Kaabo Wolf King Review
The Kaabo Wolf King is the king in every category that matters, except portability. It is the most complete, replace-your-car kind of electric scooter that you will find in the entire world. Although not for everyone, the King is an ESG favorite for its fantastic build, wicked fast top speed, and super smooth ride.
Tech Specs
Tested top speed: 95.6 kmh* | |
Tested range: 53.8 km* | |
Weight: 47 kg | |
Max rider weight: 180 kg | |
Water resistance: IPX4 |
* Based on our performance tests which may differ from the manufacturer’s claims.
Highlights
Most well-rounded scooter | |
Fastest top speed ever tested | |
Incredibly smooth at high speeds | |
Fantastic build quality | |
Zero stem wobble | |
Portability | |
No mode indicators | |
Complicated folding mechanism |
Kaabo Wolf King Review | Is This 60 MPH Scooter the Best at Everything?
Summary
The Kaabo name is synonymous with blazing performance packed into heavy-duty, all-terrain vehicles, and the Kaabo Wolf King is at the top of the food chain.
In this Kaabo Wolf King review, witness the speed of the King as it takes the throne as the easiest scooter to handle at super fast speeds. Although we know of one that’s faster from zero to 64 kmh (Apollo Pro Ludicrous), it can’t keep up with the King’s 95.6 kmh top speed.
Including the Ludo, there’s almost nothing else that will deliver speed in a way that makes you feel secure, comfortable and safe. The Kaabo Wolf Warrior 11, and now the Wolf King, is world known not just for stupid fast speed and power, but also for the effortless way it rides on streets and off-road.
And let’s not forget the completeness of the package that Kaabo has created, as the Wolf King is loaded with everything you need to get riding right out of the box. The only downside is the box is huge because the King is too, and it might be too much for some riders to handle.
Kaabo Wolf King vs. Wolf Warrior 11 Comparison
The biggest difference between the Wolf Warrior 11 and the Wolf King is the voltage increase, and two much more powerful motors, bumping nominal power up from 1200 watts to 1500 watts each.
Also, the 160 mm disc brakes on the King have a larger swept area than the Wolf Warrior (but more on that later). Here are the main differences between the Warrior and the King.
KAABO WOLF KING | KAABO WOLF WARRIOR 11 | |
---|---|---|
Price | $2999 | $2999 |
Weight | 47 kgs | 45 kgs |
Payload | 180 kgs | 150 kgs |
Top Speed (Tested) | 95.6 kmh | 72.5 kmh |
Range (Tested) | 53.8 km | 48.6 km |
Battery | 72V Samsung/LG 2016 wh | 60V Samsung/LG 2100 wh |
Motor | 3000 w | 2400 w |
Color | Gold | Black |
Buttons | Rubber-covered Eco/Turbo and Single/Dual button console |
Plastic green Eco/Turbo button and red Single/Dual button console |
Check price and availability for the Kaabo Wolf King in your country.
Other Scooters to Consider
- To keep it simple, check out our Editor’s pick of best electric scooters
- For a little less, you can get the OG baddest beast on the planet, the Kaabo Wolf Warrior 11
- For the absolute fastest from zero to 64 kmh, check out the Apollo Pro Ludicrous
- If you’ve got more to spend, you’ll get another signature look in a high performance beast with the Currus Panther
Model | Top Speed** | Range** | Weight | Price |
Kaabo Wolf King | 95.6 kmh | 53.8 km | 47 kg | $2999 |
Kaabo Wolf Warrior 11 | 72.5 kmh | 48.6 km | 45 kg | $2999 |
Apollo Pro Ludicrous (60V) | 70.8 kmh | 47.7 km | 35 kg | $3499 |
Currus Panther | 76.5 kmh | - | 48 kg | $3999 |
** Based on our performance tests which may differ from the manufacturer’s claims.
Kaabo Wolf King Review
Results below are based on our independent testing and not data provided by the manufacturer. Read about our testing methodology or compare with other scooters on our electric scooter performance testing page.
