Levo Gen 2 have brose fixed the motor issues yet ?

[muzzman1]

Sadly my friend I ride with has a 2020 Levo Expert, and he broke is 4th motor last week. That particular motor was manufactured in Jan 2020. When installed he was told by the specialized factory rep (Tanner) that installed that motor it was the "updated" belt and he can "ride with confidence"
Well the belt snapped, or sprague broke while he was deep in the trails and had to hike out a 300ft steep climb and ride 10 miles more to get back home.
He wasn't thrilled, especially considering he was told it was the updated motor. If it fails again, he's selling it. I don't blame him, although I've been through 7 on my 2 bikes, but at least I have a spare bike.

 

[J200George]

Sadly my friend I ride with has a 2020 Levo Expert, and he broke is 4th motor last week. That particular motor was manufactured in Jan 2020. When installed he was told by the specialized factory rep (Tanner) that installed that motor it was the "updated" belt and he can "ride with confidence"
Well the belt snapped, or sprague broke while he was deep in the trails and had to hike out a 300ft steep climb and ride 10 miles more to get back home.
He wasn't thrilled, especially considering he was told it was the updated motor. If it fails again, he's selling it. I don't blame him, although I've been through 7 on my 2 bikes, but at least I have a spare bike.

(Arrrrrrrgggghhhhh!) ok I’m out. Specialized is now off the list.

 

[grantini]

The aluminums around here are failing just like the carbon ones.

My 2020 Comp failed as well... at about 700 miles.

 

[grantini]

(Arrrrrrrgggghhhhh!) ok I’m out. Specialized is now off the list.

I will say this, having had three Levos and having motors warrantied on two of them. The service is excellent. Brose just shipped 1500 motors to Specialized, and I believe the first half are already here. The four warranty issues I have had were resolved quickly and painlessly. 1) the handlebar control unit on my 18 was replaced 2) the motor on my 20 comp went and was replaced 3) the power cable on my 20 comp frayed and was replaced and 4) the motor went on my 20 Sworks and the motor is enroute. The new motor has a kevlar belt which replaces the problematic original belt. My guess is that this motor then becomes bullet proof. Specialized has also created an Ebike program for their dealers which, if they commit to buying a specified number of units will give that dealer a parts package to maintain and update from. So in theory, if your dealer participates and your motor goes you can drop the bike off tonight and pick it up tomorrow. This is a GAME CHANGER for the ebike world. The reason I ride Levos is because they are head and shoulders ahead of all the competition. My long time LBS doesn't carry specialized, but he does

ed but does carry Pivot and Santa Cruz. I was going to switch over to the Heckler or the Shuttle, but frankly, they are two years behind Specialized so I couldn't do it. My Specialized dealer has been great and I'm committed to sticking with them. I would also note that in our extended riding group there are probably 25 guys with Ebikes and all but one are Levos.

 

[jsharpe]

My 2020 Comp failed as well... at about 700 miles.

Yikes! I just crossed over 700 miles on my 2020 Comp (108,000 feet of elevation gain) but no signs of any motor issues yet. But stories like this have me wondering about some of my backcountry rides that are many miles from roads or cell service.

 

[grantini]

Yikes! I just crossed over 700 miles on my 2020 Comp (108,000 feet of elevation gain) but no signs of any motor issues yet. But stories like this have me wondering about some of my backcountry rides that are many miles from roads or cell service.

here's the deal. Pay attention. If you start to get run on issues, if your power delivery is inconsistent, you are going to have to replace the motor... start the process as early as possible with your dealer. I rode the first one until it grenaded, the sworks, I filed a claim as soon as I started having issues. The failure is gradual. Hopefully you can keep riding until your warranty motor comes in.

 

[jsharpe]

here's the deal. Pay attention. If you start to get run on issues, if your power delivery is inconsistent, you are going to have to replace the motor... start the process as early as possible with your dealer. I rode the first one until it grenaded, the sworks, I filed a claim as soon as I started having issues. The failure is gradual. Hopefully you can keep riding until your warranty motor comes in.

