InMotion V11 Electric Unicycle: Powerful, Responsive, and Utterly Insane
InMotion V11
Well-built and powerful, InMotion v11 isn’t a cheap entry point into EUCs. But it’s a good one, and if you’re confident that this is a hobby or personal transport suitable for you, then I can certainly recommend the v11 as a powerful, solid, and reliable EUC.
Do you need to get from A to B and like the idea of an e-bike, but feel like two wheels is one too many? You’ll be after an electric unicycle then! Yes, that’s really a product that exists. In fact, there’s a whole world of them out there, and today I’ll be taking my first foray into EUCs with the InMotion V11, a 2200W beast with 70mm suspension for super-smooth rides. For a limited time, use the discount codeInmotion11to get $50 off atInMotionWorld official store, bringing the price down to $1649.
As a quick disclaimer, I’m not a seasoned unicycle pro, as will become painfully obvious if you watch the review video. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to ride one of these, so this review is entirely from a beginner’s perspective. It’s been a rollercoaster of a journey.
If you want to know about the suitability of the V11 for someone who’s been riding EUCs for years, check out KujiRolls on YouTube. It was his video that I used to learn how to ride an EUC, and he has a comprehensive review of the V11 from the perspective of somebody with years of experience that I cannot possibly hope to match. But I will do my best to tell you what you need to know as a beginner and whether this would suit you.
Unboxing and Preparing Your InMotion V11
Out of the box, there’s no construction needed. But you do have to pump up the hydraulics for the suspension to an appropriate level for your weight. Four chambers in total need filling: two at the bottom on either side that are easy to access, and two at the top, for which you need to remove the outer case. This means you may’t easily share your EUC with another family member if their weight differs significantly from yours. A suitable pump with pressure dial is included in the box.
You should also adjust the tire pressure, but I left mine a bit lower for use on gravel and off-road.
Lastly, perform a full charge before turning it on for the first time. You’ll find the charging port on the rear under a water-resistant rubber flap.
What Is an Electric Unicycle and How Does It Work?
An electric unicycle self-balances in one axis only: forward and backward. It detects when you’re leaning one way or the other on the foot stand, and counteracts by self-righting the angle and applying motion to propel you forward (or backward), or to slow you down.
However, it doesn’t stabilize the left and right axis, which is where most of your practice will come into play. You’ll need to acquire the muscle memory in your calves to stay balanced, and not tilt over to the side.
InMotion V11 Specifications and Features
The InMotion V11 features an immense 2200W sustained output motor. That’s a serious amount of power. In fact, it’s more powerful than any full-size e-bike or scooter I’ve tried yet. That means hills are no issue for the V11, with up to a 35-degree incline possible, depending on your weight and confidence. Confidence is a big part of learning to ride an EUC—trusting that this compact wheel between your legs will prevent you from falling over.
That immense motor power is backed up by an equally massive 1500Wh battery running at 84V. It takes 10 hours for a full charge with the included AC charger, but you can halve that time if you buy an additional charger and plug them both in at once (two charge ports are available). You can also purchase an optional rapid charger if you need to travel light (though you can use both the rapid charger and regular charger at once).
The V11 can zoom along at up to 31 mph, though by default, its speed is locked to 16 mph in the EU to keep it road-legal. In any case, you can unlock it using the InMotion app (more on that later).
The tire has an on-road type grip, measuring 18 inches in diameter by 3 inches thick, but it can also handle dry off-road conditions reasonably well.
The biggest difference between the InMotion V11 and other high-end EUCs (besides its sheer power) is the hydraulic suspension, with 70mm of suspension travel. That means it’s excellent at smoothing out everyday bumps and can even handle stairs or jumps (although I won’t be demonstrating that).
Given the size of the battery and motor, the V11 itself is not lightweight, weighing in at 60lbs (27kg). It has a maximum payload of 265lbs (120kg). For reference, at 110kg, I’m at the top end of that, and quite tall at 185cm (6'1").
The V11 also features a built-in cooling system with an active fan, which in my experience, only activates when the light is on. Speaking of which, for night riding, the V11 has an automotive-grade front and rear light.
With IP55 water resistance, it should be fine to ride in the rain (although it might not be pleasant). However, it is not fully waterproof, so don’t submerge it or pressure wash it.
Lastly, there’s a spin kill button under the main handle. Press that to kill the motor so it’s possible to lift it temporarily; otherwise, it’ll spin out of control and potentially hurt you. There’s also a helpful handle that can unfold to facilitate pushing it around, and a kickstand.
Operating the V11
Turning on the device is simple, with the power button on the top, but there are two non-obvious points you need to keep in mind. First, you need to make sure it’s upright. you’re able to’t turn it on when it’s resting on the kickstand or lying on its side; it must be upright, like you’re about to ride it. Second, it’s partially a capacitive button. This means no gloves. You should wear gloves when riding, but to turn it on, you must remove them.
Is an Electric Unicycle Safe?
It goes without saying that you should wear a helmet. When I went trail riding, I had some body armor on too. Wrist guards would also be a good idea.
