Bison outboard

[desmondo]

Hi I was going to buy an electric outboard last year but it didn't happen. Definitely happening this year. I saw an ad for a Bison which looked a good spec at a good price. Plus I see it is a Scottish dealer near Lanark. Has anyone any experience of these?

[rannoch raider]

I have a wee Min Kota 24lbs thrust. Great wee thing. Pushes an Orkney longliner no problem at all. Great for 'sneaking about when you've arrived at your mark and for just maintaining a position on the drift. I wouldn't want to use it as a main motor on waters of any size though. My mate has a Shakespeare model that is more powerful, 55lbs thrust I think. It's at least twice the weight and less refined. Build quality nowhere near as good. It can push a boat along pretty well but runs the battery down pretty quckly. Electric motors are handy tools that's for sure. I've never used a 'Bison' nor have I heard anything good or bad about them so can't really help. If it's quality you are after I would say Min Kota will be hard to beat. I've had mine for about 10 years or more and it runs as well as the day I got it.

[Wildfisher]

I have a Minn Kota  36. I'd go for something a bit more powerful if going out on anything bigger than a small loch.

[hopper]

I have an excursion 55lb thrust bought new on fleebay, ordered from Germany on the Sunday night and arrived on the Wednesday afternoon. The motor looks exactly the same as my mates Bison and the two care matched the same when going up the loch, the only difference was my one was half the price. My one is 3 years old and never had a problem with it.
An electric motor is only as good as the battery that drives it so make sure you have a good battery.

[desmondo]

Thanks for replies and I will look up the finer details. From research already done I often see comments about so called cheaper engines looking remarkably like more expensive models. Hence my looking at the bison. The 2 waters I will be using it on are not large but I had decided on 55 versions. Battery research to be done as well.
Ta.