RION Apex vs RE90: Which Hyperscooter Actually Deserves Your Garage?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The RION RE90 edges out as the overall winner for most riders who are actually going to live with their hyperscooter: it's lighter, more energy-dense, charges quicker, and delivers a frankly ridiculous power-to-weight sensation that's hard to walk away from once you've tried it. The Apex fights back with a slightly more forgiving rear suspension, VESC-based finesse, and a more planted, "race bike on rails" feel that some experienced riders will actually prefer for longer hard pushes.

If you want the ultimate straight-line high, the most explosive performance wrapped in the lightest possible package, and you don't mind a harsher ride, the RE90 is your weapon. If you care just a bit more about control finesse, rear-end comfort, and that ultra-connected VESC feel, the Apex still makes a very strong case as the enthusiast's choice. Both are bonkers; the question is what kind of bonkers you want.

Stick around-because once you see how differently these two missiles approach the same goal, choosing between them actually becomes a lot easier.

There are fast scooters, there are stupidly fast scooters... and then there are RIONs. The Apex and the RE90 live in that rarefied air where "top speed" is less a spec sheet brag and more a serious question about your life insurance and helmet budget.

On paper, they look like siblings: both carbon-and-aluminium hyperscooters, both chasing triple-digit speeds, both hand-built in Los Angeles for riders who think a "normal" dual-motor monster is a good warm-up. But out on real asphalt, they feel surprisingly different. One is the scalpel, the other the razor blade with a rocket strapped to it.

The Apex is the hyperscooter for people who love precision-the kind of rider who talks about throttle curves and brake modulation over coffee. The RE90 is for those who hear "overkill" and take it as a personal challenge. Let's dig in and see which one actually fits your style.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

These two shouldn't really be compared to "normal" scooters at all. They're boutique, track-minded exotics aimed squarely at experienced riders who already own something sensible for the commute and now want a machine that borders on the ridiculous.

Price-wise, they sit in the same stratosphere: more than many used cars, less than a superbike, and absolutely unjustifiable if you're just trying to get to work. Performance-wise, they share that "blink and the horizon moves" category-but they attack it differently. The Apex mixes brutal power with VESC finesse and a bit of rear suspension; the RE90 doubles down on extreme lightness and rigidity for maximum power-to-weight theatrics.

They're competitors because they answer the same question-"What if we built the fastest stand-up thing we could?"-with two distinct interpretations. If you're hunting for a RION and trying to decide which poster to turn into reality, this is the choice that matters.

Design & Build Quality

Pick up (or at least try to lift) the RE90 and the first reaction is: "This cannot be this light for what it does." The full carbon chassis, stem and bars make it feel more like a high-end downhill bike than a scooter that can chase sports cars. Everything about it screams minimalism and purpose: bare carbon weave, exposed machined arms, no plastic fluff, no nonsense. It looks like it belongs in a wind tunnel, not a bike lane.

The Apex goes for a slightly more industrial vibe. There's still plenty of carbon, but the CNC aluminium is more visually present, like a beautifully machined race part that someone forgot to hide behind bodywork. It feels denser in the hands-less "featherweight trophy," more "solid track tool". The frame and swingarms have that overbuilt, confidence-inducing heft that makes you trust it at insane speeds.

In terms of construction detail, both are on the "boutique jewellery" side of the spectrum: premium tyres, premium brakes, no generic nonsense. The RE90 feels a touch more exotic because of how much carbon you're physically touching. The Apex feels more like serious hardware you wouldn't mind wrenching on. If you're the kind who admires CNC tool marks, the Apex will make you weirdly happy every time you walk past it.

Ride Comfort & Handling

This is where the first real fork in the road appears. The RE90 is a true hardtail. No mechanical suspension, just chassis flex and PMT tyres as your only friends between your feet and the surface. On good tarmac, it's perfection: it carves like a race skate on ice, absolutely planted, no wallow, no dive, no surprises. On rough city streets, that same rigidity becomes... educational. Your knees do HR's job, and after a few kilometres of bad patchwork asphalt you'll know exactly where every manhole in your town is.

The Apex softens the blow-literally-with its rear shock. Don't imagine a plush sofa; it's still tuned like a race car, but the rear end has just enough give to keep the wheel planted over nastier imperfections and to take the sting out of repeated hits. Up front it's still stiff, so you get the same laser-precise steering, but the overall fatigue level after a longer hard ride is noticeably lower on the Apex.

Handling-wise, both are absurdly stable at speeds where lesser scooters start writing their own wills. The RE90 feels a bit more "telepathic" on smooth roads-point, lean, it obeys instantly. The Apex feels slightly more forgiving when the surface isn't perfect, with that rear shock soaking just enough chaos to keep the chassis calm. If your playground is ultra-smooth bike paths and fresh highway asphalt, the RE90 is glorious. If your reality includes expansion joints and occasionally questionable tarmac, the Apex is the saner choice.

