E-scooters have established themselves as an integral part of the Viennese cityscape in recent months. Not only the rental scooters from Bird, Lime and Co. line the cycle paths, many road users are meanwhile buzzing through the urban jungle with a privately purchased device. Because for frequent drivers, a purchase is cheaper in the long run than renting at the usual rate of one euro basic price and 15 cents per minute.
Such developments, which originally came from a scooter boom in the USA, have of course not gone unnoticed by various manufacturers. Numerous companies are now competing for the favor of customers with all kinds of electric scooters. Various Chinese companies are also among them, who often try to score with the price. So does Kugoo with the S4. It should be an alternative to devices like the Xiaomi M365, but cost significantly less.Â
Anyone looking for the model on the net should be confused fairly quickly. Because many dealers – not just Chinese importers – have it in their range. However, there is disagreement about its performance. A 350 watt motor is shown, which is 100 watts more powerful than that of Xiaomi’s popular scooter. However, there is disagreement about the maximum speed.
The figures vary between 25 and 35 km/h. Sometimes even within individual offers. An Amazon retailer indicates 30 km/h in the product name, but states a top speed of 25 km/h in the description. This creates uncertainty, because the motor vehicle law provides for a (only theoretically possible) typification as a moped at top speeds of over 25 km/h.
| Brand | Kugoo |
| Model | Kirin S4 |
| Battery | 36V 10Ah |
| Motor Rated Power | 350W |
| Hill Climbing | 15° |
| Brake System | EABS & Disc Brake System |
| Tires | 10'' |
| Size | Unfold 119*53*109cm |
| Fold 43*53*109cm | |
| Pedal Width | 15.3cm |
| Chassis Height | 12cm |
| Weight | 13.5kg |
| Max load | 100kg |
| Charging Time | 6-8h |
| IP Rating | IP45 |
| Top speed | 35km/h |
| Top Speed in each mode | 15km/h 25km/h 35km/h |
| Range | 40km |
Kugoo Kirin S4: Design and Appearance
Incidentally, the scooter was provided by Geekbuying, which states 30 km/h. The importer sells it for around $400 and delivers it from warehouses in Spain and Poland. This means that there are no extra costs for customs, but it must be assumed that the processing of guarantee cases will take some time.
The fact that there is no corresponding information on the packaging or on the enclosed quick start guide and the manufacturer does not seem to have a website does not really help either. From practice, however, it can be said that with a body weight of 85 kilograms – the Kugoo Kirin S4 should be able to transport up to 120 kilograms – on a level surface (no exact measurement) even in the highest of the three speed modes no more than 25 km/h could be achieved. 30 km/h could only be achieved on sloping parts of the road, but that is also possible with Xiaomi scooters and similar devices.
Adjustable handlebars, stiff folding mechanism
The Kugoo Kirin S4 offers a handlebar with a hanging hook, which is height-adjustable in three stages, which allows a rough adjustment to the body size. However, the upper part of the steering column always wobbles very slightly.
The handlebar grips can also be folded in, which saves space when parking. And the folding mechanism consists of a simple pedal lever. However, the latter plus point had to be put into perspective in the test. Because after the second opening, the mechanism jammed and folding was only possible with the use of a hammer. After all, with a weight of around 11 kilograms, it is still easy to transport in its compact form.
The workmanship makes a solid impression, even if it doesn’t reach the level of Xiaomi. The rather short running board, whose “grip pad” is quite narrow, is a negative feature. Nevertheless, one stands on it safely, but as a taller person it is not particularly comfortable.
Tires and Braking
Two different tires are used. There is a profiled 10-inch solid rubber tire at the front, and a smooth tire at the rear, like many pedal scooters have. This favors the rolling properties, but ensures that the rear section of the scooter “breaks out” more easily on smoother surfaces, which should definitely be taken into account when driving.
There are two braking systems. On the one hand there is a controller for an electronic brake on the handlebars, on the other hand there is a conventional coaster brake on the rear fender. A front light with 24 bright LEDs and a red flashing rear light are used for lighting.
If you want to adapt the scooter completely to the bicycle ordinance, you still have to attach reflectors – one at the front and two on the side in white or yellow and a red one on the rear fender. There is a small stand on the front left for parking.
“Cruise Control” on board
When driving you have to get used to the fact that this scooter accelerates very jerkily at first, but then has a relatively long run-up time to top speed. In the lowest of the three power levels, around 13 to 14 km/h could be achieved, in the second level around 20 km/h and in the strongest mode, as mentioned, 25 km/h. The fact that the motor is actually more powerful than that of the Xiaomi scooter is noticeable on inclines, which this scooter can climb with significantly less power loss.
Also unusual is the “Cruise Control” mode (which cannot be switched off). After a few seconds of maximum operation of the speed controller, the scooter automatically maintains the top speed of the mode currently in use, which proves to be a practical feature. If you switch the power level in the meantime, you have to accelerate manually again afterwards so that this command also reaches the motor, which only then increases or reduces its performance.
Sometimes stubborn
After three weeks of use, a strange problem was added: after applying the electric brake, the scooter sometimes stopped responding to the acceleration controller for a few seconds. Although this does not create a great potential for danger, the circumstance definitely falls under the category “annoying”.
The driving comfort of the Kugoo Kirin S4 is mediocre, apart from the short running board. According to the information provided, it has hydraulic suspension, but in practice there is not much to notice. It is therefore better to avoid cobblestones and similar surfaces.
40km range
Information about the current speed, mode and distance traveled since the last switch-on shows an illuminated display on top of a rather ugly plastic box, which also houses the front light and five rubberized buttons. With the small, fairly easy to reach buttons, you can switch the performance mode, turn on the light, switch between the display of the current and total distance covered (50 kilometers as part of the test) and you can also ring the bell. This only consists of a not particularly loud beep, which is why installing a separate bicycle bell seems worth considering.
With one battery charge, the Kugoo Kirin S4 should be able to travel up to 40 kilometers. This may be possible if you only drive in the most economical mode. But if you mainly use the middle level, it’s over at around 25-30 kilometers. For a full charge, the scooter then has to be fed with electricity for five to six hours. The charging connection is attached below the folding hinge, a rubber cap protects it from dirt and moisture. The S4 is said to meet the IP45 standard, which means it is considered “rainproof”.
Kugoo Kirin S4: Conclusion
The Kugoo Kirin S4 is a solid scooter with a comparatively powerful motor, which is suitable for different body sizes thanks to the adjustable handlebar height. Although the workmanship does not correspond to the level offered by the Xiaomi M365, for example, it does not give any cause for concern. After several weeks of testing, there were no relevant signs of wear and tear on the device.
Driving is fun once you get used to the somewhat idiosyncratic acceleration behavior. The integrated “Cruise Control” is a useful addition. Every now and then, the test device briefly refused to cooperate if you wanted to accelerate again immediately after braking. In addition, the electronic bell is hardly usable. As with other scooters, the range is well below the specifications, but exceeds that of the Xiaomi model despite the more powerful motor.
Anyone looking for a budget-friendly e-scooter could consider the S4 – if it weren’t for the unclear “design”. Because there is no uniform information on the maximum speed and official manufacturer information could not be found, it is simply unclear whether it is still considered a bicycle in Austria and therefore allowed to take part in road traffic. Also below you can watch a video review about Kugoo Kirin S4.
