How Affordable Is eBike Motor Repair | Behind The Scenes

The introduction of mid-drive eBike motors could possibly be the biggest step in eMTB history since its conception. Unfortunately, this has made it harder for brands to keep the elements out of their motors causing wear to occur sooner. Steve Jones is behind the scenes at the eBike Motor Centre to get some tips on how to detect issues with your own motor and what occurs if you don't take care of your motor.
⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - How do the motors arrive at the repair centre?
2:48 - How to tell if your eBike motor needs new bearings?
5:04 - What’s involved in a full eBike motor overhaul?
7:57 - What does catastrophic failure look like?
11:17 - How can you self-diagnose the electrical components of an eBike motor?
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[@embn]

Have you had to send your motor off for repair before? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments! 👇

[@nigel22347]

My Brose packed up 1 month out of warrant and no claim due to expired warranty. I still have it after spending $100 on a new one. Does Pete have operations in South Africa?

[@whopostedthis]

I sent the motor from my cargo bike to Ebike Motor Centre after 8000 miles. Excellent service and a very reasonable charge.

[@motoresruedas7357]

I had to repair it by myself. I live in Ecuador. I found that the bearings from one side were awful condition but also there were humidity in the interior of the motor so I had to clean it all, change bearings and still working fine. It's a Bosch performance CX 2nd gen

[@myphotos]

I've used Pete in the past think he was known as performance line bearings, fantastic service would recommend

[@rirrid5662]

The question should be do we have the right to repair?

[@marklouieadame]

Now this is the type of content we need for existing emtb user and newcomer and those planning to get an emtb

[@stevejones7956]

Thanks Mark, we have some more vids like this coming

[@odd_job_007]

@@stevejones7956 do you know of a similar company that works on Shimano motors? According to their website they do not support Shimano motors.

[@klimaniac]

I have a 2019 Turbo Levo, One of those that Specialized gave the 4 year extended warranties to due to lots of problems with the new Brose motor and belt failures. This suited me very well especially as I bought the bike second hand with a mere 21 miles on - Yes 21! - and the warranty was for the bike, not the owner. Quite a few of my mates have the same MY bike and all have had at least 1 replacement motor. Mine remained sound throughout. After the warranty expired I chanced upon The eBike Motor Centre's Brose upgrade video. I watched it with interest and decided to contact them for further details. I was impressed with the response so I took my motor down there to get the belt and sprag bearing upgrade carried out.. The motor was turned around quicker than they said and they also found a couple of bearing that were past best. They offered to supply and replace them for what seemed to be less than I'd be able to buy them retail. I went and got the motor and the top man from the vid chatted to me. I thoroughly recommend this company as the whole outfit appears extremely customer focused, professional and realistically priced.

[@steveproud2893]

Had my Spesh motor updated by Pete 12 months ago. He did it while i waited. Great service and honest person true to his word 🙂🙂👍👍

[@embn]

That's great to hear, thanks for sharing!

[@HuMaNiTaRiAn1]

Do a video about ebike battery repair. Completely different story. Just had to pay specialised £1k for a new gen1 levo battery because of a single cell out of 40 cells dropping below a voltage threshold. Their proprietary BMS turns your bike into a paperweight with no way to repair the battery. Not very sustainable.

[@BazippysVideos]

None of this ebiking is sustainable, its the worst thing the companies have done. making motor mounts unsable year on year. cant get a newer motor or a newer battery. Just sling the bike and buy new is the moto.

[@jepulis6674]

Should tax that kind of stuff. No easy repair and double the vat.

[@bradsanders6954]

@@BazippysVideosyou noticed this video is about repairing e bike motors? new motors are available also, or reconditioned.....which seems as sustainable as any other sport with a motor.

[@johnf3326]

What about being able to do some repairs ourselves?

[@RuderalisFPV]

Valuable comment

[@Mgd2335]

Seems really reasonable for a full overhaul!

[@stevenbrown2052]

Pleasantly surprised how complete overhaul of the motor is only around 350 pounds,over 5000 miles on my e8000 , still smooth but i wont hesitate to send it to these guys when needed Very reassuring vid 👍🏻

[@stevejones7956]

Thanks Steve, greta bunch of guys for sure

[@angi1918]

Nice to see a man who knows what he’s talking about, though and through!

[@nickclarkuk]

It was seeing a video about Pete’s e-bike motor centre and the costs to repair that encouraged me to buy an eMTB. The thought of replacing motors with completely new units had put me off !

