PaulN I looked at your story. I get the impression that the first release of the Phantom had major problems and they were swamped with requests from upset customers. I also read about the issue they had with the necks and that they had to send kits out to fix it. Unfortunately it seems that Phantom customers were hit with a perfect storm - supply chain issues plus unanticipated defects in the design of a new product. It reminds me of my 25 years of tech support. Tech support and helpdesks are expensive to run, so companies usually have less support than they need. Then when something unexpected happens, they’re screwed. And if it’s something outside of their control, like supply chain issues, they end up with irate customers who just want things to work. Now I understand why they’re sending V2 update kits to their V1 customers.
I looked at Epic Cycles as well. I was intrigued by their Cobra scooter which is essentially a fatbike but with a deck instead of pedals. However, at six and a half feet long there was no way it was going to fit in the elevators in my building. I also looked at their Kaabo scooters and almost bought the Mantis. I decided I wanted a scooter with some water resistance in case I run through a puddle or get rained on, and I also read that the stem is a bit iffy (can get wobbly). I admired the Wolves but decided they were too much for a beginner and it would be a shame not to be able to ride one at higher speeds in case I got pulled over. It would be like buying a Lambo and using it as a mobility scooter.
I downloaded the manual for the Ghost but haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I already know it can be set on first gear and that one of the motors can be turned off. Apparently it can be “geared up” while riding but not “geared down” otherwise there’s a braking effect that can cause a wipeout. I do intend to set it so that it has to be kicked off before the motor will engage. I was once almost dragged into traffic because I left the power on while moving my twist throttle vespa scooter. By the way, I got an email from Apollo today about a shipment, at first I thought it was the scooter but it’s just the thumb throttle I ordered.