TechStage | Finally an e-scooter with a cable lock: IO Hawk Sparrow 2 in the test

IO Hawk is one of the companies that were the first to sell legal e-scooters in Germany. Already in September 2019 we had the IO Hawk Sparrow (test report) in our editorial office. At that time, we noticed a number of childhood diseases. The light seemed artificial, the rear fender worked as a brake and overall it came across as a bit careless. But IO Hawk took it as a challenge and learned from the mistakes. In March 2022 they showed the IO Hawk Legend (test report), with which you can race at full speed over hill and dale thanks to the perfect suspension. In addition, the Legend offered a powerful engine, long range and indicators. There was little to complain about, except that the engine was quite loud, the folding mechanism was a bit fiddly and the maximum permitted top speed was not fully exhausted. However, the Legend has actually always been sold out in recent months. There are many good alternatives. We recommend them in our e-scooter best list.

With the Sparrow 2, IO Hawk is now launching the successor to its first legal e-scooter. The experience of the company is noticeable in the new e-scooter. Because basically it is the best equipped e-scooter that we have been able to test so far. It is not only strong and fast, but also comes with an optional large battery and high-quality indicator. It also solves a problem that many e-scooter owners have: it integrates a cable lock into the handlebar so that you can quickly tie the electric scooter to the next lantern. What else he can do, we clarify in the test report on the IO Hawk Sparrow 2.

The IO Hawk Sparrow 2 comes in a black and a white version. We have the white version. We like the look of it a lot, even if it might seem too boring to some.

We hardly have anything to complain about in terms of workmanship. The handlebar is tight and doesn’t wobble. The handles feel pleasantly soft and valuable. The footboard has a good grip and there is no risk of slipping off it. The rear fender is also stuck. Nevertheless, you should avoid stepping on it, because it is made of plastic and could break.

The handlebar is quite wide at 56 centimeters, which is mainly due to the indicators on the handlebar ends. On the right side is the thumb grip for accelerating, which thankfully is quite smooth-running and should therefore not lead to the driver’s thumb tiring even on longer journeys. The control unit for the indicators and the button for switching on and off are located on the left next to the bell.

Curious: There is no way to vary the support level, the Sparrow 2 always drives with maximum power and up to the maximum permitted top speed. However, this is not a problem, because hardly anyone will voluntarily throttle their e-scooter.

The center display is relatively dark. So that the driver can still read it in bright light conditions, IO Hawk gives it a kind of sun visor. The display itself shows the current speed and battery capacity in five bars. Not more. In theory there should be an app. However, we did not manage to connect the smartphone to the scooter. That’s a pity, but not a bad thing, because the apps of other e-scooters have offered a rather limited added value anyway.

The front and rear lights are always switched on when the e-scooter is started. However, you can turn it off with a long press on the turn signal button. The rear light sits above the insurance plate and lights up brighter than the normal light when braking. The front light is bright and shines far, but the height is fixed and cannot be varied. But she is well adjusted from home.

When flashing, not only the ends of the handlebars light up brightly, but also two sensors on the rear mudguard. Thanks to the ball joint and flexible cable, these are designed in such a way that they do not break if you get caught on them. However, it is sometimes a bit fiddly to adjust them so that the yellow LEDs point backwards.

Unfortunately, the indicators do not switch off automatically after a few seconds. It’s like a motorcycle, but there’s no display for it. So there is a risk that the Sparrow 2 will roll around with an accidentally switched on indicator. At least the driver can clearly see the turn signal on the handlebar ends and can thus check whether he needs to switch it off.

The combination lock is located in the lower area of ​​the handlebar. Pulling it reveals a cable loop about 35 cm long. This is perfect for quickly tying the e-scooter to the next lantern. Certainly the simple combination lock and the rather thin wire do not offer sufficient protection against experienced thieves with the right tools such as bolt cutters. However, it should deter most casual thieves from simply carrying the scooter away.

The folding mechanism works well. As usual, the driver first releases the sufficiently tight safety lever on the handlebar and folds it over. There the handlebar snaps into place with a hook with a safety device on the eyelet on the rear fender. The e-scooter, which weighs around 20 kg, can be lifted and transported by the handlebars without the user having to worry about something coming loose.

The driving experience of the IO Hawk Sparrow 2 is good. This is mainly due to the fact that the handlebars do not wobble, the wheelbase is high and the driver always has the feeling of full control thanks to the wide handlebars. Even taller drivers will find enough space on it. However, we would have wished for a suspension at least for the front fork. With the IO Hawk Legend (test report), the company has already proven that they are very familiar with the field. Luckily, the Sparrow 2 has very good 10-inch tires that, thanks to their strong profile, don’t slip away so easily. Thanks to the installed indicators, you don’t have to take your hand off the handlebars to indicate a change of direction in traffic – this further increases safety.

The 500 watt motor in the rear wheel is awesome! Rarely has an e-scooter transported us faster up our test mountain. In addition, the Sparrow 2, in contrast to the Legend, fully exploits the permitted 20 km/h plus 10% and only limits at 22 km/h.

Good brakes are important at high speeds. The Sparrow 2 offers this. It has both a disc brake on the rear wheel and one on the front wheel. These grip super and can be controlled individually via the brake levers on the handlebars and dosed well. The e-scooter convinces in the braking test.

The IO Hawk Sparrow 2 comes in two battery versions: 720 watt hours and 960 watt hours. Even the smaller version is extremely large. The big one even makes it to the top of our list of the best e-scooters with the greatest range.

IO Hawk speaks of a range of 67.5 km or 90 km. These are values ​​measured under ideal conditions. Factors such as rider weight, slope, speed, weather, surface and much more play a decisive role here. We assume that the IO Hawk offers a range of 40 and 55 km with a rider weight of 85 kg and a ride in an urban environment, depending on the battery.

The IO Hawk offers a lot, but is not exactly cheap either. The smallest variant with a 720-watt-hour battery and no indicators costs 950 euros. For only 50 euros more, there is the larger battery. An additional investment that is worthwhile for many thanks to the low surcharge. The indicator costs another 100 euros extra.

Our price comparison shows that it is also significantly cheaper. The Denver SCO-80130 costs only 225 euros, the Segway Kickscooter Air T51E only 270 euros. However, there is no need to reckon with long ranges or premium features such as a turn signal.

The IO Hawk Sparrow 2 is probably the best equipped e-scooter that we have been able to test so far. It offers a very powerful engine, high top speed, good brakes and a large battery. We also like the bright turn signals and the integrated cable lock. What it lacks is good suspension. The plastic back plate, the dark display, the non-functioning app, the wobbly rear indicators and the lack of a selection of an assistance level are less serious. Overall, we can recommend the IO Sparrow 2.