Nanrobot D5+ Review: Overview In this Nanrobot D5+ review, we take an in-depth look at this beastly scooter that is available at a budget price. We review all its features, including range and also do performance testing. Tech Specs Tested top speed: 40 mph* Tested range: 30.3 miles* Weight: 66 lbs Max rider weight: 330 lbs Water resistance: None * Based on our performance tests which may differ from the manufacturer’s claims. Highlights Lots of power, top speed, acceleration Excellent range Requires work Super-soft front suspension Rough finishing touches

Summary The Perfect Hacker's Scooter: Nanrobot D5+ Hands-on Review

Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to our channel for more great videos. The Nanrobot D5+ has all the trappings of a beast scooter: dual 1000 watt motors, giant tires, and abundant battery capacity. Its deck, features, and design are similar to the MiniMotors Speedway 5 but comes with a significantly lower price tag. The D5+ doesn’t have the same quality or fit-and-finish as the Speedway. Having been refined over several generations and built to the highest specifications, the Speedway 5 is in a different class altogether. It also has the MiniMotors EYE display, controller, and motors. All these things bring the quality to the next level. However, priced about 50% less, the D5+ has a place among the power scooters of the world. The catch with the Nanrobot D5+ is that it is rough around the edges. Construction — as we elaborate on below — is hefty. Parts are substantial, thick, and metal. Yet, elements of the design and many of the finishing touches are where the scooter struggles. Despite its heft, Nanrobot has had issues with substandard bolts failing on its other models. For example, the most notable Achilles heel is the super-soft front spring suspension. It works wonderfully for utterly suppressing small bumps. Yet, any substantial obstacle will cause the springs to bottom out. Not only will you feel a stiff jolt when this happens — you’ll also get a loud clank. The weak springs are also noticeable during heavy front wheel braking. Heavier riders, which the scooter is otherwise suitable for, may significantly compress the suspension just by standing on it. This and a handful of other issues, which we elaborate on throughout the article, detract from this monstrous scooter. However, despite these flaws, we think the scooter is an option for the right person. If you are mechanically-inclined — the type who is into modding or car tuning — then this could be a great “kit” scooter for you. Out of the box, you get a powerful, but flawed scooter that could serve as a base to build on. If you aren’t mechanically inclined, there are better options that will be more suitable for you. The Nanrobot D5+ is available from Amazon.

Nanrobot D5+ Review

Introduction

Performance Tests

Results below are based on our independent testing and not data provided by the manufacturer. Read about our testing methodology or compare with other scooters on our electric scooter performance testing page.

Acceleration (0 to 15 mph) 2.1 seconds Top speed 40 mph Braking distance (15 to 0 mph) 11.6 ft Range 30.3 miles Hill climb test 9.2 seconds

Acceleration

The D5+ has quick acceleration — smashing past 30 mph (48 kmh) in 7 seconds flat and is in good company among other beast scooters like the Mantis, 8X, and QPower.

Hill Climbing

Hill climbing ability is equally good. The D5+ scaled our hill climb test (200 ft, 10% grade, 165 lb / 75 kg rider) in 8.3 seconds with an average speed of 16.4 miles per hour (26 kmh).

This is a better hill climbing ability than most scooters. However, it’s not quite as speedy as the Wolf Warrior, which crushed the test in 7.6 seconds at an average speed of 18 mph (29 kmh).

Top Speed

The D5+ has a claimed top speed of 40 mph (64 kmh), which we believe, though we only tested it to 36 mph (58 kmh) due to lack of runway.

Range

The scooter packs a 52 volt, 26 amp-hour, 1217 watt-hour battery. The D5+ delivered 30.3 (49 km) miles with an average speed of 23 mph (37 kmh) during our real-world range test (urban test loop with frequent stops, hills, rough terrain; 165 lb rider; scooter P-settings in fastest mode).

Braking

The Nanrobot has dual disc brakes as well as dual electronic brakes. We were able to bring the scooter from 15 mph to a stop in a meager 11.6 feet (3.5 m) — an exceptional result.

