Speedway Leger Review
Speedway Leger Specifications
- Top speed: 45 kmh 28 mph
- Range: 55 km 34 mph
- Motors: single hub BLDC Continuous 1360WΜΑΧ
- Power: 500 W real, 1360 W peak
- Climb angle: 15 °
- Battery: 748 Wh, 48 V
- Battery type: LG 18650
- Charging time: 8 h
- Avg. charging cost: US: $0.12, Canada: $0.07, UK: £0.23, EU: €0.22
- Weight: 18.6 kg 41 lbs
- Weight limit: 120 kg 265 lbs
- Tire size: 8.5 in
- Tire type: pneumatic tubed
- Tire pressure: 50 psi
- Foldable: yes
- Foldable handlebars: yes
- Seat: no (customization possible)
- Trunk or basket: no (customization possible)
- Build material: aluminum alloy 6061
- Terrains: urban
- Brakes: regenerative electric rear drum brake
- ABS: yes
- Shock absorbers: front spring + rear hydraulic
- Lights: dual front LED + brake + side
- Control: EY3 LCD
- Speed modes: 3
- Cruise control: yes
- Keys: thumb print scanner
- Warranty: 6 months
- Folded dimensions (L * W * H): 104 * 21 * 38 cm 40.94 * 8.27 * 14.96 in
- Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H): 110 * 53 * 110 cm 43.31 * 20.87 * 43.31 in
- Deck to handlebar height: 90 cm (est) 35.43 in (est)
- Adjustable handlebar: yes
- Notes: top notch suspension, signature raised rear deck
Tests and measurements
- Speed tests (EScooterNerds): 45 kmh 28 mph
- Speed tests (third party): 45 kmh 28 mph
- Range tests (EScooterNerds): 49 km 30 mi
- Range tests (third party): 55 km 34 mi
- Braking distance tests (EScooterNerds): 5.5 m
- Braking distance tests (third party): 5.5 m
- Climb tests (third party): 20
- Charge time tests (EScooterNerds): 7
- Charge time tests (third party): 8
- Waterproofing tests (EScooterNerds): no issues in light rain
Ratings and scores
Pros
- portability
- good speed and acceleration
- good range
- effective suspension
- versatility
Cons
- low weight limit
- less durable
- limited availability of spare parts
When to buy
The Speedway Leger is a versatile, all-round scooter suitable for commuting, with a good balance of range and portability. It’s an excellent option for both novice users and experienced scooter enthusiasts seeking an upgrade or a second scooter. The power levels are also well-suited for experienced riders.
When not to buy
Consider alternatives to the Speedway Leger if your budget is below $1000 or exceeds $1200. Choose simpler scooters if you prioritize minimalism over features. Also, heavier riders may want to explore models with higher weight capacities. If immediate access to replacement parts or fast charging is crucial, other scooters might be more suitable.
In this post, I will do a complete review of the Speedway Leger, one of the best electric scooters in the middle to high-end price range I’ve reviewed so far.
Basics
Let’s go through some useful basics before riding the Speedway Leger.
Unboxing and assembly
The scooter will usually arrive partially charged to around 50-75%, and I was able to ride it immediately after unboxing.
The package includes:
- the scooter, with its battery installed
- default battery charger (2A)
- small Allen key
- user manual
There was no need for assembling, although it’s highly recommended to make sure all the screws and bolts are tightened. Also, you should adjust the brake lever to fit your hand.
Speedway Leger manual
The package included a detailed, illustrated manual for the Speedway Leger.
Read it entirely to make sure you are 100% familiar with your scooter.
Read it even if you think you know everything about the Speedway Leger model, as some details can change between different versions of the same scooter.
Folding and unfolding
This scooter is one of those models that are built with portability in mind.
The main folding mechanism is very simple, it’s just one very simple quick-release latch between the stem and the deck, and the folding and unfolding are done in 3 seconds.
The mechanism made sure the stem was locked firmly, both when folded and unfolded.
There was no wiggle or unexpected shaking during my ride, thanks to the high overall quality and attention to detail.
