Thread: UBCO - Any experiences?

I paid a deposit on an UBCO at the National Fieldays in 2015 as I needed a replacement for my Honda CT110 which were no longer available. UBCO is based on CT110 dimensions with step through.
I got the first one assembled in NZ (ex China) in Feb 2016 and bought another same vintage for my wife/hunting mate 2017.
If I was still moving deer my UBCO would not replace a CT110 or similar bike on hills but on flat farm would be OK.


PROBLEMS I STRUCK.
UBCO has 2 motors (one in each hub) so if the front wheel loses grip and spins going up hill on wet grass/gravel etc you lose 50% of your power so bike slows then stops. Climbs great with a 10kg weight on front carrier.
I always tie my pack on front.

Early model breaks spokes because spokes came front same center line on hub as rim, so spokes had to curve around each other so were bent and the swaged head on the hub end of the spoke would fatigue off.
Later model has redesigned normal motor bike spoke design.

Accelerator throttle cable fatigues by wear and rust at the top as there is no way to lube.
Later models are fly by wire type.

Suspension/shocks are hard riding as in over cow step ruts, rough paddocks or stoney tracks etc. You need to ride with a loose reign or you’ll shake your liver out.
Carrying a rifle in those yokes across the handle bars over anything other than tarseal would be a nightmare.
I understand new model has improved front shocks but back shocks still look the same. Too small and not enough travel so even at 85kg it is easy to bottom out.

UBCOs have an inbuilt feature that if a motor gets too hot or develop a fault it will shut down one motor to save damage. Once it has cooled or whatever you head off again at full power.
Both my bikes suffer from this sometimes for no apparent reason but fault cannot be found.

Lack of UBCO service centers.

Warning, UBCOs are a bit different to ride than a normal back wheel drive bike, for when in wet slippery conditions you have a lean on or slight turn on and you accelerate your front wheel can spin, loosing grip and sliding sideways dumping you.
THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY UBCOs.

At 58kg (Honda 110 weighed 100kg) easy to load on ute.
Easy to remove the battery (14kg) to lighten bike for lifting.
Can walk it up and over rock obstacles bigger bikes can’t manage.
Just lay it anywhere on the ground. Yes, it’s easy to hide.
If you carry an Allen key you can undo the 2 screws that position the handlebars and turn them inline with the bike to squeeze through somewhere or lay bike flatter.
I like the step through and have dragged a gutted deer draped through bike to a spot I can load it on to back carrier.
Quiet. For man, maybe. Not as quiet as the adds suggest. Deer, possums and pheasants all pick up the high pitch whine from motors. If you want quiet, go real slow.
Strong frame with plenty of tie down spots.

I would upgrade to the newer models if the rear shocks were improved.