Is it A Motorcycle or E-Bike Or Someplace in the Middle? The Hidoes B3 Checks Many Boxes | Photo Rich Goodwin Mountain Weekly News
When this reviewer was six years old, I had a fully plastic electric Harley Davidson branded kid’s motorcycle. I rode that thing full throttle at three miles per hour through my front yard for hours. It was the greatest toy I’d ever had. Now as an adult I had the chance to reconnect with my inner child and motorcycle fan with the Hidoes B3.
Mike Hardaker, Author and Gear Tester Talks about the Hidoes B3 Chopper Style E-Bike
This chopper-esque class 3 ebike is all gas and no brakes (it actually has very good disc brakes) with its speed and aesthetics.
Hidoes B3 Frame Size
The B3 comes in a matte black aluminum like the other B series bikes in the Hidoes lineup. The front fork hinges to dual coil springs near the headset, mainly for aesthetics as they didn’t provide much dampening when riding. The middle triangle houses the 1200w, 48v 17.5Ah lithium battery that powers this behemoth.
Behemoth it may be, but easy to mount despite it not being a step-through frame.
Cockpit
On the left of the cockpit is your control center. Three simple and responsive buttons control your pedal assist modes, lights and riding modes. A simple to figure out series of press-and-hold combinations helps you navigate through the bikes functions. One of the most useful functions being the bright LED headlight that comes with the bike.
In the center of the swooped handlebars is a bright screen displaying all of the bike’s stats. Speed, riding mode, battery life and more.
The right side handles the business. There is a seven-speed shifter controlled by the rider’s index finger and thumb. Also via thumb is the bikes predictable and responsive throttle. There are three riding modes: Power assist off, leisure boost (0-50% power) and commuter mode (0-99% power.)
Hidoes B3 Drivetrain
The seven-speed gearing on the B3 is nice for simple rides around town, but arguably needless with the power at your thumb. Even if the rider is in the lowest gear and stopped, the throttle kicks you out of the gate. The max speed is 28mph and a range of 50 miles. The bike uses Kenda 26×4″ fat tires, similar to what I have seen on some of the fat tire mountain bikes which really helps to improve the riding experience.
With that much range and power the trade off is a 6-8 hour charge time.
Hidoes B3 Electric Bike Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Fun and Stylish Chopper Design
- Powerful Motor with Top Speed
- Long Range on Single Charge
Cons:
- Not Very Practical: Lacks cargo racks and passenger options.
- Long Charge Time: Takes 6-8 hours for a full charge.
- Large and Heavy: May be difficult to maneuver.
Overall Impression
Ask yourself what you want an ebike for. Is it hauling groceries or the kids? Maybe you should look into a different bike with more rack and passenger options. If you want something understated that is mid-weight and gets you from point A to point B, perhaps another option is out there. But this bike? The Hidoes B3 Chopper E-Bike ($1,499) makes up in attitude what it lacks in utility.
This high performance speed machine is for moving you around your city in style like no other. Its a hell of a lot of fun, but very much so a statement as well. Maybe that’s the beautiful part of this bike. All it has to be is fun.
Hidoes E-Bike Coupon Code ($250 OFF) : NNN0706B3
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I own this bike. It has its pros and cons. The springer fork really isn’t bouncy like you would expect. However, it IS very noisy.
My biggest problem with it out of the box was the ridiculously wide bars. They made it handle horribly at any speed because of how twitchy they made it. I replaced them with narrower cruiser bars that I also swept down to mimic a board tracker. It handles beautifully now and leans in very nicely.
It absolutely tops out at 28, unless you’re peddling like crazy, which might get you to 31. It claims 37 because the speedometer is set up for a 29″ wheel, not a 26″, so it displays a faster speed.
In summary, it’s an amazing bike if you want that specific aesthetic and aren’t shy about making modifications.
Sean,
Thanks so much for the comment. What a great tip on replacing the bars.
Have you got into the computer to adjust the settings at all?
-Mike
Brad,
Indeed the springer fork is just for looks so the bike has a nasty bounce in the front end, so no riding this one off curbs. The ENGWE is a much better bike all around I feel. This one is more of a toy, something for fun not to be ridden too seriously or too hard for that matter. Appreciate you leaving a comment. Have you checked out the ENGWE M20?
Mike
So, the springer forks are only there for show? That’s beyond stupid. Bet the front end bounces up about 2ft in the air when you go over bumps/potholes at speed. I’ll stick with my Engwe EP-2 Pro. It’s a shame because I’ve been having issues with my EP-2 Pro and was thinking about selling it to buy one of these, but no working front suspension is a deal breaker for me and I bet these bikes start falling apart after a few months just like my EP-2 Pro has. Also, the Aliexpress page for this bike says it can go 60kmh (37mph), which appears to be a lie since you say the top speed is 28mph. I’m sick of the deception from these Chinese companies. They’ve gotten really good at making products that look awesome, but are held together with bamboo and duct tape under the surface.
The actual speed can reach 60km per hour, the page says 28mph to comply with Google advertising requirements.
How can I get mine to run 60km. Mine tops out at 30 MPH
Danny,
Check YouTube, most e-bikes have hidden settings. Sort of like a video game secret level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88CMIH5dgEI
-Mike