Key Takeaways

• The InMotion V12HT is a high-powered electric unicycle suitable for beginners and professionals alike. It offers superb performance and long range, making it capable of handling tough climbs.
• While the V12HT lacks suspension, it can handle light gravel and compacted sand, making it suitable for urban hills or light off-road trails. However, it may not be suitable for heavy off-roading.
• The V12HT features a compact design with a flip-up handle for easy walking, adjustable height pedals, and a useful touchscreen that allows for easy adjustment of settings without the need for an app.

The InMotion V12HT is a high-powered, high-torque electric unicycle that can handle the most difficult of urban hills or light off-road trails. While it lacks the superb suspension of the V11, it is a lot more beginner-friendly and packed with fun features.

Disclaimer: I'm a Beginner

The InMotion V11 was my first ever EUC ride, so while I've been slowly building my skills up, I'm still not at the point of riding at high speeds or performing jumps. If you want insight into the V12HT from a pro perspective, this is not the place for it. I am very much a beginner in every sense.

However, I do increasingly find the V11 or V12HT is my first choice when heading out for a bit of family trail riding. It's definitely the most fun you can have with less than four wheels.

InMotion V12HT by the Numbers

The V12HT is equipped with a total of 1.75kWh of battery capacity spread across two batteries, contributing a large part of its substantial weight of around 30kg (65lbs).

The 2800W total motor power (nominal, but can peak higher) keeps you balanced and moving at a jaw-dropping maximum speed of 36mph (60km/h)—but I won't be putting that to the test.

InMotion also claims the 188Nm torque power can pull you up 45-degree inclines and boasts a range of 154km or 96 miles, which is impressive, but like all range claims, is going to vary significantly depending on the rider.

Unlike the V11, the V12HT lacks any form of suspension. In my opinion, this makes it easier to ride. However, if you're looking to pull off big jumps, this model isn't for you.

That said, the 3-inch off-road tire can handle reasonably rough terrains— just nothing too bumpy.

As for other built-in features, you'll find a loud Bluetooth speaker and an RGB light ring. While these seem gimmicky, it would be a shame to dismiss the V12HT because of them, and they can be easily ignored.

More practically, there's a full LCD touchscreen on the top. This screen simplifies mode changes and, most usefully, enables you to activate transport mode without the app. Essentially, everything you needed the app for with the V11 can now be accomplished through this screen. In my opinion, this is the most significant quality-of-life improvement on the V12HT.

Another feature I appreciate, though it may seem equally as gimmicky, is the "sound wave." This feature adds a subtle engine noise, most noticeable when accelerating. It's quiet enough not to bother others, yet audible enough to let them know you're around. It mimics a petite petrol engine sound. Some will love it, some will hate it, but it's easily disabled if you find it annoying. You might think of it as a safety feature like the artificial engine noise added to electric cars.

Other design features include the flip-up handle, which you can unclip even when the motor is on to help wheel it around. Under the main handle, you'll find a "spin kill" button to be used when you need to lift the unicycle temporarily without turning it off. Failure to use this button may result in injury, as the motor will spin uncontrollably as it attempts to stabilize in mid-air.

You'll also find a USB-A and USB-C port near the charging port. This is great if your phone's battery dies. You can use the V12HT's enormous battery for a charge without making a significant dent in the capacity.

Design

Other than the RGB LEDs I mentioned, there's a front white light and rear RGB strip lights that are perfectly visible in the dark.

The V12HT features a generous amount of padding at the top. Compared to the V11, it's also slightly thicker overall. Combined with the extra padding, this makes it easier to grip the V12HT with your calf muscles, offering a very stable ride.

The tire is slightly slimmer at 3 inches wide by 16 inches in diameter, so I assume the greater stability comes from the lack of suspension and overall wider body.

The pedals of the V12HT are adjustable to three different heights; the lowest increases stability at high speeds, while the highest gives the greatest clearance for off-roading (and the middle a bit of both).

This flexibility allows for much deeper turns. I've seen videos of people turning on this while it sits at 45 degrees with the motor still engaged (which is terrifying and impressive in equal parts).

Initial Impressions

My initial impressions of the V12HT were overwhelmingly positive. Unlike the V11, you don't need complex setup procedures for the suspension. Assuming you've fully charged it out of the box, you need a quick tire pressure check and to connect it to the app for firmware updates. I was ready to go within five minutes.

I found V12HT to be a lot smoother at very slow speeds and that's probably down to the higher torque. Anyone who's ridden a bike or EUC will know that it's not difficult riding fast—it's riding slow that takes effort! This is especially important when commuting, as you'll often face slow-moving obstacles in your path.

