Way back in September of 2019 I backed the Juiced Scorpion on Indiegogo. At the time I was looking for a full suspension electric bike because I had tired of the harsh ride of the folding ebike I had. Then the campaign for the Scorpion and HyperScorpion began on Indiegogo and somehow I caught wind of it, probably from an ad on Facebook, and I was hooked. About a month into the campaign I decided to back the HyperScorpion instead because it was capable of higher speeds, came with turn signals, and I really dug the brushed aluminum look.
Who would have known when I backed Juiced on Indiegogo that the world would soon be in the grips of a pandemic and other waves of calamities? The original ship date of March 2020 was already a long wait but I was in for an even longer wait due to Covid-19 which halted production and development of the bike for at least two months. I wouldn’t receive the HyperScorpion until the end of July 2020. So was it worth the wait? Did it live up to the initial claims?
As far as being worth it, yes it was. The bike came nearly unscathed even though it had been shipped from halfway around the world to my home in Illinois.
At first glance, after finally having the bike in my possession, I noticed how beefy the frame looked. No component looked cheap or half-baked, though some have had issues with kickstands breaking. I’m keeping an eye on that. Still, overall the bike is solid. It’s a beast!
And did it live up to its claims? For the most part, yes. The only claim it didn’t quite reach was a top speed of 35 mph. Instead, the top is speed is about 31-33 mph which isn’t too bad. Every other feature either met or exceeded my expectations.
Pros:
- Comfortable to ride
- Top speed of 30+ mph
- Bright headlight
- Turn signals/brake light
- Very responsive pedaling experience
- Comes with mirrors, horn, rear rack, fenders, and alarm
- Large 52 volt 19.2 aH battery
- Good visibility for safety on the road
- Passenger seating will likely accommodate two riders comfortably
- Fun to ride!
Cons
- 103 lbs which can make hauling or working on the bike a little more challenging
- Bottle cage location makes it difficult to find bottles that fit but I did
- Brakes could be better
- Loud motor when going fast (this could also be a good thing)
Where to Buy: Online at Juiced Bikes
Moped or Ebike?
If I had never heard of the HyperScorpion and happened to see it out in the wild I would probably think it was a moped or even a motorcycle at a glance.
On the ebike moped spectrum of things, it’s much more a moped in style and appearance but still a surprisingly good ebike to pedal. Unlike the pedals on my Super 73 Z1 which are basically just decorations and somewhere to put my feet, pedaling the HyperScorpion is practical and actually my preferred way to ride it.
Pedaling Experience
At 5’1″ the bike is the perfect size for good leg extension. If you’re taller, you’re not left out as there is a tall seat option that adds another 3 inches. The standard seat to ground measurement is 30.9″.
A worry I had was whether the seat would be comfortable for pedaling and it is. It’s not as ideal as a regular bike seat but my legs don’t rub much as the seat is tapered. I find the seat very comfortable in general but every rider is different.
Because of the torque sensor and 100+ magnet cadence sensor, the HyperScorpion is very responsive to pedaling. Of course, the advantage of a torque sensor is that it senses how much pressure you’re putting on the pedals so as you pedal with more force, as when crossing a street or going up a hill, the motor mirrors that which makes for a ride that you feel in control of.
The throttle, on the other hand is a little difficult to keep at a certain speed, especially on the unlocked race mode on the HyperScorpion. It wants to power the bike to full speed when sometimes all I want to do is coast at 24 or 25 mph. The top speed is about 32 mph in my experience. There is a cruise control function though so you can go those long stretches more comfortably and less distracted by the throttle. Holding down the minus (-) button on the display activates cruise control.
Shifting
The HyperScorpion is equipped with an 8-speed cassette and the Shimano Acera derailleur.
And yes the twist gear shifter is installed upside down…on purpose. This particular shifter is made for the right side of a handlebar since that’s where bike shifters typically go. Because the twist throttle is on the right side where it makes the most sense being, the shifter had to go on the left but don’t worry about it. When I’m riding the bike I can’t even see the numbers anyway and I almost always ride in 8th gear. This isn’t the type of bike you’ll shift gears frequently.
Display
Speaking of the display it is rather minimalist in design which is fine. I can easily read my speed, pedal assist level and battery status. Holding down the plus (+) button and the display power button at the same time will bring up a more detailed display.
Battery Range
As far as range goes, it depends greatly upon riding style, rider weight, and terrain. A lighter person using pedal assist on levels 1 or 2 could probably easily go 40 miles. Juiced claims that the bike can achieve 75 miles but that would be on Eco mode which doesn’t provide much assistance.
In my experience, where I use race mode and sport mode quite a bit due to some busy roads I have to contend with, I can go about 30 miles. That’s with some hills tossed in there, times when I’m using lower levels of pedal assist, and my 150-ish pound body.
If you’re planning on using the HyperScorpion as a commuter, you might want to get a charger that is a little faster than the 2-amp charger that ships with the bike. It takes 8-9 hours to charge from a fairly low battery to full. I would have preferred a 3-amp charger considering the battery is so massive.
An advantage of a slow 2-amp charger is that they’re easier on bike batteries and will increase the life of them theoretically.
And speaking of batteries, you’ll want to take care of the the one on this bike. At 52 Volts, 19.2 Ah it’s a beast and costly to replace, as in $1300 costly. Luckily, ebike batteries usually last 2-3 years or 800-900 charges.
