Splach Turbo - $999
Paul Somerville
October 18, 2020
+ 14 More
Air 2022Air 2023
Summary
The Splach Turbo scooter is a feature packed addition to the mid-range commuter class that was originally launched on Indiegogo, providing a high-profile, low-maintenance option from a new brand. In this detailed review, we'll show you how the Turbo performs, with a quick comparison of the two Splach models, the Turbo and the Ranger.
PROS
Best suspension in mid-range commuter
Dual drum brakes
Low-maintenance tire configuration
CONS
Noisy ride overall
Stem wobbles
Handlebars loosen
Technical Specifications
Tested Top Speed:
22.5 mph**
Water Resistance:
IPX5**
Max Rider Weight:
264 lb**
Weight:
45 lb**
Tested Range:
18.4 mi**
Acceleration:
4.3 s**
**Based on our independent performance tests which may differ from manufacturer’s claims.
The Splach Turbo is available in United States from Splach.
Our content is indepedent, but buying through our links may earn us a comission.
Our Take: A Frankenscooter Feel With a Comfortable Ride
With seriously plush suspension, the Splach Turbo offers a first-class, comfortable ride and has the familiar appeal of the Fluid Freeride Horizon and other Unicool Titan offshoot scooters, but with a slightly Frankenscooter feel. It's as though the Turbo was assembled from a bin of our favorite electric scooter parts.
The Splach is making waves in the mid-range commuter class, with best-in-class suspension and dual drum brakes. These are big plusses, when models at this price-point typically only have a single brake.
However, rattling from the fender, stem wobble, loose handlebars, and other minor annoyances may deter you from making this your everyday commuter scooter.
Here's a quick comparison of the main differences between the Splach Turbo and the Splach Ranger.
If you're looking for an affordable mid-range commuter, the Splach Turbo is appealing. It is very competitive with models like the Horizon and City -- but offering a better suspension and innovative features like a card reader. With a tested range of 18.4 mi you won't go as far as the Horizon (26.0 mi), nor will you go fast as the City (28.6 mph tested top speed). However, its benefits and pricepoint will still make the Splach a winner for many buyers.
The Splach is making waves in the mid-range commuter class, with best-in-class suspension and dual drum brakes. These are big plusses, when models at this price-point typically only have a single brake.
However, rattling from the fender, stem wobble, loose handlebars, and other minor annoyances may deter you from making this your everyday commuter scooter.
Here's a quick comparison of the main differences between the Splach Turbo and the Splach Ranger.
If you're looking for an affordable mid-range commuter, the Splach Turbo is appealing. It is very competitive with models like the Horizon and City -- but offering a better suspension and innovative features like a card reader. With a tested range of 18.4 mi you won't go as far as the Horizon (26.0 mi), nor will you go fast as the City (28.6 mph tested top speed). However, its benefits and pricepoint will still make the Splach a winner for many buyers.
Splach Turbo Review
Acceleration
We assess acceleration by performing RG certified tests on a flat street in the scooter's highest performance mode. All testing is completed by a 165 lb rider, who repeats the test a number of times to find the best results.
The Splach Turbo has power out of the gate, going from zero to 15 mph in just 4.3 seconds. Accelerating to 20 mph, the Turbo reached speed in 7.7 seconds.
Overall, the Turbo has strong acceleration with a responsive trigger throttle and some whining from the motor off the starting line.
The Splach Turbo has power out of the gate, going from zero to 15 mph in just 4.3 seconds. Accelerating to 20 mph, the Turbo reached speed in 7.7 seconds.
Overall, the Turbo has strong acceleration with a responsive trigger throttle and some whining from the motor off the starting line.
Hill Climb
In our 200 ft, 10% grade incline hill climbing test, the Splach Turbo made the climb in 13.6 seconds at an average speed of 10.0 mph, and was still accelerating at the top of the hill.
Compare with other scooters on our performance page.
Compare with other scooters on our performance page.
Top Speed
The Turbo has an RG tested top speed of 22.5 mph. It doesn’t reach the claimed 28 mph top speed, but this is a sweet spot for keeping up with traffic without going so fast you can’t stop in an emergency.
Range
We test all electric scooters along the same route, using Racelogic data-loggers to record the data. The route includes many stops, rough terrain, with some uphill travel, and the scooter is ridden until the battery runs out.
The Splach Turbo has an RG tested range of 18.4 mi getting about two-thirds the manufacturer claimed range, and has 541 watt hours of battery capacity thanks to its lithium-ion battery pack.
Learn more about our extensive RG certification tests.
The Splach Turbo has an RG tested range of 18.4 mi getting about two-thirds the manufacturer claimed range, and has 541 watt hours of battery capacity thanks to its lithium-ion battery pack.
Learn more about our extensive RG certification tests.
Braking
The dual drum brakes are a standout feature on the Splach Turbo, as one of very few in this price range with both front and rear mechanical brakes.
In our ESG braking test, the Turbo came to a halt from 15 mph in just 15.9 feet.
