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From runabout
. . . to Rambo
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Patrick McDonnell surveys the latest advances in the scooter market, from street to the hilltop.
The market for scooters ranges the full spectrum from
pavement perambulation to serious all-terrain vehicles that would give any 4 X 4 user pause for thought.
They serve users of all types from the scooter parked on the high street pavement, with its owner more concerned about the special offers at favourite supermarkets, to those contemplating a 45° degree angle on an assault course.
The one constant that unites a multi-faceted market which
encompasses both the least sophisticated three-wheel runabout
and the most sophisticated six-wheel off-roader — is individual
mobility. Whatever your needs, Disabled Motorist charts the
choices available to the prospective buyers of these products.
For those whose main criteria is the ability to navigate and
travel the urban environment, micro-light tricycle formats are
favoured. 
Electromotion offers its MicroGlide which is easily dismantled into four parts, and with a length of only 37in it will fit into the smallest of hatchbacks.
The folding tiller serves as the carrying handle.
The MicroGlide has a turning circle of just 32ins.
Electromotion also markets its EasyGlide scooter designed with a “Delta” tiller, allowing ease of use for users with limited dexterity. The Easyglide features a high-backed seat, with headrest and adjustable arm rests which are adjustable for height, rake, reach and rotation. The scooter has a range of 48km. 
Forever Active has two models in the micro-light category with its Mini-Shuttle and Mini-Shuttle Deluxe, although formulated to the tricycle template both have a fourth wheel at the tiller. The Mini- Shuttle folds to allow it to fit into a car boot. The Mini Shuttle Deluxe offers a seat with a complete backrest.
Guardian offers its Trek 3, available through Sunrise Medical. Trek 3 consists of a platform, power pack, with tiller control functions, and a moulded foam monopole four position swivel seat, with flip
arms. It disassembles into four parts with no wires or clips. Each section of the unit is equally balanced, weighing 10kg each and capable of fitting into a hatchback or saloon.
Guardian also markets a model with a fourth wheel on the tiller, similar to Forever Active micro lights. The brand new Garnet model is a lightweight tubular design, which has an easily detachable seat and a quick release battery. The Garnet breaks down into three components for transport or storage. The
battery release eliminates the frustration of breaking down the chair to access the batteries and undoing stubborn battery cables. The battery can be charged either through the joystick or battery itself. The Garnet's controller contains a speedometer, battery level indictor, horn, ignition key and forward and a reverse lever. All the scooter's power functions are at the user's fingertips.
The Garnet weighs 38kg.
FreeRider offers its take on the tricycle market with its
Companion and Knightsbridge ranges for the mobility challenged.
The Companion boasts easy to use controls featuring smooth automatic braking.
In common with most manufacturers, Road-Knight offers its
minimalist Micron 3-tricycle form. The tricycle disassembles
into four lightweight pieces with no singular piece weighing
more than 13kg. The Micron 3 also sports an electronic regenerative brake system and disc parking brakes. The Micron 3
has a maximum speed of 6kmh and a range of 16km before
charge. Road-Knight also offers a four-wheel variation on its
trike theme with its Micron 4, specifications are similar to the
Micron 3.
TGA Electric Leisure Superlight is a styled trike, with its two 12-volt batteries in two angled carrier boxes beneath the sprung seat. The tiller's shaped tubular mechanism has two bars to control its speed, the harder the levers are pulled the quicker the user goes, to a maximum of 6.5kmh, and a range of 24km between charge. The Superlight also has a two speedmode
switch and lights and horn switches all within fingertip
touch. Braking is automatic — the user simply releases the
controls and the Superlight stops and engages its automatic
parking brake. Superlight also contains manual release for the
parking brake. The tricycle can be dismantled in seconds without
tools and will fit into a car boot. 
TGA also offers a striking variation on the tricycle theme
with its minimalist Buzz. This three-wheeler eschews a central
tiller steering mechanism altogether, and functions as both
a scooter and a wheelchair. Control and steering is achieved
by twin hand levers either side of the seat. The user simply
switches the Buzz on and by pushing down on the levers sets it
in motion. The further the levers are depressed the quicker the
Buzz accelerates, up to jogging pace of 12kph.
The Buzz is highly manoeuvrable thanks to this drive system.
Lift one lever to turn left and the other lever to turn right,
the harder you pull the tighter the Buzz turns. To stop, the user simply pulls up both levers and applies the parking brake.
Buzz's operating system allows the vehicle to turn within the
power chair's own length, what we used to call in old money
— “turning on a sixpence”. The Buzz is equally at home gliding
around tight corners in the home, or negotiating bumpy tracks and uneven terrain in the country. The wheelbase keeps all three wheels evenly loaded. The Buzz has a nominal range of 19km between charges.
In the medium levels of the urban scooter market, similar to
the 'B' class hatchback car market, comes the four-wheel
scooter. Electromotion has two candidates in this category
with its SuperGlide and UltraGlide four wheeled scooters. The
UltraGlide offers an ultra soft suspension front and rear with
full shock absorbing system for stability and kerb climbing
ability. It also features directional high intensity lighting. The
scooter has a maximum speed of 13kmh and a range of 56km
before charge.
FreeRider offers its Kensington and Kensington 'S' in this
sector. The Kensington 'S' features rear suspension for added comfort, with twin headlights and a speed of 9kmh. The
Westminster range boasts front and rear suspension, with a triple braking system.
The Westminster has a 6 to 12kmh speed range for pavement
or road use with a lighting system incorporated into the contoured front moulding.
