SPLACH Mukuta Review

Cockpit

Measuring 26.4 inches across, the Mukuta’s handlebars are exceptionally wide. This adds to your sense of balance and control, while their swept-back design will make you feel safely enclosed. Other scooters could learn a thing or two.

Even more notable is that the cockpit shares characteristics with the vastly more expensive Segway GT2. The shape, controls, and even the half-twist grip throttle look similar. The Mukuta even has the same riding modes – park, eco, sport, and race.

The only thing that didn’t leave me nodding my head in enthusiastic approval was the tacky-looking chrome buttons. If these were black then everything would look and feel more premium. This is an aesthetic bugbear, however – it doesn’t detract from the cockpit’s functionality.

So, what does the cockpit consist of? On the right, you’ll find a power switch, menu button, and toggle for changing your riding mode. The controls on the left, meanwhile, include a horn, a single/dual motor switch, and a toggle for your turn signals.

I’m a big fan of toggle switches, but I wish they gave a little more feedback. This is especially true for the turn signals – there were times when I couldn’t feel the toggle clicking, so I had no idea whether they were on or not.

A special mention must go to the twist throttle, which represents a nice change from the standard finger and thumb variants that you’ll find on most other scooters. Maintaining a constant speed is super easy, though you do need to readjust your grip throughout the ride, especially if you want to go full clip and maintain a sporty posture.

Security is also at the heart of the Mukuta’s design. To unlock it, you simply wave one of the three pre-programmed cards in front of the NFC reader, and hey presto. I also read in the manual that you can pair your phone with the reader, but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to test this.

At the center of everything is a relatively simple display that shows your voltage, riding mode, speed, and battery level. You can also see your odometer by cycling through the stats. Then, in the middle, icons are displayed to indicate the status of the cruise control function, the headlight (on or off), and whether the removable battery is locked.

Frame

The SPLACH Mukuta looks like it means business. Bold bursts of orange jump out amid the matte-black frame to leave a lasting impression on anyone who sees it.

But it’s not all about style: armed with an IP54 water resistance rating, it’s protected from both dust and water ingress, meaning it can be ridden come rain or shine.

The frame also benefits from a couple of design choices that aid it’s stability.

Firstly, there’s the rake angle of its stem. By my measurements, this is 11 degrees, and for the power on offer, it provides a reassuring foundation that keeps the scooter stable, yet nimble. This is the same angle that I’ve measured on other top-performing models like the expertly crafted Apollo City Pro, thereby giving some insight into the Mukuta’s well-designed geometry.

Secondly, there are no loose, moving parts. The handlebars, stem, neck, chassis, and swingarms all feel rock solid. This is especially important since it gives you the confidence to ride fast. The same can’t be said for some other scooters.

For example, the Fluid Vista – another solid tire contender – suffers from an underweight stem. As a result, it made me err on the side of caution when riding at top speeds since I felt that I didn’t have full control over the steering column. Other models, meanwhile, can fall victim to stems that rock back and forth as a result of weak folding joints. With the Mukuta, there are no such issues.

Deck

Measuring 19.7 x 6.9 inches, the grippy deck offers ample room to position your feet comfortably. I should point out that the charging ports are located at the front and take up around 2 inches of space – leaving 17.7 inches of unoccupied surface. You can, however, stand on the ports if you like.

Alternatively, you can use the additional 5.1 inches of space that the well-designed kickplate affords. Plus, with an angle of 25 degrees, it promises a natural riding stance giving you enhanced control.

Lastly, the deck’s 5.7 inches of ground clearance is perfectly suited for urban jaunts, but yet another reason why it wouldn’t be my go-to model for off-roading.

Removable Battery (+ Power Bank)

Behold, this is one of the Mukuta’s crowning glories. Its removable battery transforms the scooter into a moving power bank.

By using the DC-to-USB converter, you can charge all your devices on the go and still have enough in the tank to enjoy a long ride. This is the first feature of its kind to ever be included on a scooter and SPLACH has some big claims.

