SPLACH Thunder vs APOLLO Ghost 2022 - Budget Brawlers or Overhyped Hooligans?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The Apollo Ghost 2022 is the more complete scooter overall: it rides more composed at speed, goes further on a charge, and feels better sorted as a daily machine. If you want a true "one scooter to do it all" performance commuter and can stomach the higher price and weight, the Ghost makes more sense.

The SPLACH Thunder fights back hard on price, matching the Ghost on thrills while costing far less, but it feels rougher around the edges and more budget in the details. Choose the Thunder if you want maximum dual-motor fun for minimum money and you are happy to tinker and accept compromises.

Both are fast, heavy, and not beginner toys - they just approach "affordable performance" with slightly different priorities. Keep reading if you want the full story before you commit your savings and your spine.

Moving from rental-grade scooters to something like the SPLACH Thunder or Apollo Ghost 2022 is a bit like jumping from a city bicycle to a 600cc motorbike. The basics are familiar, but the first time you hit full throttle, you realise you've entered a different sport.

On paper, both scooters promise the same dream: proper dual-motor punch, real suspension, and serious brakes, all without wandering into the silly-money hyper-scooter territory. In practice, they deliver that dream with notably different flavours - and a few reality checks.

The Thunder is the classic "spec-sheet hero" that dangles big numbers at a relatively modest price; the Ghost 2022 aims to feel more sorted and mature, with better range and refinement, but asks you to pay accordingly. If you're torn between them, this comparison will walk you through how they actually feel on the road, not just in marketing slides.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both the SPLACH Thunder and Apollo Ghost 2022 sit in what I'd call the "entry performance" class: far too powerful for casual first-timers, but still vaguely justifiable as commuters if you really squint at your budget spreadsheet.

The Thunder targets riders who want dual motors, serious acceleration and hydraulic brakes for less than what many brands charge for a fancy single-motor city scooter. It's the "I want a rocket but I'm not remortgaging the flat" option.

The Ghost, on the other hand, lives in a higher price bracket, edging towards the premium mid-range. Same broad concept - dual motors, full suspension - but with a bigger battery, more polished chassis and a brand that leans hard on service and support.

They're natural rivals because they promise very similar real-world performance and speed, but the asking price and overall polish diverge. The big question: does the Ghost justify the extra money, or is the Thunder "good enough" if you mainly care about laughs per euro?

Design & Build Quality

Park them side by side and the design philosophies are obvious. The SPLACH Thunder looks like a rugged parts-bin special that's been cleverly specced to hit a price point. Boxy lines, utilitarian aluminium frame, lots of bolted-on bits. It doesn't feel cheap in your hands, but it absolutely feels budget-performance rather than premium.

The Ghost 2022, by comparison, looks and feels more cohesive. The skeletonised swingarms, forged-looking components and stout stem clamp give the impression of a scooter that has been iterated and refined, not just assembled. Grab the handlebars, rock the stem - there's a reassuring lack of play when everything is tightened properly.

On the Thunder, the screw-in handlebars are a perfect illustration of its character. They're wonderfully solid once installed - no wobble, no drama - but unscrewing them every time you want a compact fold quickly becomes a chore. The Ghost's folding handlebars are less industrial-feeling, but far quicker to deal with in daily use.

Panel gaps, fastener quality and finish all lean slightly in favour of the Ghost. The Thunder is "good enough if you accept the price"; the Ghost feels a half-step closer to something you'd be happy to rely on long-term without fiddling with every bolt after the first hundred kilometres.

Ride Comfort & Handling

Comfort is where these two start to separate in character rather than just price.

The Thunder rides on rubber cartridge suspension front and rear. At speed over city asphalt, that setup does a fine job ironing out the high-frequency buzz - expansion joints, mild cracks, the usual urban abuse. It's quiet and low-maintenance, but it doesn't offer huge travel. Hit a deeply broken road or a nasty pothole at speed and you feel the limits: the impact is muted, but it's still there in your knees.

The Ghost's dual spring suspension feels more "traditional motorcycle-lite". There's more vertical movement, and because the springs are adjustable, heavier riders can firm things up while lighter riders can keep it soft and floaty. On choppy, uneven tarmac or cobbles, the Ghost simply feels more composed. After a few kilometres of broken pavement, my legs and arms were noticeably less tired on the Ghost than on the Thunder at similar speeds.

Handling-wise, both have wide bars and 10-inch air-filled tyres, so basic stability is good. The Thunder feels a bit more nervous when you start to push near its top speed: not dangerously so, but you're aware you're on a relatively light, budget chassis being asked to do serious work. The Ghost feels slightly more planted, especially mid-corner on sketchy surfaces, where the suspension keeps the tyres in contact more consistently.

If your daily ride is mostly decent tarmac with the occasional rough patch, the Thunder is acceptable. If you regularly bash through imperfect city streets or enjoy higher-speed runs, the Ghost's more sophisticated suspension and general composure make a noticeable difference.

Performance

Let's be honest: no one is buying either of these to potter along at rental-scooter speeds.