Acceleration (0 to 24 kmh) | 1.9 seconds |
Acceleration (0 to 32 kmh) | 2.7 seconds |
Acceleration (0 to 40 kmh) | 3.6 seconds |
Acceleration (0 to 48 kmh) | 4.9 seconds |
Acceleration (0 to 56 kmh) | 6.2 seconds |
Acceleration (0 to 64 kmh) | 8.4 seconds |
Top speed | 95.6 kmh |
Braking distance (24 to 0 kmh) | 3.1 meters |
Range | 53.8 kilometers |
Hill climb | 7.3 seconds |
Acceleration
Kick, or no kick, when you give the Kaabo Wolf King full throttle, it’s going to spin the front wheel two full revolutions.
The King keeps calm and carries on, with a high top speed but is not the fastest off the start line. The Wolf King has a 0 to 48 kmh acceleration time of 4.9 seconds. This is faster than all its Kaabo pack mates (the Manti and Wolf Warrior 11) but not faster than the Apollo Pro Ludo.
Hill Climb
The Wolf King felt positively gravity-defying in our 60-meter, 10% average grade hill climb test, with a certified time of 7.3 seconds at an average speed of 29.8 kmh, which is a beastly uphill pace. To help the front end maintain grip all the way up the hill, keep your weight forward.
It was surprisingly easy to transition from full throttle to full brakes at the top of the hill, and the King’s hill climbing prowess attracted the attention of bystanders during our tests.
Compare with other scooters on our performance page.
Top Speed
Top speed is the kingmaker of performance numbers, so it’s only appropriate that the Wolf King is by far the fastest scooter we’ve ever tested.
The previous ESG-tested record holder was the Currus Panther at an eye-watering 76.5 kmh. The Wolf King kicks dust in the Panther’s face, with a blistering 95.6 kmh top speed.
Range
With performance settings at their highest, the Wolf King manages one of the longest ranges of any scooter that we’ve tested, with an impressive 53.8-kilometer range in our real-world test with a 74 kg rider.
Braking
Kaabo didn’t overlook the fact that a scooter with this much go, also needs to have a lot more stop.
In our emergency-braking tests for the Wolf Warrior 11, the brakes got hot enough to fade, and we could smell them overheating. The Wolf King’s brakes didn’t even break a sweat. It has the same Zoom hydraulic brakes and calipers, so what changed?
The large 160 mm rotors on the Wolf King provide a 45% larger swept area than the Wolf Warrior 11. They’re also 50% thicker at 3 mm, making them much more resistant to warping and squeaking.
The Kaabo Wolf King has an ESG certified braking distance of 3.1 m in our 24 kmh to 0 kmh braking test. Comparably, the Apollo Pro Ludicrous stops faster by 15 cm.
Ride Quality
We couldn’t be more impressed that the Wolf King rides… just like a Wolf Warrior 11. Or rather, a Wolf Warrior that’s spent the entire quarantine working out, taking the baddest beast on the planet to another galaxy.
In full boogie mode (Turbo: on, Dual motor: on, P-settings turnt up), you really need to hold on and even then, the scooter may try to throw you off — it’s that powerful. Like royalty, the King demands respect.
When you summon him to go, he will leave, whether you are ready or not. However, the Wolf King is super stable once you recognize and respect the torque.
During the top speed tests on the Wolf King, the most surprising thing was how easy it is to ride this beast really, really fast. On many high performance electric scooters that we’ve tested, it takes a steady hand and calm nerves to keep the scooter riding straight and steady above 64 kmh.
What sets the Wolf King apart is the way the stiff frame, solid suspension, fat tires and big brakes work together so seamlessly, letting you transition from full throttle to full brakes with zero drama. There is no waiting for the scooter’s suspension to settle down between inputs, it’s always ready for your next move.
This is also ESG’s top choice for an off-road scooter and not by a little — by a lot. The hydraulic suspension that’s tuned even better for off-roading than on, smooth riding beefy, air-filled tires (knobby or road), and elite level build quality make the Kaabo Wolf King a particularly perfect vehicle for post-apocalyptic like landscapes.
The Wolf Warrior 11 is Ramier’s number one dual motor scooter. Does the Kaabo Wolf King live up to its moniker?
