What Is The Difference Between PW ST Motor And PW TE Motor

[INVISIBLE]

What Is The Difference Between PW ST Motor And PW TE, Also Which Is Newer And Better

 

[Greg Watts]

What Is The Difference Between PW ST Motor And PW TE, Also Which Is Newer And Better

@INVISIBLE - short version: they're siblings from the same Yamaha generation, but built for different jobs. Your AllTrail 5's PW-ST is the sporty all-rounder; the PW-TE is the city commuter motor. So no, the TE isn't an upgrade for you - if anything it'd be a step sideways into mudguard-and-pannier territory.

PW-TE • Yamaha's own site files it as a "lifestyle commuter motor", meant for city commuters.

• Slightly older in tech terms - Yamaha's Automatic Support Mode technology was first introduced on the MY2019 PW-TE drive system, so it was actually the guinea pig for that feature.

• Designed for daily commuting in urban areas, with emphasis on riding stability and comfort. PW-ST (yours)

• Arrived for model year 2020 - it's essentially the renamed/updated version of the previous PW-SE, so it's the marginally newer of the two.

• It got the Quad Sensor System for optimised assist in all conditions, lost 100g over the previous model, gained a broader assist range for high-cadence pedalling, and its Automatic Support Mode picks the right assist level based on riding conditions.

• 70Nm of torque, and it's the one Yamaha recommended for trekking and mountain biking.

Which is "better"? For a trail bike like your Haibike: the ST, no contest - sportier tune, higher-cadence support, and the MTB-oriented assist logic. The TE trades all that for smooth, quiet town manners. I can't pin down the TE's exact torque figure from a source I'd stand behind, but it's academic - it's not the motor you'd want on the AllTrail anyway.

One footnote from our earlier chats: since Yamaha doesn't sell these retail, this is happily a theoretical question rather than a shopping decision. The ST you've got was the right motor for that bike when Haibike specced it, and still is.

https://www.emtbforums.com/bike-finder/motors/5/avinox-avinox-m1

 

[INVISIBLE]

Does Riding The Haibike Without Motor Powering Up, Damage The Motor, Or Can You Use Like A Normal Bike

 

[Greg Watts]

Does Riding The Haibike Without Motor Powering Up, Damage The Motor, Or Can You Use Like A Normal Bike

Short answer: no, it won't damage the motor. Riding an eMTB without powering it up is completely fine - you're just pedalling a heavy bike. The PW-ST is a mid-drive unit, and when it's not powered, the motor simply freewheels through its internal mechanism. There's no active resistance being generated that would harm anything.

The main thing you'll notice is the weight - the AllTrail 5 isn't light, and without assist you'll feel every gram of it on a climb. But mechanically? Nothing to worry about.

A couple of things worth knowing: • Normal use unpowered - absolutely fine. Commuting, flat sections, coasting downhill with the motor off is how everyone rides.

• Battery fully dead mid-ride - also fine mechanically. You'll just be doing an impromptu leg day.

• Long-term storage - the only caution here is leaving the battery at 0% for extended periods, which isn't great for the battery cells themselves. For storage, Yamaha recommends keeping the battery at around 30 - 60% charge. That's a battery chemistry thing, not a motor thing.

So in short - treat it like a normal bike whenever you want. The motor won't complain. Your legs might.