Is Yukon really as good of an option as Elegant?

[Tromboner98]

Doing a side by side comparison the Elegant seems to rock the Yukon’s world, yet the Yukon seems to be vastly more popular than the Elegant.
The Yukon has a 750 watt output rather than a 500, and the Yukon has fat tires.
But the Elegant is 100 dollars cheaper, has an upright riding position, a higher range, weighs less, has a midstep frame, and comes with more accessories ie fenders and rear rack. So what am I missing about the Yukon that makes it even comparable to the Elegant?

 

[Barry S]

There are some component differences that make up for the price gap:

• Elegant has mechanical disk brakes vs Yukon's hydraulic disc brakes.
• Elegant is equipped with the Shimano Tourney derailleur, which is their entry level model vs the Shimano Acera (2 levels up) on the Yukon.
• The Elegant's 48v battery is 11.6Ah vs 16Ah on the Yukon, which translates to more range.

Yukon's upgrades on the 2018 model are most likely due to rider input and keeping up with their competitors in this price range. I don't have any numbers to back it up, but I see more people posting about their new Yukon than the Elegant, which might also explain the Yukon getting more attention from Voltbike than the Elegant for now.

IMO, these 2 models are meant to address different buyers like buying a car. Do you need a sedan or a station wagon. It's not so much about the price as is its intended purpose. Maybe you could get a drum set in a 4-door sedan, but it sure would be easier to load it into a station wagon (my dad's dilemma with my younger brother decades ago). I see the Elegant as a bike for the urban commuter rarely getting off the paved road while the Yukon is aimed at the recreational rider who likes to ride trails or the beach. Yes, the Yukon could be a commuter but you would probably want to change out those knobbies for something quieter if riding primarily pavement.

 

[Tromboner98]

There are some component differences that make up for the price gap:

• Elegant has mechanical disk brakes vs Yukon's hydraulic disc brakes.
• Elegant is equipped with the Shimano Tourney derailleur, which is their entry level model vs the Shimano Acera (2 levels up) on the Yukon.
• The Elegant's 48v battery is 11.6Ah vs 16Ah on the Yukon, which translates to more range.

Yukon's upgrades on the 2018 model are most likely due to rider input and keeping up with their competitors in this price range. I don't have any numbers to back it up, but I see more people posting about their new Yukon than the Elegant, which might also explain the Yukon getting more attention from Voltbike than the Elegant for now.

IMO, these 2 models are meant to address different buyers like buying a car. Do you need a sedan or a station wagon. It's not so much about the price as is its intended purpose. Maybe you could get a drum set in a 4-door sedan, but it sure would be easier to load it into a station wagon (my dad's dilemma with my younger brother decades ago). I see the Elegant as a bike for the urban commuter rarely getting off the paved road while the Yukon is aimed at the recreational rider who likes to ride trails or the beach. Yes, the Yukon could be a commuter but you would probably want to change out those knobbies for something quieter if riding primarily pavement.

The comparison thing on this website doesn’t mention the higher AH on the Yukon or the hydraulic brakes. I was looking at the Yukon 750

 

[Barry S]

The specs on EBR's website are probably based on the last model reviewed by Court which was 2017. Go to the Yukon page on Voltbike's site for the latest specs. If you want a rear rack and fenders, go with the Limited edition. It's worth the extra $50.

 

[Darrin NC]

Top speed of the Yukon? Does it have a throttle

 

[Barry S]

Per EBR's review of the 2017 model, the Yukon 750 is a Class II ebike with a top speed of 20 mph. For 2017, the throttle was a thumb trigger throttle but I'm not sure if that's still the case. I can't find any reference regarding the throttle on the Voltbike site, but it does indeed have one.

A recent 2018 Yukon 750 buyer posted a YouTube video of his list of pros and cons with the bike. No videos of him riding the bike or even of the bike itself but I appreciated hearing his feedback.

 

[Dynamo Dan]

Top speed of the Yukon? Does it have a throttle

The new Yukon 750 ltd does have a half grip throttle. There is no top speed, you can go as fast as your feet can pedal, motor will cut out at 32km/hr.

 

[Barry S]

The new Yukon 750 ltd does have a throttle. There is no top speed, you can go as fast as your feet can pedal, motor will cut out at 32km/hr.

Thanks for the correction. I should have pointed out that the speed limitation is for throttle only. BTW, is the throttle still a thumb trigger or is it twist?

 

[Dynamo Dan]

Thanks for the correction. I should have pointed out that the speed limitation is for throttle only. BTW, is the throttle still a thumb trigger or is it twist?

Twist grip. check out voltbike.ca, they have photos of the latest upgrades.

 

[Barry S]

@Tromboner98 Not sure exactly what you're looking for in an ebike, but check if a LBS in your area carries the Haibike Urban Plus. It was originally priced at $3600 when it came out, but they're being sold as low as $1700. The reasons for the deep clearance pricing are everything from overproduction of the model to Haibike's need to narrow their model lineup. I'd consider one myself, but the Haibike dealer here on O'ahu isn't feeling as generous as his mainland counterparts and only dropped the price down to $2500, which doesn't surprise me after having dealt with the guy on another ebike. Definitely worth a look.