With that, the Speedway Leger is probably one of the safest electric scooters in this price range I’ve tried.
One of my favorite smaller features is the folding handlebars. They may not be a big deal to someone that doesn’t need to carry the scooter through narrow places like doors or entrances. But if you need to move the scooter like me, this small feature makes a big difference.
For example, at one time, I had to put the scooter on my balcony, which meant carrying it from the street, through the building entrance, through the elevator door, through the narrow hallway, through my apartment’s door, through my apartment’s hallway, through my living room, through the balcony door.
Quite a trip, right?
Well, I can tell you that non-foldable handlebars will cost you at least one scratch on your door, several broken glasses and other objects, and damaged furniture.
Also, folding handlebars do wonders for fitting the scooter in a car trunk easily. It’s simply a very neat little feature to have.
The scooter comes with a secure and sufficiently long kickstand on the left side of the deck.
How to ride the Speedway Leger?
Riding the Speedway Leger is as easy as riding any other scooter.
After your scooter is unpacked, all the screws are tightened, and you’ve unfolded it, all you need to do to ride is the following:
- turn it on with a 2-second press on the power button
- make sure you have enough battery
- choose the riding mode
- set the settings for the brake strength, the ABS, cruise control, etc
- press the throttle with your right index finger
- off you go
To brake, just use the brake lever. Be careful not to brake too sharply if going at high speeds.
Performance
Read on for a detailed analysis of the Speedway Leger’s tested performance.
Speed and speed tests
The official top speed of the Speedway Leger is 28 mph / 45 kmh. However, the scooter is actually capable of a bit more than that, sometimes even exceeding 31 mph / 50 kmh.
There are three speed modes available:
- mode 1 – up to 9 mph / 15 kmh
- mode 2 – up to 18 mph / 30 kmh
- mode 3 – maximum speed
The Speedway Leger accelerates pretty fast, but not as fast as the monster scooters.
It took me about 4-6 seconds to develop full speed. There was a small kickback when I tried to go from 0 to 100, but you will not quite go into warp drive.
Motor and motor tests
The Speedway Leger comes with a single hub BLDC Continuous 1360W ΜΑΧ motor, integrated into the rear wheel.
Its peak power is at 1360 Watts, and its real power is 500 Watts.
The motor had unusually high torque for its power levels, which gave the Speedway Leger solid climbing abilities and good carry loads.
Climbing angle and climb tests
With an official climbing angle of 15°, and a higher unofficial one of about 20°, the Speedway Leger will conquer pretty much every hill possible. That is quite a feat for a scooter with one motor.
During my test the Speedway Leger proved capable of climbing anything but the steepest hills – I climbed them from a dead start, and at some points the scooter even accelerated when going uphill!
Of course, the rider’s weight will be a factor here, and riders weighing closer to the Speedway Leger’s weight limit (264 lbs / 120 kg) will see diminished performance when climbing.
Overall, the Speedway Leger is among the top climbing scooters and is the perfect choice if you live in a hilly region.
Battery and charging
In the electric scooter world, the battery manufacturer is one of the key specs of every model.
Since the Speedway Leger comes with an LG 18650 battery, that base is more than covered, as LG is one of the best battery manufacturers for scooters.
The battery energy storage capacity is 748 Watt-hours, with a voltage of 48 Volts, and a capacity of 15.6 Ampere-hours.
Charging the Speedway Leger fully takes about 8 hours using the charger that came with it.
It took me about 7 and a half hours to fully charge it and the charging time usually depends on the battery state, charging conditions, etc.
How much does it cost to charge the Speedway Leger?
It costs around 3 cents to charge the Speedway Leger during off-peak hours in the US, and around 6 pennies in Canada.
During peak hours, those prices will be 10 cents in the US, and 8 pennies in Canada.
Range and range tests
The official range of the Speedway Leger is 34 mi / 55 km on a single battery charge.
Interestingly, even heavier riders report similar ranges in real-world conditions.
During my ride, the scooter reached 31 mi / 49 km on a flat, paved road.
Still, I believe Speedway has decided on playing it safe here and underreporting the range a little bit. Which is great news, and means you will probably get somewhere close or above the advertised range.