[@stevejones7956]

Ah great news Nick!

[@claremontinteriorsmw]

Been following this company a couple of years now When motors are out of warranty, this is the most economical way back on the road at a sensible cost

[@crankshoptv8141]

Used these guys for a while now for my customer's bikes... Their service is absolutely top notch and worth every penny. Listen and take heed, stop washing your bike so much and just ride it.

[@stevejones7956]

Yeah i try to avoid it having seen Pete's bikes haha

[@kevinkellett2956]

They fixed my Levo gen 1 motor , after 5 years it a bit rough on back pedalling, great service 👍

[@peterlundgren8867]

Awesome topic! This is what bother many of us! Keep on doing great shows!

[@stevejones7956]

Thanks Peter, yes it was bothering me too, all good it seems though

[@roneysilveira2153]

Great video….very good explanations, tks 🙏🏻

[@user-tv7nz5xh4h]

Such a useful video!!

[@TCK71]

Excellent video.

[@jeanmarc_in_Hudson]

Good video! 👍 Nice to see the industry slowly getting organized. Common faults will become more frequent as the e-mtb pool gets bigger. Looking forward to electronics “out of warranty” support as well.

[@jimmygrimshaw3318]

Brilliant content 👍 I have a pwx-2 motor, after 3k miles sent of to e-bike motor repairs, tiny bit of play in main bearing but had all bearings changed while opened up 👍 I’ll definitely service motor once a year from now on ,it’s cheaper, as steve says, than a cassette 👍 It’s the heart of the motor and very overlooked !! Pressure wash is a no no 👍

[@grounddodger3212]

The timing on this is interesting. I just had bit of a scare where I thought I had done a motor bearing (turned out it was crank bearing / fitment thankfully) but it was interesting to research. I contacted the Australian branch of this service and was told as far as servicing is concerned, they wouldn't touch my Shimano EP8. They would be happy to sell me bearings, but as far as servicing was concerned, I was on my own. Reason being their experience in cracking open an EP8 was too risky, as it was a total crapshoot as to whether the motor would ever work again or throw up errors and were just too inconsistent and temperamental to work on. To me, that's unacceptable on Shimano's behalf. Bearings are a wear item and should be 100% replaceable, that Shimano either straight up does a warranty for them, or in the event it's out of warranty, expects you to just buy an entirely new unit puts Shimano on an insta no buy from me going forward. Ebike motor manufacturers are surely taking the piss here. It's an AC motor with speed controller and torque sensor, it's not new or complex tech; to me, it seems like these companies are being purposefully arbitrary in their design process, it seems primarly, on the software side of things to lock out consumers from repairs. There's no reason any component in these motors should not be available as spares that can be replaced or serviced. Also on the pressure washer (not even hose), seriously? A pressure washer on a wide fan setting should NOT be causing any issues. If the bearings on these can't handle even a garden hose, these companies should be taken to town on the suitability of their designs. I can understand a pressure hose on full blast staight at / into a motor, but a hose or wide fan setting on a pressure hose to mist shouldn't be a concern for a bike which is expected to be used in a variety of weather conditions.

[@Paulo-fr3xm]

Totally agree, and when I brought my ebike it was the same reason. I didn't look at anything with a Shimano motor in it.

[@robertmitev1202]

Im in Australia also and agree with your points, being a Bosch and Fazua owner, I'd hope these thing last the warranty period more so the Bosch unit currently at 7000ks, the best thing you can do is apply a bead of waterproof grease around the crank splines to avoid water ingres.

[@bradsanders6954]

By all means use a pressure washer on your bike and motor, the expert said specifically do not use a pressure washer. Go for it. Pressure washers destroy motorcycle parts just as well. And normal bicycles.

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Shimano motors are not currently supported by us (eBike Motor Centre) nor are they supported by most of our partners, because they will not even entertain talking to us, let alone helping with any software etc. They are a particularly troublesome motor to repair for the long term. If Shimano owners campaign to Shimano to support us, or even just speak to us, then perhaps we could support you guys fully outside of warranty.

[@chuck1622]

@@Ebikemotorcentre Hello! What are your thoughts on the Dyname motors from Rocky Mountain? Any experience with repair on those? Thank you!

[@glenra123]

Great video 👍

[@mikldude9376]

Great video , and good points about the pressure washing.

