Hiboy MAX V2 - $469
Paul Somerville
November 18, 2020
Rider Guide’s Editor-in-Chief is a seasoned expert in the electric scooter industry. With a wide-ranging background that includes managing scooter warehouses, selling thousands of motorcycles, and restoring high value (+1M) European sports cars, his expertise is unmatched. Having personally tested more than 100 electric scooters, he offers invaluable insights and recommendations to our readers. We are fortunate to have him as part of our team, as his diverse skill set and extensive experience ensure top-notch reviews.
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Hiboy MAX V2 Review
In this Hiboy Max V2 review, we walk you through the newest version of the Hiboy Max — a budget commuter scooter built for beginner riders with comfortable thumb controls, full suspension, and reasonable top speed.
PROS
Smooth braking
Extra large deck
Nice fit and finish
CONS
Noisy suspension
Short deck-to-handlebar height
Technical Specifications
Tested Top Speed:
18.6 mph**
Water Resistance:
IPX4**
Max Rider Weight:
265 lb**
Weight:
36.8 lb**
Tested Range:
9.1 mi**
Acceleration:
9.1 s**
**Based on our independent performance tests which may differ from manufacturer’s claims.
The Hiboy Max V2 is available in United States from Amazon.
Our content is independent, but using our links supports our hard work!
Hiboy MAX V2 Alternatives & Competitors
Our Take: Better Than a Shared Electric Scooter, But Not By Much
The Hiboy brand centers on two concepts: 'young and fun' and 'safety and convenience'. The Max V2 fits well into the Hiboy brand as the most feature-packed commuter scooter, which is great for beginners.
It has a good safety feature set, including a high-mounted headlight, rear taillight, and two braking mechanisms (front regenerative brake and rear disc brake). However, it is a scooter that you may outgrow as you get more comfortable riding and start to crave more speed, range, or advanced features.
As a kick-to-start scooter, the Hiboy Max V2 is built for casual commuting and is not going to keep up with commuter scooters at double the price, like the Apollo City. However, the Max V2 has a faster top speed and a bit more range than the average shared commuter scooter.
It's also neatly put together, with nicely routed cables, a little extra standing room over the rear tire, blue deck lights, and a huge deck. The thumb controls for the throttle and regenerative brake are very comfortable to use, and the rear shock absorbers provide some cushion (along with a fair amount of clacking).
It has a good safety feature set, including a high-mounted headlight, rear taillight, and two braking mechanisms (front regenerative brake and rear disc brake). However, it is a scooter that you may outgrow as you get more comfortable riding and start to crave more speed, range, or advanced features.
As a kick-to-start scooter, the Hiboy Max V2 is built for casual commuting and is not going to keep up with commuter scooters at double the price, like the Apollo City. However, the Max V2 has a faster top speed and a bit more range than the average shared commuter scooter.
It's also neatly put together, with nicely routed cables, a little extra standing room over the rear tire, blue deck lights, and a huge deck. The thumb controls for the throttle and regenerative brake are very comfortable to use, and the rear shock absorbers provide some cushion (along with a fair amount of clacking).
Performance Summary
Acceleration
The Hiboy Max V2 goes from zero to 15 mph in 9.1 seconds, which is a rather slow, gradual acceleration even for a scooter in the budget commuter class. For example, the Gotrax G4 has a tested zero to 15 mph time of 6.3 seconds.
Hill Climb
In our 200 ft, 10% average grade hill climb test with a 165 lb rider, the Max V2 struggled up the incline. It took the climb in 29.3 seconds, and had an average speed of 4.7 mph.
In our tests, it sped up the first 38 feet, but for the rest of the distance the speed decreased as it went up the hill. It left us wanting to give it another kick-push, as it just doesn't have a ton of “go” on an incline.
Compare with other scooters on our performance page.
In our tests, it sped up the first 38 feet, but for the rest of the distance the speed decreased as it went up the hill. It left us wanting to give it another kick-push, as it just doesn't have a ton of “go” on an incline.
Compare with other scooters on our performance page.
Top Speed
We tested the Max V2 in its highest performance (sport) mode.
Although it takes a bit to get going, the Hiboy Max V2 has a reasonable top speed of 18.6 mph. If you're familiar with riding a shared scooter, you're probably used to traveling a tad slower, as the average top speed is around 15 mph. For beginners, this gradual get-up is a great feature, allowing the rider to adjust to speed.
Although it takes a bit to get going, the Hiboy Max V2 has a reasonable top speed of 18.6 mph. If you're familiar with riding a shared scooter, you're probably used to traveling a tad slower, as the average top speed is around 15 mph. For beginners, this gradual get-up is a great feature, allowing the rider to adjust to speed.
