Speedway 5 vs Bexly Blackhawk - Which "Serious" Scooter Actually Deserves Your Money?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The BEXLY Blackhawk edges out as the better all-round package: more modern, better brakes, nicer cockpit, stronger safety features, and a ride that feels closer to a sorted motorcycle than an old-school muscle scooter. If you care about refinement, braking confidence, and a premium feel every time you step on the deck, the Blackhawk is the more convincing daily partner.

The SPEEDWAY 5 still makes sense if you want maximum range-for-the-money, love the Minimotors ecosystem, and don't mind living with an older design that asks you to wrench on it now and then. It's the "classic fast cruiser" for riders who prioritise distance and a cushy suspension over latest-generation everything.

Both scooters are heavy, powerful and overkill for beginners - but if you're spending serious money, the Blackhawk feels more future-proof. Stick around and we'll get into the gritty details that spec sheets politely avoid.

The upper mid-range performance scooter segment has become a bit of a warzone: big batteries, dual motors, and marketing departments promising that your life will never be the same again. The SPEEDWAY 5 and the BEXLY Blackhawk sit right in that sweet spot where people stop saying "toy" and start saying "vehicle". Both claim to replace your car for most urban and suburban trips - and both are just about powerful enough to make that believable.

I've put real kilometres on each: commutes, late-night blasts, pothole slaloms, and the odd "how steep is that hill really?" experiment. On paper they look close; in the real world, the differences are much sharper. One feels like a refined modern bruiser, the other like a slightly ageing but very comfy muscle barge that refuses to retire.

If you're trying to decide which one should live in your hallway (and potentially destroy your lower back when you misjudge a staircase), let's break down where they shine, where they annoy, and who should actually buy which.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters live in the same "serious money, serious power" bracket - around the mid-one-thousand-euro mark, dual motors, real hill-climbing ability, and enough speed to make your helmet feel like a non-negotiable life choice. They're aimed at riders who've outgrown rental scooters and Xiaomi toys and now want something that can legitimately do a long commute, climb ugly hills, and not fold in half when it hits a pothole.

The SPEEDWAY 5 comes from Minimotors' heritage: think classic high-performance cruiser with big battery, plush ride, and the familiar EY3 display. It's the "long-distance comfort barge" of the pair - big range, big deck, soft suspension, and a design that dates from the earlier days of the performance boom.

The Blackhawk is the younger, more focused take on the same idea: dual motors, big battery, but with more modern touches - better brakes, NFC security, a large colour-coded display, and that quad-coil suspension. It's very much tuned for real-world, rougher roads and riders who want strong performance without constant tinkering.

They compete because they chase the same rider: experienced, performance-curious, probably not living on the third floor without a lift, and ready to commute or play seriously on a scooter that costs as much as a decent used motorbike.

Design & Build Quality

First impression in the garage: the SPEEDWAY 5 looks like an older-school muscle scooter - boxy deck, external cable wraps, clamp-and-pin folding, and that familiar Minimotors silhouette. It feels substantial, yes, but also a bit like something designed a generation ago and then kept alive because people still buy it. The materials are solid: chunky aluminium frame, steel stem, wide deck with a utilitarian rubber mat. Nothing screams "cheap", but nothing screams "2026" either.

The Blackhawk, by contrast, looks like someone took the same basic frame concept and sent it through a modernisation programme. Matte black, cleaner lines, those yellow coils peeking out - it has that subtle "I cost more than you think" vibe. The HEX Diamond display is the centrepiece: bright, angular, and actually legible in daylight, unlike some of the small round LCDs and older EY3 setups when the sun hits them at the wrong angle.

In hand, the SPEEDWAY 5 feels dense, with some slightly old-fashioned touches: spiral-wrapped cables hanging around, fenders that can rattle if you don't stay on top of them, and a folding system that works but does like to remind you of its bolts every few hundred kilometres. It's very much a scooter you maintain, not just ride.

The Blackhawk feels tighter and more "finished". Fewer rattles out of the box, better rotor sizing, a stem lock that inspires more confidence, and controls that feel nicely laid out - with one caveat: some riders find the thumb throttle placement a bit cramped against the brake lever until you adjust things properly. Overall, though, it gives the impression of a later-generation evolution of the same concept.

