KAABO Mantis 8 vs ANGWATT F1 NEW - Budget Brawler Takes on the Street Fighter

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The ANGWATT F1 NEW is the overall winner here: it delivers more speed, more real-world range, bigger battery and softer comfort for dramatically less money, making it the better deal for most riders who can live with its extra weight and slightly rough-around-the-edges finish. The KAABO Mantis 8 still fights back with sharper handling, stronger braking options and a more mature, established platform that feels more sorted straight out of the box.

Choose the F1 NEW if your priority is maximum distance and grin-per-euro, especially for longer suburban commutes on mixed surfaces. Choose the Mantis 8 if you value nimble handling, dual-motor punch and a more polished, enthusiast-proven chassis, and you're willing to pay for it.

If you want to understand where each scooter really shines - and where the marketing gloss rubs off in daily use - keep reading.

There's a quiet war going on in the "serious but still affordable" scooter class. On one side, you have the KAABO Mantis 8: a compact member of a respected performance family, promising dual-motor thrills in a more city-friendly package. On the other, the ANGWATT F1 NEW: a no-frills, heavy-hitting value monster that looks like it was built by someone who asked, "How much spec can we cram in before finance complains?"

I've put real kilometres on both: commuting, abusing bad tarmac, climbing ugly hills, and doing the usual "I'll just go for five minutes" ride that somehow turns into an hour. They approach the same goal from opposite directions - the Mantis 8 as a scaled-down street fighter, the F1 NEW as a budget muscle scooter with SUV vibes.

In short: the Mantis 8 is for riders who like to carve corners and enjoy a responsive, sporty chassis. The ANGWATT F1 NEW is for riders who want big range, big comfort and a small dent in the bank account. The details - and the trade-offs - are where it gets interesting.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters sit in that awkward middle ground between "commuter toy" and "full-on car replacement". They're too powerful to be casual rentals, but not quite in the hyper-scooter realm that eats tyres and souls for breakfast.

The KAABO Mantis 8 plays in the premium mid-range arena. You're paying over four figures in euro for a compact dual-motor machine from a known brand. It targets riders who want serious acceleration and handling, but who don't want a 40 kg monster dominating their hallway.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW comes from the exact opposite angle: keep the price close to entry-level commuters, but stuff it with a big battery, a strong motor and proper suspension. It challenges the basic logic of the market: "Why pay premium money just to go fast and far?"

They overlap in real use: both will happily do medium to longer commutes, shrug at hills, and cruise at speeds that make bicycle riders hate you. If you're upgrading from a Xiaomi-class scooter and flirting with performance territory, these two will likely sit next to each other in your browser tabs. That's why this comparison matters.

Design & Build Quality

In the flesh, the Mantis 8 and F1 NEW feel like they were drawn by very different designers.

The KAABO looks like a downsized performance scooter that went through finishing school. The iconic "praying mantis" swingarms, forged alloy frame and relatively clean cable routing scream "enthusiast hardware". You can feel the lineage - this is the baby of the same family that builds Wolf Warriors. Welds and castings look tidy, nothing feels fragile, and the overall silhouette is purposeful without shouting.

The ANGWATT, by contrast, is unapologetically industrial. Iron and aluminium, bolted plates, exposed hardware - more workshop than showroom. It's not ugly, it's just... honest. The wide deck, meaty 10-inch tubeless tyres and chunky suspension arms give it a tough, utility-first stance. The cockpit is more "budget gaming PC" than "premium instrument cluster", but the big central display is easy to love until the sun hits it.

In the hands, the Mantis 8 feels a bit more thoroughly engineered: the stem lock is nicely refined, the deck rubber is practical, and nothing rattles much out of the box. The F1 NEW feels solid but a little rough - I've seen more than one unit that clearly wanted a spanner session after unboxing. Once tightened and checked, though, it holds up surprisingly well for its price bracket.

If you care about brand pedigree, clean finishing and the sense that your scooter was designed, not just assembled, the Mantis 8 definitely has the edge. The F1 NEW answers with a shrug and a bigger battery.