I have a feeling the price will come down in the coming years because most new ebikes are equipped with larger batteries. 48 volts is becoming kind of the standard. 52 volts is still rare though. Juiced is one of the few ebike companies that uses such large capacity batteries.
Riding Experience
And for the reason I was looking for a new ebike, a good suspension, it definitely handles the bumps with no problems. The front and rear suspension, with the fat tires and padded seat neutralizes the bumps. It’s very comfortable to ride.
It also feels well balanced at the higher speeds that it is capable of. There’s no frame wobble and they’re shouldn’t be considering how substantial the frame is.
The large headlight is a good safety feature on the road. It has two different modes, a daytime running light and full brightness for night. I also use full brightness when riding on busy roads for increased visibility. The headlight grabs attention from drivers much more so than a standard ebike light.
The turn signals are also a welcome feature, although I frequently forget to turn them off after making a turn. Other riders are experiencing the same problem.
Since there’s no sound or blinking on the controls, it’s very easy to forget to turn them off since they don’t turn off automatically after a turn like when driving a car. That’s something I’ll have to keep in mind but it is still nice to have them.
Braking
If there’s any area where I think the bike should be improved it would be the brakes. While they are hydraulic which is a must have on a heavy bike that is capable of 30+mph, the rotors seems undersized for the job.
I’m expecting to go through brake pads frequently. The front rotor is 180 mm while the back is 160 mm. They do the job but fairly well but I’d like more than just fairly well. I really don’t feel the need to modify the HyperScorpion accept in this area.
Motor Volume
The HyperScorpion is not a whisper quiet cat slinking down the road. It’s more like a wild hyena ripping up and down the streets when using race mode. People are going to hear you coming.
The sound is much quieter on lower levels of pedal assist, so I don’t feel quite so obnoxious when riding past pedestrians or other bikes.
The motor is 1000 watts nominal with a peak of 1700 watts so it has quite a bit of power to move you along. It was designed specifically for Juiced Bikes and the HyperScorpion and is a little different than any other ebike motor I’ve experienced.
The controller on the HyperScorpion is also custom and different than the one the base model Scorpion comes with. The bike is programmed differently to accommodate its performance.
Only time will tell regarding durability but so far I haven’t heard of anyone receiving a bad motor.
Tires
The slick tires are fast and efficient on pavement and they’ve done okay on gravel while going slow. If you’re planning to do more off-road riding, or just want to reduce the chance of slippage when on wet pavement or when taking sharper turns, you’ll want to switch to tires with more grip.
After One Month of Riding…My Thoughts
After putting over 100 miles on the bike I’m very happy with it. I love how much safer I feel on city streets due to the form of the bike. Drivers tend to respect it more than a bicycle.
The bike was originally advertised as being capable of 35mph+ which would make it more ideal to use as a moped or scooter for commuting on city streets. The production model is only capable of about 31-32mph which is still fast for an ebike but maybe not quite fast enough for many city streets, at least where I live where people tend to take speed limits as a suggestion.
Because of that, I choose the quieter streets where I can cruise at about 20-24mph and just enjoy the ride without crazy traffic around me.
And while it is capable of 30+mph that’s only on a full battery. The top speed will decrease as the battery’s charge level decrease. On a battery than is about 50% charged I can still reach 28-29 mph so it’s not a significant drop.
Accessories/Hauling Ability
Juiced is developing accessories for the Scorpion and HyperScorpion including a passenger seat, rear basket, bags and more. In the meantime the rear rack is large enough to accommodate many bike trunk bags. You might have to get a little creative to secure them but a cargo net like the one I used works perfectly in holding down my bag. It also adds some bright color for greater visibility on the road.
Things To Consider
A downside to the bike is that it probably won’t be welcome or legal on many bike paths. Even if it’s legal, you’ll probably have to endure a lot of nasty looks from lycra clad cyclists and others because, well, the bike looks like a moped. You really can’t blame people for being concerned.
The base model Scorpion is legal nearly everywhere since it has a 750 watt motor compared to the 1000 watt motor on the HyperScorpion but it still has that same form factor and people will likely perceive both bikes the same. That’s one reason I decided to go ahead and get the faster option. I wouldn’t be able to take either on my local bike path.
However, I know several Scorpion and HyperScorpion riders who regularly ride their local bike paths without much issue. It really just depends upon what is typically tolerated on the bike paths near you. As moped ebikes become more common they may become more accepted, as long as us riders ride sensibly.
Another potential downside of the bike is its weight. While the weight doesn’t affect the ride of the bike, it does make it too heavy for standard or even ebike car racks. You’ll need something rated for a motorcycle or moped.
Overall, I’m very happy with the bike, even though I can’t take it on my local bike path. I live near rural roads and parks where it is welcome and it is a joy to ride. I ride every chance I get.
It’s a good looking bike that turns heads. People are intrigued with it and most people have very favorable opinions of it. Expect to be stopped by people asking you about your HyperScorpion.
For me, the journey I took along with Juiced this past year was a welcome distraction. It helped keep me sane! Well, as sane as I can be.
Riding electric bikes is a great way to reduce stress, get out in nature, and enjoy yourself. On an ebike I always want to ride farther and more often. I’m much more likely to explore places I wouldn’t on a regular bike. I’m even planning vacation spots based upon where I can take my HyperScorpion. It’s so ideal for sightseeing in a much more intimate and fun way.
For the full specs of the HyperScorpion and to compare it to other Juiced bikes visit Juiced Bikes online. I’ll be back with updates on the bike too so if they’re are any issues, I’ll let you know but so far, so good!
