Which is the better bike to buy - a 2024 E160 RSX or a 2025 Kado RS?
Both are on sale for the same price at the moment.
The E160 has a far superior component spec but the older Bosch motor.
The Kado RS has the new motor and a carbon main frame but some of the components will definitely need upgrading over time.
Components are easily changed/upgraded... The frame and motor, not so much!
The Kado has a number of improvements over the E160, not least that it's a carbon mainframe so is a fair bit lighter, but also the Gen5 Bosch motor is a lot quieter, smoother, punchier (now 750W and 100Nm vs 600 and 85) and more efficient than the Gen4 too... Shouldn't forget that the 800Wh Gen5 battery is also 500g lighter than the 750Wh Gen4 battery too. I actually prefer the mechanical SRAM Eagle 90 on the Kado over GX AXS on the E160 RSX anyway. Weak point on the Kado's spec is the cheap inline rear shock, but from experience on a full fat eBike I'd be upgrading the Float X on the E160 RSX sooner than later anyway, so at least with the Kado you're not paying for a better shock that in reality still isn't up to scratch. Zeb's wouldn't be my personal preference either, but take them to Sprung Suspension to get the bushings honed and a full custom tune and setup, and they'll be better than any more expensive fork off the shelf...
Or to put it another way... 24 and a bit kilo's with bigger battery and better motor or 26 and a bit kilo's with slightly blingier spec... For the same price?!?! Absolute no brainer to me... They'll need to drop a lot more money off those remaining E160's I think to get them shifted!
The only spanner that I'd throw in the works is to take a look at the 2025 Mondraker Crafty R too... Similar price now wherever they have stock. Same Gen5 motor and 800Wh battery, a touch lighter than the Kado (not by much), IMO a better suspension platform (though not much in it to be fair), Fox and Shimano vs Rockshox and SRAM package... I went with the Crafty over the Kado myself and no regrets.
With e-bikes the frame and motor are more important than the shiny components on it.
“Weak point on the Kado's spec is the cheap inline rear shock…”
I don’t know if my experience is just really anomalous but my old Levo came with a Deluxe RT that I assumed I’d have to replace ASAP - I had my LBS swap the stock fork to a 160mm Lyrik (10mm longer and stiffer than anything that came on it at the time) but that little shock kept up fine! And now I’ve got a 170mm 38 there and it still feels well matched (caveat - the longest runs I’ve done have been top to bottom at BPW on the reds and easier blacks, nothing longer/gnarlier).
Also if you do replace it then you have a backup shock for when the other one is being serviced or if you have a disaster on an away trip.