The Kirin G3 is an extremely capable off-road scooter. Performance is excellent on both road and light gravel and sandy surfaces, but less so on grassland. There's certainly a limit to the type of off-roading you're going to do. It should handle anything up to the most difficult of bike trails, but the suspension is stiff, and the ride is going to get bumpy. Probably the most fun you can have on a scooter.

Specifications
  • Brand: Kugoo
  • Weight: 25kg (55lbs)
  • Range: 70km
  • Battery: 956Wh
  • Max. Load: 120kg
  • Lights: Dual front LEDs and side panels, rear brake lights
  • Brakes: Dual disc brake
  • Height Adjustable Handlebars: No, around 123cm high
  • Foldable: Yes
  • Age Suitability: Adult
Pros
  • Looks incredible with unique suspension design and orange coloration
  • 1200W is more than enough power to drag you up a hill
  • Braking is very responsive thanks to front and rear disc plus regenerative engine brake
  • Capability of going where no city scooter ever would
  • Battery lasts for ages
Cons
  • Battery isn't removable nor can it be locked
  • Suspension is quite stiff
  • Handlebar height isn't adjustable
Buy This Product

The Kugoo Kirin G3 is an insanely powerful eScooter with a 1200W motor, featuring dual suspension, stunningly good looks, and 10-inch off-road tires to handle any terrain. Best of all: it's only $1099 - and you can use the code MakeUseOf for $50 off!

Note: when the Kirin G3 launched earlier this year, it was plagued with serious design flaws. This is the updated version that we're reviewing. If you're looking around at reviews before you buy, keep that in mind.

Design and Specs

The Kugoo Kirin G3 is an impressive, visually imposing eScooter, with distinctive orange design accents on the front and rear suspension and a single-piece aluminum alloy body. It's a chunky beast that terrifies and delights in equal measure.

With a maximum payload of 120kg, it's suitable for adults of average height (though the height range isn't specified). The handlebars aren't adjustable and sit at about 123cm from the ground, but for reference, I'm 185cm (6'1"), and it sits at a comfortable height for me.

kugoo g3- suspension close up

The whole thing weighs around 25kg (or 55lbs), and can be folded by unscrewing the reflector at the front—though it's quite a long thread, so it takes a while to unscrew.

The curious orange lanyard just under the handlebars fits around the back of the deck, enabling you to pick it up and carry it.

kugoo g3-foldable

In terms of safety, it features a rear brake light, an adjustable dual front lighting system integrated into the front of the deck, as well as lit panels on the side. Both the front and rear disc brakes are also tied to an electronic brake, such that activating either will activate the engine brake. In practice, I found that they were extremely responsive and I was able to come to a complete stop within a very short distance. This means you'll be recharging the battery any time you brake.

kugoo g3 lights on in the dark-1

Kugoo states a maximum speed of 31mp/h (51km/h), and that's not an overstatement. Even at my weight (105kg), I was easily about to hit 45km/h on flat roads). You may find yourself easily breaking your speed limits, so it's best to stick to mode 1 or 2 on flat ground. And on that point, you should really consider wearing a full-face helmet when riding the G3. This not a toy, and you could very easily suffer a serious injury.

kugoo g3- motor power

On the handlebars is the most informative display panel I've ever seen, featuring not only the basics such as mode, current speed, and battery level (10 segments), but also things like current, voltage, and temperature. I'm not really sure why you'd need to know the voltage, but perhaps that's something pro-scooterists need.

Either way, more information is never a bad thing and it's easily visible in all conditions.

kugoo g3- controller

Three touch-sensitive buttons allow you to adjust the various light, speed, and operating modes. There are four lighting levels, and three power modes. In addition, you can enable the optional kickstart mode (which forces you to push off before the motor will engage).

The power button on the right also doubles up as a secondary control for speed and lighting modes. Double press rapidly to change the speed; single press to change the lights. Long press to turn the power completely off. In practice, I couldn't quite get the timing right, so attempting to cycle the modes would inevitably lead to the lights being turned on.

Despite all this complexity on the controller, there's no smartphone app, nor is a smartphone mount included. That doesn't matter to me in the slightest (the controller itself provides plenty of customization that's usually hidden behind an app interface), but it might to you.