[@amud1e]

Quality vid need more with these 3 👌

[@DavidSmith-wy5js]

They have a great set up @ bike motor repairs & a wealth of knowledge, if they realise that water ingress is the main cause of motor failures both mechanical & electronic why haven’t the big motor brands ??? If Tesla can make a waterproof motor for very fast car so can Bosch or Brose who are both leading electronic manufactures in the automotive world. Its about time they all sorted them acts out & supply products that are fit for purpose. some bikes are almost as expensive as a budget car & this kind of reliability would not be accepted in the automotive industry. Rant over. A great look @ a small indipendate company providing a quality service in yhe uk.

[@gottalovethetube]

Great video! These guys have a lot of knowledge-i would love for them to do a e bike motor top tips like: How to clean, how to maintain, what faults to look for. Also, they might share which motors are most reliable in their experience?

[@stevejones7956]

Those vids coming soon!

[@russelldavis7108]

Good informative video, look forward to more out of warranty vids.

[@embn]

More to come!

[@macpdm]

What an excellent subject for a video. Motor failure is something we all fear.

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Hopefully that's what @stevejones7956 will bring to the industry through these videos and comments. Thank you for this excellent comment too.

[@danielsimmonds5162]

Great video Steve and Pete, thanks for putting some worrying "Gremlins" to rest! 👍🏻😁

[@embn]

No worries, thanks for watching 👍

[@robertwaldron5762]

I've used these guys to service a Bosch motor....they are fantastic service and cost😊

[@deersbrook4485]

Thanks for another wonderful redwood video!

[@markcosens1]

Great video, very interesting and less than an hour away from me. I may get my 3.5 year old brose motor booked in for a check even though it's been reliable so far.

[@embn]

Go for it! Let us know how it goes 🤘

[@andyarchitect]

Excellent video ❤

[@embn]

Thank you very much!

[@daffydaz3329]

What centers like this do is fantastic, but firstly, these repair centers are few and far between, and secondly, as mentioned in the video, there is not enough support from the original manufacturer. Keep in mind that these motor repair companies are getting the majority of their replacement parts from other motors that have failed in different areas. Imagine buying a car where the manufacturer doesn't supply parts for local mechanics, which would force consumers to buy a replacement car - this is an absurd situation. Also mentioned in the video, 90% of motor failures are due to water ingress. How is it that a rear mech can be made to be water-proof but not the motor? As proven by the motor center's efforts to seal the Brose motor, they have drastically increased its life. It's absolutely doable, but for some very odd reason, the manufacturers are choosing not to. Granted, all machines fail at some point or another, but there are clearly some very simple, tried-and-tested engineering solutions that are not being used in these premium machines. At the price of an e-bike, it's just not acceptable.

[@Wabit01]

What's going to be telling is in 2+ years, when everyone's bargain ebike fails out of warranty, what will the consumer sentiment be towards these manufacturers when they realise they can only buy refurbished parts recovered from other failed motors, which will become fewer and fewer as time goes on. Its the same failure to future forecast as we saw with bike companies failing to realise that 2021 bikes sales would eventually end. Its just going to compound the issue of sales-slow down and will negatively impact the bike industry for a good few years. The shortsightedness of the industry know's no bounds.

[@ebmr-ebikemotorreparatur]

Hi Dafy, distance shouldn't be such a problem, as most drive units can be shipped to motor repair shops in their country - eBike Motor Center has very strong network of partners worldwide. Regarding replacement parts, all service parts such as bearings, seals, bushings, belts, etc., are brand new and typically of equal or better quality than the original components. The "very odd reason" is simply friction, which leads to high energy consumption. Everyone wants to buy the eBike with the best battery range... Best regards, EBMR e-Bike Motorreparatur (Austria)

[@daffydaz3329]

@bikemotorreparatur “Everyone wants to buy the eBike with the best battery range...” - but whats the point in range if your motor dies within a few hundred miles? Not meaning to go on the attack out the gate, and I understand this isn’t something within your control, but this logic is questionable at best. I think anyone whose experienced issues with their ebike would rather a bike that’s reliable over having extended range, especially riders from wetter climates. Parts - Bearings & seals is one thing, but bespoke motor components is another. Are you able to source brand new motor controllers, the battery management system, a brand new stator / rotor, does the manufacturer provide this to you directly or are they third party solutions? How transparent are manufacturer's with you regarding these parts? Genuinely curious because I hear otherwise. There is currently no legal support that forces the manufacturer to supply replacement parts for aging motors, as is the case in the auto industry (within the EU atleast). Its simply down to each manufacturer on how long they choose to support their products, and as we’ve seen with the questionable warranty process of some, this doesn’t induce confidence for the consumer looking for a bike that lasts and can be continually repaired. Also lets not forget, the terminology of 'lifetime' that manufacturers use regarding their motors is often the warranty period only. So when manufacturers like Fazua claim that their bearings last a lifetime, what they really mean is 2 years. I truly appreciate the service you provide customers to keep their bikes going, but the manufacturers need to do more to support you and their consumers. For a premium product, we should all be expecting better.

