Beta have hit the kids electric bike market with an all-new animal. This is our Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro test and it absolutely hauls!
Growing up as a kid in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, I didn’t really have any choice but to play outside. Gameboys were very new, gaming consoles like Segas and Ataris were too expensive and kids’ TV was only on Saturday morning. Looking back now, the early ‘90s would be what most of us would consider the end of the golden era, but then again, I guess most generations say that.
With so many tech distractions nowadays more and more kids are spending time inside, staring at a screen. Cartoon producers even have child psychologists as part of their production team to come up with songs and colours that keep kids coming back like a drug! So I’m keen to ensure my four-year-old son Jaxon gets to use his imagination and exercise outdoors and electric balance bikes like the Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro are the perfect way to get him off the screen.
Spider-Man bike
Jax has tested almost every electric balance bike on the market and he calls the Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro his Spider-Man bike. It got this name because it is red and blue, just like his favourite superhero! So what does the Spider-man bike come with?
The Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro is loaded with fruit. It runs a set of 16-inch wheels made from magnesium alloy so they’re lightweight but also tough. Powering the Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro is a 350w brushless motor, paired with a sophisticated brushless controller. The brushless motor typically means lower maintenance and a longer lifespan. Powering the motor is a 24v 5ah battery, which is removable. You get two batteries for the RRP and the spare battery is about the size of a rolled up newspaper, (remember them?), so you can carry it in your backpack.
The Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro offers three-speed modes—low, medium, and high. These settings, which are changeable via a switch under the bike, enable you to tailor the bike’s speed to their experience level and riding conditions. It runs a regular dirtbike-like twist throttle (unlike the 12, the 16 Pro has a full throttle not a half throttle) with an integrated battery indicator so you can monitor the battery life.
In terms of safety and durability, the Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro features a fully enclosed chain cover, so your little one won’t lose any toes! Additionally, the bike is equipped with a rear disc brake as opposed to the clamp-style brake. The brake perch also includes an automatic power cut-off feature. It ensures that the motor’s power is immediately disconnected when the brakes are applied.
The Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro also runs an aluminium frame (unlike the big Betas which run a steel frame). The aluminium is lighter than steel which is ideal for a kids’ bike. And finally, Beta claims the E-Kinder Pro can run for approximately 40 to 60 minutes on a single charge, depending on factors such as speed setting, terrain, and rider weight.
Red Rocket
When Jax first jumped on the E-Kinder 16 Pro and ripped on the throttle he nearly looped out! Jax was jumping off the Kawasaki Elektrode and the 350w motor in the E-Kinder is far stronger and much more aggressive when in the fastest mode: high. In fact, I actually made sure Jax only rode the E-Kinder 16 Pro at the park when he first got it because I didn’t want him getting out of control on a footpath and hitting someone.
Eventually Jax got used to the power and can now control it. He can use the abrupt power curve to pop the front wheel up over gutters. The motor is situated in the middle of the frame spars so it is well-balanced and it uses a chunky chain which has stretched a fair bit in 200 hours of use. It is adjusted all the way out so it will need replacing soon.
The top speed is a little over 30km/h and it has a high-pitch whine that means walkers can hear him coming but it’s not obnoxious. Because the bike is electric, the throttle response at the end of the throttle pull is just as responsive as it is at the bottom which Jax loves because he can use that power to jump obstacles. We’ve managed to get about 15km out of a battery in a little over an hour before hitting the red battery light.
Because the motor is an absolute ripper, the E-Kinder 16 Pro needs a decent set of brakes and fortunately it is equipped with disc brakes. The clamp-style brakes on the small or lower-spec’d machines are not great but these disc brakes are awesome. When they were new, Jax could skid until the rear tyre was bald but with so much braking, the mechanical cable has stretched and also become sticky in the sheath.
I decided to fit a hydraulic brake instead and it bolted straight on and gives Jax stronger stopping and a lighter pull. The original brakes are excellent but over time the mechanical system wore out.
The Pro version comes with a suspended fork which is much better than the fixed fork. The suspended fork has no adjustment (remember, everything is built to a price) and it is very stiff. Even with all my weight, I could not get it to bottom out. The fork travel only moves about three centimetres but that is just enough to absorb the landings when he jumps the bike down at his local skate park and BMX track.
As for the seated and standing positions, the lowest the seat can go is higher than the Elektrode but at 120cm, Jax can comfortably get his feet on the ground. The bike has an excellent standing position with Jax able to keep his back in the attack position without being hunched over but I would like to see them attempt to use a different footpeg design that has a little more space.
The right choice
If you’re little one is brand new to the motorcycle world the Beta E-Kinder 16 Pro might be too much of a handful. That being said, you can always tame the E-Kinder 16 Pro down by choosing one of the slower maps. But, if your kid is stepping up from a 12-inch electric balance bike, the E-Kinder 16 Pro will give them lots to yahoo in their helmet about (well that’s what Jax does when he’s having fun).
The power is addictive for little brains and the way it comes on so strong results in lots of on and off throttle riding as they search for that dopamine hit. The suspended fork takes some of the harsh landing out of jumps if you’re little one is keen to get air and the strong disc brake means they can come in at 30km/h and pull the biggest skid they’ve ever done.
When Beta named this model the Pro, they weren’t kidding!
BETA E-KINDER 16 PRO
FRAME Aluminium alloy
BRAKE Rear disk with power-cut function
WHEELS 16-inch magnesium alloy
MAX LOAD 50 kg
MOTOR 24v 350w brushless motor + brushless controller
BATTERY 24v 5ah, removable battery
CHARGER 24.9v*2a
MAX SPEED
Low : 6km/h
Middle: 13km/h
High: 25km/h
RIDE TIME 40-60 MINS (APPROX)
BROWSER betamotor.com.au
RRP $1199
Words & Photos | Mitch Lees