SmartGyro Speedway vs NAVEE N65i - Which "Tank" Scooter Actually Deserves Your Money?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The NAVEE N65i is the better overall scooter for most riders: it feels more solid, better engineered, and more confidence-inspiring at speed, with superior stability, more efficient power delivery and a smarter folding system that actually helps in the real world.

The SMARTGYRO Speedway fights back with its cushy dual suspension and slightly bigger battery, so it suits riders who prioritise comfort on broken roads and love to tinker and mod their machines.

If you want a robust, low-fuss commuter "tool" that you can just ride for years, the N65i makes more sense; if you prefer a softer ride and don't mind occasional spanner sessions, the Speedway can still be tempting.

Stick around for the deep dive - the differences are much clearer once you imagine living with each scooter day after day.

Electric scooters in this price band have stopped pretending to be toys. Both the SMARTGYRO Speedway and the NAVEE N65i are chunky, adult machines that laugh at rental scooters and take hills personally. On paper, they inhabit the same world: mid-to-upper-range commuters with real motors, real batteries and real weight to drag up your stairs.

I've put decent mileage on both: enough dark, wet nights and battered pavements to know where the spec sheet stops and the reality starts. The Speedway sells itself as the people's champion: dual suspension, big battery, lots of community love. The N65i quietly turns up with better engineering, fatter tyres, a clever folding trick and the demeanour of a scooter that expects to do hard kilometres, not Instagram reels.

If the Speedway is for the comfort-chasing tinkerer who enjoys fettling and upgrading, the N65i is for the commuter who just wants something solid that works every morning, winter included. Let's unpack where each one shines - and where the shine rubs off.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters sit in that "serious commuter" segment: heavier, torquier and more capable than the slim Xiaomi-style stuff, but not in the wild hyper-scooter league. They're for adults who actually want to replace some car, bus or metro trips, not just zip round the park on Sundays.

The Speedway tempts you with classic value for money: a beefy 48 V system, proper dual suspension and two mechanical disc brakes, all for a price that nudges the mid-range, not the premium shelf. It's pitched squarely at riders who want maximum features per euro and don't mind a slightly rough-around-the-edges feel.

The N65i, meanwhile, charges noticeably more but brings a stronger sense of engineering maturity: stiffer frame, smarter folding, more polished braking and a very planted ride on those fat tyres. Both are heavy, both can haul a full-size adult up a nasty hill, and both will sit happily at the legal limit all day - which is exactly why they deserve to be compared head-to-head.

Design & Build Quality

First impression in the flesh: the Speedway looks like someone took a rental scooter, fed it protein shakes and bolted on suspension. The deck is reassuringly wide, the adjustable stem is handy, but the whole thing has a slightly "DIY garage project" aura. Welds are fine, not art. The folding joint and clamp feel solid enough when adjusted correctly, but you can tell you'll want to keep an eye on them over time. Out of the box, I've seen more than one Speedway that really wanted a full bolt-tightening session before its first proper ride.

The N65i, by contrast, feels like a product that went through a few more prototype rounds. The frame tubes are thicker, the welds neater, and the finish (paint, plastics, cabling) is simply more refined. The DoubleFlip folding system - stem latch plus rotating handlebar - feels properly overbuilt rather than clever-but-fragile. Folded, it becomes a surprisingly slim "plank" instead of the usual wide handlebar battering ram.

On the handlebars, the Speedway's cockpit is functional: LCD, buttons, indicator switch, all a bit parts-bin but serviceable. The N65i's floating display looks and feels more premium, even if some riders grumble about sunlight visibility. Overall, the NAVEE gives the impression of something designed as a coherent product; the SmartGyro feels more like a collection of decent components bolted to a frame that's been iterated by community feedback as much as by factory engineers.

Ride Comfort & Handling

This is where most people assume the Speedway will win by a landslide: dual suspension plus big pneumatic tyres versus a tyre-only scooter. And yes, if your city paving looks like it lost a fight with an earthquake, the Speedway's coils do take the sting out of sharp hits. Dropping off a curb or rolling over worn cobblestones, you get that soft, hoverboard-on-stilts sensation. The downside is that the suspension isn't exactly "German luxury saloon" - it can feel a bit bouncy and imprecise, especially for lighter riders. At higher speeds, that play in the springs and bushings slightly dulls your sense of connection to the road.

The N65i goes the opposite route: no visible springs, just very chunky 10,5-inch tyres with a lot of air volume and width. On paper that sounds like a compromise. On the road, it's surprisingly the more composed scooter. Instead of bobbing, it glides. Those fat tyres swallow the high-frequency chatter of rough tarmac and soften smaller potholes enough that you don't wince, while the rigid chassis keeps everything tracked and predictable. After a few long rides, I caught myself preferring this "SUV on big tyres" feel to the Speedway's slightly loose pogo-stick behaviour.