[@stevesagerson710]

Very informative video. Just found the place in the US that does repair. Great to know these things can be rebuilt and also that water ingress is the biggest problem. I’ll be more careful washing the bike now!

[@salisburyplain998]

Really good service ,I have a winter training bike used in all weathers floods mud the lot so gets proper abuse, £350 full overhaul every couple of years isxa bargin.

[@anonymousone6075]

got nord VPN too?

[@salisburyplain998]

​@@anonymousone6075nope just air con and a heated seat lol

[@nickolp-it7bo]

Great informative vid Steve, great pricing on repairs, hopefully not needed but i do ride in the Lincolnshire slop with Brose, great for tate's, not so great for bikes of any kind.

[@bradleysokalski4384]

Great information about repairing e-motors and very good information about the damage a pressure washer can do to the motor. Sad to hear e-motor manufacturers are slow to seal motors appropriately from the dirt and grime of a true mountain biking experience.

[@lozetchells9164]

My much-loved EMTB is out of warranty this week. I considered replacing it with a new bike but decided that motor replacements (should they ever be needed) was a much cheaper option, even at nearly a grand a pop. But places like the ebike motor centre make this a much more appealing option - comforting to know!

[@stevejones7956]

And upgrades too right!

[@scottmatthews1083]

Had brilliant service again, these guys carried out bearing replacement & clean to a Gen 2 Bosch CX Performance Line. All at a good price and less than a week turnaround 👍

[@embn]

Great to hear!

[@TheCiano69]

Pete gave me great advice and sold me a bearing kit for my Impulse 2.0 motor. Still going strong motor now 9 year old. Recommended company.

[@anonymousone6075]

bet he didnt tell you how to service the seals yourself so you don't ruin it in the first place did he

[@TheCiano69]

@@anonymousone6075 betting is way beyond ur iq

[@stevejones7956]

Wow that's great going

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

@@anonymousone6075 There are no removable seals on Impulse motor. This motor would have to be completely stripped to perform any type of service.

[@andrewsritheran5291]

Fantastic video. Thank you.

[@embn]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching

[@barrycorney3665]

They rebuilt my Gen 2 CX in 2021, superb service (was "Performance Line Bearings" at the time)- I watched Pete do the full rebuild on his KZbin channel back in 2019 but a totally daunting task especially without all the hydraulic presses and bits! Current rebuild is about £315 but in the grand scheme of things for effectively getting a new motor I think it's a price worth paying, and when you consider that 2/3 of that price is for the parts including a drive side bearing seal/mudstop kit it's a no brainer(It's a pity Bosch F'd up that design and didn't leave enough depth in the NDS crankshaft casing to retro-fit a proper seal...)

[@aitorferranfernandez5270]

Why SHIMANO dont repair motors? And dont shels replace parts? And dont give options to recycle? I will not buy SHIMANO again ever ,please litle respect to the planet health mr shimano

[@sjaakdebaar9371]

Me too

[@Extremegaz25]

Great business and pete a top guy.

[@IT-fr4wb]

bought a 2017 Focus w t E8000 motor/ died just out of warranty (of course!) but after a lengthy wait when t motor was sent to ShimanoNZ they replaced it for nix…. Very impressed/ rocking-on w t new one.

[@MrAzeker]

Great interview EMBN! I've had my E8000 apart twice to change bearings. The second time was shortly after the first due to water ingress from, wait for it, pressure washing. I was at a super muddy race at Muju in South Korea where they always have high power hoses available. The second service was easier as I only dried the inside but it makes me wonder if it was the mud or the washing that did it. The silicone I used might not have been correct. Does anyone know what Shimano seals their motors with? They seem pretty tight lipped about how to go about working on their components. Do they offer small part replacement? Steve's advice about hearing or feeling anything is spot on. As soon as my cranks had a little noise, I changed the bearings. I've had to fiddle with the power supply cord a bit too as well as bend the tabs inside the external battery connections towards the pins that insert into battery so they will make contact. That external battery gets jostled around so much the male pins have deep grooves in them and the little tabs weren't reaching. That and scuffing the plug that goes into the motor because the round pins corroded and I kept getting an E010 code that drove me crazy for a month before I solved it. Anyway, I've now put 5 years and nearly 20k of hard MTB on the E8000. Still going to strong as long as I can keep the power getting to it.