For the Big Dawgs
Big dawgs (noun): larger riders that are over 90 kgs and 2 m or taller, often favoring oversized decks, tall handlebars, pneumatic tires, and suspension
Highlights
Pack-worthy power | |
Smooth warp speed | |
High payload for heavyweight dogs | |
Low handlebar height (may affect some) | |
Flashy gold statement (may deter some) |
Big dawgs will love the King’s high speed capability, propelling even the heaviest riders up to 180 kgs over hills and through cities and backroads with ease.
The Wolf King has more than enough power to prowl the streets with the dawg pack, likely taking the lead with its flashy lights and gold looks, worthy of winning races on and off the track. Ramier, ESG’s resident big dawg, looks like royalty, jovially riding the King, amiright?
The deck-to-handlebar height on the Kaabo Wolf King is 96.3 cm tall, which might feel low for tall riders, but suited Ramier well as he rides tucked down, ready for warp speed.
The Wolf King is a bit flashier than his brother, the Wolf Warrior, who is all black and a bit more stealthy whether surrounded by woods or skyscrapers, so if you don’t like attention, the Wolf King is not the look.
Ramier loves the ride on the Wolf King so much that he can overlook its gilded appearance, and wholeheartedly approves of the Wolf King.
Kaabo Wolf King Features
Portability
Of all the things the King does well, portability is not his strong suit.
Although you can fold it down, the rather complicated folding mechanism takes a bit of time and practice to secure, and the final result is not very compact, being over 1 m tall and nearly 2 m long when folded. In fact, it’s longer folded than when it’s upright.
Also, the wide build combined with the 47-kg weight makes it near impossible for most to hoist it anywhere on their own. And, getting the King folded is a feat in itself.
Folding mechanism
There are three main components to the folding mechanism:
- The pull-lever (with bolt and dowel)
- The red safety mechanism
- The safety pin with chain leash
The most important component that locks the pull-lever in place is a long-neck screw post and dowel on the underside of the pull-lever, which has to be seated correctly to secure the front fork to the deck.
Once this is in place you rotate the red safety mechanism to the left or right, so it can’t slip through the oval cavity in the pull-lever. Feed the safety pin through a hole at the top of the folding mechanism to lock it all together.
While there are three safety features on the folding mechanism, the safety pin is attached to a chain that instantly breaks and the red safety mechanism rotates freely, lacking an indent to hold it in a locked position while riding.
Make sure to check the stem is secure and these pieces are in place before each ride.
Loading the Kaabo Wolf King into a truck or SUV
The Wolf King refuses to be stored in confined spaces, as it’s regal size makes it near impossible to fit in the trunk of a standard two- to four-person vehicle. A truck bed or SUV trunk better fit the King, and you can load it by yourself once folded.
Bend your knees, and lift up the back wheel onto the rear of your vehicle, holding the King by the rear bar across the back fender in one hand, and keeping the handlebars down with the other.
Once in the leaning position, you can lift the front wheel of the King horizontally flush with your vehicle while sliding it in, keeping you from having to bear the full weight of the King.
Cockpit
The cockpit of the Kaabo Wolf King is clean, finished, and well laid out. The plug-and-play cables are tidy, nicely mesh wrapped and velcro-tied to the front fork.
Black, rubberized buttons for Dual/Single, Eco/Turbo, horn and headlights feel fantastic, but don’t let you know what mode the scooter is in.
The Zoom hydraulic brake levers respond well and look great. It would have been the cherry on top of the cake if the brake fluid reservoir covers were gold like the forks given Kaabo’s overall attention to color detail, but it’s a standard lever, so we get it.
The handlebars are comfortably angled back toward the rider and feel very appropriate for the King, with supportive, rubber flat-palm hand grips that have gold fastening bands on either end.
The Wolf King comes with an EY3 (EYE3) trigger throttle with an LED display and a very loud mechanical horn that will alert everyone nearby that you’ve arrived.
Lights
The Wolf King comes with a duo of super bright headlights, a fender-mounted brake light, and under-deck lighting. The taillight lights up when braking.
There’s a black rubberized button console on the left handlebar, and the top button controls the headlights and taillight. The bottom button is for the electronic horn.
