Bixpy K1 Motor versus Newport NK 180 Pro

My first year using the Bixpy K1 motor in both salt and fresh. I fish with a Hobie Outback which comes naturally equipped with an effortless drive system. My buddies all have Hobies as well. I ran circles around them this summer until one of them decided to get the Newport NK 180 Pro. For my style of fishing where I fish half salt and fresh water. In fresh water I chase large mouth bass in heavy weeds and shallow. In salt I chase flounder, black seabass and stripers at 30 plus feet of water with current and boat traffic. The Bixpy K1 works perfectly well for me in those elements.

A few things about the Bixpy K1 on a Hobie Outback.

Installation: One of my decision makers. I wanted a seamless turnkey system. The K1 installation took me 30 minutes and most of the time was unpackaging and getting my tools together. This was much easier than the Boonedox Groovy landing gear I installed.

Usage: The battery I have lasts up to 6 – 8 hours at medium speed. I compliment it by using my pedal drive while I fish. I occasionally ramp up to max speed to get back or heading to a spot. It’s the standard size model PP – 368 Whs. There are LED indicators to show battery life. Most trips I return with 25% of battery life.

Cons: Every product has a negative feature about it. For me, the out of the box cable from motor to battery is too short. Hobie knows this and does have an extension that you can buy separately.

Now a few things about the Newport NK 180 Pro on a Hobie Outback.

Installation: Out of the box installation was also easy but my friend had to customize a few items after some use. He felt the seal on the battery connector was not the best due to water conditions on salt. So he replaced it with a better seal from Amazon. The other item was a game changer for him in terms of control. Instead of using the Hobie rudder, he built an arm extension to use the NK 180 motor for steering. Turns on dime. In the YouTube link below you will see what I mean.

Usage: The top 3 features about the NK 180 compared to not having a motor is…. 1) Ability to chase Albies or any other breaking fish faster. 2) Cover more water when trolling for seabass and similar fish. Also to be able to come back to original spot faster without hesitation. 3) At the end of the day, get back to launch without worry. This is a key feature of having any motor on your kayak. A good selling point for the wives…..

Cons: With all the features to make our fishing experience better, we always pay indirectly. Getting in and out of the water requires more time now to set things up at the launch. This is a no brainer and worth every second. You make it up on the water.

Summary: Regardless of the motor you have, you bet it will help your fishing experience. When shopping for your kayak motor, not all models have universal mounts and turn key installation. Consider your boat/kayak and what type of fishing you will be doing. Do you need something with the power of an NK 180 or are you good with the Bixpy K1? Or even something more reasonably price to start.

Just keep in mind that on the water, performance will vary as well for every model. Navigating and maneuvering speed will also differ depending on what you have on your boat and the water conditions. I use sites like surf-forecast to better understanding surf and wind conditions prior to going out. Be sure to check local limits because having more power doesn’t mean you can keep more fish.