Water resistance
The Speedway Leger is not waterproof, and it has no official IP rating against water protection.
Since I didn’t test it in the rain or any other wet weather, I would advice you to avoid contact with water in general.
Ride experience
Riding the Speedway Leger was a wonderful experience.
The sturdy build and high quality, the ample suspension, and the formidable power of the scooter, provided me with a fun, safe, comfortable ride, with very little shaking and vibrating.
Since the Speedway Leger has plenty of range, it was perfect for exploration and fun cruises around the city.
This scooter is meant for use on city roads and urban environments. Since it has amazing suspension, handled pretty much any road, no matter how bad – pavements, asphalt, marble, pavement blocks with little empty spaces between them, anything that I encountered was not a problem.
The comfort and the safety it provided, coupled with the good climb angle, make it a good choice for almost any type of urban ride, but also quite useful for getting things done.
You can optionally turn on cruise control, so that you don’t have to press the throttle during longer rides.
Speedway Leger vs other scooters
There are a few scooters that are frequently compared against the Speedway Leger.
Speedway Leger vs Speedway Leger Pro
In 2022, Minimotors introduced the new upgraded model of this scooter – the Speedway Leger Pro.
This new version comes at an added cost, rounding up to around $1499. For that price, you get an extra 15 mi / 24 km of range due to the more powerful battery of 52V.
The Speedway Leger Pro also has an improved climbing ability, now handling hills with inclines of up to 27 degrees.
This version is also faster than the previous one, but not by much.
And since there are basically no differences in design between the two scooters, it is an easy upgrade to a much better range for just a couple of hundred bucks.
Speedway Leger vs Dualtron Mini
Another frequent comparison is done between the Speedway Leger and the Dualtron Mini.
I don’t think this is a good comparison to make. The Dualtron Mini is more powerful, heavier, and it costs about $400 – $500 more, which is not a trivial amount of money.
Still, if we compare the two, it’s clear that the Dualtron Mini is more powerful, slightly faster and with a bit more range, but it’s also heavier, larger (despite the name), less portable, and ultimately, less versatile than the Speedway Leger. I don’t think the slight performance advantages are enough to justify the extra 8 lbs / 4 kg of weight in the Dualtron Mini.
They are simply in different scooter categories. And still, I’m not sure I quite see the value proposition of the Dualtron Mini. If you’re already spending $1000 on what seems to be a heavy-duty scooter, why not spend $500 more and get something like the Dualtron 2, which is already a true power scooter?
For me, this one would be a no-brainer. I believe the Speedway Leger would make much more sense for most people, but if you think otherwise, you can check out my complete Dualtron Mini review.
Speedway Leger vs Zero 9
Zero 9 is probably the biggest competitor to the Speedway Leger. They are often compared as very similar scooters with a very similar price.
Personally, I don’t see how the Zero 9 can win this comparison except for a few fringe use cases. The Zero 9 is a great scooter too, but the Speedway Leger is not only better made, but it’s also more powerful on pretty much every specification and feature, and it’s definitely more performant.
Speedway Leger vs Ninebot Max
This is another unfair comparison in my opinion.
First of all, the Speedway Leger is on a whole other level than the Ninebot Max. While the Ninebot Max is massively popular, it can’t even come close to the performance capabilities of the Speedway Leger. I mean, just look at those motors – the Speedway Leger has twice the motor!
That’s not to say the Ninebot Max doesn’t have its uses. For about $800, it is a great scooter for its price, and it deserves its popularity. Sure, it fades away when compared to the Speedway Leger, but I don’t think it’s its job to compete with it.
I’d suggest going with the Ninebot Max if you’re after a more regular type of scooter.
Build quality
In my opinion, the overall build quality is where the Speedway Leger shines.
It has many other strong suits, including being great value for money and pretty strong performance all around, but its robustness, its sturdiness and stability, even the way the scooter looks, all scream reliability and quality.
Many parts, including the stem, are made from 6061 aluminum alloy, and the deck has anti-slip surface tape over it. The handlebars feel extra grippy as well.