In corners, the N65i is clearly ahead. The wide, planted deck and rigid frame let you lean with confidence, and the rear-drive motor gently pushes you through bends. On the Speedway, you're more conscious of the suspension working underneath you, which is comfy but not quite as reassuring when you start asking more of it.

Performance

Both scooters run on 48 V systems with motors that clearly have more in reserve than the legal 25 km/h limit demands. The Speedway's motor surges in a very "old-school" way: you thumb the throttle and it comes alive with a noticeable kick. In its highest mode, acceleration off the line can feel a bit abrupt until you get used to it, especially on loose surfaces. It definitely doesn't feel under-powered, even with a heavier rider, and climbs typical urban inclines without melodrama.

The N65i is less shouty about it, but stronger. That higher peak output translates into smoother, more insistent pull. Instead of a sudden jab, you get a firm, progressive shove that keeps going when the Speedway is starting to feel like it's working hard. On long, steep hills, the N65i simply holds its pace better. You notice it most if you ride both on the same nasty gradient: the SmartGyro hauls you up; the NAVEE feels like it is barely breaking a sweat.

At top regulated speed, both feel comfortable. Unlock them on private land and the N65i's extra headroom becomes very obvious: it stays stable and composed at higher speeds where the Speedway starts to feel a touch vague and floaty, thanks to that softer suspension and slightly less rigid feel. Throttle response on the N65i is also more civilised: easier to modulate in traffic, less likely to surprise you when you roll on from low speed.

Braking mirrors this story. The Speedway's dual discs plus regen will stop you hard, but they tend to need careful setup and regular tweaking to stay sharp and rub-free. Lever feel varies a lot scooter to scooter. The N65i's drum-front, disc-rear combo with electronic ABS simply feels more sorted: progressive, confidence-inspiring and not squealing for attention every fortnight.

Battery & Range

On pure capacity, the Speedway nudges ahead thanks to its slightly larger battery. On paper, its claimed range looks very optimistic; in the real world, with a decent-sized adult riding briskly, you're broadly looking at a solid commute each way plus a bit of headroom, provided you're not gunning it up hills all day. Push it hard in the fastest mode and you'll see the gauge start to drop more quickly in the last stretch, and power softens noticeably as the pack empties.

The N65i's pack is a touch smaller but paired with a more efficient motor/control setup and those tyres. In practice, the real-world range gap between the two isn't huge. On mixed urban routes - some stops, some bike lanes, a few hills - I've been able to match the Speedway's "comfortable daily range" on the N65i without nursing the throttle. Ride both like you stole them and the NAVEE actually feels like it holds usable performance deeper into the battery.

Charging is where neither scooter shines. Both are "plug it in overnight and forget about it" machines, with the N65i taking even longer from empty. The Speedway technically wins on hours-per-full-charge, but in daily life, you'll plug whichever you own into a wall after work and they'll both be ready for the morning. Range anxiety isn't really a problem on either, unless you're doing very long runs at full tilt.

Portability & Practicality

Let's be honest: neither of these is a featherweight you sling over your shoulder between metro stops. They're in the "you can lift it, but you'll swear if there's no lift in your building" category. The Speedway feels every bit as heavy as the spec sheet suggests - awkward to lug up long staircases, manageable for the odd train platform or car boot. Its folding system is robust but leaves you with a bulky, wide package, handlebars and all.

The N65i is barely lighter in absolute terms, but it plays its cards better. That DoubleFlip fold makes a huge difference in the lived experience. Rotate the bars in, and suddenly the scooter becomes slim enough to slot behind a desk, against a wall, or into the narrow boot of a small hatchback without a game of Tetris. On public transport, it's far less anti-social than the Speedway, which tends to occupy its own gravitational field in a corridor.

Day to day, the Speedway's practicality is good if you have ground-floor storage or lifts both ends and rarely need to carry it far. The N65i works better if you must regularly navigate tight hallways, doors or shared spaces - its weight is still a chore, but at least it doesn't keep trying to hook every passing ankle.

Safety

The Speedway's safety story leans on three pillars: dual discs plus regen, big tubeless tyres and a strong lighting/indicator package. When those brakes are dialled in, stopping power is excellent. The wide 10-inch tyres grip well in the dry, and tubeless construction reduces the chances of sudden pinch flats. Visibility is good: the headlight is decent, the underglow makes you more noticeable from the side, and having four proper indicators is genuinely useful in traffic.

