SILENCE S01+ (2023 - on) Review

Where the regular S01 has unadjustable suspension, this Plus version’s shock boasts a threaded preload collar and 27 clicks of compression adjustment. And the damping adjuster really does make a difference – wind it fully hard and the shock barely budges when you push down on the seat.

The 33mm conventional forks also now offer preload adjustment, though their tops are buried beneath the bodywork, which makes accessing them difficult. In use, the suspension still offers a fairly basic ride – it’s fine most of the time, but crashy over rougher roads and potholes. Still, it’s definitely a benefit to be able to tune the shock even a little to your weight and preference.

Another S01+ upgrade is the wavy Galfer front brake disc. The diameter is 260mm, same as the non-wavy part on the regular S01, while the three-piston caliper is identical too. Brakes remain linked, meaning two of the pistons are operated by the front brake lever and the third with the rear brake lever. As before, there’s no ABS.

Stopping power is strong – there’s plenty from just squeezing the front brake along. The back brake is more than capable of locking the rear wheel. Squeezing either lever lightly also activates the motor’s regeneration, which puts energy back into the battery.

Just like the S01, the Plus is powered by an air-cooled electric motor built into the rear wheel. Peak power has been increased to 11.8kW, or 15.8bhp, while peak torque is a whopping 100Nm or 73.8lb·ft. It’s pleasingly perky away from the lights – 0-30mph takes less than 3.5 seconds, according to our datalogger.

Silence say the S01+ can do 68mph, which is 6mph faster than the S01. Unfortunately the reality isn’t quite so straightforward. In full-fat Sport mode, top speed remains an indicated 62mph (a GPS-tested 56mph) – same as the regular S01. Going any faster is only unlocked with the new “Push To Pass” feature. Pressing the Mode button at speed gives a 30-second boost, allowing the S01+ to carry on to an indicated 68mph (61mph tested). Once that runs out it reverts to the default top speed, while the boost function needs a two-minute rest before it can be used again.

But, just as with the S01, even without using any boost the Silence’s powertrain will overheat if it’s held at top speed for too long (roughly 15-20 miles), with performance then temporarily reduced or restricted until things cool down. Silence are quite open about this – the owners manual explains: “This scooter is NOT made to go on the highway/motorway continuously, although it could drive on these roads every now and again. The vehicle is designed to be driven in City and Eco mode, without causing any critical element to overheat.” Think of it as a town commuter that can keep up on the occasional ring road, but no more.

City is the default riding mode, with steadier acceleration and a top speed of an indicated 54mph (tested 48mph) and, curiously, no regenerative braking when you release the throttle. Eco mode slows things down further, with heavily reduced acceleration and a top speed capped at 44mph (tested 40mph), though it does reintroduce regenerative braking to help you squeeze every last mile from the battery.

Speaking of which: range. Inevitably, it varies massively depending on how you ride. From a full charge we managed as much as 75 miles (kept in Eco mode and riding below 30mph) and as little as 35 miles (at or near top speed in Sport).

Although they’ve been in the UK for a couple of years now, Silence remains a relatively small brand which makes it hard to get a complete picture of how reliable they are over time. A few S01 riders have left their thoughts on our S01 Owners Reviews page <>, though the first two reveal rather different experiences…

Build-quality wise, the S01+ seems well-put together, and nothing jumps out as looking particularly fragile or vulnerable. Silence UK offers a two-year warranty on the bike, extended to three years for the battery. Two years of AA roadside assistance is included with each bike as well.

While Silence may be a fairly new name to these shores, it’s been making electric scooters for more than a decade in Barcelona – so they’re no fly-by-night newcomers. They even have a partnership with car firm Seat, building the firm’s Mó electric scooter. None of this directly proves the quality or durability of its products, admittedly, but it may help lend a little reassurance that Silence appears to be a serious firm that’s in it for the long-term.

In 2021 an S01 cost £4995, which felt a tough sell next to far more affordable 125cc scooters. Two years of inflation and the S01+’s posher components haven’t made things any more palatable. In fact, quite the opposite. The price of an S01+ (in 2023) is £7475. Ouch.

That, in case you need reminding, is more than twice the price of the perennially popular Honda PCX125 (£3599 in 2023), let alone the new Suzuki Burgman Street 125EX (£3078 in 2023). No matter how rock-bottom the Silence’s running costs (more in a sec), the S01+ is certainly no cheap way to get about town.

Instead, fiscally and spiritually its closest rival might be something like a BMW CE 02, which is even pricier at £8450 in comparable 11kW guise. Performance of the two bikes looks pretty similar, the Silence appears to have a larger battery and cavernous underseat storage, while the BMW offers front-wheel ABS and a funkier, lighter mini-bike image, plus a more familiar badge.

So the Silence is a big-ticket purchase, but how affordable is it to run? The battery’s nominal capacity is 5.6kWh, though we measured a full charge taking just 5.35kWh.

Given typical 2023 electricity prices (30p/kWh) a complete charge costs £1.60, equating to between 2p and 4p per mile, depending on how it’s ridden. In petrol terms, that’s on par with a bike doing 150-300mpg (assuming petrol costs £1.40 per litre). That said, charging costs could be reduced massively if your tariff includes cheaper overnight rates.

A service (every 3000 miles or annually) costs just £69 if you’re able to drop the bike off at Silence UK’s Solihull headquarters, or £169 using Silence’s nationwide mobile servicing team. And as for the battery itself, Silence say it’s rated for 1000 complete charge cycles, so it shouldn’t be a concern for the first 50,000 miles. But if you do need a replacement (or want a spare) the battery costs £3000.

The S01+ has really been thought about for urban life. There’s huge underseat storage, enough to fit two full-face helmets – on most electric scooter rivals that space is taken up by batteries. And if that’s not enough room, there’s also a hook between your knees to hang a shopping bag on.

A handy reverse mode makes backing the bike’s 154kg out of a parking space effortless, though in use it can feel a little eager. The S01+ also comes with a standard-fit alarm and immobiliser which triggers as soon as the bike is moved with the ignition off.

The LCD display shows all the important info – state of charge; estimated range; speed; clock and more – but the speedo accuracy isn’t great. It over reads by 10-12% compared to our GPS-tested figures. That seems to apply both to speed as well as an inflated distance measured on the trip counter.

As with the S01, the Silence’s smartest feature is its removable trolley-style battery. The whole unit can be removed from the left side of the scooter, sprouting wheels and a telescopic handle to let you lug it about. It’s a hefty block (42kg on our scales) but this feature lets you park the scoot outside, then wheel the battery indoors to be charged. Given the Silence’s urban remit, it helpfully frees a rider from needing to own a garage with power.

The portable battery unit includes the charger too, so plugging it in requires nothing more than plugging a kettle-flex style lead into a standard 3-pin household socket. Charge speed is a restrained 600W, and we timed a full charge at 9 hours – though in practice owners would do shorter, more frequent charges, as Silence advises plugging in before charge drops to 25%. There’s no option to charge via public chargers.