For comparison, a typical scooter has a 15 mph stopping distance of between 15 to 25 ft — anything below this we consider exceptional.

Ride quality

The D5+ has large air-filled 10-inch pneumatic inner tube tires, front spring suspension, and rear air suspension.

The dual suspension is excellent for smoothing out minor bumps in the road, but harsher terrain will be problematic.

One flaw we experienced in the scooter is the ultra-soft front suspension. Reminiscent of that on a retro motorcycle, with two parallel springs per side, the suspension is super soft and bottoms out on severe bumps. Under heavy braking, the D5+ tends to dip forward as the front spring compresses due to the loading. When riding, you have to shift your body weight toward the rear as you brake.

We’ve seen many owners remedy this issue by replacing the front suspension with stiffer springs or using a rubber ring to suppress the impact when the front bottoms out. The rear suspension, which is also a bit soft, can be replaced with quality coil-over-hydraulic springs with relative ease.

Nanrobot D5+ Features

Portability

Tipping the scales at 66 lbs, the D5+ is a beefcake. It has collapsing handlebars and a telescoping stem for storage. However, you won’t be hauling this thing onto public transportation or lugging it up multiple flights of stairs.

The stem locks in the folded position, which is helpful for those moments where you need to lift the scooter. The D5+ also has a kickplate over the rear fender. This serves as a carrying handle and helps you when lifting it.

The stem folding mechanism is quick to activate and solid once locked into place. It has an anodized metal tab that you push on with your foot or hand to unlock.

The collapsing handlebars use the same mechanism we’ve seen across many other electric scooters. The handlebars are folded by pulling on a spring-loaded collar, then pushing them down. Out of the box, when extended, one of the handlebars were loose. After adjusting a screw in the mechanism, we were able to take out nearly all of the play.

Cockpit

The D5+ has a pretty standard cockpit with a few extra touches.

Both sides of the handlebars have brake levers. The brake levers have some meat to them. Squeezing down, you’ll feel some modest drag due to the mechanical cables. There is a minimal amount of travel necessary for triggering the electronic brake. However, there is significant electronic brake lag — perhaps 0.5 seconds or so — from the time the brake lever trips the digital switch till the moment you feel the sudden deceleration.

Rubber grips on the handlebar are average. They are thick, hard, and firmly attached to the handlebars. Even after death-gripping them for extended periods, they stayed in place and didn’t rotate.

On the right side of the handlebars sits the ubiquitous LCD trigger-throttle. We noticed it didn’t feel very linear and maxed out only about half-way through its travel. When riding for long periods, your extended index finger will become uncomfortable and fatigued.

Below the throttle control are dedicated Eco/Turbo and Singe/Dual motor buttons. The buttons cap the top speed and enable one or both motors.

On the left side of the handlebars are a rocker switch for lights, turn signals, a moderately loud horn, and a key lock ignition. The rocker switch is a nice touch that controls all the lights on the scooter. Many scooters have light switches that are annoyingly placed on the deck. You have to dismount the scooter to turn them on or off.

The ignition has a built-in voltage meter for knowing your precise battery power level. This appears to be the same generic model used on many other scooters. Its plastic housing tends to pop apart if not tightened before you go for your first serious ride.

Alarm system

The D5+ is the first scooter we’ve reviewed that comes stock with an alarm system and wireless keyfobs for arming/disarming the scooter.

It comes with two keyfobs with a white and pink Hello Kitty color combination. It is hilarious to roll up in a powerful beast-mode scooter and whip out the keyfob to lock.

Color choices aside, the alarm system is a pretty cool feature. Once you’ve parked your scooter and armed it, movement or even the slightest touch of the scooter will set off the ultra-loud alarm. It’s a nice feature that, combined with the keyed battery cut-off, makes the scooter secure to park in public. For a quick run inside a store or cafe, it may be all you need.

For maximum security, you should also use a lock. The scooter has some prime real estate around the folding mechanism to slip a U-lock through. We don’t recommend cable locks because they can be cut easily.