Even after months of riding, the Speedway Leger will not budge, and there will be no loose screws or squeaky parts or anything like that.
It’s obvious that a lot of attention to detail has gone into the design of this scooter.
With great finishes, high quality overall, and very aesthetically pleasing, the Speedway Leger is the complete package.
Features
Let’s review the Speedway Leger’s features in more detail.
Brakes and ABS
The Speedway Leger comes with a single electronic drum brake on the rear wheel.
You can adjust the strength of your brake to one of five different levels, with 5 being the strongest. In the strongest mode, the braking distance was no more than 4-5 meters.
The brake has the regenerative braking feature, which means that every time you use it, the battery gets replenished a little.
The scooter has the ABS braking feature (Anti-lock Braking System).
In short, this prevents the wheel from locking when you brake, giving you more control over your scooter when you brake, but also shorter braking distance.
The ABS is optional and you can turn it on or off. Some riders don’t like it and they turn it off. Personally, I suggest giving it a shot, it may take some getting used to, but you slowly learn to love it, and then you can’t live without it.
Tires and wheels
The Speedway Leger comes with 8.5-inch tires. The pneumatic tubed tires are meant for standard road conditions. The recommended tire pressure for them is 50 psi.
They seemed quite wide, at least for their diameter, even though their official width is 2 inches.
They were not tough or large enough for offroad, but they certainly provided great balance and control.
In fact, the tires are the main reason why the Speedway Leger has unusually high traction and torque.
Suspension
The suspension and shock absorption features of the Speedway Leger were very strong, even amazing maybe.
Sporting a front spring suspension installed between the stem and the wheel, and a hydraulic arm suspension on the rear wheel, this scooter probably has one of the best shock absorbing system out of all the $1000 scooters I’ve tried.
I barely felt the small and medium bumps and cracks in the road, and only the biggest and deepest holes in the road caused small problems. The ride comfort this scooter provided will hardly be matched in this price category.
Lights and riding at night
The Speedway Leger has no shortage of lights.
On the front, it has dual LED headlights on the deck.
The sides of the deck are decorated by LED strips illuminating the logo.
On the rear, there is a brake light, which flashed and rotated when activated, to make sure whoever was behind me was alert.
Portability, weight, and dimensions
The scooter weighs 41 lbs / 18.6 kg, which makes it fairly portable for most people, although not ultra-portable.
In a research I’ve done, the upper limit for very portable scooters seems to be 31 lbs / 14 kg for the majority of people. While the Speedway Leger is not too far from that, it can’t really be classified as a super-portable model.
Personally, I love the folding handlebars feature, even though they are an additional dimension of complexity and another moving part that can go wrong. They reduced the width and space occupancy of the scooter while folded greatly, which is simply amazing for maneuvering and placing the scooter.
While the weight of the Speedway Leger is still manageable for most people, its shape and form when folded took away some of its portability points.
I recommend getting a very cheap carry handle to make carrying the Speedway Leger a lot simpler.
Weight capacity
The official weight limit of the Speedway Leger is 264 lbs / 120 kg.
Users have reported overloading it to as much as 300 lbs / 136 kg, without a drop in performance.
So Speedway has played it safe here and possibly under-reported the weight limit a bit.
In any case, anyone weighing up to 264 lbs / 120 kg will have absolutely no problem with the Speedway Leger.
Controls and screen
Naturally, the Speedway Leger will come with the iconic EY3 LCD display, proprietary and typical for all Minimotors scooters.
The green-lit, Matrix-style multi-function instrument panel shows the information clearly, even on the sunniest of days, and lets you see the stats and adjust all the features:
- voltage
- current speed
- battery level
- odometer
- start mode
- speed mode
- cruise mode
- brake strength
- ABS setting
- acceleration
- stopwatch
Stem and handlebars
This is one of the sturdiest, toughest parts of the scooter, and that’s great news because it is exactly where many scooters, especially cheaper ones, have subtle but serious problems.
The stem of the Speedway Leger is very strong and reliable, and not only that, but it’s also very secure after locking.