Performance

Let's be blunt: neither of these feels remotely sane when you open them up. We're not talking "quick scooter" here; we're in the territory where your brain takes half a second to catch up with what your eyes are seeing.

The RE90 is the one that feels like an attempted teleportation device. The combination of insane controller current and that ultra-low weight means that the first twist of the Curve throttle yanks you forward so hard you re-learn body positioning in one parking-lot launch. At speed, there's this surreal, effortless pull-like the scooter keeps asking "are you sure?" and, if you insist, just gives you more.

The Apex hits just as hard in spirit, but delivers its violence with a touch more refinement. The VESC-based drive and that wonderfully progressive RION Curve throttle make fine control at low and mid speeds feel almost too easy for a machine this powerful. You can creep through crowded areas with surprising grace, then roll on and feel a seamless, turbine-like surge that just doesn't let up. It's less "shock grenade", more "continuous afterburner".

At the top end, both live in the same outrageous speed band. You will run out of road and courage before either runs out of motor. The Apex's VESC smoothness and regen options give it a more composed, "race engineer tuned this" character. The RE90 leans harder into raw drama: explosive acceleration, free-wheeling coasting when you roll off, and braking that's entirely mechanical. Pick your flavour: ultra-fine controllability (Apex) vs maximum "what did I just do?" thrills (RE90).

Battery & Range

Both scooters use serious battery hardware-the sort enthusiasts name-drop in forums with a slightly reverent tone. High-voltage packs, high-discharge cells, and enough total energy to make most commuter scooters look like keychain gadgets.

The Apex's pack is a little smaller on paper, and you feel that if you ride both back to back like they're being chased. Hammer the throttle often and live in the upper speed range and the Apex will start dipping into "better plan the route" territory sooner. In more measured "quick but not insane" riding, it still delivers very respectable real-world distances-enough for a long, spirited morning blast with some margin.

The RE90, with its bigger reservoir, simply lets you misbehave for longer. It shrugs off aggressive riding better and keeps its punch deeper into the discharge; you don't get that sad "oh, it's getting tired" feeling halfway through a ride. Range still depends massively on your right thumb-treat it like a track toy and you'll refuel often, treat it like a fast tourer and it'll go surprisingly far.

Charging is one clear win for the RE90: that larger pack paired with a proper high-amp charger means full top-ups in an evening rather than overnight marathons. The Apex can be fast-charged too, but in stock form the RE90 simply gets you back on the road sooner.

Portability & Practicality

Let's be honest: neither of these belongs on the metro at rush hour. They're long, they're serious, and they look like they should be cleared by air traffic control before use.

That said, the RE90's weight advantage is very real. Hauling it up a short flight of stairs or lifting it into a car boot is still a workout, but it's in "fit adult can manage this" territory rather than "hope you've done your deadlifts." The folded profile is long and low, so it eats more length than height in a car, but the fact that it's so light for what it is makes it far less intimidating to move around.

The Apex, with its extra mass, feels much more like moving a small motorbike without a seat. You can do it, but you plan the manoeuvre first. Narrow staircases, tight hallways, and high boots are all slightly more painful. Add in that its folding hardware is very much designed for rigidity first, convenience second, and you quickly realise this is not something you'll be folding twice a day without swearing a little.

Everyday practicality? Neither comes with commuter niceties out of the box. No real storage, no bag hooks, limited weather tolerance, and in race spec often no lights or kickstand. The RE90 at least earns some goodwill by being easier to manhandle. The Apex trades that away for extra plantedness and robustness when actually rolling.

Safety

Safety here is less about reflectors and more about not exiting the scooter head-first. On that front, both bring serious hardware: Magura MT7 brakes with proper four-piston calipers and discs big enough that you instinctively respect them. On either scooter, one finger is all you need; two fingers mean you'd better be braced.

The Apex has two subtle advantages. First, the regen capability from its VESC setup means you can offload a chunk of deceleration to the motors, smoothing out your speed control and preserving the hydraulic system. Once you dial in your preferences, you get this lovely two-stage braking: thumb to slow gently, levers when things get serious. Second, the slightly softer rear end keeps the tyre planted over bumps under heavy braking, which translates directly to more confidence when you need to haul down from silly speeds on imperfect surfaces.

The RE90 counters with sheer grip and rigidity. The combination of a super-stiff chassis and fat PMT slicks means that on dry, clean tarmac you feel like you're riding on Velcro. The limiting factor quickly becomes your courage, not the bike. But remove regen, add a fully rigid frame and true slicks, and you get a setup that's absolutely unforgiving in the wet or on dirty surfaces. When it lets go, it lets go fast.