That's interesting and helpful. I have noticed more run on lately but had chalked that up to my imagination and that I'm now more comfortable with the bike and riding tougher sections than I would have attempted on my clockwork bikes. It seems to happen most in places where I'm putting more rider energy into the cranks such as short rocky sections. When simply pedaling up a steep but smooth grade, the assistance stops normally/immediately.

 

[hansfrans]

As a new owner and as of today now the happy recipient of the updated 2.1 trail tuned motor I suggest you be vigilant and at the first sign of noise, drag or any other symptom, contact your dealer for a warranty claim ASAP.

I have two bikes, my partners Turbo Levo and my Turbo Levo Carbon Expert. My partners forks were sticking, part of a batch manufactured to the wrong tolerances and my motor displayed a fault code followed by significant drag or resistance when rotating the crank with the motor off.
Only having the bikes for 4 to 5 weeks at the point of failure and only 280km on my bike, Anne's even less, I contacted Fair trading and confirmed my options. These were catastrophic failures for two new bikes and are common issues known to Specialized.
Had I the knowledge gained from the forums and internet prior to purchase, I would have ordered bikes built after a certain date to ensure I had the latest updated parts free from known issues.
To the credit of my local dealer and to the credit of Specialized, Tuesday 16th June 2020 was the day I requested an appropriate response from Specialized regarding my issue or I would be seeking a full refund or two new bikes.
Today Friday 19th June 2020 I have had two brand new motors installed in both bikes, plus a new power cable (V3) in my bike. Anne's forks are being replaced with the higher spec Yari 160mm travel fork at no charge, as the base spec Turbo Levo fork was not available in Australia. The forks are to be installed Tuesday next week as the mounting hardware did not arrive with the forks.
That in my books, is a sensational effort and response from both my dealer and Specialized. Not to forget that my dealer have put the shop demonstrators Lyrik fork on my partners bike while we waited for a resolution so we can still ride together.

I'm a fan of the product and I'm a fan of the warranty response from Specialized. Make sure you have your evidence, be polite but firm regarding issues as soon as they arise. Our new motors are from production dates of late February 2020. They have a new bearing housing and a new reinforced belt.
I will be sure to announce any issues if they arise for the assistance of others if this happens with these new motors.

Test ride first thing Saturday morning

what was the production date of your original motors may I ask?

QUOTE="grantini, post: 184353, member: 3814"]
My 2020 Comp failed as well... at about 700 miles.
[/QUOTE]
Could you please also post the production date of your fault motor? Thank you!

(Arrrrrrrgggghhhhh!) ok I’m out. Specialized is now off the list.

Every motor ist prone to failure..
Other brands probably won’t provide the excellent warranty specialized does.
Surely they won’t provide you with such a highly customizable motor and an integration that is way ahead of other brands.

 

[klevtik]

My friend has kenevo and Levo. On kenevo he is on 3d motor. And his Levo motor just died when i was riding with him. So 3 dead motors almost in 1 year. The problem is - we don't have in Ukraine specialized dealers who has spare motors, and you will need to wait ages for new one to come.

 

[grantini]

what was the production date of your original motors may I ask?

QUOTE="grantini, post: 184353, member: 3814"]
My 2020 Comp failed as well... at about 700 miles.

Could you please also post the production date of your fault motor? Thank you!



Every motor ist prone to failure..
Other brands probably won’t provide the excellent warranty specialized does.
Surely they won’t provide you with such a highly customizable motor and an integration that is way ahead of other brands.
[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure when my Comp was built but it was probably the second 2020 Comp delivered in the US (late August 19) and the motor on the Sworks is May or June 19 I think.

 

[J200George]

With one reported failure of one of the newer modified motors (above) I’m very nervous about pressing the button on a Levo for the moment. I think it’s a case of watch this space and see how the new modded motors perform.

 

[hansfrans]

With one reported failure of one of the newer modified motors (above) I’m very nervous about pressing the button on a Levo for the moment. I think it’s a case of watch this space and see how the new modded motors perform.

ONE reported failure makes you nervous?
Again: ANY motor can fail. You could try waiting for MY2021 though..