The locking mechanism was very safe and secure, and the handlebars did not rotate like on some cheaper scooters.
The handlebars were adjustable for height, and riders over 6 feet / 180 cm tall have reported comfortable rides. As I mentioned before, the handlebars are foldable.
Deck
A signature move from Speedway Leger is the raised rear deck, which is a very smart design decision.
It almost gives you extra deck space beyond what you would normally get, and it was a convenient place to rest my feet and achieve better balance while riding. Just be careful not to press on it too hard.
Other than that, the deck is spacious enough for any adult, and comes with sandpaper tape on the top for extra grip.
Accessories and customization
The Speedway Leger is capable of developing serious speeds, so safety is paramount. I recommend getting a full-face helmet like the Bell Qualifier (Amazon), or at least an open-face helmet like the HJC CL-JET (Amazon). A plain old bicycle helmet is not enough for 30 mph / 50 kmh.
If you plan on riding at those speeds often, consider getting yourself a full-body motorcycle armor as well, as it may literally save your life (HEROBIKER on Amazon is awesome).
Check out my guides on electric scooter helmets or accessories if you want to learn more about what equipment to get, many of the accessories like the trunk and the phone holder will fit the Speedway Leger perfectly.
Fingerprint and locking
Newer models come with a thumbprint scanner that you can use as a lock. The scooter will not be started without your fingerprint.
Couple that with a strong scooter lock (Kryptonite on Amazon is a great investment to protect a scooter of this caliber), and you will have very little to worry about (still, it’s a precious possession so try not to leave it outside).
Tradeoffs and issues
Overall, the Speedway Leger has very few issues compared to most scooters. It is sometimes advertised as a luxury scooter, and it certainly is high-quality, so it doesn’t suffer that much from many of the common issues that plague budget models.
The only factory defect I’ve seen with a couple of Speedway Legers is a complete shutdown at 50% battery. It seems that if you ride the scooter in the highest gear, the battery can’t send enough power to the motor for proper acceleration once it gets below 50%, so it shuts down completely. If it happens during the first year, you’re fine as the scooter is still under warranty. But if it happens in the later years after the warranty is expired, the solution is you lower to 2nd gear and ride the scooter at limited speed when the battery isn’t at least half full.
One of its biggest weak points is the lack of water protection. There is plenty you can do to waterproof your scooter, but it will be something you will have to do yourself.
If you really need something like the Speedway Leger in terms of quality and performance, but that’s also waterproof, something like the EMove Cruiser may be a better choice.
Additionally, if you live in a rainy area check out my list for best waterproof electric scooters.
While the brake is of high quality and does its job well, I believe it wouldn’t hurt if a scooter like this had two brakes.
Personally, I avoid using the front brake in scooters as it often almost tips me over, and the Speedway Leger only has a rear brake, so that’s a pretty good design choice. Still, an additional front brake to the front would have been nice.
A common complaint about the Speedway Leger is the underwhelming front lights, which are not nearly as strong as the rest of the scooter.
Luckily, this one is very easily solvable with affordable customization in the form of additional light. A super-bright 400 Lumen USB rechargeable light on Amazon will cost just around $15, and it fixes the problem immediately.
I really can’t think of any other weak points of the Speedway Leger.
Verdict
The Speedway Leger can fit a lot of use cases, in fact it fits most scenarios for anyone with a budget of $1000 – $1200.
It is advertised as a higher-end, luxury scooter, and those labels are more than deserved, even though the price doesn’t really reflect that too much.
Personally, even though it’s obviously high-quality, I would describe the Speedway Leger more as a versatile, all-round scooter that can wear many hats. It is feature-rich, strong in performance, great quality, and yet pretty affordable compared to other similar scooters under $1500.
It can be a faithful commute companion, as it provides both great range and ok portability.
However, if you prefer scooters with longer range take a look at my list of best long range electric scooters.
The Speedway Leger is a decent choice for a novice scooter owner, but it’s the perfect choice for an upgrade, or your second scooter.
The power levels are right in the middle between unsatisfactory and dangerous, and that’s what most experienced electric scooter owners are looking for.
