I tried the Segway Xyber and it could be the greatest e-bike ever, except for one small thing

At this year’s CES show in Las Vegas, Segway finally released its first e-bikes. Famous for its two-wheel self-balancing transport and, more recently, some of the best electric scooters, Segway's e-bikes have been teased for over a year but are now finally coming to market.

There are two models available: the Xafari and the Xyber. The Xafari has a more traditional e-bike design with a low unisex crossbar and a handy rack on the back, while the Xyber looks more like a motorcycle. In fact, the first thing I thought of when I saw the Xyber was the Maeving RM1 electric motorcycle we tested a few years ago, which, I have to say, is a huge compliment to the Segway.

I loved the design of the Maeving RM1 – and the more powerful RM1s – and while the Xyber is by no means a copy, it has that same classic motorbike styling. With its chunky multi-surface tyres, the Xyber is designed to be used off-road. It features broad motorbike-style handlebars and front suspension forks, a flat top with a long comfortable seat and a big rear mudguard. I also love the illuminated X on the front as part of its branding.

The only hint that the Xyber is an e-bike rather than a full-on motorcycle are the pedals and chain, allowing it to be powered by your feet, or at least an assisted pedal. Both the Xyber and the Xafari are Class 2 e-bikes, which means they have both pedal-assist and throttle power. So while you can use the pedals here, you can also just turn the throttle, as you would an electric scooter or motorised scooter.

There are 12 levels of power assist on the pedals, to take you from almost pure leg power to a light touch, and three throttle modes (eco, sport and race). Both sport and race will take you up to full speed, but the race mode will so so much faster.

The Xyber certainly looks the part, but it also has the specs to match. Thanks to its 1440Wh battery will produce 120Nm of torque and 3000W of power. Add a second battery and that increases to 175Nm torque and 6000W of power. In race mode, it will do 0-20mph in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 35mph. Plus, with both batteries on board, you get a maximum range of 112 miles – slightly less if you drive it in race mode.

I got to try out the Xyber – and its Xafari cousin – at a special track Segway had created in Las Vegas. The first thing I noticed is that the bike is seriously heavy. It weighs in at 138lbs (62.6kg) with a single battery or 165lbs (74.8kg) with two batteries on board. It’s chunkier than your average e-bike too, so when sat pedalling, it can feel a bit like a bus to turn. However, once you build up a bit of speed, or use the throttle, it becomes far more agile.

I took on one of Segway’s latest super scooters, the GT3 on a lap race, and while I could match its speeds on the straights, I definitely didn’t have the same corning ability. I think while it’s nice to have the pedals on the Xyber, most users will stick to that throttle power. That’s certainly where the e-bike is the most fun.

There’s plenty of tech on board the Xyber, too. Segway’s Intelligent Ride System 4 provides a new Airlock system which activates both an electronic and mechanical lock when the kickstand is put down and unlocks as you return to your bike, via a Bluetooth signal from the app on your phone.

It also features a 2.4-inch display for the speed and ride information, plus a new scroll wheel for the power levels and dial for the throttle settings. It’s a very neat set of controls placed right at your thumbs and also features on some of the new high-end scooters.

So what’s the downside? Well, as the Xyber is so powerful it’s not allowed on public roads – even in the US, where e-bike restrictions are considerably more lenient. So the Xyber can only be used off-road (officially) on dirt tracks and private land.

Segway is planning to release a road-legal version of the Xyber later this year. However, this will be a lot less powerful, with a top speed of just 20mph and just a 750W motor like the Xafari. Unfortunately, even this version is unlikely to make it to the UK, as rules require a maximum of 250W with a 15.5mph limit, plus power assistance by pedalling only.

As with electric scooters, in the UK these throttle-powered e-bikes can only be used on private land. For anything else, you’ll need road tax and insurance. If that’s what it would take to get the Xyber on UK roads though, I’d happily do it. If more e-bikes looked and drove like the Xyber, there would be a lot fewer cars on the road.

The Segway Xafari is priced $2399.99 (around £1960 / AU$3900) and the Segway Xyber is priced from $2999.99 (around £2500 / AU$4880) or $3799.99 (£3100 / AU$6200) for dual battery model. Both are available to preorder now in the US.