Kaabo Mantis Electric Scooter Base & PRO Version

On a verge of a new age of personal transportation, we are seeing the small, sleek and stylish electric scooter take over our streets and sidewalks. But after the initial breakthrough brought by Scooter Sharing companies and fleets of Xiaomi Mi, many people are left wanting a bigger, better and more robust scooter. Companies around the world are catching up to this demand with some serious high-performance scooters, like the entire Dualtron lineup. This is where the Mantis electric scooter comes in, offering a fully charged, complete e-transport package for a very affordable price.

The Mantis is several steps above dock-less scooters offered by scootershare companies; it offers better build quality, more speed and power, better brakes and suspension, and about 250% more range.

This scooter is fast. It is can reach 40 mph, which puts it up there with the fastest scooters currently available. But despite its seemingly breakneck speed, it feels very stable and safe. We’ve been very excited to test it out, and after putting some miles on it, we can say that this is the perfect ride for an electric scooter enthusiast that appreciates an e-scooter being more than just a practical way to get from one point to another. Here is our full review, read on about all the things Mantis has to offer to find out whether it is the right option for you.

Kaabo Mantis is available in USA from FluidFreeRide

The Mantis has two 1000 W brushless hub motors. This translates into a very high acceleration, but not that much torque due to how the controller is set up. The Mantis doesn’t feel “jerky” while still packing lots of power. All in all, it’s a very comfortable and powerful feeling ride that’ll easily beat inclines up to 35%. This is amazing, compared to most scooters out there. For comparison, the steepest grade in San Francisco is “only” 31.5%.

Electric motors use the 60 V battery, which means that the scooter can reach a top speed of 40 mph. The Watt number determines how fast it accelerates and, loosely, how much torque it has, while the Voltage determines the top speed the scooter can achieve. This is the general rule that all electric vehicles follow; Watts = acceleration, Voltage = max speed, Amp Hour = range.

The Mantis, like most other medium and high performance scooters, utilizes disc brakes. The Base Version that Fluidfreeride offers has semi-hydraulic disc brakes, while the PRO version has full hydraulic brakes. These are very safe and powerful brakes that feel a lot like high-quality bicycle brakes, and we were pleased how they performed. These brakes are what Dualtron scooters use, so you know they’re good.

The Mantis PRO version has Electric-ABS, which is an advanced system that stops the wheels from locking while braking; it might feel weird, as if the scooter will start “drifting”, but it’s doing its job well.

Like most other higher quality scooters, the Mantis is made from forged T6061 Aviation Grade Aluminum, which is basically the best option out there.

There are two options here. The PRO version comes with a 24.5 Ah LG battery that’ll give you around 55 miles of range in eco mode. When used aggressively, the Mantis will last around 20 miles which is pretty high for most scooters within this price range.

The Base version comes with a generic 17.5 Ah battery that’ll give you about 40 miles of range. Both batteries are 60 V, meaning that they’re equal in speed and acceleration. The batteries are well protected, and there’s a single charging port. The 2A charger will charge the scooter in about 8 to 12 hours; there will be a faster charger available on fluidfreeride.com soon.

The suspension, coupled with the 10″ pneumatic tires, makes for a dreamy ride. The Mantis has a relatively high clearance, meaning it works great off-road; it’s a great off-road and trail scooter too. The suspension is a mono-spring one compared to the dual-spring one the Wolf Warrior 11 has, but these, coupled with the overall design and the relative light weight of the Mantis do an admirable job. They feel better than most other scooters within this price range.

The Mantis is portable and foldable. It’s portable compared to the other scooters within its class, but it loses out to smaller scooters such as the Horizon or the Mosquito. Bigger scooters take up a nice chunk of the room or the garage (smaller than a bicycle though), and they’re not easy to transport. It easily fits into a trunk, unlike the Wolf Warrior or some other high-performance scooters.

The dimensions are 49″ x 24″ x 50″, or 1230x1267x140 in mm. When folded, the height is 19 inches, or 480 mm. This is not a small scooter. The width of the base is 8.3″ or 210 mm, meaning it’s a bit narrower than some other scooters in the same class. This wasn’t a problem during the test ride. The handles are great, they’re 22″ wide, or 560 mm, and they feel almost like quality bicycle handles. The handlebar is curved.