Range
The Hiboy Max V2 has a tested range of 9.1 mi. As a budget commuter, it has comparable range to other scooters in its class. We set the scooter in its highest performance mode, so actual range will depend on rider size and riding style.
Learn more about our extensive RG certification tests.
Learn more about our extensive RG certification tests.
Braking
With a regenerative brake on the front wheel and a disc brake on the rear, the Max V2 has good braking, especially given its limited speed. The Hiboy Max V2 has a braking distance of 17.9 ft.
The regen brake is thumb controlled and provides strong enough braking on its own to bring the Max V2 to a stop. The rear mechanical brake is also linked to the regen brake, so you can use both brakes using the brake lever. One benefit of regularly using the regen brake only rather than with mechanical is that it can help maximize your range, and avoid wearing down the disc brake.
The regen brake is thumb controlled and provides strong enough braking on its own to bring the Max V2 to a stop. The rear mechanical brake is also linked to the regen brake, so you can use both brakes using the brake lever. One benefit of regularly using the regen brake only rather than with mechanical is that it can help maximize your range, and avoid wearing down the disc brake.
Ride Quality
The Hiboy Max V2 has fair ride quality given its feature set.
The small, solid tires and slower acceleration make the Max V2 an underwhelming ride for anyone looking for exciting speed or a super smooth cruise. The three riding modes set different top speeds for travel, with a blue light indicating beginner mode, yellow for normal mode, and red for sport mode.
The throttle activation is gradual and smooth. When cruise control engages after holding constant speed for 6 to 8 seconds, you’ll hear a notification and see a cruise control icon on the display. Some scooters do not indicate when cruise control has been activated, which can be a safety hazard, so we appreciate that the Max V2 makes it very clear when cruise control is set.
With a rather short deck to handlebar height of 35.5 in, the cockpit might feel too low for riders over 5 ft 5 in. The deck feels very long and roomy, making it comfortable to change foot positions as needed.
It's easiest to recognize the dual shock absorbers when you hear (rather than feel) them, as you travel over bumps or into dips. The absorbers don’t effectively provide damping for a 165 lb rider, and might be better suited to a 200 lb rider, as it feels oversprung. Other than clacking from the suspension, the scooter is very quiet and feels pretty stable, with minimal noise coming from the motor and no play in the stem.
We recommend riding with a bend in your knees, as the Max V2 will give you a brain massage over city streets. Also, the small, solid tires feel unstable over cracks and ruts that are parallel to travel.
The small, solid tires and slower acceleration make the Max V2 an underwhelming ride for anyone looking for exciting speed or a super smooth cruise. The three riding modes set different top speeds for travel, with a blue light indicating beginner mode, yellow for normal mode, and red for sport mode.
The throttle activation is gradual and smooth. When cruise control engages after holding constant speed for 6 to 8 seconds, you’ll hear a notification and see a cruise control icon on the display. Some scooters do not indicate when cruise control has been activated, which can be a safety hazard, so we appreciate that the Max V2 makes it very clear when cruise control is set.
With a rather short deck to handlebar height of 35.5 in, the cockpit might feel too low for riders over 5 ft 5 in. The deck feels very long and roomy, making it comfortable to change foot positions as needed.
It's easiest to recognize the dual shock absorbers when you hear (rather than feel) them, as you travel over bumps or into dips. The absorbers don’t effectively provide damping for a 165 lb rider, and might be better suited to a 200 lb rider, as it feels oversprung. Other than clacking from the suspension, the scooter is very quiet and feels pretty stable, with minimal noise coming from the motor and no play in the stem.
We recommend riding with a bend in your knees, as the Max V2 will give you a brain massage over city streets. Also, the small, solid tires feel unstable over cracks and ruts that are parallel to travel.
Mobile App
Pair the Max V2 with the Hiboy Max mobile app (available in Google Play and App Store), to control the following features:
- Speedometer style (metric or imperial)
- Ride mode (beginner, normal, or sport)
- Start style (kick to start or zero start)
- Headlights
Hiboy Max V2 Features
Portability
At 36.8 lb, the Max V2 is a portable scooter, but the “one-step folding design” requires a bit of practice and force to release.
To disengage the folding latch, you have to hold down the deck with one foot, push the stem away from you with one hand, and unlatch with your other hand. We weren’t able to step on the latch while also applying opposing force to get it to fold, but the upside to this design is that the stem gives very little flex when riding.