If you value heritage and don't mind the slightly dated look, the Speedway holds its own. If you want something that feels like it was designed this decade, not the previous one, the Blackhawk clearly has the edge.

Ride Comfort & Handling

On truly terrible city asphalt and cobblestones, both are miles ahead of stiff "sporty" scooters - but they do comfort differently.

The SPEEDWAY 5's dual air spring suspension is classic Minimotors comfort tuning: soft, a bit boat-like, and very forgiving of lazy line choices. Hit a series of sharp edges and the chassis gently breathes underneath you. Combined with the wide deck and tall, adjustable stem, it's the kind of scooter you can stand on for an hour and still feel vaguely human. The flip side is that when you start to push harder into turns, you can feel the chassis float a bit, like a soft-sprung car - not scary, but not exactly razor sharp either.

The Blackhawk's quadruple coil setup feels more controlled. It still smothers cracks, tactile paving and mild potholes, but there's less of that "couch on springs" sensation and more of a sorted, well-damped feel. On long, rough bike paths, the Blackhawk manages to stay composed without wallowing. It's very easy to point, lean, and trust the tyres to hold their line. On a fast sweeping corner, it just feels more modern and confidence-inspiring.

After a few kilometres of mixed city riding, both scooters keep your knees and back much happier than budget commuters. After a long, fast, bumpy session, the Blackhawk leaves you less tired mentally - you're not fighting the suspension or compensating for vague handling. The SPEEDWAY 5 wins on pure plushness; the Blackhawk wins on the balance between comfort and precision.

Performance

Let's be honest: neither of these is "slow". If you're moving up from a single-motor commuter, both will feel like strapping a rocket to your grocery trolley.

The SPEEDWAY 5's dual motors deliver that familiar Minimotors punch. In full power mode, the scooter lunges forward with the kind of torque that will happily embarrass inattentive drivers off the lights. Mid-range pull is strong enough to overtake cyclists and slow cars with ease, and hill starts feel almost comically unbothered. The EY3 throttle, however, has that classic trigger feel - precise once you're used to it, but it can be a bit abrupt for less experienced riders, and long stints can leave your index finger feeling like it just finished a gym session.

The Blackhawk's dual motors and larger controller setup bring a more modern flavour of violence. In Turbo/Sport, it doesn't just surge - it snaps. The initial shove off the line is fierce, and it keeps hauling with enthusiasm well past typical urban cruising speeds. For heavier riders and steeper cities, the Blackhawk's grunt feels a touch more effortless, especially on sustained climbs where it just refuses to sag.

Top-end sensation is similar: both easily reach speeds where bike paths become questionable and proper gear becomes mandatory. The difference is how composed they feel as you approach the upper part of their speed range. The SPEEDWAY 5 remains stable but you're aware of the older stem design and softer suspension; the Blackhawk feels more planted, though a few riders report a hint of stem wobble right at the limit if you death-grip the bars or have poor weight distribution. Add a steering damper and sane riding posture and the Blackhawk clearly feels more locked-in at pace.

Braking performance is where the Blackhawk pulls ahead noticeably. The larger rotors and hydraulic options provide a sharp, predictable bite - you grab a handful and the scooter actually stops, without needing a prayer. The Speedway's mechanical discs plus regen are adequate once dialled in, but they need more frequent adjustment, and the lever feel is never quite as reassuring as a good hydraulic system. On a scooter this fast, "adequate" brakes are not really what you want to be thinking about.

In daily reality: both are hilariously quick. But if you value a modern, strong brake feel and more controlled aggression from the powertrain, the Blackhawk feels like the more sorted performance machine.

Battery & Range

Range is where the SPEEDWAY 5 still earns its loyal fanbase. Its larger battery gives you that psychological freedom to just ride without constantly doing mental maths. Long commutes, detours, a quick errand on the way home - it shrugs and keeps going. Even ridden with some enthusiasm, it covers noticeably more real-world distance than the Blackhawk. Ride gently and it becomes a legitimate all-day tourer.