Alongside the charging ports on the side of the deck, there’s a metal push-button to trigger the bright blue LED under-deck lighting.
The light projected from the headlights overlaps very well and you just couldn’t ask for better road illumination than from the King of the road. The King did not come with turn signals, but this may be an upgrade in future versions.
Tires
The King sports enormous, pre-slimed tubeless pneumatic 27.9 cm by 9.40 cm tires, which have a nice profile. The soft tire compound has a great feel and cornering stability, as well as high speed stability.
You can also select rugged, knobby off-road tires, which according to Voro Motors provide about 6 kmh slower speed. Unless you’re planning to ride more than 40% in dirt, we’d stick with the road tires.
Here are a few quick tips for riding on air-filled tires: check your tire pressure regularly; keep your tires properly inflated; discover the power of tire slime; and follow the rest of our guide to prevent flats.
Deck
The Kaabo Wolf King has an enormous, rubberized deck measuring 52.1 cm long by 22.9 cm wide. This gives the rider their choice of stance, which can come in handy during long rides.
Being rubber, it has the least wet/dry traction of the decks we have measured, but still makes you feel surefooted. The simple pattern and material make it the easiest deck to clean.
The Kaabo Wolf King has a very high ground clearance of 19.7 cm, which means you’re riding taller in traffic and are more visible to other drivers than on scooters that sit lower.
Keep in mind that if you’re around 2 m tall, reaching the ground when at a stop or if you need to bail will be a little more challenging.
Build Quality
Whether it is user surveys, our own inspection of materials, or literally any of the thousands of posts you can find online — it is undeniable that the Wolf King is also king in terms of build quality.
The Wolf King sets itself ahead of the pack by giving riders everything they need to go fast right from the start. From the largest hydraulic disc brakes, to the dual hydraulic front suspension, enormous tires, dual charging ports, and the best headlight we’ve ever seen, the list of superlatives starts to sound almost ridiculous.
That’s not to say that this scooter has it all. The rear fender does not cover the tire, meaning you will get splashed. The button consoles were updated with form over function in mind, providing no visual or audio feedback to let you know which modes are engaged.
The stem-folding mechanism is an engineering marvel and results in zero stem flex, unlike many other high performance scooters. However, it’s complicated enough that it almost deserves it’s own user manual.
Once you get used to it, it’s not particularly difficult. But it is very important to understand how the three safety mechanisms work, and to never, ever ride it without the safety pin in place.
Which leads us to one disappointment: Why Kaabo, why, can’t you make a more robust chain for the pin that doesn’t fall off the first time it’s used?
And we just gotta talk about its kickstand, which is robust and keeps the King upright, but should come with its own warning label.
Beyond the minor flaws, the feature set and design of the Wolf is unique, and so good, that If we had to make a prediction, other beast scooter designs will start to look more like the Wolf King. And we are already starting to see this within the knockoff market.
Kaabo Wolf King: Review Conclusions
The Wolf King is Kaabo’s flagship high performance scooter and, by all accounts, one of the best in the world. It crushes every category except portability, which isn’t all that important when it comes to keeping ahead of the pack.
It seems like Kaabo changed very little from the Wolf Warrior 11 to the Wolf King, and for good reason. The Warrior is a well-made scooter with a loyal and well-earned following, and our guess is that Kaabo didn’t want to mess with success.
The King’s got more volts, more power, larger brakes. It’s more of a really good thing, and an exceptional electric scooter.
If the Kaabo line doesn’t fit your needs, check out our ESG Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.Check price and availability for the Kaabo Wolf King in your country.
Kaabo Wolf King Specifications From Manufacturer
Note: This may differ from our tested specifications.
Make | Kaabo |
Model | Wolf King |
Weight | 47 kg |
Folded dimensions | 152 by 64 by 48 cm |
Motor power, continuous | 3000 W |
Top speed | 97 kmh |
Range | 81 km |
Battery capacity | 2016 Wh |
Battery recharge time | 5 to 10 hrs |
Max rider weight | 180 kg |
Brake type | Disc + Disc |
Tire type | 27.9 cm Pneumatic + Pneumatic |
Built-in lights | Front + Rear |
Water resistance | IPX4 |