Recurring theme of motor failure

[Waynemarlow]

On being new to this forum, and reading through a variety of posts, I'm just gobsmacked at every where you go on the forum, people are saying they have had motor failures, sometimes a multiple on the same bike, often on warranty, many not.

Is this just a recurring item or genuinely an awful lot of you have had warranty claims and motors replaced. Or is this a bit of a manufacturers nightmare and the motors are just not up to it yet.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Invariably, people report motor failures or ask about them on the forum. People don't post when they don't have a motor failure, so you have to read between the lines a bit.

But yes, they can fail, so it's important when you buy a bike to make sure you're confident that where you buy it from has decent backup/warranty - or you know somewhere you can take it to have the work done professionally and quickly.

Keep in mind that not everyone who goes out for a ride experiences a motor failure .. or there'd be lots of post titled "Wow, went out for a ride and motor didn't fail".

 

[Waynemarlow]

I'm not sure that we can say, just because I had a good ride today, my motor won't fail on the next ride.

Perhaps my question could be, has anyone reading this had a motor failure over the time I have owned my bike, yes or no. Perhaps on the forum we could set up a survey

If virtually no one has then reliability must be fairly good, if everyone says yes I have, then reliability must be extremely bad.

 

[nobbyq]

i have a levo and to date only had a power cable go , but even if there's lots of bikes out there not having issues there's still far too many failing . Go on any forum and you won't see as many other brands having water or motor problems like on the levo , saying that it is a great bike to ride , but when they all reach end of the warranty period i fear they going to be worth peanuts if spesh don't fix the issues soon

 

[Mikerb]

Zimmer is right. Forums give you a false perspective on most products not just E Bikes. The manufacturer expects a percentage of warranty claims but would not accept wholesale failure due to an obvious design flaw...or at least they would takes steps to remedy it before it ate into their profit margins. The fact that for example with Specialized the spec of the motor did not change from 2019 to 2020 tells you that the percentage of warranty claims is within their preset limits. Take into account also the forum tends to attract enthusiasts who put a lot of mileage on a bike and also take it to its limits...……….the vast majority of owners will probably only cover the same amount of miles some guys in here do in a month, in a year or even 2!...…..and the vast majority of owners are using their bikes for XC/trail type riding rather than bike park stuff!! It is also the case that enthusiasts are rarely satisfied with the standard build even on a high level bike so are changing forks shocks wheels bars etc.
I have used gopros for many years and regularly visited the Gopro forum. If you used that forum, you would never buy a Gopro!! Nothing but reports of failures etc. By contrast I make a bout 50 videos a year and have done using Gopros for the last 8/9 years and never had a single problem! I did learn from the forum however some of the many reasons others had problems and took steps to avoid them!! That does not mean you cannot get a failure though.....every mechanical and electrical device can fail for a variety of reasons, hence the warranty.
If I had a concern about Specialized/Brose it would be that the motor should be subject to a service schedule/facility simply because the crank bearings are in effect the bottom bracket of the bike and even the best normal sealed/press fit bottom brackets are subject to wear at some stage dependant on use. Assuming my motor remains reliable for the 2 year warranty period I would be inclined when that expires to send the motor off to The Bearings Man to have new bearings fitted and be overhauled.

 

[Beekeeper]

I suspect there is a high proportion of extremely good mountain bikers on this forum who are examples of man and machine at their absolute limits pushing boundaries beyond imagination ?

If there was another website called the “leisurely ebike ride to the shops and back forum” then I’d predict a lower percentage of motor failure posts.

 

[Topov]

There is another way of looking at it, if we have a good LBS then while the motors in warranty everything will be sorted in good time, after this we have the opportunity to use 3rd parties to fit new bearings or buy a new motor from the manufacturer, having friends that have done this already the costs are not too high.. £90-£120 for bearings on a Bosch and you are looking at about £350 for a Brose motor. this means the costs are no more than a high end groupset that we all moan about aswell, but buy at least one a year for those that put in the miles.
This brings the motor into a consumable part and really not that expensive to replace when warranties end. Not sure about Shimano yet as non are out of warranty

 

[Pdoz]

Zim tried to get the data
2019 Motor Distance/Failure Survey - EMTB Forums

I'd love to see some decent research on this - perhaps every member submitting data on cumulative km on each motor they have owned ( perhaps updated each time we buy / sell / fix) . Better still, I'd love to see similar data on batteries.

I searched the ride to shops ebike forum and couldn't see it there either.

I'm only around 2500 km trouble free so don't feel qualified to contribute data, but I jope there are lots of other happy customers feeling the same

 

[Tribey]

When I was considering buying a Levo, it was one of my saved searches on a certain internet auction site. In most of the ads for second hand Levos, were the words 'new motor fitted under warranty'.
It appears a good warranty, but.