If you want to record your journey or other metrics, you'll need to use a third-party app. If you're going to use the G3 around town and need navigation, consider using voice-only feedback, or buy a phone mount. I wouldn't suggest mounting your smartphone when you go offroad, as no mount is going to survive the vibrations.

Comfort and Suspension

For your comfort over bumpy terrain, the Kirin G3 features a unique TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) dual-suspension system. However, the suspension is fairly stiff, and can't be adjusted. It's not comparable to a hydraulic fork or oil springs, so depending on how rough the terrain gets, you are still very much going to feel it all.

kugoo g3- suspension rear side

Over lighter terrain, like road and sandy surfaces, it rides like a dream. At full speed, the motor has an audible and satisfying purr to it. Over rougher terrain—which I should clarify, no other scooter I've tested has ever handled—the G3 will happily drag you, kicking and screaming as you hold on for dear life. In a fun way, I mean.

kugoo g3- easy riding

On the downside, I found the deck was a little bit too short, so I shifted around a lot trying to find a comfortable and safe position to stand in. After an hour of keeping that up, my legs were knackered. You can place your back foot up an angle at the rear fender, which might work well if you're shorter, but at just over six feet this didn't quite work for me, as it seemed to shift my weight too far forward.

On the other hand, the shorter deck is a compromise that means you'll be able to take the small hills without scraping the underside. You can't have it both ways.

Performance On and Off Road

First up, I want to test the climbing performance. I live on a hill, so this is the first thing I get to and it's a hill that starts right from my garage. It's not a particularly steep hill, but no scooter I've tested yet has managed to get me up it without any input from me at all. On the highest power setting, the Kirin G3 managed it no problem. It took a while to gain speed, but gain it did.

On steeper hills, I needed a run-up. That's fair, and bear in mind that I'm at the upper limit of the maximum weight for the G3. If you're lighter, you'll get better performance.

kugoo g3- uphill

On flat roads, the Kirin G3 is a demon: I topped out at 45km/h (30mp/h), and that wasn't exactly difficult to attain. You really do need to be careful with this.

kugoo g3- speed

I tried a number of different off-road environments, from grass, sandy gravel, rocky moorlands, to moderate difficulty bike trails. It handled nearly everything excellently, with one exception: grass. It wasn't particularly boggy or long grass, but it just didn't seem to have the power to push up to a decent speed.

kugoo g3- trail riding

You should also keep in mind the tires, while impressive at 10.5-inches, are not going to handle rocks larger than about 3-inches in diameter. Something that wouldn't have fazed me on the Bezior fat tire eBike managed to nearly throw me over the handlebars. This just means you'll need to choose your line carefully and know your limits.

kugoo g3- rocky

That said, not once did I feel the deck scraping on anything. It powered through the whoops on the bike trail, and handling around the tight corners was far easier than with an eBike.

Kugoo claims 70km of theoretical range, but there are so many factors that go into this that the number is largely meaningless. With regenerative braking and a huge 936wH battery however, battery life shouldn't be an issue for its intended use.

After an hour of rough terrain, full power, and plenty of hill climbs, I had used not even half of the battery. So two hours in the absolute worst-case scenario could be expected. If you're lighter weight, using a lower power mode, or riding on the streets, you'll get significantly more out of it. Either way, battery life was never an issue for my usage.

Ready to Take It Off-Road?

The Kirin G3 is an extremely capable off-road scooter. Performance is excellent on both road and light gravel and sandy surfaces, but less so on grassland. There's certainly a limit to the type of off-roading you're going to do. It should handle anything up to the most difficult of bike trails, but the suspension is stiff, and the ride is going to get bumpy. Probably the most fun you can have on a scooter.

kugoo g3- downhill

I wouldn't recommend the Kirin G3 as your first scooter. 1200W of motor power is not to be scoffed at, and is very much capable of throwing you off before you've even stepped on it. Take plenty of safety precautions and make sure your medical insurance is up to date, because this is genuinely something that could kill you.

But if you do have a bit of experience and you're tired of the limited capabilities of your current city scooter, the Kirin G3 is a fantastic step up. You'll go places you never thought a scooter could go.