We’ve been waiting for this model for over 2 years. In fact, it was announced before the Dualtron Raptor was even a thing.

As its name suggests, the Dualtron Compact was initially meant to be small and lightweight, however the final model ended up being on the heavy side. In fact, it’s heavier than both the Dualtron Raptor and the Dualtron Spider.

The features that make this model stand out the most are its ultra-wide wheels, powerful motors and beefy, old-school frame design. In fact, the Dualtron Compact would better fit the title of a “Mini Dualtron 3” than a “Dualtron Raptor successor”. Even the stem design with an LCD panel on it reminds me more of the Dualtron 3 than of the Raptor.

Compared to the Raptor, the Dualtron Compact has two drum brakes, one on each wheel. The standing deck is also considerably thicker, too.

Now that you have a general idea on what to expect, let’s dive into the actual review of the Dualtron Compact:

Dualtron Compact Review

Handling

Compared to other scooters of similar price, the Dualtron Compact offers the best control and handling.

In fact, I would say that this is the category where the Compact excels the most.

Let’s talk wheels first. This model comes with 3.5-inch wide, 8-inch tall tires. This alone is a feature that’s extremely important, yet also easy to miss for a beginner. The wider footprint of the 3.5-inch tires make the scooter feel way more stable.

When you are going full speed, you can easily notice the difference between these 3.5 inch wide tires and those on a Spider or a Raptor. I would say, this alone can be the deciding factor between the Compact and the Spider.

In fact, if comfort and stability are one of your top priorities, the Dualtron Compact is definitely one of your top choices. It features the same wheel width as the Thunder. If you enjoyed this feature on the Dualtron Thunder but want something lighter and with a lower price tag, the Dualtron Compact might be your guy.

Another benefit of having ultra wide tires is that the extra width adds to the traction on dirt, sand and mud. While the Dualtron Compact isn’t marketed as an off-road scooter, the way it can handle the off-road better makes it a better option for more people.

dualtron compact tire

dualtron compact front wheel

Note: It’s still important to wear the appropriate protective gear when riding this scooter. A helmet is a must, though I would also recommend you using knee and elbow protection if you’re planning on reaching the top speed.

Brakes

As usual, I won’t dive into the never ending debate about whether disk brakes are better than drum ones. I will however mention a pretty obvious benefit of drum brakes on a scooter: they are protected against the elements and dirt. This makes braking more consistent and less dependent on the road condition.

Ideally, you won’t be driving your Dualtron on anything other than paved roads on clear, dry days, however we all know that in real life, anything can happen. It’s nice to have that peace of mind that even if one of the wheels get wet or dirty, your brakes will still be operating full strength.

Two brakes is better than one so compared to the Raptor, the Compact offers considerably more control and safety. Last but not least, the Compact features ABS that prevents wheels from locking even when the brake levers are fully depressed. You can turn that feature off in the Ey3 throttle if you want to do those drifts.

dualtron compact front drum brake

dualtron compact rear drum brake

Comfort

The Dualtron Compact is a great scooter to drive on paved road, however it’s definitely not made for off-roading or riding in bad conditions. The main reason is that the scooter comes with pretty small, 8-inch wheels. Do get me right – the scooter handles dirt and grass very well, however if you want a comfortable ride, you better stick to asphalt.

From my personal observations, the Dualtron Compact has the exact same suspension as the Spider. The only difference is wheel size – the Spider has 10 inch wheels, whereas those on the Compact are 8 Inch. The difference is pretty noticeable. I would recommend getting softer suspension cartridges for this scooter, unless you are planning on riding it close to the top speed.

Talking about which, the Compact comes with replaceable rear suspension cartridges – you can chose from five different options:

Besides, you can also adjust the suspension position, which offers you 15 different suspension configurations in total.

dualtron compact suspension replacement

dualtron compact suspension adjustment

Portability

Portability-wise, the Compact is probably not a model you want to get if you are looking for a scooter you will be carrying around. Coming at 31 Kg (70 lbs), this model is a beefcake.

The Compact does feature a foldable stem. Once folded, you can lock it in place and use it as a handle to carry the scooter around. This mechanism is the same as on the Dualtron Thunder.

One of the reasons the Dualtron Compact is all but compact is that it features a somewhat old-school design. Newer Dualtron models feature curved concave parts, holes and other design tricks to reduce the amount of metal used. The Dualtron Compact, on the other hand, has pretty beefy, bulky parts. I’m not going to debate whether what this is an overkill or not, though I will admit that I believe they would do better by giving the Compact a different name.

dualtron compact folded 2

dualtron compact folded

Additional Accessories

The scooter comes fully-equipped and ready to use. More useful and recommended accessories can be found here https://www.madcharge.com/product-category/accessories/universal-accessories/

Lights

The Compact features the same lights as any new-gen Dualtron: it comes with dual LED headlights and taillights, brake lights and a LED stripe on the stem. It also features mood lighting that looks amazing at night. Mood lights are controlled with an included remote control.

Dashboard

The Compact comes with the Ey3 Throttle, which is considered the golden standard in scooter controllers. It’s so good that it’s not uncommon to see people installing it on other non-Dualtron models.

