Hiboy Max Review [Excellent Solid Tire Budget Pick]

Note: the Hiboy Max is no longer being produced, and is superseded by the new and improved version, the Hiboy Max3.

The Hiboy Max is a popular budget scooter with solid wheels that offers a great mix of price and value. In this complete review of the Hiboy Max, we will take a look at the design, the quality, and the performance of this good budget option.

Hiboy Max specifications

Basics

The Hiboy Max is a beginner-friendly scooter. It powers on with a 3-second button hold, and accelerates using the right throttle. The three-speed modes are easily toggled with a power button tap.

The app lets you enable or distable the kick-start option, or activate the battery-saving option that prevents accidental throttle activation during carrying or pushing, enhancing both battery life and safety.

Unboxing and assembly

When the package arrives at your home, it will contain:

• the scooter
• the handlebar
• the charger
• the owner’s manual
• the warranty card
• the toolkit
• the bell

Assembly is easy and will take just a few minutes. You need to install the handlebar into the stem, add the bell, and you’re good to go.

Before riding, make sure the brakes work, the battery is fully charged, and there are no loose screws.

Folding and unfolding

The Hiboy Max has a very strong and secure folding mechanism. In fact, some owners have described it as too strong, erring on the side of safety and caution too much.

Still, folding the scooter only takes a few seconds using the simple latch that unlocks the frame.

To fold it, you need to rotate the handlebar and lock it against the rear wheel, which will reduce the scooter’s folded width and volume, and make it easier to fit everywhere.

Performance

The Hiboy Max performs very well, especially if we keep in mind that it is a budget scooter.

Speed and speed test

During the speed test with four out of six battery bars remaining, the scooter reached almost its maximum speed. Starting in eco mode, it peaked at 9 to 10 miles per hour. Shifting to medium mode increased the speed to 12 to 13 miles per hour, and the final gear reached 15 to 17 miles per hour. Though not hitting 18.6 miles per hour, the scooter showcased a gradual speed progression across its modes.

All in all, the scooter goes fast enough for an affordable model, but if you’re after more thrilling rides, you will have to see my guide on the fastest electric scooters.

Range and range test

I recently had the opportunity to test out the Hiboy Max and see how far it would actually go on a single charge.

For my range test, I rode the Hiboy Max in a variety of conditions, including city streets, bike paths, and even some light off-roading. I also varied my speed throughout the test, riding at an average speed of around 15 miles per hour.

I was able to ride the Hiboy Max for a total of 15.7 miles before the battery died. This is slightly less than the advertised range of 17 miles, but it is still a very impressive range for an electric scooter.

The range of the Hiboy Max was ok for a budget scooter, but I wasn’t too impressed by it. It is a great scooter for commuting or just getting around town, but if you’re looking for longer and carefree rides, you may want to check out the longest-range electric scooters.

Climb and climb test

The climbing abilities of the Hiboy Max are one of its strong suits, and the scooter punches above its weight when it comes to riding uphill.

The official climb angle of the Hiboy Max is only 9° / 15%, but it’s very likely that Hiboy has underreported it a bit.

For our hill climbing test, we used a variety of inclines, ranging from gentle slopes to steep hills. We also varied our speed and rider weight to see how these factors affected the scooter’s performance.

The Hiboy Max easily handles inclines of up to 9° / 15%. On steeper inclines, the scooter slowed down slightly, but it was still able to climb them without stalling. I was able to climb an incline of 20% without any issues, and I believe that the scooter may be able to handle even steeper inclines.

Battery and charging

The Hiboy Max has a 36 Volt Lithium-ion battery, with 7.5 Ah and 270 Wh capacity. Charging takes between 5 and 6 hours.

The charging port is at the side of the deck, close to the ground, which I believe is not a good place for it as water and dirt from the ground can easily come in contact with it.

Luckily, it has a stable protective cap that prevents that from happening.

As usual, the indicator light on the charger will be red while the scooter is charging, and green when the battery is full.

How much does it cost to charge the Hiboy Max?

During off-peak hours, charging the Hiboy Max costs 1 cent in the US, 2 pennies in Canada, 5 pence in the UK, and 4 cents in the EU on average. During peak hours, the costs become 4 cents in the US, 3 pennies in Canada, 8 pence in the UK, and 6 cents in the EU

Ride experience

I’ve used the Hiboy Max as my daily commuter scooter for a few weeks and was really impressed with it. It’s a great balance of performance and portability, and it’s perfect for getting around town.

The Hiboy Max has a range of up to 17 miles, which is more than enough for my commute. I usually ride it for about 5 miles each way, and I’ve never had to worry about running out of battery. The scooter is also fast enough to keep up with traffic, and it has a smooth acceleration that makes it easy to get around.

The ride quality of the Hiboy Max is good, but not great. The solid tires don’t offer as much cushioning as pneumatic tires, so you can feel some of the bumps in the road. However, the front spring suspension does help to smooth out the ride, and the honeycomb tires with holes in them to absorb some of the shocks will mitigate some impact.

Overall, the ride is still decent on most of the common surfaces like asphalt, pavement, and regular city streets or sidewalks.

Overall, I’m really happy with the Hiboy Max. It’s a great commuter scooter that is perfect for getting around town. It’s powerful, portable, and has a decent range. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good all-around electric scooter.

Hiboy Max vs other scooters

The Hiboy Max is one of the most popular budget scooters ever, and as such, it’s often compared to other popular budget scooters. Let’s see how it fares in those comparisons.

Hiboy Max vs Hiboy S2

Sibling rivalry is a real thing, especially for the Hiboy Max and the Hiboy S2. Both are good picks, and they are quite similar in many regards.

The Hiboy Max performs a bit better, it accelerates a bit faster, and charges faster as well. Also, the Hiboy Max is cheaper.

The Hiboy S2, on the other hand, is a bit lighter in weight and smaller when folded, while having a bigger weight limit.

Honestly, both are great options, as both are strong, popular budget scooters with solid tires from the same company. If the upsides of the Hiboy S2 sound like a better fit for your needs, see the full Hiboy S2 review.

Hiboy Max vs Hiboy S2 Pro

The Hiboy S2 Pro is quite a different animal than the Hiboy S2, as it costs quite a lot more and is almost in an entirely different price range.

The Hiboy Max still matches the Hiboy S2 Pro in terms of top speed and climb angle, while being about 4 lbs / 2 kg lighter in weight.

The Hiboy S2 Pro, however, has a significant advantage in range (about 9 mi / 14 km), as well as a better weight limit, bigger tires, and more comfortable rides in general. If these are important to you, see my Hiboy S2 Pro review.

Hiboy Max vs Ninebot ES2

The Hiboy Max and the Ninebot ES2 are similar in some ways, but I believe the Hiboy Max will win in about 9 out of 10 use cases. I don’t see that many good reasons to go with the Ninebot ES2.

The Ninebot ES2 will be about $200 more expensive, and somehow I don’t believe it fully justifies that additional cost.

Both scooters have solid tires, but the tires of the Ninebot ES2 are smaller at 7.5 inches, and that’s already too small and makes the rides very unstable. The top speed of 15 mph / 25 kmh and the range of 15 mi / 25 km are both less than the ones of the Hiboy Max.

I really don’t think there’s a clear-cut scenario when the Ninebot ES2 is a better choice. Don’t get me wrong – the Ninebot ES2 is also a very good scooter, and there’s a good reason why it was among the top budget choices for such a long time (you can read more about it in the Ninebot ES2 review). It’s just that the Hiboy Max is a better pick.

Hiboy Max vs Xiaomi M365

Both scooters are massively popular and adored by scooterists all over the world so that one is a tie.

The Xiaomi M365 is a pneumatic tire scooter, and it will provide more comfortable and more stable rides. It does have a more powerful motor on paper, and it does have a better climb angle because of it. The top speed is higher for the Hiboy Max out of the box, but that’s only because the top speed of the Xiaomi M365 is locked. If you unlock it by installing some custom firmware, the Xiaomi M365 will be a bit faster.

However, the Hiboy Max is a clear winner in more use cases. The performance differential is still comparable, and not big enough to justify the price difference, making the Hiboy Max a better value and the better budget choice. Also, you will never get a flat tire with the Hiboy Max, and that hits the Xiaomi M365 where it hurts, as it is one of the scooters that’s the most notorious for suffering flats easily and frequently.

That’s why the Hiboy Max may often be the better choice.

Hiboy Max vs GoTrax GXL Commuter

The prices of these two scooters are comparable, with the GoTrax usually being a bit cheaper.

In general, most people don’t need their scooters to be crazy powerful and just need them to be good enough for their commuters or rides through the city. However, I do believe that the GoTrax GXL may be a bit too weak – the top speed of 15 mph / 25 kmh and the small range of 12 mi / 19 km, might be too small even for the casual commuter.

That’s why I’d recommend the Hiboy Max over the GoTrax GXL Commuter in most cases. If you still want to find out more about the GoTrax GXL Commuter, see the full review here.

Hiboy Max vs GoTrax G4

The GoTrax G4 can be considered a step above the Hiboy Max in some regards.

While the Hiboy Max is cheaper, lighter, more portable, and probably has better brakes, the GoTrax G4 comes with 10-inch pneumatic tires, a slightly better top speed and climb angle, and a better range.

The extra power and performance will be welcomed by a lot of people who wouldn’t mind spending a bit more, and if that sounds like you, see my detailed GoTrax G4 review.

Build quality

The scooter’s frame is made from aluminum alloy that is lightweight and durable, with PC-ABS for the plastic covers and details. The tires are made from rubber.

Overall, the Hiboy MAX is a well-built electric scooter that is sure to last for many years of use.

Features

Even though the Hiboy Max is clearly a budget scooter, it lacks almost no feature. In fact, it doesn’t lack any essential features at all.

Brakes and safety

The Hiboy Max features a redundant dual-brake system. The rear wheel has a disk brake, while the front has an electronic brake. The brakes are strong and sensitive, especially the front one. The scooter comes to a full stop only after a few meters, even when stopping at full speed.

The scooter has an anti-lock braking system (ABS) that works pretty well.

You can adjust the sensitivity of the brakes either through the app or by twisting the little screw on the rear disk brake.

The brakes have an unorthodox activation mechanism that I’ve rarely seen in other scooters. The rear disk brake is activated by a lever on the right handlebar, and the electronic brake is activated by a thumb throttle on the left handlebar.

Tires

The tires of the Hiboy Max are 8.5-inch solid honeycomb tires, which means they are much more than the plain old solid rubber tires.

The honeycomb tires have holes in them, which provide additional comfort and shock absorption when riding. Both of the tires have fenders on top of them that will protect you from splashes.

The tires can never go flat, and that’s one of the major advantages this scooter has over other budget scooters.

Suspension

As with any good solid-tire scooter, the Hiboy Max has suspension to absorb the impact from riding over bumps and potholes.

Only the front wheel has suspension, in the form of a spring between the wheel and the stem. Even though it’s kind of stiff and it’s far from being the best suspension ever, it still does a decent job, and for a solid-tire scooter, it’s much better to have it than not.

Water resistance and riding in the rain

There’s a common misconception circulating online that the Hiboy Max has no water protection. Buried in its user manual, there is an IP54 certificate, which means the scooter will not be harmed by water splashes from any angle.

In theory, this means the Hiboy Max can be used in the rain or the snow.

However, common scooter wisdom prevails here, and riding in the rain is still not a good idea. If you must ride through the rain at times, chances are everything will be fine, but you should still try and avoid doing that as much as you can.

Lights and night rides

The headlight is made from two large LED lights placed on the top and the front of the stem, right below the cockpit. The headlight is not too bright, and you may want to look for after-market lights that are stronger, especially if you plan on riding at night (see the guide on electric scooter accessories to find some great yet affordable options).

The deck has strips of LED lights on each side that serve as positional lights for night rides.

When using the brakes, the rear brake light is activated and notifies other traffic participants of your intentions.

Screen and cockpit

The left handlebar has the bell, and the electronic brake thumb throttle, while the right handlebar has the acceleration thumb throttle, and the brake lever for the rear disk brake.

The digital display will show you:

• the speed
• the speed mode
• the battery level (4 bars)
• the Bluetooth signal
• the light status

The screen is very bright, and visible even on very sunny days.

Deck, frame, and handlebars

The Hiboy Max has a large, wide, and comfortable deck, big enough even for people with larger shoe sizes. It features a rubber surface on top to prevent slipping from it.

The handlebars don’t shake while riding except when you hit a bigger pothole. The rear fender might rattle a bit when going over uneven terrain.

The handlebars have rubber covers to protect them from rust, and to make sure you maintain your grip if your hands get sweaty.

