/8" fins) surround the hi-torque MAC motor to keep it cool even when working up hills.
Actual performance results conducted by third party.
Tips and Tricks
Want to go faster? Have Thunderstruck Motors modify your 400-watt motor to run on 36 volts ($125?) and get a new battery box (model 4) from EVdeals. With the stock 15-tooth pinion gear, you can expect 22 mph on level ground (even if you weigh 220 lbs.).
Tricks and stunts on scooters may interest young people who bounce well.
An electric scooter users' group trades information, tips and ideas at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zappy
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Learn why scooter riders need Pre-Paid Legal.
Accessories and Parts
Seat & Basket Attachment can be mounted on the Tsunami for an additional $60. Available from Electro Ride Bikes and Scooters, Milpitas, CA 95035-6913, 408/262-8975 (call for demo appointment)
EVdeals offers custom accessories for the Flyer: baskets, heavy duty fender extension and mud guard, the large custom Hawker battery box for extended range, custom speedometer, V-Brakes, Cheng Shin HD road tires, and Soneil charger upgrades. Their Flyer Upgrade (19-tooth pinion gear rather than standard 17-tooth) adds 3 mph to top speed (18 vs. 15) while sacrificing 2 miles of range (from a maximum of 8.8 miles to 6.9 miles).
Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2001 22:52:03 -0000
From: dallobs@yahoo.com
Subject: A nice glowing and happy review (Currie basket)I recently purchased the custom basket add-on for the Flyer from Scott's site (www.evdeals.com). It really installs easily (I have no mechanical skills and I did it) and looks nice on the scooter. The pictures on his site are deceptively small - this basket could easily
hold a full grocery bag or a small backpack. It fits nicely on the back wheel and is a very worthwhile addition to any Currie product. Highly recommended.
Seth