In practice, however, I found riding the InMotion V11 safer than riding a bike or scooter, at least at the reasonable speeds I was traveling at. Why? If you’re on a bike and you go down, you’re attached to it, and it’s going to hurt. You can put your hands out to break your fall and protect your face, but you’re not getting off that bike any time soon. Even with a scooter, you have a handlebar that’s likely to trip you up if you go over the front.
But with an EUC like the V11, your legs and hands are completely free to recover from a fall. In learning how to ride the V11, I’ve fallen off a lot. Not once have I ended up on the floor. I’ve always been able to step or jump off. Unless you have some major hardware fault, the device isn’t going to run off without you. It’ll stop dead and fall to the side once your body weight is no longer pushing forwards.
What’s Great About the InMotion V11?
The V11 is powerful and responsive. As a heavier guy, that’s important, and my best analogy for why the power is good would be that a less powerful motor is like cutting something with a dull knife. It’s dangerous and you’re more likely to end up cutting yourself. A sharper knife or a more powerful motor counterintuitive gives you more control because you need fewer exaggerated movements. So you can go comfortably fast on this without leaning at 45 degrees. You can go up tarmac hills easily without losing control or struggling to balance because of the low speed. If you’ve ever tried to ride a bike slowly, you’ll know why not having that power makes it much harder to balance.
Then there’s the durability. My test model is badly scratched, it’s muddy, dented, and yet it still runs great. I’d recommend you buy protective padding anyway to protect your investment, but my point is that it seems extremely durable, well-made, and of solid construction that will happily take a beating.
The range is superb: up to 60 miles under ideal conditions, thanks to the humongous 1500Wh battery. But it’s a lot more efficient form of travel than, say, an e-bike in pure electric mode. Practically speaking, it will last a whole day of continuous riding.
The compact size is also greatly appreciated. If you have a large family, trying to cram four or more e-bikes into the boot of your car is impossible, and bike racks typically aren’t made to carry the extra battery weight or fat-tire models.
The accompanying InMotion app is good, but also essential. To take the InMotion V11 out for a daytrip, you’ll need to set it to transportation mode to avoid damaging the sensors or motor. That needs to be done in the app. You can also adjust the braking and acceleration parameters, choosing between presets for a smoother, less responsive city ride or a more responsive but harsher off-road ride—or adjusting each parameter entirely to your own preference. As mentioned, you can also use the app to derestrict the power and speed. As far as PHEV apps go, the InMotion one is one of the most reliable and useful I’ve come across yet.
What Don’t I Like About the V11?
The big suspension. It means that you’re standing a lot higher on the frame than you would on one without. While this is great for pro users who want to traverse stairs or do jumps, as a beginner and a fairly tall guy, it just makes it harder to learn because the center of gravity is so much higher. That’s not to say I don’t like the smooth ride that the suspension grants, but I think I’d be happier with a compromise of slightly less suspension. I don’t need 7cm of travel. Again though, this is probably something I’ll appreciate more as I get more experienced.
There’s no included leg padding or a chair. The chair is less important and can be purchased as an optional extra, but some padding around my calves would have helped me have great control. The wheel itself is very slimline, which gives you more freedom and control to move your legs around, but again, makes it less easy to balance.
By default, the speed is locked to 16mph to make it road-legal in the EU. Although I should add that in the UK, this isn’t road-legal at any speed, so be aware, it can be used on private land only. you could unlock it from within the app to run even faster, up to about 31mph under ideal conditions. But if you’re not going to unlock it because 16mph is quite enough thank you very much, it does seem like a waste to spend this much on power you’ll never use.
Is The InMotion V11 Suitable For You?
It’s a powerful and fun device, and it’s extremely robust (I can confidently tell you that given the fact my test device is still functional). But I would hesitate to recommend it to beginners. The suspension is superb and means you can take some fairly hefty obstacles fine, but it’s going to take a long time to get to that point, and until then, you’re having a harder time of it by riding relatively high off the ground. If you’re a complete beginner like I am, I would suggest something with slightly less suspension that you will sit closer to the ground on, lowering your center of gravity.
Lastly, on a personal note, I mentioned that learning to ride the V11 has been a rollercoaster of a journey. When this first arrived, I was so hyped—and completely unprepared for how difficult it would be to get started. I underestimated how tiring it would be to learn from scratch, and after a couple of days of practicing for thirty minutes at a time, I was disheartened and ready to throw in the towel. It felt like I’d never even be able to go more than a meter, let alone finish this review. But after a few more days, something clicked, and now two wheels just feels clunky! Riding an EUC feels like a more active pursuit than a bike or scooter; it takes actual skill and works a lot of muscles in your legs. This is one of the few things I have felt a tangible sense of accomplishment with, and as a middle-aged fat guy, that’s quite rare nowadays. So if you’re worried that you won’t ever be able to ride an electric unicycle and don’t want to waste money on one—don’t be. The learning curve is steep but fast. I promise you will get it. If I can figure it out, anyone can.
With a retail price of upwards of $2000, the InMotion v11 isn’t a cheap entry point into EUCs. But it’s a good one, and if you’re confident that this is a hobby or personal transport suitable for you, then I can certainly recommend the v11 as a powerful, solid, and reliable EUC.
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