How's the Ride?

On relatively smooth terrain, the V12HT handles like a dream. Whether concrete, tarmac, sandy paths, or slightly off-road, the V12HT feels so powerful and smooth.

I tested it over various inclines—hills that would challenge bike riders— and a series of whoops as well. It had no problems pulling me up with little effort on my part and keeping a good balance as it went up or down.

As for the 45-degree incline claims, I think you'd need some extra grip pads to achieve anywhere close to that. InMotion sells a set of "Power Pads", which stick on the side and create a small indent for your leg to sit in. These are also essential for jumping.

Even then, I dont think extreme hill climbing would be feasible with my weight. I tried a very steep hill of around 35 degrees, unsuccessfully (you can see the exact moment I fell off in the freeze frame above). But this is one aspect where my inexperience shows—I couldn't lean far enough into the hillside before losing my balance.

I suspect it is technically capable of very steep hill climbs—if you're skilled enough to pull it off, have pads fitted, and don't weigh as much as I do.

But throughout normal trails—things designed to challenge bike riders and work up a sweat for them—it had no issues at all. It maintained a good speed and kept me balanced. If an ebike could go up it with the highest pedal assist level, so can the V12HT.

However, I then moved on to try more advanced off-road trails. The rougher surfaces with lots of small rocks really proved challenging. While I managed to not fall off, I could really feel the lack of suspension compared to the V11, and it was a struggle to stay on. Every small stone seemed to make the V12HT wobble constantly.

So while the V12HT can handle brilliantly off-road, in the sense that inclines and slow speeds are no issue, you're not going to veer too far off the beaten path. Stick to light gravel, compacted sand, and dont try to jump with this, and you should be fine.

Is the V12HT Suitable for a Beginner?

When I originally reviewed the V11, I said it wasn't suitable for beginners because of the high power and high cost, but some comments on that video from a viewer called Mikael made me think again:

Less powerful EUCs (1000W or less) are more dangerous because they have no safety margins. If you ride at the top speed of 25-30kph on flat ground and then try to go up a hill, you will crash. So a recommendation from another EUC rider is not to consider low power wheels and go straight to 2.5-3.5kW wheels like the V11.

While standard forward motion isn't that hard, the more gravity acts on your body when going up or downhill, the more motor you need to counteract it and keep you balanced. More powerful EUCs are counterintuitively safer, because of that added buffer of power to be drawn from when needed.

As a high-end model, the cost of the V12HT certainly makes it a pricey entry point, but I'd argue that other than cost, it is very suitable for beginners. It's easy to grab with your legs for maneuverability, and the lack of suspension compared to the V11 means your movements have a more obvious and direct connection to the EUC.

Safety is always a concern, and especially so for a beginner. I addressed this more fully in the original V11 review, but I'll offer a quick summary here. In my opinion, an EUC is safer than other forms of personal electric transport because you maintain the ability to jump off. An ebike will take you down with it; an escooter has a large handle that can trip you up if you brake suddenly.

That said, you should always wear a helmet, and consider wrist guards and other body armor for the fullest protection.

Should You Buy the V12HT?

Although it can be a bit pricier than a decent ebike, the benefits of an EUC are plentiful.

While the V12HT is as heavy as some bikes, it's more compact, so you can fit it into your car more easily—even in the front seat if you need to. You dont need to lock it up once you reach your destination either, as you can roll it in wherever with you thanks to that flip-up handle. The range you'll get is usually better, too.

There are a few practical downsides to riding any EUC, though.

The first is the time investment you'll need to learn to ride it. This is no different to learning how to ride a bike—it's just that most of us already did that as kids. It took me a solid week of half an hour of practice every day before I was confident enough to ride on paths.

This brings us to the second downside, at least in the UK. I was riding on paths situated on private land only because riding an EUC on any public roads in the UK would be illegal, and I obviously wouldn't dream of doing anything illegal, officer!

For commuting and easy trail riding—whether that's uphill, downhill, or everything in between—the InMotion V12HT is a fantastic choice. It's powerful enough to take you anywhere an ebike could go, reliable, and can go as fast as you're comfortable with. The LCD screen makes it easy to adjust settings without resorting to an app, and while some features like the Bluetooth speaker or RGB ring light might seem gimmicky, they're easy to ignore.

However, I wouldn’t recommend it for very rough off-road riding. Without any suspension, it can get quite unstable. If you want to really go off the beaten path, check out the V11 instead.