When it comes to powerful mid-drive electric bicycles, there’s basically one motor that rules them all. It’s the Bafang M620, and that’s precisely the motor that gives the Himiway Cobra Pro such impressive performance. But as usual, there’s so much more to an e-bike than just the drivetrain. So let’s dig in to see what makes the Himiway Cobra Pro such a capable machine.
As a full-suspension fat tire electric bike, the Himiway Cobra Pro is designed to handle some of the roughest and toughest terrain out there.
Many fat tire e-bikes rely on their massive wheels and large air volume to soak up the rocks, ruts, and other obstacles in their way. But Himiway adds in full suspension to make the ride as smooth as possible, even on rough surfaces.
When combined with everything else that the company included in this over-the-top electric bike, it’s easy to see why the Cobra Pro is intended to pick up right where the beaten path ends.
Check out my test riding in the video review below, or keep reading for the full details. Or both!
Himiway Cobra Pro Video Review
Himiway Cobra Pro tech specs
- Motor: 1,000 W continuous-rated Bafang M620 mid-drive motor
- Top speed: 31 mph (50 km/h) on pedal assist
- Range: Claimed 60-80 mi (96-130 km)
- Battery: 48V 20Ah (960Wh) frame-integrated, removable
- Max load: 400 lb. (181 kg)
- Frame: 6061 aluminum
- Tires: 26″ x 4.8″ extra fat tires
- Weight: 88 lb. (40 kg)
- Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, 180 mm rotors
- Extras: Color LCD display with speedometer, wattmeter, battery gauge, PAS level indicator, odometer, tripmeter, left side thumb throttle, front LED light, 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, torque sensor, kickstand
- Price: $3,999
Power, so much power!
The Bafang M620 motor isn’t just a powerhouse, it’s a fairly refined powerhouse. The integrated torque sensor means that those who want to pedal this e-bike can actually have an enjoyable experience doing it. The bike won’t just rocket up to whatever pedal assist speed setting you’ve chosen, but instead will respond intuitively to your pedaling force.
But let’s be real, most people are going to hop on this thing and gun the throttle, which the M620 is happy to oblige. Keep in mind that if that’s how you plan to ride, then you should be careful about not always being in top gear, which puts a lot of extra load on that chain and tiny sprocket. Ride responsibly and your drivetrain will thank you.
But whether you add some of your own leg power with pedal assist or just enjoy throttling around, the Himiway Cobra Pro’s excessively powerful motor will be happy to propel you up and over pretty much any hill you can find.
In fact, the bike is so powerful that it would be questionably legal in many places for on-road use. It doesn’t only surpass the 750W limit, but also the 28 mph (45 km/h) top speed requirement for Class 3 e-bikes. You can use the color display to set legal-friendly power and speed limits, but there’s legitimate debate about whether or not that really makes a bike like this road legal.
Considering that the Himiway Cobra Pro is optimized for trail use — or even overlanding where trails don’t even exist — the issue of road legality might be moot for mostly off-road riders.
And it’s when you take the bike off the manicured asphalt trails that you really begin to appreciate the design.
Between the soft suspension and the extra fat 4.80-inch wide tires, you’ll be able to hit anything you want without much concern. Rocks, tree roots, washed-out trails, and anything in between will feel like barely a bump with this setup.
Battery for a good time, but not necessarily a long time
The 48V 20Ah battery is admittedly on the larger size for e-bikes these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to last you forever.
I don’t doubt that you could actually achieve the 60 miles (96 km) that Himiway claims if you keep it in level 1 pedal assist and crawl along at 6 mph (10 km/h).
But since most people will ride faster and at higher power levels, that battery will drain much quicker. It wouldn’t be crazy to see your range reduce to just 25 miles (40 km) with hard throttle-only riding, though you could easily double it with easier pedal assist riding.
Just don’t be fooled by the Himiway Cobra Pro’s massive range rating. It’s possible, but not probable.
Hefty, but manageable
This is not a lightweight bike by any stretch of the imagination. At 88 lb. (40 kg), it’s downright portly. All of those heavy components like the big motor and battery, the big tires, and the dual suspension really add up. Don’t let the faux carbon fiber paint job fool you, this isn’t a lightweight machine.
But despite the heavy weight, I was surprised how manageable the bike felt. It’s rare that I’m on an e-bike that weighs over half of my own weight, but it didn’t feel nearly as big or bulky while riding.
I can only imagine that loading it onto a vehicle’s bike rack will betray its real weight, but while in motion the bike feels much more reasonable. The massive motor is about as low as it can be, and the battery is also quite southernly mounted. Together, they keep the center of gravity low and make the bike handle well for what is obviously such a massive ride.
That doesn’t mean the Himiway Cobra Pro is nimble. It’s far from it. Those 4.8-inch tires are some of the widest I’ve ever ridden, and they certainly feel like it. Dropping the air pressure for better traction only compounds the sluggish steering. But it’s rare that you’ll be doing switchbacks and super tight turns while beating your own path through the wilderness. So for recreational riding, the bike is easy enough to handle. Just don’t try any overly technical single track trails and you should be fine.
A nice set of components
Himiway put some good components on this bike, though they basically had to in order to justify the lofty $3,999 price.
We’re looking at good adjustable suspension with an inverted front fork up front and four-bar linkage rear suspension. We’ve got grippy hydraulic disc brakes, though I would have liked to see four-piston brakes up front instead of dual-piston on such a heavy bike. We’ve got a 10-speed transmission including torque sensor. And of course there’s that massive Bafang M620 mid-drive motor and big 960Wh battery.
Fenders would have been nice, but they’re tough to do properly on a full-suspension fat tire e-bike.
Sure, it’s expensive. But you get a lot of bike as well as a two-year warranty (which is one more year than most direct-to-consumer electric bike manufacturers will offer you).
This isn’t some overpowered RadRover off-road e-bike. This thing would eat a RadRover for breakfast when it comes to performance. Speed, power, range, suspension, and just about everything else is over the top. That motor could take a finger off, and I bet it’d do it too, so that’s a not-so-gentle reminder to turn the bike off when you’re fiddling with your chain one day.
Most people won’t ever need an e-bike like the Himiway Cobra Pro. It’s just more than what should be necessary for everyday riding. But if you’re the type of person that likes to get out in open fields, explore rocky landscapes, or sling sand across the beach, then a powerful fat tire e-bike like this will do it. And having all of that suspension under you will make it comfortable in the process.
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