Robust Class B e-dirtbike: Niu XQI3 Review

The XQI3 is ready for any terrain

With the XQI3, Niu really seems to have fulfilled the requriements of many! During the review duration, I was approached several times a day about the e-dirtbike, which the manufacturer sent us in the black color variant. Alternatively, there are also a purple, white, and yellow versions. However, the XQI3 is a comparatively slim and small bike that is more agile with its large tires than most other e-scooters. Let's draw another comparison with them.

The riding experience on the XQI3 is even more different from that of an e-scooter the more time you spend with it. As there are plenty of these available to rent in big cities, you could well have ridden an e-scooter or even a Niu model before. With the XQI3, however, you don't place your feet on a footboard in front of you, but let them rest on retractable supports on the right and left side of the bike. This creates the feeling of riding an actual motorcycle feeling, which I personally like much better than the chair seating position on a scooter.

One major disadvantage, however, is that there is neither a compartment for helmet storage nor additional footrests for a second person. The Niu XQI3 is, therefore, only suitable for one person who, according to the technicaly specifications, should not weigh more than 100 kg. Together with the relative light weight of 75 kg of the e-bike itself, this results in a comparatively light package overall. This will be relevant again later when we discuss the riding experience.

For now, it's all about the starting options, which could hardly be more varied. The Niu supplier gave me two Airtag-sized NFC chips, a credit card-sized key card, and two keys for the e-bike. There was also a magnetic key fob, which I couldn't identify at first. After spending approximately an hour of research, I discovered this magnetic fob has to be placed on the right handle of the XQI3, otherwise the e-dirtbike won't budge a single meter. If you were to purchase the bike, you would receive an accompanying quick start guide, which I obviously lacked.

The magnet is a sort of killswitch that you should tie around your wrist when riding. This is particularly relevant when you go off-roading, as the XQI3 will no longer "accelerate" if the rider flies off the bike. This is a little annoying in road traffic, as you always have to think about the magnet. It is therefore practical that Niu also stores a spare magnet under the seat. This way, the manufacturer ensures that you can always ride.

The XQI3 can therefore be switched on both contactlessly and via a key. The ignition is located on the right side of the e-bike and also opens the lock that connects the seat to the frame when it is turned to the left. This allows us to open it even when the battery is removed or completely empty.

The keyword here? When the battery is removed. This is where the XQI3 boasts a really convenient design. We can remove the battery, which weighs around 15 kg, to charge it at home. This is extremely practical for apartment buildings like mine. The only drawback to this idea is how Niu left very little space for the battery cable. After only 120 km with a few previous owners having a go at it, the cable is already quite badly scratched, as you never know exactly where to bend it when removing the battery. From there, just plug the charger into a standard socket. We'll return to this later.

At this point, I would like to mention two disadvantages. Firstly, the controls on the handlebars were difficult to operate when wearing gloves. By this, I meant the blinker switch in particular, but more about that in a moment. Second, the seat of the XQI3 is not padded, which becomes uncomfortable on longer rides. In short: after a day of speeding approximately 50 km through the city center, my backside was pretty sore. E-scooters are much more comfortable in this department.

Niu app brings more functions

The XQI3 comes with an app connection and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. This acts as either a GPS transmitter to record rides or activate features such as the alarm system or "game mode", functioning as a key. There can never be enough key options with Niu.

What I found to be a very cool idea is how we can share the device with other Niu apps. This could be used for ridesharing, for instance, where others can gain access to the bike when they need it.

In my opinion, Niu failed to integrate a GPS chip into the XQI3. Rides can be recorded, but the smartphone acts as a wireless GPS dongle. A tracking function on the bike itself would also provide additional theft protection. This leaves only a rather insecure and quiet alarm sound and the handlebar lock to secure the bike.

Power: XQI3 offers almost 15 hp of thrills

We already explained how the XQI3 is not necessarily the most practical ride without storage space and with a single seat. And so, the e-dirtbike must at least be a lot of fun to justify its price of just under $4,000 while it is on promotion. And indeed, there is plenty of riding fun to enjoy here.