The brakes are a little stiff as the cables are tightly wrapped, but are tuned well for our 165 lb rider. To brake effectively, you should throw your weight back over the rear tire to avoid skidding, as you won’t get great traction on the solid rear tire if your weight is carried over the front of the scooter. Overall, maintaining an active and attentive riding stance will reward you with a comfortable ride on the Turbo.
To learn more scooter riding tips, check out our guide.
In our ESG braking test, the Turbo came to a halt from 15 mph in just 15.9 feet.
The brakes are a little stiff as the cables are tightly wrapped, but are tuned well for our 165 lb rider. To brake effectively, you should throw your weight back over the rear tire to avoid skidding, as you won’t get great traction on the solid rear tire if your weight is carried over the front of the scooter. Overall, maintaining an active and attentive riding stance will reward you with a comfortable ride on the Turbo.
To learn more scooter riding tips, check out our guide.
Ride Quality
The ride on the Splach Turbo is top notch, as the dual suspension smooths out most everything, absorbing bad roads and only giving you a brain massage over truly terrible terrain.
The suspension on the Splach is even better than the EMOVE Touring — a scooter known for its excellent ride quality. With a Zero 10X-esque arm for stability and a wide turning radius, it’s pretty easy to maintain a straight line while riding, but not without a cost — noise.
As is common with screw-in handlebars, they quickly come unscrewed while riding. This isn't a safety concern, but is annoying as you have to re-tighten the handlebars periodically.
The rear reflector and cockpit rattle and — when coupled with a stem that gives some play, especially when braking and going over bumps — that makes the scooter feel a little less than perfect.
Check out a fix that we implemented to reduce some of the noise in the Build Quality section.
The suspension on the Splach is even better than the EMOVE Touring — a scooter known for its excellent ride quality. With a Zero 10X-esque arm for stability and a wide turning radius, it’s pretty easy to maintain a straight line while riding, but not without a cost — noise.
As is common with screw-in handlebars, they quickly come unscrewed while riding. This isn't a safety concern, but is annoying as you have to re-tighten the handlebars periodically.
The rear reflector and cockpit rattle and — when coupled with a stem that gives some play, especially when braking and going over bumps — that makes the scooter feel a little less than perfect.
Check out a fix that we implemented to reduce some of the noise in the Build Quality section.
Splach Turbo Features
Portability
When weighing the Turbo during testing, we found that it’s actually 45 lb, not 40 lbs as the manufacturer claims, so it’s a fairly heavy scooter.
With folded dimensions of 43 inches long by 8 inches wide and 16 inches tall, it’s a little cumbersome to carry up stairs, especially because the stem rotates as you’re holding it, a lot like the Apollo Light. With a telescoping stem and screw-in handlebars, the Turbo can be made more compact, but we would struggle carrying it up three full flights of stairs.
Unfolded, the Turbo measures 45 inches long by 45 inches wide by 47 inches tall.
With folded dimensions of 43 inches long by 8 inches wide and 16 inches tall, it’s a little cumbersome to carry up stairs, especially because the stem rotates as you’re holding it, a lot like the Apollo Light. With a telescoping stem and screw-in handlebars, the Turbo can be made more compact, but we would struggle carrying it up three full flights of stairs.
Unfolded, the Turbo measures 45 inches long by 45 inches wide by 47 inches tall.
Cockpit
The cockpit of the Splach Turbo feels familiar and fairly complete, with an easy-to-read QS-S4 trigger throttle, standard handgrips, screw-in handlebars, mechanical brake levers, plug-and-play cabling, and a card reader. It does not have any standalone buttons (eco/turbo mode), and does not come with an audible warning device (like a bell or horn).
The P-settings generally resemble those of the Apollo, EVOLV, Fluidfreeride, Turbowheel and Zero models, which you can find in our P-settings Database. On the Turbo, the P18 setting is reserved for the card reader, so you can bypass the need to use the card if you don't want the security feature.
The P-settings generally resemble those of the Apollo, EVOLV, Fluidfreeride, Turbowheel and Zero models, which you can find in our P-settings Database. On the Turbo, the P18 setting is reserved for the card reader, so you can bypass the need to use the card if you don't want the security feature.
Lights
Lights on the Splach Turbo are attractive but not very effective, and include deck-mounted button lights on the front and rear and an LED strip down the stem. Although they help others see you, you will still need a brighter headlight and other lights to illuminate the road ahead if you’re riding at night.
For riding at night, you’ll definitely need more lighting for better visibility.
For riding at night, you’ll definitely need more lighting for better visibility.
Tires
Splach has implemented the famous mid-range commuter tire tradeoff, with an air-filled 9 in tire on the front and a solid 8.5 in tire on the rear, making it a little lower maintenance.
With this configuration, the front pneumatic tire gets good traction and conforms to the road, while the rear solid tire is resistant to punctures, meaning you won’t have to worry about getting flats — which are most common on the rear tire. The front tire grips well, with a sharp profile allowing for quick turns, while the rear tire gets less traction.
The Splach also has split rim tires, meaning it's much easier to replace the front inner tube when needed.
Read more about preventing and repairing flats.
