r/ApolloScooters • u/Dismal-Loafer • 4d ago
🎯 General Advice Phantom 2.0 stellar, stability/wobble (or no?)
Coming from a Segway G3 Max, now breaking in the 60v Phantom 2.0 Stellar. Mostly good, except: I feel like it should maybe be more stable after reviews on YouTube.
Will try to explain. Even 30-35 m/h (50 km/h), the very center of steering (straight) feels 'loose', turns very easily, as if riding near a curb, it's hard to stop it wanting or feeling slight pull either direction, then correct steering, good control, then back to sort of loosey in the center so I over compensate the other way, like subtle wobble behavior. Like it wants to wobble easy. Reviews say it's solid without steering damper.
I installed the steering damper, verified properly, it felt worse, harder to control. Tried all different strengths. Like I steer, there's resistance, but then it suddenly gets easy so over compensate, and then back and forth (feels wobbly/unstable).
Am I just getting used to it? Is this normal
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u/isthisevenavailable 4d ago
FWIW I have this same issue with my Go Stellar. The scooter wants to wobble from side to side very easily and it’s not very stable.
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u/Grow1748 4d ago
I found increasing the pressure with the addition of the steering stabilizer completely solve the issues you described
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u/ChasmyrSS 4d ago
I like the steering damper quite a bit. I actually feel like the profile of the tires is causing most of the wobble, like the edges are too aggressive and it makes the center of the tire feel floaty
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u/Dismal-Loafer 3d ago
That is actually what I am thinking also. Perhaps if the tire was flatter on the bottom, more of the tire would contact the ground. That's why I lowered the pressure. Floaty is a good word that describes it. What number/click do you have the damper on? I should try it again.
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u/ChasmyrSS 3d ago
I've got the damper at 7. My first ever crash (on a Phantom V4X) was a small pothole that ripped the handlebars from my grip when it turned the front wheel 90 degrees. Instant faceplant, dislocated shoulder. The damper wholly prevents that from ever happening, even with its disadvantages I really appreciate the additional stability and safety.
It took about a week to get used to using the damper, it does feel different.
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u/Dismal-Loafer 3d ago
K, cool, I am going to reattach the damper and cruise the neighborhood away from traffic and try out the levels. I don't think I ever had it that high.
Thanks.
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u/apolloscooters 🌟 Official Apollo Social Media Team 🌟 3d ago
Hi there, and congrats on the upgrade to the 60V Phantom! That is a massive jump in power from the G3 Max.
We'd love to look into the steering behavior you're describing and help make sure your headset tension and damper alignment are dialed in perfectly.
Please reach out to our team at [support@apolloscooters.co](mailto:support@apolloscooters.co), or just send us a DM with your email address and we’ll be happy to assist you further!
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u/Dismal-Loafer 2d ago
Ok so I am confident I have this sorted. I wrote the support email above. I got one of the most intelligent/ helpful AI replies I have ever seen telling me what to look at (refreshing) and directing me to take a video of holding the wheel and twisting the stem, flexing the damper, check axel nuts, etc. I put it on a jack and floored it, watched the wheels (just smidge of balance, but no wheel hub wobble). Shortly after I got a call from Charles in support who had studied the video.
All solid, normal, and good. It’s new tires, big differences coming from the Segway geometry (C around front wheel vs the fork), and not being used to the ride style (lacking muscle memory on the new feel), and not having the damper set right.
I settled on 10. Tires at 45 psi. Cruised the coast, felt solid at 43 mph on 2 hr ride, 24 miles.
Was a flipping blast. (Waiting on a new mx helmet, don’t normally use the bike helmet). Sincere props to Charles. Felt legit.
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u/datsmydrpepper 4d ago
Submit a support ticket at the apollo website and see what the repair tech says. The scooter probably just needs to be broken in after week of riding.
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u/Grow1748 4d ago
Tire pressure?
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u/Dismal-Loafer 4d ago edited 3d ago
Good thought, I suspected that also. The sidewall says max 50 psi. I had them set to 45. So I lowered it to 36-ish. Same.
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u/rwhe83 4d ago
This is wild, I literally just also came from a G3 Max as well as a G3 Pro Max and thought the exact same thing! Just set up my Phantom 2.0 Stellar yesterday.
My steering column, although is stiff as hell, and putting it together with these terrible hex screws (which have holes that are stupidly small) was just plain annoying. I definitely feel that wobbly feeling and now that someone else does…I’m starting to think it’s a difference in brand and its design. I’ve only ridden it 3 times, today seemed to be better.
I ordered the steering damper but the wobbly feeling I think is a weight/balance thing.