Basically, there are two riding modes, which are self-explanatory as "Sport" and "Eco". Eco mode reduces acceleration and, unfortunately, also the maximum speed to 25 km/h. This is quite impractical for city traffic. Considering how this is inadequate to navigate city streets, this is why I used the e-dirtbike in Sport mode 95 percent of the time. In this mode, the XQI3 can achieve a maximum speed of 48 km/h, which is quite fast thanks to the powerful electric motor.

This delivers 8,000 W as standard, which corresponds to around 11 hp. However, as electric motors make torque available directly, the acceleration cannot be compared with conventional scooters. The XQI3 achieves its maximum speed in sport mode in around four seconds, making it generally the fastest off the mark at traffic lights. If that's not enough, there are two more options.

First, an "Ultra Boost" can be activated via the buttons on the steering wheel, which briefly elicits 10.8 KW from the engine, i.e. which is around 15 hp. I was barely able to perform a complete launch from a standing start, as the front tire lost contact with the ground (see main photo). However, heavier or more experienced riders (I weigh just under 70 kg) may be able to manage this.

In the Niu app, there is also a "Wild" mode, which changes the acceleration behavior once again. This means that the throttle lever accepts inputs more directly and the acceleration lies somewhere between Sport and Boost. However, this mode can become dangerous quickly if it is not handled well. Niu itself issues a warning when it is activated. In the review, it was noticeable that caution was required in this mode, especially when wearing gloves.

This is because the "throttle" on the right handlebar grip is very smooth. When one is on cobblestones, the uneven surface tends to lead to unintended acceleration, which can be quite dangerous. The spongier feeling when accelerating due to the gloves also meant that I accelerated a few times when braking. This didn't happen in the regular Sport mode.

In general, I think controls on the Niu XQI3 could be improved. In addition to the throttle being too light, the blinker switch was particularly frustrating to use during the review. When wearing gloves, you have to be very careful to actually activate the blinker. During the review duration, for example, I was still busy activating the blinker when turning and almost overlooked an e-scooter rider on my right. Thankfully, nothing happened, but the controls on a motorcycle should be 100% reliable.

For off-road riding, the Niu XQI3 is also available in a Wild version. This achieves a top speed of up to 80 km/h and offers more power. 

I would like to tell you about one inexplicable behavior in this review: During the last five kilometers of the longest test ride day, the e-dirtbike repeatedly switched to park mode. This is very critical to note when it happens in road traffic, as you have to come to a standstill and press both brakes to engage the gear again. I can rule out an operating error so far and I suspect our review unit exhibited some kind of malfunction here. After this ride, the same error no longer occurred.

Range and charging times of the XQI3

Manufacturer Niu stated the range of the XQI3 as somewhere between 80 to 90 km. The manufacturer presumably referred to the use of Eco mode, which limits the speed to 25 km/h. The most intensive day of riding in our review duration was around 50 km and drained the battery from 100% to 18 %. This means that I could have theoretically covered a distance of about 60 km before I stopped riding.

This is less than the range specified by the manufacturer. However, it should be mentioned that I mainly rode the XQI3 in Sport mode and even in Wild mode for a while. In cities, you're also constantly restarting because of all the stops you make at traffic lights. I therefore consider the XQI3's range of at least 60 km on a full charge to be a really satisfactory number.

A full charge of the 2,304 Wh battery takes a little over five hours. With my riding style, 60 km would therefore cost about 80 cents per km. The XQI3 is therefore a particularly inexpensive city vehicle. Of course, if you charge via a balcony power station or other solar solutions, you can move around for free.

Where to Buy the NIU XQi3

Let's dive right in from the start: You will have to fork out $3,999.99 for the Niu XQI3 in the US. You will also have to insure the e-dirtbike and register it with the DMV if you want to ride it on the road.

The e-dirtbike will arrive in three colors: yellow, purple, white, and black from dealers. Alternatively, you can also have it delivered to your home and assemble it yourself.