The Juiced Scorpion X recently replaced the original Scorpion moped-style electric bike and offers new upgrades to improve upon an already strong entry in the market.
Chief among the upgrades is the inclusion of a more powerful motor and a larger battery.
The Scorpion X inherits the RetroBlade motor co-developed by Juiced and Bafang. That motor is designed to put out close to 2,000 watts of peak power when installed in the even more extreme HyperScorpion e-bike.
The Scorpion X is the little brother to the HyperScorpion, so it doesn’t get to enjoy the full 2,000 watts of power, but it still receives a nice (and quite noticeable) power boost over the original Scorpion from last year.
Juiced will tell you that it puts out 750W of continuous power, but the peak power really breaks into the low four digits.
Between the added power and other upgrades, the Scorpion X is sure to help Juiced maintain its spot near the top of the pack when it comes to moped-style electric bikes.
To see the bike in action, check out my video review below. Then keep reading for even more perspective on the Scorpion X.
Juiced Scorpion X video review
Juiced Scorpion X tech specs
- Motor: 750W “nominal” (claimed 1.8 kW peak) RetroBlade rear hub motor
- Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
- Range: Up to 55 miles (88 km) on pedal-assist or closer to half that on throttle
- Battery: 52V 15Ah 780Wh (removable and lockable)
- Weight: 100 lb (45 kg)
- Max load: 275 lb (125 kg)
- Wheels: 20 inches with 4.25-inch fat tires, mag-style cast wheels
- Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes (180 mm rotors)
- Front suspension: Hydraulic fork with adjustable pre-load, compression, and lockout
- Rear suspension: Swingarm with dual adjustable spring coilover shocks
- Extras: Moped seat, included rear rack, included fenders, large LED headlight and tail/brake light, advanced matrix LCD battery meter, kickstand, USB charging, Shimano 8-speed drivetrain
More than just ‘more power’
The extra power is nice, don’t get me wrong. When I reviewed the original Scorpion last year my main takeaway was “It’s a great bike but it feels like the power doesn’t live up to its badass design.”
Juiced must have taken that feedback to heart, but the company didn’t stop there. The Scorpion X gets a number of other upgrades too.
Juiced has standardized around 52V batteries, but has recently increased its minimum pack size from 13 Ah to 15 Ah, boosting the capacity from 676 Wh to 780 Wh. That’s 15% more battery, or around 15% more range.
The company claims a max range of 55 miles (88 km). That’s theoretically possible in the lowest pedal assist setting, but I find that real-world riding with a variety of throttle and pedal-assist action lands me somewhere around half of that range. I can easily break into 30+ mile territory if I add some pedaling, which is easy on the Scorpion X.
Of all the electric mopeds out there, Juiced’s design is one of the better models for pedaling comfort. It still doesn’t feel like a typical bike, but it’s pretty darn good by moped standards. You don’t get the knees in your armpits feeling that some other mopeds give you, that’s for sure.
You also get a torque sensor and cadence sensor that work together to provide the most realistic and natural feeling pedal-assist possible. That torque sensor is a big part of what makes the Scorpion X actually comfortable to pedal. And considering the bike weighs 100 lb (45 kg), it darn well better be comfortable to pedal in case you ever run dry on battery.
The dual-suspension design and plush seat also add to the bike’s comfort, even when you’re ripping on the throttle. And let’s be honest, you’re going to use the throttle a lot.
The rear suspension is actually usable and can even have the pre-load adjusted, unlike some cheaper dual coilover shocks.
The front suspension keeps the bars from sending shockwaves right into your wrists, contributing to the smoothness of the ride. Those street tires help out too, striking a nice balance between slicks and off-road tires, having enough tread for rainy days.
On the bars sit a pair of hydraulic disc brake levers and a new Microshift twist shifter (that is no longer upside down like the original Scorpion!).
The hydraulic disc brakes are plenty grippy and give you the confidence you need to bring a heavy e-bike back down from speed. For an e-bike that can hit up to 28 mph (45 km/h) in its highest power mode, strong hydraulic disc brakes are a must.
Other upgrades include a new 100 dB horn that gets some serious attention from cars and even a new style of packaging that provides some of the best e-bike protection I’ve ever seen.
Juiced has always been serious about properly packing its bikes. Despite the uncomfortable amount of foam, I will say that you’re almost guaranteed to get your bike in good shape even after the delivery company kicks the box out of the back of the truck.
One of the most common areas for e-bike damage in shipping is the rear rack, so many companies ship them in a separate box. To make it easier on you, Juiced ships the bike as assembled as possible.
And with the new RelayRack on the Scorpion X, you can add all sorts of accessories right onto the rear rack. The passenger kit will likely be a favorite of many since it adds a rear seat and footpegs to allow riders to carry a passenger behind them.
There’s a lot to love here. A nice big headlight, comfortable pedaling, motorcycle-level frame that is way more rugged than anyone should really need, dual suspension – it’s all designed to give you more of a true motorbike experience than a simple e-bike feeling. And at a price of $2,199, it’s certainly priced higher than a simple e-bike. But compared to other electric mopeds, the price falls right in line (or is even much better than some) and feels proportional to what you’re getting here.
You can easily spend twice this much on moped-style e-bikes with full suspension, so the Scorpion X feels like it is more than fairly priced for its components and performance.
Just be prepared for a few odd looks in the bike lane when they see your old-school motorcycle headlight coming. A quick spin of the pedals usually brings a smile though, or at least another funny confused look.
And for anyone who likes the idea of the Scorpion X but wants to go all out with more power, more battery, and more everything, the HyperScorpion may be right up your alley.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments