Description

Weight

52lb

Max Cruising Speed

~35MPH

Charge Time

<3 hrs to 80%

With a 5A fast-charger

Max Load

325 lbs

Battery Capacity

1600Wh

Range

~60 miles

18″ Wheels, Battle of the Titans

Gotway MSX Background:
The MSX is now the fourth iteration of Gotway’s 18″ Electric Unicycle over as many years. In the earlier 2017 model, the V3S+, was the first 84V high performance Wheel with a maximum cruising speed potential of upwards of 30MPH, a 1600Wh battery pack to provide in excess of 60 miles range, & an integrated handle. Despite being one of the highest performing Electric Unicycles then made, the first units to roll out of the factory were not without some serious design flaws, such as a control-board with a statistically high failure rate, & wiring that had a tendency to overheat. These flaws were mostly worked out quite early on in the production cycle, but the issue of the controller reliability was never truly mastered, particularly when compared to other models from the competition. The MSX set out to address the deficiencies of the early generation, one that would stand up to the test of time.

What’s New on the MSX

Tire Size: Unique to the MSX, is its 19″ x 3″ tire, vs the 18″ x 2.5″ on the MSuper V3S+. The larger tire, especially the width, makes it more capable of traversing through different terrain medium like soft dirt, gravel, while providing a smoother, more comfortable ride. There is an increasing trend among manufacturers to fit use wider tires. At the extreme end of the spectrum, is the Ninebot Z10, with it’s spectacularly wide 4.1″ tire.

Pedal Height: not only is the tire 1″ larger in diameter than the previous model, but the pedal height has been increased from 5.11″/13cm to 6.5″/16.5cm. Higher pedals provide more ground clearance for ground obstacles. This also changes the dynamics of the ride, altering the center of gravity. On the plus side Customers report that it feels more stable & secure, but there is a trade-off in responsiveness & acceleration.

Completely New Controller Design: the most significant changes on the MSX are to be found under-the-hood, on the controller, which has has an entirely new architecture. The MOSFETs—the solid-state components that drive the motor—are using a new state of the art chop which has a theoretical max burst specification of 1000A, & up 300A for a short sustained duration. The TO-247 MOSFET package has a superior heat dissipation properties, also the heat-sinks are applied over a larger surface area for superior cooling. The result is a controller that can now provide twice the amount of sustained power over the previous type.

Gotway MSX Improvements, Spring Connectors

Low Resistance Board Connectors: with such high currents, the motor wires & connectors must be up to the job of supporting them. On the V3S+, these motor wires were soldered directly onto the board, connected to the motor with a EC5 banana connectors. The main disadvantage of these, was that it was time-consuming & troublesome to change an innertube, where the heat-shrink insulation had to be cut opened & new ones fitted. Now the connectors are screwed directly into the board, easing routine maintenance work, while also introducing less resistance in the connector interface.

How does one choose between the 100V & 84V MSX? On paper the 100V has a 6.8MPH/11kph advantage over the 84V, but comes at the price off an additional $300 with the 100V/1860Wh variant. If you’re seeking >50 miles of range & a top speed of ~30MPH is adequate for your needs, then the 84V MSX is better value. On the other hand, if you’re seeking the fastest Wheel currently being produced today, with the maximum range the 100V MSX would be the preferred choice.

IMPORTANT: It should also be noted that this max speed value is NOT the recommended riding speed. There have been cases of Riders experiencing cut-out below the ‘max speed’ threshold. The programmed max speed is simply the value at which the triple-tone alert is activated from within the Gotway firmware. The capabilities of the Wheel will vary on a number of factors, such as the weight of the Rider, aggressiveness of acceleration, ambient temperature, & terrain incline. Please make sure you’re properly protected before setting off.

Advantages:

Immense Power: in the top-end performance class of Wheel, the MSX retains its supremacy. That said, because of of the enormous 19″ tire, it’s designed to be a high speed cruiser, rather than providing instantaneous torque on steep gradients, or rapid acceleration as the MCM5 is.
Massive Tire: the 19″ x 3″ tire provides a balance between go-anywhere capability, while keeping the total weight within a manageable package.
Range: with the 1860Wh/144 cell battery pack, there ought to be around 74 miles of range, using the estimates of 25Wh/mile at moderate ~20MPH cruising speed, increasing speed will see a dramatic reduction of range.
Lower probability of Controller over-heat: in contrast to earlier & other high-performance Wheels, the MSX is less susceptible to overheating
Reliability: Gotway have historically received bad marks for component reliability, particular with the MOSFETs. The statistics in the year we have offered the MSuper X could not be more different; of the 300+ MSXs sold by us to date [& thousands sold worldwide] there have only been a few incidents of controller failure.
Virtually silent: on nearly all other Electric Unicycles, as soon as it is powered on, the motor emits a distinctive audible whine; this can be particularly annoying to some people. The Gotway Engineers have tuned their controller motor frequency, where the characteristic motor noise emission is all but eliminated.
Atmospheric LEDs: there are now four LED strips installed, two at the front & two behind. You can set the color patterns, or mode, by short-tapping the power button to one of three different themes.