 

[J200George]

ONE reported failure makes you nervous?
Again: ANY motor can fail. You could try waiting for MY2021 though..

One no, but the significance of this one of course is that it’s apparently the first of the modded motors to go faulty.

If true then it doesn’t bode well that the Brose fix is effective but yes motors can fail for any number of reasons So time will tell.

 

[TheBikePilot]

One no, but the significance of this one of course is that it’s apparently the first of the modded motors to go faulty.

If true then it doesn’t bode well that the Brose fix is effective but yes motors can fail for any number of reasons So time will tell.

Be careful of reading too much into that. If you have an issue you're gonna come online and speak about it. There will still be a QA failure rate on even an 'updated' motor.

That Jan 2020 date is not correct according to Specialized they have been doing running upgrades since the motor was brought in. According to them, and I am only passing on what I've been told, Jan 2020 wasn't a magic date.

All motors suffer a percentage failure rate. The important thing is how fast will the bike be turned around. I have 5 mates with Bosch motors. 3 have now had issues resulting in a dealer visit. One is now without the bike for 10-14 days whilst the motor goes back to Bosch.

Shimano have been the same, one mate still no bike after a month nor a fix date. @R120 was also without his for some time.

I think the thing is to get one from a LBS with motor stock that you trust. Berkshire get you back on the trail same day in most cases. We are very fortunate to have Berkshire Cycles on our doorstep who are probably the world leaders in terms of customer support for Specialized.

I don't know what your LBS is like, but ask them if they hold motors and batteries in stock and it will give you an idea of how big a Specialized customer they are. If they are pushing only a few out the door along with other brands I would say you're going to be waiting with any issue with them which will affect your customer experience. But this comes down to the spares they are willing to invest in to support the brand. There are motors available in stock from HQ. With Bosch and Shimano LBS' can't hold spares as the motor has to go back. Specialized actually trust dealers to replace motors in order to get you back out riding, which to me is the reason I still stick with them despite other bikes I've ridden suiting me better..I know the feeling when the bike fails you hate the brand, the bike and feel cheated.

It shouldn't happen but it does and if you want the total awesomeness of this sport then, at present, to me you have to accept a small risk of failure. But I know it will get sorted ASAP..And Specialized aren't going to argue with me over semantics. They get the job done and honour their warranty. The Mahle/Spesh motor seems bombproof and I've not read a single failure so I am sure the issues have been taken on board. The question is do you want FF with that small risk or the SL, less power and a bombproof engine.

My experience is Spesh don't take your cash and leave you out in the cold. They are 100% on your side. You pay a premium for the brand and the warranty but I've used it three times now and it's been painless. One issue was, truth be told, my fault..They could have said bugger off, but they didn't.

You may or may not have an issue, but two of my good riding mates left Specialized due to reliability and have had the same experience shifting to another brand in defiance. One is now back on a Spesh.

You'll probably have a niggle with any brand, it's about how fast that gets fixed and with how much fuss..

 

[wepn]

I think the thing is to get one from a LBS with motor stock that you trust. Berkshire get you back on the trail same day in most cases. We are very fortunate to have Berkshire Cycles on our doorstep who are probably the world leaders in terms of customer support for Specialized.

I don't know what your LBS is like, but ask them if they hold motors and batteries in stock and it will give you an idea of how big a Specialized customer they are.

I think this is the answer. Berkshire Cycles should be the template for all dealers. I agree with everything you said, but having motors & batteries in stock together with same-day turnaround solves all these issues.

 

[wepn]

The question is do you want FF with that small risk or the SL, less power and a bombproof engine.

Excellent post and the question seems to have stuck in my head all day so I had to reread it.

My answer would be: I want more power and a bombproof motor. I guess that means a Kenevo with a larger Mahle.

 

[hansfrans]

Excellent post and the question seems to have stuck in my head all day so I had to reread it.

My answer would be: I want more power and a bombproof motor. I guess that means a Kenevo with a larger Mahle.

A larger mahle probably wouldn’t be that „bombproof“. We don’t even know if the current one is as they only sell a friction compared to regular levos.
Kenevo is just the frame and what you are looking for does not exists in any industry.

