Avios new Shipm motor vs 2021 Whyte e160 — is it really that good?

[Tiredeyes69]

Is the Avios new ship motor as good as everybody says compared to a 2021 Whyte e160.

@Greg Watts

 

[Greg Watts]

I think we've got a slight name tangle to untangle first: there's no "Avios" motor that I can find — what you're almost certainly asking about is the DJI Avinox, the motor everyone's been losing their minds over since the Amflow launch. So let me answer that against your 2021 e160.

Short version: yes, the hype is mostly earned — and against a 2021 e160 it's not really a fair fight.

Your 2021 Merida eOne-Sixty would've been running a Shimano EP8 (DU-EP800) — 85Nm, 500W peak. A cracking motor in its day, reliable, well-mapped. But "its day" was five years ago.

The current Avinox M2S is a generation ahead:

Motor	Torque	Peak power	Weight
Avinox M2S	150Nm (130 continuous)	1500W (mfr claim, ~1450W measured)	2.59kg
Shimano EP8 (2021 e160)	85Nm	500W	2.6kg

That's nearly double the torque and triple the peak power, in basically the same weight. On paper it's not close.

Where the community lands:
• @Astro66 found the Avinox noticeably quieter both up and down than the Shimano EP801 on a Merida E160 — and the EP801 is a newer motor than your EP8.
• @Weeksy reckons a 600Wh Avinox pack will clear 1000m+ of climbing without trying hard — the M2S also comes in 700/800Wh options.
• Worth a reality check from @Rob Rides EMTB: the Avinox at its 850W+ settings drinks battery much faster than a Bosch Gen 5 at equivalent output. All that grunt has a cost, so range depends heavily on how hard you lean on it.

The honest caveat: a motor isn't a bike. Your 2021 e160 has five years of trail riding in it and is paid for. The Avinox only matters if you're buying the whole bike around it — a Whyte Karve, an Amflow, a Forbidden, etc. If the EP8 still pulls you up the hill happily, there's no shame in keeping it.

But purely "is the motor as good as everybody says?" — against a 2021 EP8, comfortably yes.

If you tell me which bike you're eyeing the Avinox in, I'll pull the full spec and geometry and line it up properly against your e160.

 

[Tiredeyes69]

Sorry, yes, I meant the new Avinox m2s motor, and my bike is a Whyte e160-rs

 

[Greg Watts]

Sorry, yes, I meant the new Avinox m2s motor, and my bike is a Whyte e160-rs

No worries at all - good to have the clarification.

So, the DJI Avinox M2S versus your Whyte e160-RS.

The honest answer is: yes, the hype is largely justified - but how much it matters to you depends on what you feel is lacking right now.

What the M2S actually brings:

•

150Nm torque (boost mode) - that's a meaningful step up on older motors, and the delivery is famously smooth and natural-feeling rather than the on/off lurch some riders find with other systems

•

•

App-adjustable modes via the DJI Avinox app, so you can tune assist curves to your riding style rather than living with whatever the factory set

• Very low unpowered drag - which matters more than it sounds on technical singletrack where you're flicking it around

What the e160-RS had going for it:

The Whyte was a genuinely well-sorted bike - good geometry, well-matched suspension, and a motor that did the job.

The question isn't "was it rubbish?" (it wasn't) but whether the M2S-powered generation feels like a different class.

Most riders who've made a similar switch report that the natural cadence feel and the mode flexibility are the biggest real-world differences - not just raw shove.

The catch: the M2S is being fitted to bikes across a wide price range, from the Amflow PR Carbon at £3,999 up to the Orbea Wild LT and Megamo Reason territory.

The motor is only part of the story - the chassis it sits in matters just as much.

What's prompting the question - are you thinking about upgrading, or just curious whether the forum buzz is real?

 

[Tiredeyes69]

I’m considering either the new Whyte Karve RSX, or should I keep the Whyte e160-rs and
upgrade the fork to have Kashima stanchions, you would need a replacement CSU which would be £370.80, labour would be £50-149 depending on the condition of the fork internally.

The damper body for the shock would be £44.40, if you also wanted a Kashima air sleeve this would be £93.60, with labour being £149.

Return shipping for both items would be £12.60.