The N65i, though, feels like it was designed safety-first rather than upgraded into it. The braking combination, with that low-maintenance drum up front and ventilated rear disc overseen by E-ABS, delivers controlled, straight-line stops, even in the wet. Modulation is better; it's easier to scrub just a little speed than to grab a handful and hope. Its E-Mark indicators are bright and well integrated, and the auto-sensing headlight is one of those small touches that quietly reduces faff - you roll into a dark underpass, the beam appears, and you just keep riding.

Where the N65i really pulls ahead is stability. Those fat, tall tyres and the wide deck plant you on the road. Looking over your shoulder, dodging a pothole mid-corner, or riding over wet patches simply feels calmer. The Speedway can be stable, but that depends heavily on your suspension, stem clamp and bolt maintenance, and you're more aware that the chassis is doing a little dance underneath you when the road gets messy.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

The Speedway comes in clearly cheaper, and at first glance it looks like an absolute steal: dual suspension, slightly larger battery, dual mechanical discs and indicators, at a price that many brands would reserve for a much more basic setup. If you judge value mainly by how many features fit into your budget, it's compelling.

But value isn't just about sticker price, it's about what you get over years of ownership. The N65i asks you for a noticeably bigger cheque but gives you a more polished frame, better long-term braking hardware, a more confident ride and clever folding that changes how easy it is to live with day to day. It also sips energy more efficiently for the performance on offer. For riders who just want something that feels "sorted" and stays that way, the premium starts to feel justified.

If you're on a strict budget and happy to wield an Allen key regularly, the Speedway offers a lot of scooter for the money. If you can stretch your budget, the N65i delivers better "quality per euro" rather than just "specs per euro".

Service & Parts Availability

SmartGyro has a strong footprint, especially in Spain. That means parts are easy to find and you're never far from someone who has taken a Speedway apart on YouTube. The flip side is that formal customer support gets mixed reviews: some quick, some slow, some warranty claims that feel like a tug-of-war. It's very much a community-driven ecosystem - great if you like tinkering, less ideal if you want white-glove service.

NAVEE, thanks in part to its Xiaomi ecosystem link, plays more in the "big manufacturing partner" league. Their distribution and support channels in Europe are improving fast, and spares are reasonably available, though not yet at the "every corner shop has them" level. The upside is that the N65i simply seems to need less baby-sitting: fewer reports of loose stems or constantly re-adjusted brakes. When you do need to interact with it, the design generally makes sense - fewer surprises, fewer bodges.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

*Unlocked speeds where legally allowed and technically possible; always respect local regulations.

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

If your roads are a patchwork of scars, your back hates hard impacts, and your budget is tight, the SMARTGYRO Speedway still has a certain rough charm. The dual suspension does a lot of heavy lifting on bad surfaces, and the community around it means you'll never be short of advice or parts. You just have to accept that you're signing up for a scooter that needs regular attention: bolts, brakes, rattles - all eminently fixable, but they won't fix themselves.

The NAVEE N65i, on the other hand, feels like the more mature product. The ride is calmer, more stable and more confidence-inspiring, especially at higher speeds or on longer commutes. The folding system is genuinely useful, not a party trick. Braking is better sorted, the frame feels more "one-piece", and the whole scooter gives off the vibe of a machine designed to do thousands of kilometres without drama. You pay more, and you don't get the "springs everywhere" look, but what you do get is a commuter scooter that behaves like decent transport, not a project.

So: if you like to tweak, want the softest ride possible in this price band and are counting every euro, the Speedway can still make sense. If you just want to step on, ride hard, step off and not think about it too much, the NAVEE N65i is the more convincing companion.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics strip the scooters down to pure maths: how much you pay per unit of battery, speed and range; how much weight you haul per Wh or per kilometre; how efficiently they turn energy into distance; how strong the motor is relative to speed; how fast the battery fills back up. On cost-per-spec, the Speedway often wins; on efficiency and power density, the N65i pulls ahead. Which matters more depends on whether you're counting euros, watt-hours or minutes of your life spent charging.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the SMARTGYRO Speedway scores 6 points against the NAVEE N65i's 4. In the Author's Category Battle, the SMARTGYRO Speedway gets 17 ✅ versus 26 ✅ for NAVEE N65i (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: SMARTGYRO Speedway scores 23, NAVEE N65i scores 30.

Based on the scoring, the NAVEE N65i is our overall winner. In the end, the NAVEE N65i just feels like the more complete, grown-up scooter. It rides calmer, feels better screwed together and lets you concentrate on the journey instead of the next adjustment you need to make. The SMARTGYRO Speedway can still be huge fun, especially if you love that squishy suspension feel and enjoy tinkering, but it never quite shakes the sense of being a budget hero rather than a truly refined tool. If I had to pick one to live with every day, in all weathers, it would be the N65i - not because it shouts the loudest on paper, but because it quietly gets more real-world things right.

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.