Disadvantages:

Retractable handle placement: one of the complaints on the MSuper V3S+, that has been retained in the MSX, is that the retractable handle is placed at the aft. This creates an intrinsic instability when trying to push the Wheel along in straight forwards direction, King Song’s center handle is a much better design. Additionally, where the screws secure the handle to the telescopic rails is not of the highest quality, there is a probability that the handle may break off in time.
Shell looks/feels plasticy: although improved from the early model, with the brass anchors to secure the screws, the MSX still has a cheaper look & finish to it, when compared to other models offered by King Song, Inmotion & Ninebot.
Ergonomics, Wheel Width & Ride Comfort : with the pedals folded up, at the widest point is 9″, the MSX is a comparatively fat, a full 2″ wider than the similarly spec’d KS18XL. Opinion is also divided on the inward pedal bank angle of 13°, vs 10° how it was before on the V3S+. On the one hand, a stepper angle gives you a surer footing to the sides, the main downside, is that during longer rides, some owners have experienced more discomfort than on the King Song 18XL.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these MSXs fitted with the new tail-light & pads?
Yes, all variants being sold have the animated rear LED lights & more durable side-pads.
Can I upgrade my existing 1230Wh MSX to an 1845wh?
Yes, but it requires purchasing a complete new battery pack set, at a cost of $1000. If you wanted to repurpose your original 1230Wh packs, we’re now also offering a V3 batteryless Monster for $1,300, where a 3rd 615Wh battery can be installed topping it up to a 1845Wh capacity. Some minor modifications are required to the shell to fit the expansion pack inside.
What type of ‘stock’ charger is included with the 100V MSXs?
The Gotway 100V charger is a fan-cooled 3A charger, with a 300W output. We also offer an upgraded 4A charger with the LCD read-out & partial 80%/90% charge settings to extend the lifespan of the battery pack for $125 for existing Customers.
The charger/Wheel is showing 100.8v, is this normal?
Yes, the exact voltage of this battery configuration, 24s6p, 24 x 4.2 = 100.8v. ~0.3v either way is within tolerance.
What is the recommended max speed on the 100V MSX?
Although the Wheel has a potential of ~43MPH, in practice you should always ride at least a couple MPH lower than the max limit, to have some speed in reserve, a wipe-out at >40MPH can be life-threatening!
I have an existing Gotway 84v ACM/MSuper V3S+, can I use the battery packs & buy a batteryless MSX to fit them in?
Yes, we also offer the batteryless MSX for just this purpose for $1,170.

The label on the tire is only 18″x3″, is this correct?
Yes, but as measure at the diameter is 19″.
Are there alternative tire choices available for the MSX?
Yes, there is a knobbly tire, which will be offered soon. One consideration of a knobbly tire is that the tread life on these is typically less than a normal road-tire when using on paved surfaces.
How water resistant is the MSX, can I use it in the rain?
The Wheel housing is completely enclosed, if any water that enters into the retractable handle chamber, will harmlessly drain through. For the electronics, there is an epoxy film coating applied over the control-board, this provides an additional measure to weather protection.
Despite these design features, it is the general recommended, that it is not a good idea to attempt to use in the rain, prolonged exposure to moisture, try to avoid puddles & standing water, which may enter the motor though the axle aperture, causing corrosion to the bearings & premature wear to the internals of the motor.
How difficult is it to perform maintenance work on the MSX?
Comparatively easily, once the two side panels are removed, the internals of the Wheel exposed in just a few minutes. Changing an innertube on the MSX should take around 30 minutes, while the same operation on a Tesla, or MCM5 will require nearly twice as long. Besides the periodic tire/innertube change, it’s not expected that the other components will need servicing. We also have a warranty service-center in Tucson, Arizona, should it develop a fault & need to be sent in for repair.