So a total of £750
Then get hope 27.5” wheels and £90 on tubeless tyres, hope 35mm handlebars.
Is it worth upgrading my bike so it’s Matt Green and gold ?

 

[Tiredeyes69]

I really like the way the Bosch motor works, and it’s perfect for my usage. Which isn’t a lot really. I’d say I’ve done around 100 miles in 5 years. Very low use.

 

[Greg Watts]

I’m considering either the new Whyte Karve RSX, or should I keep the Whyte e160-rs and upgrade the fork to have Kashima stanchions, you would need a replacement CSU which would be £370.80, labour would be £50-149 depending on the condition of the fork internally. The damper body for the shock would ...

100 miles in 5 years. Right, that reframes the whole question - let's be honest about what we're actually solving here.

If you genuinely love the Bosch motor and it's perfect for your usage, the answer to "is it worth upgrading the bike" is almost certainly no. Not the £750 fork/shock Kashima job, and not the Karve RSX either.

Here's the maths nobody enjoys: The £750 Kashima upgrade

Kashima is a low-friction coating on the stanchions and seals. On a bike doing 20 miles a year, you will never wear in the benefit, never mind notice it. It's a genuinely lovely upgrade on a bike getting hammered weekly - on yours it's jewellery. Same logic applies to the Hope wheels, bars and the Matt Green and gold theme: that's a want a pretty bike project, not a ride better one. Which is completely fine! Just call it what it is, and don't dress it up as performance.

The Karve RSX This is the bigger thing to flag: the new Whyte Karve runs the Avinox M2S, not Bosch. You've just told me you really like how the Bosch motor works and it suits you. So buying the Karve means giving up the exact thing you said you value - different motor character, different app, integrated non-removable battery. For 20 miles a year, that's a lot of money to swap a motor you like for one you'd have to relearn.

What I'd actually do At your mileage, your e160-RS isn't worn out - it's barely run in. Keep it. If you want to spend money for the joy of it, do the cosmetic stuff because it makes you smile, not because it'll make the bike faster (it won't, meaningfully).

The one honest reason to switch to a Karve would be if you wanted to ride more and felt the e160 was holding you back. From 100 miles in 5 years, I'm not sure that's the problem we're solving - but tell me if I've read that wrong.

 

[Greg Watts]

I really like the way the Bosch motor works, and it’s perfect for my usage. Which isn’t a lot really. I’d say I’ve done around 100 miles in 5 years. Very low use.

@Tiredeyes69 - 100 miles in 5 years is genuinely useful information, because it changes the entire calculation.

If the Bosch motor suits you perfectly and you're riding occasionally rather than hammering trails every weekend, the honest answer is: your e160-RS is almost certainly the right bike to keep.

A few things worth saying plainly: On the £750 Kashima upgrade

Kashima coating reduces friction and improves seal life - it's a real benefit on a bike getting regular hard use. On a bike doing around 20 miles a year, you'll never wear in the advantage. It's genuinely lovely kit, but at your mileage it's jewellery rather than a performance upgrade. Call it what it is and enjoy it if the aesthetics appeal - just don't expect it to transform the ride.

On the Karve RSX I should be transparent here: I've noted from our previous chat that you're considering the Karve RSX, but I can't confirm every spec detail for that specific model from verified sources. What I can say is that the Whyte Karve range uses the Avinox M2S rather than Bosch - so you'd be giving up the motor you've told me works well for you. For low mileage occasional riding, that's a significant change to make.

The bottom line Your e160-RS isn't worn out - it's barely run in. If you want to spend money, spend it on something that makes you smile. But if performance is the goal, there's not much here that needs fixing.

What would actually make you ride more often? That might be the more useful question.

 

[Tiredeyes69]

True this, think I’ll just keep
My Whyte e160-rs it’s a great bike with sram kit and rides really nice.

 

[Greg Watts]

True this, think I’ll just keep My Whyte e160-rs it’s a great bike with sram kit and rides really nice.

Solid call, @Tiredeyes69. The e160-RS is a genuinely well-sorted bike - great geometry, Bosch CX doing exactly what it needs to, and SRAM kit that just works. At your mileage it's barely been asked anything of itself yet.

Enjoy it. Sometimes the right answer really is "keep the good thing you already have."

If you ever do fancy a change down the line - or want to talk through anything else - give me a tag.