They state if the unit is fully tanked up, it can charge a laptop 11 times or an iPhone 56 times. I didn’t test it to this extent, but I did charge my Insta360 camera while I was out and about recording my video review.

What’s impressive about the battery – other than the fact you can charge it up without the rest of the scooter – is that it remains locked in the deck unless you unlock it. This is a nice touch as it prevents theft.

To unlock it, you first need to press and hold the menu button on the cockpit, navigate to the P-01 setting, and then press up on the toggle to remove the lock icon. You then turn the scooter off, wait for a couple of seconds until you hear the battery being unlocked, and lift it out of the deck. When you put the battery back in, it automatically locks.

Bravo, SPLACH.

Tires

The 8-inch solid tires are the epitome of low maintenance. They’re completely impervious to flats, meaning you can slalom through streets without fear of a nail, thorn, or piece of glass ruining your journey.

A word of caution, however. Because they sport a square front-on profile, you can feel them roll onto their edges when leaning into corners.

You can still carve from side to side, but you need to be careful when riding on loose or wet terrain.

Portability

Let’s not forget that this is a dual-motor scooter – and aside from having a big frame and battery, the motors pack pounds, too. Consequently, the Mukuta weighs a hefty 66 lbs.

That said, the folding mechanism is easy to use. It’s identical to the one that I reviewed on the Apollo Ghost – you can have the stem folded in seconds.

To return the stem to its upright position, you hook the claw-like mechanism under the anchor point and push the lever towards the stem until it clicks and locks into place. To eliminate the risk of the lever coming loose while riding, it’s been equipped with a safety latch that needs to be pinched to release the mechanism from its locked position.

What’s more, the handlebars are foldable. They feature a screw mechanism that enables them to stay tight – there’s zero wobble and no loosening. Once folded they sit parallel to the stem, making the scooter small enough to fit in the trunk of your car.

However, there’s one major letdown. Sadly, the hook on the back of the handlebars doesn’t lock to the kickplate.

You can attach the hook to the underside of the kickplate to lift the scooter, but once you place it down, the handlebars are no longer supported, causing them to drop and potentially chip the paintwork or incur damage to the cockpit controls.

Load

Thanks to the rock-solid frame and dual motors, it can support riders up to 265 lbs, making it a great option if you’re heavier.

I weighed 190 lbs when I tested the scooter, and based on my experience where power and ride quality are concerned, I wouldn’t exceed 235 lbs.

Lights

The SPLACH Mukuta isn’t short on lights. It features a headlight, stem strip, deck LEDs, and turn signals – quite the array.

The stem and deck lights stay on the entire time, while the headlight only turns on when you push and hold the riding mode toggle up for 2 seconds. The latter is bright enough to illuminate the way forward, so no extra lights are needed.

Building on this setup are turn signals that have been embedded into the swingarms. They look a million bucks and are exceptionally bright, even during the day. However, it soon became apparent that you can't see them from the front or back, limiting their ability to keep you safe. At night, however, they are visible because the ground around the scooter illuminates as they flash.

Meanwhile, the taillights only glow brighter when you brake. This isn’t a deal-breaker as many other scooters suffer from the same issue, but I would have preferred them to blink.

Build Quality

There’s no shying away from the fact that certain elements would benefit from a redesign. But, importantly, some of these are aesthetic, meaning they don’t impact the functionality of the scooter. 

For example, the tacky-looking chrome buttons would be more premium if they were kept black, while the plastic casing of the stem and deck LEDs feels a little cheap.

On the other hand, the three areas that could be improved to elevate your experience of owning and riding the Mukuta are the hook and latch system, the controls that lack feedback, and the suspension that can, at times, bottom out.

On a more positive note, the scooter borrows certain parts of its design from more expensive models to bring touches of flair that promise good handling and durability. It’s also been designed with low maintenance front and center, which will be music to your ears if don’t have the time or knowledge for upkeep.