As the name suggest, the Ey3 throttle is a module with an index finger throttle and a LED display. It shows you all the information you need such as speed, battery and trip distance. Besides, it allows you to tweak your ride on the fly and control features such as cruise mode, slow start, start method, ABS and electronic brakes.

On the left side you can see two buttons – one to toggle between Eco and Turbo modes, and the other one to switch one of the two motors on and off.

There is an option to add a fingerprint lock. While not that useful to keep the scooter safe on the street, it is a nice touch to keep children safe.

dualtron compact eye lcd dashboard

dualtron compact lights

Looks

The Dualtron Compact stands true to the Dualtron family. It looks a lot like the Spider but beefier, thanks to the sturdy frame and the wide tires. The LED stripes and mood lighting make the scooter look a bit less formal, which makes sense seeing how the Compact can be used both for work and leisure.

I would like to point out a little detail regarding the mudguards. Those have the signature Dualtron shape; they have a slick and modern design, and look very nice.  The only issue I see is that those mudguards were originally designed for scooters with way narrower wheels than of the Dualtron Compact.

The 3.5 inch tires are too wide for the mudguard. In fact, I won’t be surprised that the mudguard won’t offer any protection at all. You’ll have to either get used to it or mod the scooter and install bigger, wider guards.

Compared to the Spider, the Dualtron Compact looks classier thanks to the mood lighting. That’s a feature only the Dualtron 3 and Thunder have. Some of you might not care about such details but everyone will agree that mood lighting looks neat, especially at night.

dualtron compact looks 2

dualtron compact looks 1

Durability

Durability is yet another area where the Compact shines. I have already mentioned how it features beefy, solid parts. The frame is made of 6082-T6 aluminum alloy and the shaft is steel. In fact, most of the scooter weight comes from the frame, and not from the battery, which is usually the case in other scooters.

Thanks to the wider wheels, the hub motors are wider too. As you probably know, the wider the magnets and winding are, the less those are prone to overheating. I remember in the first Raptor model, motor overheating was a serious issue, especially if you were using only one motor and driving for longer than 20 minutes at a time.

While not a key feature, the way the motors on the Compact are wider makes them more durable and stable, compared to those of previous models.

Power

The top speed of the Compact is advertised to be a whooping 80 Km/h (49 MPH), though from my personal tests, as well as the tests other reviewers did, the Compact cannot get past the 60 Km/h (37 MPH) mark. I mean, maybe it is possible to make it run faster than that downhill with an ultra light rider with the wind blowing in the right direction but I’m trying to be realistic here and give you the numbers you will be seeing in a real life situation.

The scooter features two powerful hub motors rated 3,400W in total. Once again, this is about 10% more compared to the Spider. This allows the Compact to have great 47% (25°) gradeability and insane torque. It can carry up to 120 Kg (264 lb).

Range

As expected for the weight, the Compact features better range than the Spider. With a max distance of 80 Km (49 Mi), the Compact is one of the best long distance scooters in its price category. If you want the same range at a lower price and lower scooter specs, you might want to check the Dualtron Eagle out.

Charge Time

You need 12 hours to fully charge the scooter using the stock charger. You can cut that in half by using two chargers or reduce the time even further all the way down to 3 hours by using the fast charger.

Dualtron Compact vs. Dualtron Ultra vs. Dualtron Spider

(*) Taken from Minimotors USA

Dualtron Compact vs Spider and Ultra

As we could see, the Compact is the middle ground between the Ultra and the Spider. Here are some key aspects to keep in mind when choosing your model:

1. Weight – the Dualtron Compact is about 50% heavier than the Spider, yet about 20% lighter than the Ultra and 30% lighter than the Thunder.
2. Portability – the winner is definitely the Spider. If you’re planning on carrying your scooter around (say, you take it with you to the public transport every day and/or you know you will be dealing with long staircases quite often), then the Spider is definitely the model to go.
3. Range – The Compact features about 25% better range than the Spider. If you need even more than that, getting the Ultra might be a better idea.
4. Engine – the Compact is slightly more powerful than the Spider, which is enough to make up for the added weight of the scooter. The Ultra, on the other hand, is a huge step forward when it comes to motor power. If speed and power is what you’re after, the Ultra or Thunder are your best bets.
5. Tires – Probably the most noticeable improvement over the Spider, the added tire width allows the Compact to have better grip with the surface and reduces the chances of engine overheating.
6. Price – last but not least, all of the three scooters are in the same price category. Some would argue that the Dualtron Ultra is not worth it since the Thunder got released, however the improvements come with a higher price tag.

Dualtron Compact Specs

Where to Buy Dualtron Compact

Join the forums to discuss more about the Dualtron Compact

Recommended Accessories and Upgrades

In Conclusion

As you could see, the Compact is a good middle ground between the Dualtron Spider and the Ultra. Its most relevant features that make it stand it a choice to consider are its powerful motors, large battery and wide tires.

While not a straightforward step forward in the evolution of Dualtrons, the Compact is a quality scooter, and I see how it can be the best choice in this price range for some people.

As always, thanks for reading, hope you found this review useful.