Ride Comfort & Handling

This is where their characters really split.

The Mantis 8 rides like a compact sports scooter. The dual spring suspension front and rear is tuned on the plush side for city use, and those wide 8-inch pneumatic tyres do a lot to filter vibration. On decent tarmac, it feels composed and quite "floaty". But the smaller wheel diameter means sharp-edged potholes and deep cracks need active avoidance - hit them lazily and you're reminded it's still an 8-inch platform.

Handling is nimble bordering on playful. The lower centre of gravity and shorter wheelbase make it very flickable. Weaving through traffic, hopping from bike lane to side street, it responds quickly to input and lets you carve corners with confidence. It feels "smaller" under you in a good way - ideal for riders who like to steer actively rather than just stand and cruise.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW trades agility for composure. The larger 10-inch tubeless tyres and longer wheelbase give it a more planted, SUV-like ride. The front hydraulic shock is the secret sauce here - it smooths out hits instead of bouncing you back like a spring-only fork. Over broken pavement, expansion joints, even light gravel, the F1 just... keeps going. After a few kilometres of battered city sidewalk, my knees were significantly happier on the ANGWATT.

In tight manoeuvres, the F1 feels heavier and a touch lazier. Quick slalom moves or rapid direction changes take more effort, and you're always aware you're standing on a fairly hefty machine. But once at speed, it tracks straight and stable, almost cruise-ship calm compared to the more dart-like Mantis.

If your daily ride is mostly nice tarmac and you enjoy sporty steering, the Mantis 8 will feel more fun. If your city specialises in broken asphalt, cobblestones and surprise potholes, the F1 NEW is kinder to your body - even if it's less eager to dance.

Performance

On paper, this looks like a mismatch: dual motors vs single. On the street, it's closer than you might expect - but still not a draw.

The Mantis 8's dual motors give it that classic KAABO surge. In full-power mode, the throttle response is immediate and enthusiastic. Off the line and up to city speeds, it leaps ahead in a way that will surprise anyone coming from a rental scooter. Overtaking in bike lanes is almost comical. Hill starts? Just push your thumb and go.

At higher speeds, it keeps pulling confidently until it reaches its comfort ceiling, where the sensation on 8-inch wheels becomes, let's say, "attention-demanding". You can absolutely cruise fast enough to keep up with suburban traffic; you just need to be awake and wearing proper gear. Braking matches the performance well: with dual discs (and hydraulics on better trims) plus electronic assist, hard stops feel controlled and reassuring.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW uses just one rear motor, but it's a healthy one. Acceleration from a standstill is strong enough to leave normal commuters far behind, though it doesn't have the instant punch of the Mantis in dual-motor mode. It's more of a strong, steady shove than a gut-punch. For most urban scenarios, it still feels plenty brisk - this is not a timid scooter.

Where the F1 surprises is in sustained speed. Once it winds up, it happily sits at a pace that feels very similar to the Mantis 8's real-world cruising sweet spot, but on those bigger tyres the sensation is calmer and less twitchy. Hill climbing is competent rather than impressive: it will get you up most city inclines without drama, but steep, long climbs will knock its speed down more noticeably than on the Mantis.

Braking on the F1, with mechanical discs plus electronic assist, is decent but not in the same league as the better Mantis 8 variants. You can stop safely and predictably, but you feel the components working harder, and lever feel is a bit more budget.

So: if you care about raw shove, instant response and hill authority, the KAABO still has the performance crown. The ANGWATT counters with "good enough for almost everyone" speed and a more relaxed high-speed feel.

Battery & Range

This round is brutally one-sided.

The Mantis 8's battery situation depends heavily on the version. The smaller pack option will comfortably handle typical urban commutes if you're not full-throttle everywhere, but dual motors are thirsty. Ride it like it encourages you to - sporty, lots of turbo mode - and the theoretical range shrinks fast. For most riders doing moderate distances each day, you'll be charging frequently but not obsessively; long, fast weekend rides do start to trigger that familiar "how many bars left?" check.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW simply brings a bigger tank. Its battery packs roughly double the energy of a basic commuter and significantly more than the smaller Mantis 8 configuration, and it shows. Even when ridden enthusiastically, it will often outlast your legs. Medium-weight riders can treat a typical workday commute like a non-event, and still have spare juice for detours or errands without anxiety. Ride in a saner mid-speed mode and it becomes a real distance machine for the price.