 

[wepn]

Kenevo is just the frame and what you are looking for does not exists in any industry.

Ha yes maybe so but even if it's mythical I think that's my kind of bike. I know I'm a demanding @$$#*!&

 

[salko]

Excellent post and the question seems to have stuck in my head all day so I had to reread it.

My answer would be: I want more power and a bombproof motor. I guess that means a Kenevo with a larger Mahle.

Unfortunately (within same weight and size limits) the more powerful motor will almost certainly be also more prone to failures than less powerful motor ...

 

[#lazy]

I think this is the answer. Berkshire Cycles should be the template for all dealers. I agree with everything you said, but having motors & batteries in stock together with same-day turnaround solves all these issues.

I 100% agree however with the amount he sells he must be getting better rates that other shops , no other bike shops can compete with prices and spares ! It’s good for some but not all and in the long run not good for spesh . They would love every dealer to be like Bershire but atm in ain’t gunna happen soon ! IMO

 

[J200George]

I’ll definitely have to consider all options at purchase and the Lbs and support will be a key factor. Shops are starting to open up now in Scotland, not sure re bike shops but when they are I’ll be paying each a very careful visit.

 

[R120]

The main thing that is the difference between Specilized and pretty much every other bike brand, is they have total control

Be careful of reading too much into that. If you have an issue you're gonna come online and speak about it. There will still be a QA failure rate on even an 'updated' motor.

That Jan 2020 date is not correct according to Specialized they have been doing running upgrades since the motor was brought in. According to them, and I am only passing on what I've been told, Jan 2020 wasn't a magic date.

All motors suffer a percentage failure rate. The important thing is how fast will the bike be turned around. I have 5 mates with Bosch motors. 3 have now had issues resulting in a dealer visit. One is now without the bike for 10-14 days whilst the motor goes back to Bosch.

Shimano have been the same, one mate still no bike after a month nor a fix date. @R120 was also without his for some time.

I think the thing is to get one from a LBS with motor stock that you trust. Berkshire get you back on the trail same day in most cases. We are very fortunate to have Berkshire Cycles on our doorstep who are probably the world leaders in terms of customer support for Specialized.

I don't know what your LBS is like, but ask them if they hold motors and batteries in stock and it will give you an idea of how big a Specialized customer they are. If they are pushing only a few out the door along with other brands I would say you're going to be waiting with any issue with them which will affect your customer experience. But this comes down to the spares they are willing to invest in to support the brand. There are motors available in stock from HQ. With Bosch and Shimano LBS' can't hold spares as the motor has to go back. Specialized actually trust dealers to replace motors in order to get you back out riding, which to me is the reason I still stick with them despite other bikes I've ridden suiting me better..I know the feeling when the bike fails you hate the brand, the bike and feel cheated.

It shouldn't happen but it does and if you want the total awesomeness of this sport then, at present, to me you have to accept a small risk of failure. But I know it will get sorted ASAP..And Specialized aren't going to argue with me over semantics. They get the job done and honour their warranty. The Mahle/Spesh motor seems bombproof and I've not read a single failure so I am sure the issues have been taken on board. The question is do you want FF with that small risk or the SL, less power and a bombproof engine.

My experience is Spesh don't take your cash and leave you out in the cold. They are 100% on your side. You pay a premium for the brand and the warranty but I've used it three times now and it's been painless. One issue was, truth be told, my fault..They could have said bugger off, but they didn't.

You may or may not have an issue, but two of my good riding mates left Specialized due to reliability and have had the same experience shifting to another brand in defiance. One is now back on a Spesh.

You'll probably have a niggle with any brand, it's about how fast that gets fixed and with how much fuss..

The issue when motor was warrantied was dealing with Chain Reaction/Vitus, who supplied the bike - they where a nightmare in terms of communication and response, and I wasted 4 weeks getting nowhere with them - when I went direct to Shimano via my LBS, it was from memory something like a 10 day turnaround from dropping bike at LBS, and getting it back with the new motor installed.

My bike is direct sales, but it shows that really however you buy the bike or wherever you get it from, the dealer will be the biggest influence on your warranty experience.