Heavier riders will achieve lower speeds and lower acceleration than lighter ones, and the Mantis has a max weight load of 330 lbs. This is very high compared to most scooters out there, as the more popular ones like the Xiaomi Mi can only carry a maximum load of 220 lbs. We recommend that you keep in line with Fluidfreeride’s recommended weight limit of 265 lbs for added safety and stability.

The PRO version uses the Minimotors LCD Screen, while the Base version has a regular screen. Both are well made, quality screens. The Minimotor’s LCD Screen is sharper, clearer and easier to see in daylight.

The Mantis has 2 front and rear LED lights, and a LED strip that’ll make you visible during night rides. The front headlights are a bit lacking (especially when compared to the Wolf Warrior’s powerhouse headlights), and we warmly recommend that you add bike headlights.

While you could use a bicycle bell, it’s a much better idea to install a loud electric bike horn that you can operate with a push of a button. If you’re looking forward to riding at high speeds, the horn can save you from an accident.

• Two powerful 1000 W 60 V brushless hub motors
• Max weight load 330 lbs, but realistically the Mantis shouldn’t carry more than 265 lbs
• Max Speed: 40 mph
• Max Range in Eco Mode: PRO 80km, Base 55km
• Weight: PRO 65 lbs, Base 61 lbs, very light in its class
• Foldable and portable, though it takes up a lot of space in the trunk
• Brakes: PRO, Full hydraulic brakes + E-ABS; Base, semi-hydraulic brakes
• 10″ pneumatic tires are safe and durable
• Dual Mono Shock Suspension make the ride very enjoyable
• Battery Capacity: PRO 25 Ah LG Battery; Base 18 Ah Battery
• The PRO version has the Minimotors LCD and Power System, the Base version has a regular screen

The Kaabo Mantis is in the same price and performance range as the Zero 10X and the Dualtron 3. Compared to them, the Mantis is more comfortable to ride. In every other regard, they’re pretty similar. The Mantis is weaker and slower than the Wolf Warrior and the Dualtron Thunder, but that’s a given if we compare their prices. The one aspect that the Mantis has over both of these powerhouses is that it’s very portable and “trunk-friendly”, especially when compared to the low portability of the Wolf Warrior.

Mantis is comparatively long and has relatively high clearance compared to most scooters in its price range, making it a very good off-road option. It’s also very light compared to other scooters in this class, but it’s by no means an easy scooter to carry around or up flights of stairs.

The Fluidfreeride/Kaabo Mantis is perfect for an enthusiast looking for a fully balanced scooter. It’s very comfortable to ride, on and off-road. The range is great and you can use it to commute, even up to 40 or more miles to and from work and do chores. Its power and uphill performance is great for areas like San Francisco. The soft acceleration makes it suitable for beginners, but only in Eco mode. This is a powerful beast of a scooter in an attractive shell, so be careful when you accelerate.

It’s a great machine for people that really loved what a sharing scooter can do, and wanted the best possible version of that for a decent price.

Fluidfreeride’s roster of scooters is complete with this addition, and they can now cater to everyone’s level of interest. For beginners, kids and teenagers, there’s the Mosquito that acts much like a better dockless scooter. For people that want to add some oomph to their commute, there’s the Horizon; for people concerned with stability, the WideWheel takes the cake.

The Mantis is made for the scooter enthusiast, with a fair price to match it, and quickly became a serious contender in the enthusiast market, while the Wolf Warrior tackles the very top of the electric scooter world with its performance at a very modest price compared to the competition.

All things considered, it is. We’re pleased with this scooter, and we recommend it to anyone who’s an electric scooter enthusiast. Beginners should be very careful, this is certainly not a first-timer’s best choice because of the speed, power and acceleration it has, though going slowly in eco mode is a great way to learn.

Please practice caution, defensive riding and wear safety gear. Wearing a helmet isn’t mandatory by law in most places, but we strongly recommend it, as these more powerful scooters as inherently more risky. We do not recommend wearing a foldable helmet or a bike helmet, please obtain a full-face motocross (dirt bike) or full face motorcycle helmet. Dirt bike helmets are the better choice here, because they’re made for dirt bikes (and electric dirt bikes) that have a comparable speed to electric scooters; this means better airflow that will keep your head both protected and comfortable.