The Blackhawk's pack is slightly smaller on paper but still very respectable. With mixed riding, you're looking at enough real range for most people's daily use without anxiety, but you do have to think a bit more if you're heavy on the throttle and fond of hills. On spirited rides, the gauge drops faster than the Speedway's, and you're more aware that you're managing a big but not enormous battery.

On the flip side, both take their time at the plug. With stock chargers, you're firmly in "overnight" territory for a full refill either way. Dual charging ports or higher-amp chargers help, but you're still planning ahead. Charging speed isn't a clear win for either; we're talking more about capacity and real-world efficiency than fast-charge bragging rights.

If your absolute priority is squeezing the maximum number of kilometres out of each charge and you hate thinking about range at all, the Speedway has the edge. If your rides are long but not heroic and you mostly care about strong, honest performance with enough range rather than ridiculous range, the Blackhawk is perfectly adequate - just slightly less generous.

Portability & Practicality

Here's the part where both scooters remind you that physics is real.

The SPEEDWAY 5 is heavy enough that carrying it up a long staircase is more "fitness regime" than "quick lift". The folding mechanism, while functional, is very much from the era where the priority was strength first, elegance later. The folded package fits in many car boots, and the deck is easy enough to grab, but the wide handlebars and sheer heft make it something you plan around, not casually toss into a train.

The Blackhawk doesn't magically become a featherweight either. It's in the same mass ballpark and just as unwilling to be regularly manhandled up several floors. The difference is in the folding feel: the stem lock is more reassuring, the mechanism engages and disengages more cleanly, and the scooter feels a bit less awkward to store or slide into a boot. But if you're dreaming of daily multimodal commuting with either of these, your back has a message for you: don't.

In terms of day-to-day practicality as a vehicle, both do well. Sturdy kickstands, usable deck space, and enough solidity to endure bad roads and curb cuts. The Blackhawk's NFC immobiliser is a genuinely useful "park outside the café without dying inside" feature. The Speedway relies more on the traditional "big lock and healthy paranoia" approach.

So: neither wins a portability contest. The Blackhawk feels a bit more civilised to live with, but if you were hoping for "one-hand carry", you're firmly in the wrong performance class.

Safety

Safety on these machines is really about three things: brakes, lighting, and stability. Both hit a decent baseline, but they approach it differently.

The SPEEDWAY 5 gives you dual discs plus Minimotors' familiar, adjustable electronic braking. Regen is genuinely strong at higher speeds and can do most of the work if you set it up aggressively. At lower speeds or in panic stops, you do feel the limits of the mechanical callipers. They work - once adjusted and bedded in - but they require more fiddling and don't give that immediate confidence of a modern hydraulic setup. On a heavy scooter capable of car-like speeds, that's a noticeable compromise.

The Blackhawk's bigger rotors and hydraulic options are just in another league. You squeeze the lever, it bites, and the scooter sheds speed with authority. Long descents, emergency stops, wet roads - the brake system feels like it belongs on something this powerful. It's the difference between "I know I can probably stop" and "I know I can stop right now."

Lighting is decent on both, but again, the Blackhawk pulls ahead. Its high-output headlight and deck lighting give better road illumination and side visibility. The Speedway's lighting suite is more about being seen than seeing - great side logo projection and plenty of LEDs, but many riders end up adding an aftermarket bar light to feel truly comfortable at speed in the dark.

Stability is comparable in the normal speed range: both roll on 10-inch pneumatic tyres and feel planted in a straight line. The SPEEDWAY 5's softer suspension and heavy chassis give a comforting, tank-like straight-line feel. The Blackhawk feels more precise and predictable when you start pushing harder or leaning further - as long as you keep your stance relaxed and light on the bars to avoid exaggerating any high-speed shimmy.

On overall safety, especially if you ride fast and in traffic, the Blackhawk's stronger brakes, better lighting, and built-in immobiliser give it a tangible edge.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

Both scooters sit in essentially the same price band. The Speedway 5 leans on its Minimotors badge, bigger battery, and strong real-world range as its value story: lots of watt-hours and a proven drivetrain for your euro. It's often pitched as "Dualtron-ish performance without Dualtron money", which is not entirely wrong - but you are also buying into an older chassis and component concept that the rest of the market has largely started to refine past.

