2023 Urban Drift G63 Review

There are off-road scooters and then there is the G63 from Urban Drift. It's big, it's tough as a tank, and it's got dual suspension with a monstrous amount of travel! This power and durability comes at a cost with a curb weight of 91 pounds, so hopefully you don't need to carry it up any stairs.

Video Review

Written Review

Hello, fellow scooter enthusiasts! I'm pretty excited about today's subject, the G63 scooter from Urban Drift. This is the beefiest scooter I've ridden on to date and it's been an absolute blast so far.

Built like a Tank

There's no two ways about it: The G63 is a monster scooter, with carbon steel construction and tipping the scales at just over 90 pounds. Despite this massive size it actually folds down to a pretty compact size thanks to the unique fold mechanism, and as a bonus you can actually easily remove the battery. This definitely helps to make carrying it easier, though you'll have to make two trips for the scooter and then the battery. It's also great for the battery because you can store it inside out of extreme weather, and thieves are less likely to steal a battery-less scooter! Plus, of course, you could get a second battery if you really want to maximize your range... although you already get a lot of that out of this massive 48v 20ah battery pack.

Unfortunately, this tank of a scooter isn't very adjustable; there's no way to adjust the height of the handlebars. They're mounted at a good midpoint so average size adults should feel comfortable, but us taller folks (I'm 6'3") might find the bars just a bit too low.

Customize for Any Terrain

Many scooters offer the choice between street or offroad tires, but the G63 takes things one step further with a snow tires option! It's less of a tire and more of a mini snowmobile tread... but hey, how cool is that? Sadly, I didn't get one of these (and it's not winter) so I wasn't able to fly over some snowdrifts.

You can also choose between single and dual motor options, although the single motor variant is currently unavailable. You'd probably want to go with the dual-motor setup anyways, especially if you're planning to ride off-road and up lots of hills. Dual motors drain more power but make a huge difference for climbing and acceleration!

Is sitting more your style? The G63 is equipped and ready to mount a seat! It doesn't include one, but seats and seatposts are pretty cheap and this way you can get the one you actually want. It's a nice touch and the seat will be easy to swap in and out in a jiffy so you don't have to commit to only one riding style.

Off-Road Specialist

While you can totally ride the G63 around town, it doesn't really shine there; It's huge and heavy which can make it tough to park or bring inside, and doesn't have some riding-with-traffic niceties like turn signals or a loud horn. (It does have a twist-style bell but it's not very loud).

No, the G63 is practically begging to be taken on adventures far from the pavement. It's got 11" tubeless tires with an aggressive knobby tread, with self-healing capabilities so you don't have to worry about flats. If you've never ridden on an 11" wheel before, you'd be surprised at how much more comfortable they are than the typical 10" wheels seen on most scooters.

The G63 also has coil swingarm suspension, and while at first glance it looks like nothing special... it has an impressive amount of travel and feels absolutely amazing! This is the first "off-road" scooter that I truly enjoyed riding on rough trails, thanks to both the suspension and the sturdy construction.

Power definitely helps out too. With both motors enabled the G63 is a hill climbing beast. Urban Drift claims it can handle a 30 degree incline, and while I didn't measure anything on my test rides I still didn't find anything the G63 couldn't handle.

Electronics and Controls

The display is integrated into the center of the handlebars and it's simple and intuitive, with a white-on-black LCD that's easy to read at a glance in low light settings. That's sadly not the case on bright days; in direct sunlight it's tough to make out anything on the display without shading it with your hand. There's not a lot to look at: battery level across the top, motor control on the left, power setting on the right, and speed front-and-center. The controls are also simple: short press the power button to cycle power modes, press the motor control button on the left grip to change between single or dual motor mode, and press the throttle to go! If you want more detailed information or to customize the G63's operation, Urban Drift has you covered with a companion app called Tuya. This is a general purpose app that can be used to control all sorts of smart things and pairing it with the scooter is pretty straightforward. Unfortunately... I wasn't able to figure out how to put the G63 into pairing mode, so I haven't been able to use the app yet. I've reached to Urban Drift for assistance and I'll update this review once I have more information.

Huge Brakes, but They're Mechanical

The G63 is rocking disc brakes with massive 160mm rotors, a size you usually only see on electric bikes... but hey, this scooter weighs more than your average e-bike, so it makes sense! Now these brakes do have motor inhibitors which is a must-have safety feature, but unfortunately they are mechanical and not hydraulic. This means they're harder to activate; you really have to squeeze down on those levers if you need to stop in a hurry. Now the G63 has an auxiliary braking system in the form of electronic anti-lock brakes which uses the motors to slow the scooter down. This definitely helps but as on all scooters the electronic brakes can be a little wonky at times and sometimes they don't kick in, or at least not enough to be noticeable.

The other downside of mechanical brakes is that they require a bit more maintenance. You'll probably need to adjust and tighten them when you first set up your G63, and you'll need to do the same thing every few months, because the mechanical cables wear and stretch over time.

Closing Thoughts

The G63 is honestly one of the most fun scooters I've ever ridden, especially when adventuring off the beaten path. It's massive size and weight means it won't be a good fit for everyone, but overall I'm impressed with the durable construction and configuration options. I've put in a lot of miles on my demo unit, so if you have any questions about it, ask away in the comments section!