Both share the same big safety downside: in stock, race-biased trim, they're basically invisible and illegal as commuters-no integrated lights, no signals, no horn, limited or no weather protection. Treat them like track tools and gear up accordingly: full-face helmets, body armour, gloves. These are not "shorts and T-shirt" machines.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

Both are in "you bought what for a scooter?" territory, so value here is not about euros per kilometre. It's about what you get in terms of engineering, exclusivity, and the kind of grin that makes your cheeks hurt.

The RE90 actually undercuts the Apex slightly while offering a larger battery and much lighter chassis. For pure numbers nerds, it's clearly the stronger deal: more watt-hours, lower weight, slightly lower entry ticket. If you frame it as paying for carbon fabrication and performance per kilogram, it starts to look almost rational.

The Apex justifies its premium with that VESC drive, rear suspension, and a slightly more "sorted" feel at high speeds on less-than-perfect roads. You're paying a bit more for a richer control interface and a chassis that feels more forgiving to live with on varied tarmac. If you ride hard but not only on billiard-smooth surfaces, that difference matters more than the price gap.

In blunt value-for-money terms, the RE90 wins. In "I want the package that best matches how I actually ride", the calculus becomes a lot more personal.

Service & Parts Availability

Both scooters share the same Achilles heel: they're boutique machines from a small maker, not mainstream products with service centres on every corner. You're buying into a relationship with a workshop in Los Angeles, not with a European big-box retailer.

Brake pads, tyres, and some components are easy-Magura and PMT are widely supported in Europe. Battery work, custom electronics, and structural parts are a different story: expect shipping delays and some back-and-forth with the manufacturer, or a very competent local specialist who knows what they're doing.

The RE90's external BMS and simpler, fully rigid frame can make some types of service slightly more straightforward conceptually-fewer moving parts, literally. The Apex's VESC ecosystem is powerful but a bit more arcane for the average mechanic; if you don't enjoy tinkering and tuning, you'll either learn or pay someone who has. In both cases, if "drop it at a shop and forget" is your maintenance philosophy, these are not ideal choices.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

If you strip all the spreadsheets and forum noise away, the decision boils down to this: Do you want the lightest possible missile, or the slightly more grown-up race tool?

The RE90 is the one you buy if your heart rate goes up just looking at power-to-weight figures. It feels absurdly fast because it is absurdly fast and light. Every time you launch it, you get that delicious "this is slightly too much" kick. If your roads are generally smooth, your rides are dry, and you want maximum madness per kilogram, it's the more compelling package.

The Apex, on the other hand, is the hyperscooter you choose when you care deeply about how it goes fast. The VESC smoothness, the regen, the calmer behaviour over less-than-perfect tarmac, and that rear suspension make it the better partner for riders who push hard but also want consistency and control over longer stints. It's still completely unhinged in a straight line, but it feels that bit more engineered around the rider, not just the spec sheet.

My take: for most seasoned enthusiasts, the RE90 edges it overall as the more spectacular and better-balanced package on paper and in the gut. But if you're the type who obsessively dials in throttle curves, values a bit more rear comfort, and wants that extra layer of composure when the road gets sketchy, you'll be very happy to let the Apex be your personal land-based rocket.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics look purely at maths: how much you pay per unit of energy or speed, how heavy the scooter is relative to its battery and output, how efficiently it uses energy, and how quickly it can recharge. Lower is better in most rows because you want less weight and cost for the same performance; higher is better where more power per speed or faster charging directly benefits you. None of this captures ride feel or joy-but it does explain why the RE90 looks so strong on paper.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the RION MOTORS Apex scores 1 point against the RION MOTORS RE90's 9. In the Author's Category Battle, the RION MOTORS Apex gets 23 ✅ versus 27 ✅ for RION MOTORS RE90 (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: RION MOTORS Apex scores 24, RION MOTORS RE90 scores 36.

Based on the scoring, the RION MOTORS RE90 is our overall winner. Putting both keys on the table, the RE90 is the one my hand instinctively reaches for when I want to feel genuinely overpowered in the best possible way-it just delivers that intoxicating sense of lightness and violence that's hard to walk away from. The Apex, though, is the one I'd pick for fast rides where the roads aren't perfect and I care about control and composure as much as raw speed; it feels like the more grown-up partner in crime. Both are wildly special in their own right, but if I had to live with just one hyperscooter, the RE90's mix of insanity, lightness and value nudges it ahead-while the Apex stays in my mental garage as the one that understands the rider a little better when the going gets rough.

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.