The Blackhawk's value is more about how much modern kit you're getting for the same money: powerful dual motors, serious braking hardware, refined suspension, good lighting, NFC immobiliser, and a high-quality cockpit. You sacrifice a bit of raw battery capacity versus the Speedway, but gain a more contemporary, better integrated package. In terms of "what it feels like to own and ride every day", the Blackhawk punches well above its price tag.

If you purely chase maximum range per euro and like tinkering, the SPEEDWAY 5 still makes sense. If you think of your scooter as a long-term vehicle and want the daily experience to feel sorted and modern, the Blackhawk gives you more of the right kind of value.

Service & Parts Availability

Minimotors has been around forever in scooter years, and the SPEEDWAY 5 benefits from that. Parts, tutorials, third-party upgrades - there's a deep ecosystem. Need a new controller, switch cluster, or some obscure folding bolt? Someone has it, and someone on YouTube has definitely filmed a shaky video explaining how to fit it. That said, you will, realistically, be doing more mechanical fiddling over time, especially around the stem and brakes.

BEXLY is younger but has carved out a strong reputation, especially in its home market. The Blackhawk benefits from a brand that actually picks up the phone and answers emails. Spares are available through their network, and community feedback on support is very positive. The platform itself is based on a well-known performance frame type, so generic wear parts are not exotic either.

In Europe, Minimotors still has the broader global footprint and sheer volume of third-party support. BEXLY, on the other hand, plays the "responsive boutique" card well. If you want maximum independence and don't mind spanners, the Speedway ecosystem is a safe bet. If you prefer dealing with a brand that actively supports its riders and you're near a BEXLY dealer, the Blackhawk experience can feel more personal and less DIY.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

Both of these scooters live in that "you really should know what you're doing" category. They're fast, heavy, and capable - and they both will absolutely punish sloppy riding. But if I have to pick one to recommend to most riders right now, the BEXLY Blackhawk is the more compelling overall package.

The Speedway 5 still has its charms: huge range, classic Minimotors character, supremely plush ride, and a community that knows it inside out. If you're range-obsessed, love to tweak P-settings, and don't mind occasionally chasing rattles and tightening bolts, it delivers a lot of scooter for the money. It feels like a comfortable, slightly old-school grand tourer that still has plenty of life left in it.

The Blackhawk, on the other hand, feels like where this segment has moved to: stronger and more confidence-inspiring brakes, more sophisticated suspension tuning, a better cockpit, built-in security, and a design that feels properly current. You give up a bit of absolute range, but you gain a scooter that's easier to live with, safer to push, and more refined in daily use. It's the one I'd rather step on every morning - and the one I'd rather be riding when something unexpected happens in traffic.

If your priority list reads "range, comfort, ecosystem", the Speedway 5 still deserves a look. If it reads "control, safety, modern feel", the Blackhawk is the smarter, more future-proof choice.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics compare how efficiently each scooter turns money, mass, and energy into speed, range, and power. Lower price-per-Wh and price-per-km figures favour long-range value, while weight-per-Wh and weight-per-km show how much scooter you're lugging around for the performance you get. Wh/km reflects energy efficiency in use. Power-to-speed and weight-to-power expose how aggressively tuned the drivetrain is, and average charging speed tells you how quickly the battery can realistically be refilled.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the SPEEDWAY 5 scores 6 points against the BEXLY Blackhawk's 4. In the Author's Category Battle, the SPEEDWAY 5 gets 19 ✅ versus 22 ✅ for BEXLY Blackhawk (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: SPEEDWAY 5 scores 25, BEXLY Blackhawk scores 26.

Based on the scoring, the BEXLY Blackhawk is our overall winner. Both of these scooters can turn a mundane commute into something you actually look forward to, but the Blackhawk does it with a level of polish and control that makes it feel like the more complete machine. It's the one that feels genuinely modern under your feet, from the brakes to the cockpit to the way it shrugs off bad roads without complaining. The Speedway 5 is still a lovable long-range bruiser, especially if you like a soft, couchy ride and enjoy being part of the Minimotors universe. But if my own money were on the line today, I'd be rolling out of the garage on the Blackhawk - it simply feels more dialled-in to how and where we actually ride now.

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.