With this configuration, the front pneumatic tire gets good traction and conforms to the road, while the rear solid tire is resistant to punctures, meaning you won’t have to worry about getting flats — which are most common on the rear tire. The front tire grips well, with a sharp profile allowing for quick turns, while the rear tire gets less traction.
The Splach also has split rim tires, meaning it's much easier to replace the front inner tube when needed.
Read more about preventing and repairing flats.
Deck
The deck of the Splach Turbo is covered in quality grip tape that offers good standing room, measuring 18 inches long by 8 inches wide with 4.5 inches of ground clearance.
Note that rolling off a curb at a diagonal angle on the Turbo will cause the arm on the drum brake to make contact with the curb. On our model, this caused the brake arm to bend, which, over time, can impact brake adjustment and feel.
Note that rolling off a curb at a diagonal angle on the Turbo will cause the arm on the drum brake to make contact with the curb. On our model, this caused the brake arm to bend, which, over time, can impact brake adjustment and feel.
Warranty / Post-Purchase Support
The Splach Turbo comes with a one-year warranty for the body and a six-month warranty for the battery.
As an Indiegogo campaign that recently started shipping units, we don’t have much to share about their customer service. During testing, we reached out by email 4-5 times in a two-week span and received a response in less than 24 hours each time, with some response times as brief as 2 hours.
As part of post-purchase support, Splach has provided a playlist of video tutorials for frequently asked questions about how to care for and modify the Turbo and Ranger.
Read more on the warranty terms from Splach.
As an Indiegogo campaign that recently started shipping units, we don’t have much to share about their customer service. During testing, we reached out by email 4-5 times in a two-week span and received a response in less than 24 hours each time, with some response times as brief as 2 hours.
As part of post-purchase support, Splach has provided a playlist of video tutorials for frequently asked questions about how to care for and modify the Turbo and Ranger.
Read more on the warranty terms from Splach.
Build Quality
Individual components on the Splach look familiar and well-made, but the noisiness of the ride makes the build feel less complete and cohesive. The stem lever feels almost too easy to activate, making us question its long-term performance, and the stem gives play while riding. We were able to reduce the stem play by around 10% by tightening an adjuster at the bottom-center of the pivot. You can completely eliminate stem wobble by tightening this all the way, however the latch on the stem will not engage when the adjuster is fully tightened, so we had to ease off a bit so both parts would work.
Fender fix
That noisy ride, especially from the rear reflector rattling, becomes pretty annoying. However, you can easily transform your ride by taking 5 minutes to add clear silicone to the underside of the fender where the reflectors are attached, which eliminates the fender rattle.
Our favorite feature is the dual drum brakes, which are an excellent inclusion at this price point. Although disc brakes are generally preferable to drum brakes because they have better overall performance, they are more involved to maintain and can more easily be damaged as they’re not enclosed. Drum brakes, on the other hand, are completely enclosed in the wheel hub and generally require less maintenance. The tradeoff of stopping power for ease of maintenance between disc and drum brakes is worth it for many riders.
Both the Splach Turbo and the Ranger have a max load of 260 lbs. Along with an IPX5 water resistance rating, the kickstand is at a good angle and length, and the dual charging ports on the top of the deck are in a good position.
Our favorite feature is the dual drum brakes, which are an excellent inclusion at this price point. Although disc brakes are generally preferable to drum brakes because they have better overall performance, they are more involved to maintain and can more easily be damaged as they’re not enclosed. Drum brakes, on the other hand, are completely enclosed in the wheel hub and generally require less maintenance. The tradeoff of stopping power for ease of maintenance between disc and drum brakes is worth it for many riders.
Both the Splach Turbo and the Ranger have a max load of 260 lbs. Along with an IPX5 water resistance rating, the kickstand is at a good angle and length, and the dual charging ports on the top of the deck are in a good position.
Footplate
Another feature that we like is the footplate over the rear wheel, as it's a great height and size to give you space to adjust your footing. It also has a slot that you can use to secure with a cable lock or hold if towing behind you (you can purchase front trolley wheels as part of their accessories pack).
Splach Turbo: Review Conclusions
The Splach Turbo is a solid (if slightly cobbled together) mid-range commuter, with super smooth suspension and low-maintenance, user-friendly features. Including the mixed tire configuration, dual drum brakes, split rims, and plug-and-play cabling, Splach makes it a little easier for you to get up and go without worrying about frequent fixes and adjustments.
If the Splach line doesn’t fit your needs, check out our ESG Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.
If the Splach line doesn’t fit your needs, check out our ESG Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.
Alternative Competitors
Technical Specs Comparison
Model
Splach Turbo
Segway Ninebot Max
Apollo City
Fluid Freeride Horizon (13 Ah)
Top Speed**
22.5 mph
18.4 mph
28.6 mph
24.0 mph
Range**
18.4 mi
21.6 mi
17.9 mi
26.0 mi
Weight**
45 lb
42 lb
40 lb
42 lb
Price
$999
$949
$1399
$829
**Based on our independent performance tests which may differ from manufacturer’s claims.
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