The SPLACH Thunder's dual motors deliver the classic budget square-wave punch. Stab the trigger in full power mode and the scooter lunges forward with enough enthusiasm to surprise even riders with some experience. Up to city traffic pace, it absolutely rips, and hills that would humiliate most commuters become non-events. The flip side is throttle refinement: the power comes on a bit abruptly, especially from a standstill, so you learn quickly to lean forward and be gentle with your trigger finger.

The Ghost 2022 has a similar "hold on tight" personality but with a bit more shove in reserve and a calmer demeanour at higher speeds. It hauls itself to urban speeds in a heartbeat, then keeps pulling into the kind of territory where you start double-checking your helmet strap. The dual-motor hill performance is brutally effective - it just doesn't bog down. Again, this is square-wave aggression, not luxury-sine-wave silk; it's more hot hatch than limousine.

In back-to-back runs, both feel absurdly quick compared to anything single-motor, but the Ghost has a touch more urgency once you're already rolling, and crucially, it maintains that strength better as the battery drains. Where the Thunder starts to feel a bit wheezy when the pack gets low, the Ghost holds its "punch" for longer before softening.

Braking performance on both is reassuring thanks to hydraulic discs. The Thunder's stoppers are strong and easy to modulate; one finger is usually enough, and the electronic brake assist helps scrub off speed quickly. The Ghost's system feels a bit more refined and consistent, especially paired with properly tuned regenerative braking, which lets you slow the scooter smoothly before you ever touch the levers. In emergency stops, both will yank a lot of speed out in very little distance - but the Ghost gives you nicer control on the edge.

Battery & Range

On spec sheets, the Ghost turns up with a noticeably larger battery than the Thunder, and you feel that difference very clearly in the real world.

On the Thunder, riding the way its marketing encourages - dual motors, brisk acceleration, happy to see the upper half of the speedo - you're typically looking at city rides measured in a couple of dozen kilometres rather than all-day adventures. Treat it gently in Eco and it'll go further, but then you've bought a performance scooter to ride like a rental, which feels... philosophically wrong.

The Ghost stretches things out. In mixed riding - some full sends, some steady cruising - it will usually outlast the Thunder by a healthy margin. With a bit of discipline on the throttle, it becomes perfectly plausible to do a longer round-trip commute with detours and still have a buffer. That extra capacity also means less anxiety about voltage sag when you're running home on a half-drained pack.

The cost for Ghost owners is charging time. With the standard brick, you're in "leave it overnight and don't look at it" territory. The dual charging ports help if you invest in a second charger, but out of the box it's slow. The Thunder, with its smaller battery, reaches full more quickly on a single standard charger, which is at least something if you regularly return home low on juice.

If you hate the idea of constantly watching your battery bar or doing maths mid-ride, the Ghost is simply the calmer ownership experience. If your riding is mostly shorter blasts and you're disciplined about plugging in, the Thunder is workable, but it gives you less margin for spontaneous detours.

Portability & Practicality

Neither of these scooters is "pick it up one-handed and glide up three floors of stairs". They're both hefty lumps. On paper they're close in weight; in your hands both are solidly in the "grunt and commit" category when lifting into a car boot.

The Thunder's folding routine is a bit of a mixed bag. The main stem latch is decent and the folded package is reasonably compact, but those screw-in bars are annoying if you need true narrow profile often. If you fold only the stem and leave the bars fixed, it's fine for a hallway or garage, less ideal for tiny car boots or cramped flats.

The Ghost's folding handlebars are a big quality-of-life win. Fold the stem, drop the bars, hook it to the deck, and you've got a relatively tidy block of scooter that actually fits into more car boots and under more desks than its size would suggest. You still don't want to haul it up narrow staircases every day, but as a "ride to the lift / car" machine, it's a bit more cooperative.

On the practical features side, the Thunder scores with its NFC start - tap and go feels pleasantly modern - while the Ghost sticks with a basic key ignition. The Thunder's display is colourful but can be shy in bright sunlight; the Ghost's generic display isn't much better and can wash out too. Storage on both is basically "bring a backpack". And neither is a great candidate for multi-modal commuting in crowded public transport unless you enjoy dirty looks and upper body workouts.

Safety

In terms of hard safety components - brakes, tyres, lighting - both scooters tick the right boxes, but they approach the details differently.

The Thunder gives you hydraulic discs and electronic brake assist, which is an impressive spec at its price. It stops hard and predictably when set up correctly. The wide bars and 10-inch pneumatics give you a decent stability envelope, and the reinforced stem design helps keep wobble at bay. At higher speeds, though, you're still aware you're on a lighter, cheaper chassis: a firm grip and decent road awareness are mandatory.

The Ghost's braking package feels more confidence-inspiring, especially with regenerative braking set to a sensible level. You can do most of your slowing down with the motors, then use the hydraulics for the last part. This not only reduces pad wear, it gives a smoother, more controlled deceleration once you've dialled it in. Paired with the slightly more mature suspension, the Ghost feels calmer when you have to brake hard over less-than-perfect tarmac.