The Max V2 does not have folding handlebars but the stem does fold down and locks in that position for easy carrying. The stem is a rather large diameter, so may not be easy for riders with smaller hands to carry one-handed.
The V2 measures 44 in long by 19 in wide by 44 in tall with a folded height of 16 in.
To disengage the folding latch, you have to hold down the deck with one foot, push the stem away from you with one hand, and unlatch with your other hand. We weren’t able to step on the latch while also applying opposing force to get it to fold, but the upside to this design is that the stem gives very little flex when riding.
The Max V2 does not have folding handlebars but the stem does fold down and locks in that position for easy carrying. The stem is a rather large diameter, so may not be easy for riders with smaller hands to carry one-handed.
The V2 measures 44 in long by 19 in wide by 44 in tall with a folded height of 16 in.
Cockpit
The cockpit of the Hiboy Max V2 is very clean, with thumb controls on either side of the easy-to-read backlit center display, mechanical brake lever on the right, and bell on the left. The thumb throttle is very common in entry-level scooters as it's an ergonomic, intuitive design.
The handgrips are slightly texturized and screw-on, and can get unscrewed while riding. This is not a safety concern as you’ll feel the handgrips loosen, but something to be aware of.
The handgrips are slightly texturized and screw-on, and can get unscrewed while riding. This is not a safety concern as you’ll feel the handgrips loosen, but something to be aware of.
Lights
There are decent lights on the Hiboy Max V2, including a high-mounted headlight and a rear taillight mounted on the fender. There are also blue deck lights that run along the sides of the deck (rather than underneath). None are super bright, but the headlight is sufficient for traveling at night at lower speeds (around 15 mph).
For riding at night, you’ll definitely need more lighting for better visibility.
For riding at night, you’ll definitely need more lighting for better visibility.
Tires
The solid, 8.5 in tires are very low maintenance, but they don't provide as comfortable a ride as larger, air-filled tires. The small profile of the tire tends to fall into cracks and the solid material does not conform to the road.
Deck
The oversized deck is covered in texturized rubber and measures 22 in long by 6 in wide with 3.5 in of ground clearance.
Its deck is 3 in to 5 in longer than other scooters in its class, giving you substantial standing room.
Its deck is 3 in to 5 in longer than other scooters in its class, giving you substantial standing room.
Build Quality
The build of the Hiboy Max V2 is understated and solid for a budget commuter. The stem and deck feel durable, but the clacking suspension and fender make it sound a little cheap. If you want pedestrians to check you out, this will have them turning heads.
However, they'll be looking for where the noise is coming from rather than checking out your sick scooter. Sitting still, the Hiboy Max V2 resembles the Segway ES4, but it doesn't ride nearly as well or feel as well made as the ES4.
Other than the suspension sounds, the ride is silent. We really enjoy the linked regenerative and disc brakes, as they're great for introducing beginner riders to scooting. If the tires were larger and/or air-filled, it would handle cracks and rough terrain much better.
The Max V2 has a IPX4 water resistance rating and accommodates riders up to 265 lb.
However, they'll be looking for where the noise is coming from rather than checking out your sick scooter. Sitting still, the Hiboy Max V2 resembles the Segway ES4, but it doesn't ride nearly as well or feel as well made as the ES4.
Other than the suspension sounds, the ride is silent. We really enjoy the linked regenerative and disc brakes, as they're great for introducing beginner riders to scooting. If the tires were larger and/or air-filled, it would handle cracks and rough terrain much better.
The Max V2 has a IPX4 water resistance rating and accommodates riders up to 265 lb.
Hiboy Max V2: Review Conclusions
The Hiboy Max V2 is a budget commuter that looks a little nicer than its price, but rides right at its price point. It has the ride comfort and safety specs on paper that we expect as electric scooters evolve, including dual suspension, redundant braking systems, and front and rear lighting. However, these features do not result in a comfortable, quiet scooting experience. The Max V2 is a good beginner scooter suited well for short-range, low-impact commuting.
If the Hiboy line doesn’t fit your needs, check out our RG Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.
If the Hiboy line doesn’t fit your needs, check out our RG Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.
The Hiboy Max V2 is available in United States from Amazon.
Our content is independent, but using our links supports our hard work!
Technical Specs Comparison
Model
Hiboy Max V2
Gotrax G4
Gotrax Xr
Top Speed**
18.6 mph
20.0 mph
14.6 mph
Range**
9.1 mi
14.6 mi
9.1 mi
Weight**
36.8 lb
37.4 lb
27.4 lb
Price
$469
$649
$299
**Based on our independent performance tests which may differ from manufacturer’s claims.
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