Both take a working day or overnight to fully charge with their stock chargers, so neither wins any awards for fast refuelling. But in terms of how far you get per charge and how often you think about the plug, the F1 NEW is clearly ahead. With it, "range" feels like a feature. On the Mantis 8, it feels more like something you manage.

Portability & Practicality

Neither of these is a featherweight "last mile" toy, but there are meaningful differences.

The Mantis 8, at a bit over twenty kilos, is in that grey zone: too heavy to casually shoulder for long, but just light enough that carrying it up a single flight of stairs or into a car boot doesn't require a gym membership. The fold is reasonably compact; the stem latch is solid once you learn the little dance of ring, lever and safety pin. It will fit under many desks, behind seats, or in a flat corridor without completely taking over.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW, meanwhile, is unapologetically heavy. You feel every extra kilo the second you try to lift it. Folding it is straightforward, but once folded it's more "compact motorcycle" than "portable scooter". If your commute involves stairs or regular lifting, it becomes a chore fast. As a ground-floor, garage or car-boot machine, it's fine; as a multi-modal companion on buses and trains, it's frankly a bad idea.

On daily practicality: the Mantis 8's rubber deck is easy to wipe clean, the overall footprint is slightly friendlier indoors, and the brand's ecosystem means spares and accessories are easy to source. The F1 gives you extras like NFC unlock and bigger deck space but asks you to accept its mass and do your own occasional bolt-checks and tweaks.

So if you ever have to carry your scooter more than a few metres, the Mantis has the clear advantage. If it basically lives at ground level and you just roll it everywhere, the ANGWATT's weight becomes less of a deciding factor.

Safety

Safety is more than just brakes and lights, but let's start there.

The Mantis 8, when equipped with hydraulic discs, offers braking that genuinely inspires confidence. Even the mechanical-disc versions, backed up by electronic braking, provide strong, balanced stopping. Combined with the wide tyres and low-slung stance, emergency braking feels predictable rather than panic-inducing. The downside is the headlight: it's low-mounted and more about helping others see you than lighting up dark country paths. Side deck lighting is excellent for visibility though, and integrated indicators are a welcome bonus.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW's braking is best described as "adequately strong but workmanlike". Dual mechanical discs with electronic assist slow it down reliably, but lever feel, modulation and outright bite don't quite match a well-set-up hydraulic system. It's fine, just not exceptional. Lighting, however, is surprisingly comprehensive: main headlight, side lights, indicators front and rear, and a reactive brake light make it stand out at night. As with most scooters, the low indicator placement means you should still use hand signals in busy traffic.

Stability is another big part of safety. At speed, the Mantis 8 is stable for its size, but the smaller wheels mean you need to be more alert to road imperfections, especially at the top of its speed range. The F1 NEW's larger tyres and longer wheelbase give it a more relaxed, locked-in feel when you're cruising fast in a straight line. On questionable surfaces - tram tracks, patchy repairs, gravelly corners - the ANGWATT feels more forgiving.

Water protection is a bit of a weak point on both. Neither is a true all-weather warrior; light rain and the odd puddle are survivable with care, but daily monsoon commuting is asking for trouble. The Mantis suffers from short-fender syndrome in some variants (hello, mud stripe), while the F1's general advice is: don't deliberately ride in serious rain unless you've done some sealing work yourself.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

This is where the ANGWATT walks in, drops its price tag on the table and asks the Mantis 8 to explain itself.

The Mantis 8 sits in a premium slot: you're paying a serious chunk of money. For that you get dual motors, proven KAABO hardware, strong community backing and a scooter that feels engineered rather than improvised. In isolation, it's a reasonable deal in the performance-urban class.