Lighting is one of the Thunder's stronger cards: there's a lot of LED going on, with ambient deck and stem lighting plus the usual head and tail setup. Side visibility is excellent; you're hard to miss. The Ghost also uses deck and stem lighting to good effect, and the rear brake lights are a nice safety cue. Where both stumble is in genuine "see the road" illumination: for serious night riding beyond well-lit streets, an additional handlebar or helmet light is still recommended.

In wet conditions, both claim splash resistance, and both run on air tyres that offer far more grip than solid rubber. But their fender designs are imperfect. The Thunder can rattle, the Ghost can be a bit short. Either way, ride sensibly in the rain and don't expect motorcycle-level weather robustness.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

This is where the Thunder makes its big pitch. For noticeably under four figures, you're getting dual motors, hydraulic brakes, rubber suspension and a top speed that frankly feels a bit ridiculous for the price bracket. You do give up some refinement, brand infrastructure and polish, but as a raw deal it's hard to deny the appeal if your goal is maximum performance for minimal spend.

The Ghost sits in a very different fiscal universe. You're looking at a price more akin to a decent second-hand motorbike than a toy. In return you get more range, better overall ride quality, a more dialled chassis and a company that actually tries to act like a grown-up brand. It's not cheap, but within its class, the value equation is still strong: you're paying extra, but you do feel that extra on the road and over months of ownership.

If your budget ceiling is firm and lower, the Thunder becomes the default "entry drug" into serious performance. If you can stretch and you want a scooter that feels less like a science experiment and more like a long-term tool, the Ghost justifies its premium reasonably well.

Service & Parts Availability

SPLACH operates primarily as an online-direct brand. Support is generally reported as responsive, but you're often dealing with email chains, parts being shipped, and a bit of DIY. Parts exist, but you may wait, and you're largely on your own for labour unless you have a friendly local workshop willing to tinker with lesser-known brands.

Apollo has worked hard to present itself as a more established, Western-facing company. Documentation is better, there's more structure around warranty processes, and in many regions you'll find at least some official or semi-official service options. It's still not automotive-grade dealer coverage, but it's a notch above the typical budget direct-import experience.

If you're handy with tools and patient, the Thunder is manageable. If you'd rather have clearer support channels and a bit more confidence in long-term parts flow, the Ghost has the edge.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

If we strip away the marketing and spec-sheet posturing, both scooters land in a similar place: fast, heavy, capable, and imperfect. The difference lies in how they balance cost, refinement and daily livability.

The SPLACH Thunder is the pragmatic hooligan. It gives you very serious performance for what is, in this category, almost bargain money. You accept a somewhat abrupt throttle, modest range when ridden hard, and a few budget quirks, but you get genuine dual-motor thrills and hydraulic brakes without going financially overboard. For riders stepping up from basic commuters who mainly want to feel that "arms getting pulled" sensation and don't mind occasional tinkering, it makes sense.

The Apollo Ghost 2022 is the more rounded tool. It isn't flawless - the throttle ergonomics, charge time and fender design all have room for improvement - but the extra battery capacity, more sophisticated suspension and stronger sense of structural solidity add up to a scooter that feels calmer, more capable and more confidence-inspiring over a wider range of conditions. If you want something that can be both weekday transport and weekend toy without constantly reminding you of its compromises, the Ghost is the safer long-term bet.

So: if budget is strict and you mainly want maximum speed and torque for the least possible outlay, the Thunder will scratch that itch. If you can stretch the budget and care about comfort, range and refinement almost as much as raw speed, the Ghost is the one that will quietly win you over ride after ride.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics simply quantify different efficiency angles. Price-based metrics show how much you pay for each unit of energy, speed or range. Weight-based metrics tell you how much "mass" you move per unit of battery or distance. Wh per km is an energy consumption figure - lower means you travel further on the same battery. Power-to-speed and weight-to-power ratios illustrate how muscular each scooter is relative to its top speed and heft, while average charging speed shows how quickly the battery refills in pure electrical terms.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the SPLACH Thunder scores 5 points against the APOLLO Ghost 2022's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the SPLACH Thunder gets 11 ✅ versus 29 ✅ for APOLLO Ghost 2022 (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: SPLACH Thunder scores 16, APOLLO Ghost 2022 scores 34.

Based on the scoring, the APOLLO Ghost 2022 is our overall winner. Between these two, the Apollo Ghost 2022 simply feels like the more complete companion: it rides calmer, stretches your range further, and inspires more confidence when the road or weather isn't playing nice, even if it makes your wallet wince a bit harder. The SPLACH Thunder absolutely earns its place as the scrappy budget hotrod, and if cost is king it will deliver plenty of laughs, but it never quite shakes the feeling of being a clever compromise. If I had to live with one scooter day in, day out, through good roads and bad moods, I'd take the Ghost's extra polish and composure - and accept that the Thunder remains the tempting bargain for riders who value raw excitement over refinement.

That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.