Lights

The scooter has front, rear, corner deck lights, and turn signals. The front LED headlight is bright and can be tilted to light up the road ahead. However, it is mounted low to the ground and won’t project far enough ahead to be very visible to others. The turn signals and corner deck lights are also a nice touch, but their low mounting position is a drawback.

If you are riding this scooter at night, we recommend an additional, ultrabright headlight for safety. A bright, high-mounted red LED taillight is also recommended.

Given the 40 mph top speed, it’s of the utmost importance to be able to see far enough ahead on the road to avoid hazards. Learn more about our recommendations for additional lighting to help you stay visible at night.

Tires

The D5+ features 10-inch (25 cm) by 2.5-inch (6 cm) pneumatic inner tube tires made by CST. The tires have 4-ply construction and valve stems that stick out far. This makes them easy to fill without needing a tire valve extender.

Deck

The deck has 20-inches by 9.5-inches of standing space — not including the rear kickplate. It also gives nearly 5 inches of ground clearance. Overall, the deck is reasonably spacious, which comes in handy for keeping your balance during fast starts and stops.

The deck can be configured with an optional seat attachment for using this as a seated electric scooter. For riding at higher speeds, many people find the seated configuration more comfortable and stable.

The surface of the deck is covered in a skateboard-like grip tape with Nanrobot branding. It looks good. The rough surface gives excellent traction against your shoes.

Bolted onto the tail of the deck is a skeletal kickplate that protects the rear fender and is another surface your foot can rest on. It’s also the perfect size for carrying the scooter, making lifting this beast quite a bit easier.

Warranty / Post-Purchase Support

The Nanrobot D5+ has a warranty period that is as little as 1 month and covers some components for up to 6 months.

Build quality

The Nanrobot D5+ is a hefty chunk of scooter. It has a maximum rider weight limit of 330 lbs (150 kg). Its high-powered motor should make it quick for heavier riders.

The D5+ has lots of thick metal parts, and we expect that it should be durable. In fact, much of it looks overbuilt — big bolts, thicker supports, just more metal than is probably necessary. Notably, some have reported failing bolts on their D4+ scooters — that resulted in collapsing while riding — but we haven’t seen any verifiable claims of this happening with the D5+.

Because of all this metal, the Nanrobot weighs 66 lb (30 kg).

Unlike — say a Xiaomi M365 — the design and engineering are less refined. As we’ve seen in other beast mode scooters, manufacturing and assembly are less precise. Finishes on the components can be a bit rougher. Less attention is paid to QC and detail. There are some sharp edges where a more mass-produced scooter would have none. Sometimes this is cosmetic. Other times it can lead to product failures.

For example, a sharp edge on the suspension assembly of our test scooter started to fray some of the wires running from the cockpit. After about 100 miles of test riding, the sharp edge had cut through the outer housing, exposing the colorful jackets of the inner wires. The fix is an easy one, but just an example of what you should expect.

Though the folding mechanism is robust, other joints in the scooter have some play and just don’t feel super tight. We expect you’ll have to make some adjustments of the D5+ out of the box to get it more dialed in. Even after tuning, the D5+ will still have some of these quirks.

Nanrobot D5+: Review Conclusions We think the Nanorobot D5+ is suitable as a tinkerer’s scooter. For under $1400, you get a hefty scooter with large batteries, massive motors, and a versatile frame. It’s a lot of scooter for the dollar but comes with some quirks that you’ll want to iron out. If you aren’t mechanically-inclined, then the D5+ will be challenging. Additionally, those who are mechanically inclined, you also might consider directly purchasing from Alibaba / Aliexpress, where you may save hundreds of dollars. If the Nanrobot isn’t appealing, see our suggested alternative electric scooters. You can also check out our Editor’s pick of best electric scooters. The Nanrobot D5+ is available from Amazon.

Nanrobot D5+ Compared to Other Scooters

Nanrobot D5+ Technical Specifications From Manufacturer

Note: This may differ from our tested specifications.