The ANGWATT F1 NEW costs roughly a third to half less, depending on current deals. Yet it offers a bigger battery, very competitive top speed, full suspension and a lot of creature comforts like tubeless tyres, a big deck, full lighting and NFC security. Measured purely on euros per kilometre of real range and euros per unit of fun, it is absurdly good.

There is still value in the KAABO nameplate: better quality control, easier local support through established dealers, stronger braking hardware, more refined handling. But if your wallet sets the rules, the F1 NEW is one of those rare machines that makes much of the mid-range market look... awkward.

Service & Parts Availability

KAABO has been around long enough to build a proper ecosystem. In most of Europe you can find official or semi-official distributors, workshop partners and a steady flow of spares - from controllers and swingarms to cosmetic bits. Community knowledge is deep: every common quirk has a thread, a fix, a YouTube tutorial. If you want a scooter you can keep going for years with readily available parts, the Mantis 8 is a solid bet.

ANGWATT operates more like a house brand tied to large Chinese retailers. Support is usually handled via the seller, which means replacement parts are often shipped to you rather than installed by a local shop. The good news is that those parts are generally cheap and available; the less-good news is you (or a friendly tinkerer) may be the mechanic. The community is growing, and there are active groups, but it's not yet at KAABO's scale.

For riders who prefer dropping their scooter at a local service point and paying someone else to swear at stuck bolts, the KAABO ecosystem is friendlier. If you're comfortable with DIY or basic tools, the ANGWATT model is perfectly workable and kinder to your budget.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

These two scooters answer different questions. The KAABO Mantis 8 asks: "Do you want a compact, serious performance scooter from a known brand, with sharp handling and proper dual-motor grunt?" The ANGWATT F1 NEW asks: "Do you want to go fast and far, spend surprisingly little, and accept a bit of DIY and heft in return?"

If you love the feeling of a lively chassis, care about refined handling and want stronger braking hardware with an established support network behind it, the Mantis 8 still justifies its existence. It's not the most exciting thing KAABO has ever made, but it's a well-sorted, enjoyable machine that feels like a "real" performance scooter in a manageable size.

If, however, your budget is finite and you want maximum scooter for your money, the ANGWATT F1 NEW is extremely hard to argue against. Its range, comfort and feature set at this price point are slightly ridiculous, and in daily use it simply delivers: you ride, it goes far and fast, your joints stay happy, and your bank account doesn't cry.

My view: unless you're specifically hunting for dual-motor punch and KAABO pedigree, the F1 NEW is the more compelling choice for most riders. The Mantis 8 is nicer in some key ways, but the ANGWATT is the scooter that quietly does more, for less, and leaves you with enough spare cash for a good helmet - which, frankly, you'll need on either.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics put hard numbers on different aspects of value and efficiency. Price-related rows show how much you pay for each unit of energy, speed or range. Weight-related rows reveal how effectively each scooter turns kilograms into useful output or distance. Efficiency (Wh/km) indicates how gently each uses its battery in real riding. The power and charging-speed metrics highlight which one gives you more shove per unit of speed, and which one refills its battery faster relative to its capacity.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the KAABO Mantis 8 scores 5 points against the ANGWATT F1 NEW's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the KAABO Mantis 8 gets 26 ✅ versus 14 ✅ for ANGWATT F1 NEW.

Totals: KAABO Mantis 8 scores 31, ANGWATT F1 NEW scores 19.

Based on the scoring, the KAABO Mantis 8 is our overall winner. Riding these back to back, the ANGWATT F1 NEW feels like the cheeky upstart that shouldn't be this good for the money, yet just keeps delivering: long, comfy rides, plenty of speed and a sense of getting away with something financially. The KAABO Mantis 8 is more refined and more exciting when you push it, but it also feels a little like yesterday's hero in a world where budget scooters are catching up fast. If my own cash were on the line for a practical, real-world workhorse, I'd quietly order the F1 NEW, invest the savings in good safety gear, and enjoy a lot of very long, very smug commutes.

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.