 

[nobbyq]

There is another way of looking at it, if we have a good LBS then while the motors in warranty everything will be sorted in good time, after this we have the opportunity to use 3rd parties to fit new bearings or buy a new motor from the manufacturer, having friends that have done this already the costs are not too high.. £90-£120 for bearings on a Bosch and you are looking at about £350 for a Brose motor. this means the costs are no more than a high end groupset that we all moan about aswell, but buy at least one a year for those that put in the miles.
This brings the motor into a consumable part and really not that expensive to replace when warranties end. Not sure about Shimano yet as non are out of warranty

where did you get £350 from ? do you have anything to support that price because i am hearing more like £900 !

 

[Mikerb]

Even at that price guys on here are spending £600 or more on a set of forks so a new motor is not hugely OTT is it?

 

[Mikerb]

What if in 2021 Spesh/Brose announced a new motor with 120nm and 500gms lighter that would retrofit my2019 Levos etc...……….£750 p.ex for your existing motor? How many would jump for that?

 

[Doomanic]

I suspect there is a high proportion of extremely good mountain bikers on this forum who are examples of man and machine at their absolute limits pushing boundaries beyond imagination

If there was another website called the “leisurely ebike ride to the shops and back forum” then I’d predict a lower percentage of motor failure posts.

It’s called pedelecs.co.uk...

 

[Doomanic]

What if in 2021 Spesh/Brose announced a new motor with 120nm and 500gms lighter that would retrofit my2019 Levos etc...……….£750 p.ex for your existing motor? How many would jump for that?

I’ll take my upgrades in the following order;
1. More reliable
2. More efficient
3. Lighter

More power is unnecessary.

 

[Topov]

where did you get £350 from ? do you have anything to support that price because i am hearing more like £900 !

Yes I had a friends motor go when out of Warranty his was a2017 levo and was given a 1,3 motor as replacement for less than £350 as a good will gesture. the dealer said replavement motors would be circa £350. You may have been quoted for a 2.1 motor but as none are out of warranty yet that is a moot point

 

[Al Boneta]

This topic has been covered so many times already.
The main reason you hear about Levo motor failures more than any other is the shear number of Levos that have been sold. Specialized has dominated the Emtb market for the last 3 years. It’s as high as 80% in some regions.
In my shop alone the Levo is 90% of Ebike business. The Levo comp sells more than all of my other brands combined.
I have owned more than 7 Levos/Kenevos and I have only had one motor fail and it was my fault because I wanted test the limits of the BLEvo app.

 

[outerlimits]

Step one : buy a eMtb with 2 year warranty on motor.
Step 2 : have your motor fail within the warranty period.
Step 3 : get a replacement motor with another 2 year warranty.

Step 4: repeat steps 2 & 3 for the life of ownership.


Simples really ?‍

 

[CjP]

Step one : buy a eMtb with 2 year warranty on motor.
Step 2 : have your motor fail within the warranty period.
Step 3 : get a replacement motor with another 2 year warranty.

Step 4: repeat steps 2 & 3 for the life of ownership.


Simples really ?‍

You forgot
Step 5: even if your out of warranty, get over it, buy another motor/battery or another newer bike cause let’s face it most of us will do that anyway and keep on riding and having fun

 

[outerlimits]

You forgot
Step 5: even if your out of warranty, get over it, buy another motor/battery or another newer bike cause let’s face it most of us will do that anyway and keep on riding and having fun

Oh yes step 5 : (well not really a step, but keeping with the theme) You have derestricted your motor or your warranty period is over and your motor has craped itself. You’re screwed, and it’s going to cost you. But look at the plus side, you now have an excuse to upgrade and get a new bike ?

 

[Rich the gasman]

Step one : buy a eMtb with 2 year warranty on motor.
Step 2 : have your motor fail within the warranty period.
Step 3 : get a replacement motor with another 2 year warranty.

Step 4: repeat steps 2 & 3 for the life of ownership.


Simples really ?‍

I’ve been told that the motor warranty doesn’t reset when you get a new motor and that it’s from date of purchase still ?

 

[Tribey]

I was told by my LBS that the Bosch warranty on a replacement motor would reset, whilst the warranty for the other components remains from purchase date.

 

[Mikerb]

Assuming a replacement motor is new and not refurbished/repaired the bike brand will have manufacture warranty which is just passed on so no reason for the full 2 year warranty not to apply.

 

[DrStupid]

I’ll take my upgrades in the following order;
1. More reliable
2. More efficient
3. Lighter

More power is unnecessary.

I'm in the other camp on this. More power is gonna be neccessary if they want my money. Looking at a flyon now.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I'm in the other camp on this. More power is gonna be neccessary if they want my money. Looking at a flyon now.

Just so you're going there eyes open :

Newbie from Poole, Dorset - EMTB Forums

 

[DrStupid]

Just so you're going there eyes open :

Newbie from Poole, Dorset - EMTB Forums

Thanks for information. I'd be ok with 20 miles if they were 20 miles using the extreme mode.

There is no free lunch, acceleration take juice.

I use my current bikes for laps around my own property, and that's not going to change much except for a few GNCC events from time to time, and they typically go on at just under an hour. If the battery is dead in 1 hour, then I've left it all on the trail.... perfect!

Edit: I can just about kill the Trance in an hour on boost, which is where I generally ride it, wishing the whole time that ...