The kickstand is both strong and long enough to prevent the scooter from tipping over while standing.

Portability, weight, and dimensions

The scooter weighs 34 lbs / 15.4 kg, which means it’s about average in weight compared to other budget scooters.

When folded, the dimensions of the scooter are:

• length: 44.5 in / 113 cm
• width: 18.8 in / 48 cm
• height: 15.7 in / 40 cm

That weight and volume make the Hiboy Max a fairly portable scooter that will be easy to fit in many of the common places where owners take their scooters (under the bus seat, the car trunk, the elevator door, etc).

App

All Hiboy scooters can connect to some of the several Hiboy apps, with popular options specific to the Hiboy Max available for both iOS and Android.

The apps come with a lot of features that allow you to customize almost every aspect of the scooter’s behavior and performance.

Some of the options that the apps provide include:

• turn the scooter on or off
• select kick start vs zero start
• lock the scooter
• toggle all lights
• current speed
• battery level and voltage
• headlight
• cruise control and its speed limit
• battery capacity
• energy recovery level
• speed limit
• ride mode
• error and warning codes
• customer support
• information and status

Sadly, the apps don’t have very good reviews. In general, Bluetooth connectivity is very difficult to get right, and even the scooter apps provided by multi-billion dollar companies often have mediocre reviews and a lot of complaints. So, while it would have been great if the app always connected with the scooter, the reality for every scooter app is that there might be problems, and that’s the case for the Hiboy apps as well.

In any case, try out the app for your Hiboy, and also try the Universal Scooter App by EScooterNerds as a complementary app that will work great along with your primary Hiboy app. The app is also available for both iOS and Android.

Cruise control

The Hiboy app provides the option to customize the way the cruise control works, and you can set its speed limit and when it’s activated (default is 6 seconds). You can also turn it off completely.

To exit cruise control, you will have to engage the electronic brake, as the mechanical disk brake is not connected to the electric circuitry of the scooter.

Weight limit and heavy adult usage

If you need a scooter with a larger weight capacity, take a look at the guide on the best electric scooters for heavy adults.

Accessories and customizations

The Hiboy Max supports a few interesting customizations. I would definitely go with the Hiboy waterproof storage bag, as I believe that’s one of the most useful scooter accessories ever.

For other accessories, it’s best to check the guide on scooter accessories, as many of the generic items will fit the scooter and cost less.

Sadly, a seat is not one of the supported accessories, and I don’t think installing a seat on this scooter would be feasible.

Of course, you must wear a helmet at all times while riding this scooter. You may get away with a bike helmet, but I would still recommend a half-helmet, as the scooter’s top speed is not exactly slow. If you want to find the right helmet for your specific needs and your budget, see my guide on the best electric scooter helmets.

Lock and security

The scooter can be locked through the app, but that only prevents someone from starting the scooter, and a thief can still carry it if you don’t lock it with an extra lock. Since the Hiboy Max is not an expensive scooter, you probably don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on the most secure lock, and something like the Via Velo lock will work great.

Take a look at the complete guide on electric scooter locks to see all of the options.

Hiboy Max downsides and trade-offs

There are a few downsides to the scooter that you should be aware of before you buy it.

One downside is that the scooter’s solid rubber tires can be less comfortable than pneumatic tires, especially on rough terrain. The solid rubber tires also make the scooter more susceptible to bumps and vibrations.

Additionally, the scooter’s battery life is not as long as some of the other scooters on the market. You can expect to get around 17 mile on a single charge, but this can vary depending on how hard you are riding the scooter.

Verdict

The Hiboy Max is a great choice for commuting plus it’s newbie-friendly.

The lightweight design, folding mechanism, and portable handle make it effortless to transport and store, ensuring convenience and adaptability.

The scooter’s honeycomb tires, while not as plush as pneumatic tires, provide reasonable cushioning over various terrains, while the front spring suspension further enhances the ride quality. The dual braking system, encompassing a rear disc brake and front electronic brake, ensures swift and reliable stopping power even at higher speeds.

With its durable construction, IP54 water resistance, and excellent customer service, the Hiboy Max is built to last and provides peace of mind during every ride. Overall, the Hiboy Max stands out as a versatile and dependable electric scooter that delivers a balance of performance, convenience, and affordability.

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