Forever Active has three models in this category. The first, its Discovery MKll, has a substantial and solid tiller control and a vestigial bonnet containing its driving lights and indicators, similar to the front of BMW's Z4 roadster.
The other two models, the Galaxy MKll and Enterprise MKll deliver subtle variations on the same theme. The Discovery has a top speed of 6kmh, the Galaxy has a top speed of 12kmh.
Road-Knight offers two four wheeled scooters in this sector, its Maxi-Plus 4 and Magnum Plus 8. The Plus 8 has a durable, high-impact ABS and front and rear bumpers resistant to scratches,
chips and dents. The Plus 8-weight capacity is 181kg, it has a 48km range before charge and speed settings at 6kmh for pavement use and 12kmh for road use. TGA's
Frontier model features a contoured modelled body and comes
with a list of standard equipment including a rubber foot mat,
front basket, rear of seat storage pocket, tiller shopping hooks
and a rear view mirror. The Frontier also sports hazard warning
lights, anti-tip wheels and even a fold down cup holder.
The Frontier also includes an electronic sleep mode facility
that shuts down the machine if the user inadvertently forgets to
switch it off.
Increasingly the scooter market is involved with recreational activities, No longer are disability challenged individuals content
to merely navigate the urban environment. For many, countryside activities, for example fishing or even obstacle coursing and the associated challenges of off-roading have come to the fore. Previously, disabled people involved with angling would have to fish from a bridge, whereas others could indulge their fishing from the river bank.
Then, of course, there are those who enjoy mountaineering.
Beamer Engineering markets its four-wheel reardrive Tramper, that has negotiated the near 1,085m heights of Snowden. The Tramper, available with a trailer attached, offers the user large rear wheels to traverse uneven terrain. Its enthusiasts include a disabled mountain climber, an ornithologist, a photographer and a farmer who appreciates the optional trailer for use around the farm and fields. The retrostyled Tramper has a ground clearance of 165mm, it features light accurate steering with the steering geometry optimised to prevent “kickback” and “bump steer”. Control is by a rotary twist grip, enabling light ergonomic non-fatiguing speed control, especially when travelling over bumps and rough ground. 
Because of its all-terrain roles the Tramper has a tripled braking system, using regenerative braking, electromagnetic braking and independent emergency drums which can be operated by either hand. The seat has an adjustment range of 180mm of travel. The dashboard contains a highly accurate battery condition monitor and has a range of 48km before charge.
EV Technology has its all terrain Mini Crosser available in three or four wheel models, equipped with independent suspension and carrying capacity of 150kgs. The Mini Crosser has a range of 35km before charge with a top speed of 12kmh. Options include a two wheel hinge lidded trailer, other options include a larger battery capacity model.
Permobil's Trax is an advanced rear wheel drive wheelchair in either a child or adult version, with automotive inspired coil-over shock absorbers. The suspension itself can be adjusted to the users weight providing greater comfort and stability. The Trax boasts an electrically adjustable wheelbase length, also an electrically operated seat lift and servo assisted joystick
steering.
The Trax is configured to clear obstacles up to 150mm high. The Trax child model is governed to a maximum of 8kmh with the adult model the maximum is 14kmh with a driving range of 49km before charge. The Trax user has a number of options they can equip their machine with, including rear view mirrors, a luggage box, a roll bar, crutch holder, self adjusting belt, running time meter, arm rest bag, foot straps, 4 point belt with quick release lock, a helmet, adjustable head rest, trunk rest, knee stop and adjustable thigh rest.
The Wheelchair Corporation markets a vehicle that has aspects of the scooter and a heavy-duty four-wheel drive wheelchair with its Extreme 4X4. It sports 355mm low-pressure knobbly tyres for better traction in adverse conditions.
The 4X4 can climb obstacles 155mm high. The four 24 volt, 4
pole motors are controlled by a fully programmable electronics
system, via a small joystick control. A variety of seats can be fitted to the 4X4, with a camouflage base an option. Top speed is 8kmh with a range of 30km before charge. The 4X4 has a maximum user weight of 181kg. A radical departure in all terrain wheelchairs is the Magic Mobility manufactured sixwheel
machine, the Frontier, and the similar in concept is the Jazzy 1420 from Forever Active. Both have two driven wheels, if ordering the country option on the Frontier, the wheels come
with 355mm tyres with a knobbly pattern, domestic duty tyres
can be substituted for pavement and home use. All six wheels
maintain contact with the terrain through its AST equipped
articulated frame. The user sits above the drive wheels maintaining a correct centre of gravity. Speeds of 10kph are achievable, with a range of 30km before charge.
The Frontier also has a supportive seating system that uses
custom contouring. This incorporates an anti-thrust seat-front,
lateral contouring on both the padded seat and backrest. This
extra supportive wing bolsters on the backrest and built-in
lumbar support ensures the best in spinal and trunk positioning,
it weighs in at 118kg.
Today's prospective scooter and all terrain vehicles users have a veritable cornucopia of choice in the scooter market with models to suit the requirements and finances of all users.
Easy Mobility 0800 626829 Electromotion 01905 791200
Forever Active 01582 849100 FreeRider 01536 443888
Road-Knight 0800 1690600 Sunrise Medical 0138
4446688
TGA 01787 882244
All Terrain Scooters
Beamer Engineering 01794 885814 Club Car 01204
690644
EV Technology 01455 554242 Permobil 01484 722888
Wheelchair Corporation 0121 568 8999
The opinions on the products mentioned are those of the
manufacturers, and not those of Disabled Motorist.
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