I would also add that the some bike shops appear to have (in the UK at least) a monopoly on keeping spare motors - one of my LBS's said that they would love to stock more specilized bikes and spares, but there are a few shops in the UK who effectively preorder and monopolise the majority of UK stock at levels they cant compete with, and as such are further down the food chain, making it hard for them to access and provide the same level of service, as they simply can match the spending levels of these shops. That makes me think that a lot fo bike shops would want to provide better back up, but its not practical for them to do so.

 

[ccrdave]

i have had turbo levos since 2016 and first and foremost is choose your dealer very carefully, I made one mistake in that which I wont make again, I went to berkshire cycles fantastic service, they just put a new motor in my bike (old motor was built june 2018, new motor march 2020) I was at the shop for about an hour and a half and my bike was fixed, its a 250 mile round trip for me but all in all my bike is fixed rapid in one day, there are other dealers in the UK that give as good service as berkshire, just choose carefully and dont be frightened of a bit of travel.
as for my new motor, its different, cant put my finger on it it just is. now that could be compared to my old broken motor but I dont think so

would I buy another brand...no spesh aftersales service is unbeatable and all ebike whatever the brand break down , technology is too new not to have bugs

 

[beutelfuchs]

having motors & batteries in stock together with same-day turnaround solves all these issues.

How does anyone having motors in stock solves issues like getting stuck at sunset in the middle of nowhere? Or having a disrupted ride weekend or even vacation where this someone having motors in stock is anywhere but close?

To the contrary, having to wait a bit for a motor failing at home or close to home is a non issue, as there I have 3 other bikes to choose from next day. It is an issue if it fails away from home. And that is neither solved by warranty nor by the stock of anyone who doesn't accidentally follow you with his service truck.

 

[Just gan]

Looks like I've been lucky getting 2600 miles before the motor went with no warning at all . Went as soon as I peddled it on Friday , 1 year old Expert

 

[J200George]

If there is any good part to this situation is that the motors appear to be failing early. Of course, you’ll get owners that don’t rack up miles or for whatever reason don’t use them that regularly. I fear for those owners with motors that fail outwith warranty and the owners having to pay for a new motor and fitting costs.

I get that all things mechanical can fail but really, if spesh have identified an issue then the right thing to do it to affect a recall programme and get the motors proactively swapped out.

There could be some potentially very dangerous situations out there and seriously damaging litigation in the pipeline.

of course they will have done a full cost benefits and risks calculation and the reason for the way it’s being treated right now will be that it’d cost too much to do a recall vs the reputational damage and inconvenience it brings.

 

[Just gan]

If there is any good part to this situation is that the motors appear to be failing early. Of course, you’ll get owners that don’t rack up miles or for whatever reason don’t use them that regularly. I fear for those owners with motors that fail outwith warranty and the owners having to pay for a new motor and fitting costs.

I get that all things mechanical can fail but really, if spesh have identified an issue then the right thing to do it to affect a recall programme and get the motors proactively swapped out.

There could be some potentially very dangerous situations out there and seriously damaging litigation in the pipeline.

of course they will have done a full cost benefits and risks calculation and the reason for the way it’s being treated right now will be that it’d cost too much to do a recall vs the reputational damage and inconvenience it brings.

Interesting to see how long I get out of the new motor same again would be nice

 

[J200George]

Interesting to see how long I get out of the new motor same again would be nice

If the motors fail every two years do they keep replacing them? Ie does the motor warranty reset when you get a new one fitted? Hope so then, inconvenience (worry and potential endangerment) aside you’re all covered.

 

[RebornRider]

I'm the guy who posted a link to the YouTube video of my noisy motor in post #56. I just checked the miles: 2545. I'm still riding it, but avoiding climbs that need more than eco.

FWIW, my wounded motor is still about as quiet as it ever was when I set off. My noise seems to be heat related as once it gets warm and noisy, it stays noisy even with low effort in eco on level ground.

 

[Peko]

If the motors fail every two years do they keep replacing them?

No , there's no rolling warranty.
This is one of the main reasons, why I took out an insurance over 5 years for my Spesh Bikes.
Sad but true..