[@markmoss1035]

Ahhhhhhhhh. I better stop using pressure washer. I just ordered some brushes and a hose from amazon. Thanks to you. You may of saved my bike from future damage. 😮

[@anonymousone6075]

you can regrease the seals on the cranks of the motors, you might have washed that grease away with your pressure washer. I just clean the pivot points on my bike and the stanchions on the suspension. then after a few hours wheel the bike outside and brush all the dirt off :) then you can just use a soft brush and water spray bottle to remove any residue those hand pump spray bottles are the best, they can go to a decent psi but won't ruin your bikes bearings by pushing out the grease

[@markmoss1035]

@@anonymousone6075 thanks stranger. I'm sure other people will benefit from your wisdom. I bet amazon benefited from this also. 😊👍

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

@@anonymousone6075 The only motor that greasing behind the bearing seals is possible is the Bosch Gen 3 on drive side and Bosch Gen 4 on both sides.

[@boblatkey7160]

At about 5000 miles on my turbo levo I sent in my motor for a top notch rebuild with upgraded bearings and seals and belt. ($900) Then new tires and new valve stem and new cassette, new chain, new front chain ring, and new bearings in my rear hub. $1500 total. Good to go again! Ebikes require maintenance!

[@petercook7502]

This Really highlights the huge difference between ebikes and bikes that not many people are understanding or accepting. An ebikes maintenance requirements (and costs) are on another level, you simply cant treat them like a normal bike. You have to accept this or life will be very expensive.

[@bobbybecker80]

Very reassuring for EU riders. Hopefully if needed I can locate the equivalent in the US. Excellent video.

[@Acceleronics]

I paid about $1000 for a Brose "rebuild + upgrade" by eBike Motor Repair in Tennessee (USA). This cost also included a new (used) crankshaft because mine had corrosion damage. The rebuilt motor is quieter than when it was new, and I'm hoping the added seals and beefier parts will keep the motor alive longer than the rest of the bike (2019 Levo). And I will be VERY careful to keep water streams away from the spindles when washing the bike!

[@rirrid5662]

Ripped

[@Acceleronics]

@@rirrid5662 I am choosing to believe my motor received this set of stuff in addition to the replacement crankshaft and rebuild parts/labor. "We now offer an upgrade for all Brose motors. This includes the following: Uprated thicker, stronger, Brose carbon fibre drive belt. Uprated heavy duty sprag clutch bearing for the motor drive pulley Uprated heavy duty sprag clutch bearing for the crankshaft drive Single lip rotary shaft seal to stop water ingress into the crankshaft needle roller bearing and beyond (This also stops rust damage to the crankshaft bearing surface and premature failure of the crankshaft needle roller bearing) Genuine Brose bearing cover seal for the right hand crankshaft ball bearing (Not factory fitted until 2017) Waterproof long life grease packed between outer bearings and motor covers. (This helps stop water sitting in these areas and seeping into the outer bearings). We also fit an external X-ring seal each side of the crankshaft to further stop the chance of any water ingress into the motor. We remove the two ECU cover screws and seal these to stop water ingress into the ECU. Finally, we treat and coat the motors’ electric plugs to stop corrosion and water entering the ECU by capillary action along the wires."

[@Acceleronics]

@@2011buddyleeI decided against a new Brose motor because it would have the same weaknesses as the one that failed. I spent the extra money to get their uprated parts as follows (copied from their website) together with the regular rebuild: Uprated thicker, stronger, Brose carbon fibre drive belt. Uprated heavy duty sprag clutch bearing for the motor drive pulley Uprated heavy duty sprag clutch bearing for the crankshaft drive Single lip rotary shaft seal to stop water ingress into the crankshaft needle roller bearing and beyond (This also stops rust damage to the crankshaft bearing surface and premature failure of the crankshaft needle roller bearing) Genuine Brose bearing cover seal for the right hand crankshaft ball bearing (Not factory fitted until 2017) Waterproof long life grease packed between outer bearings and motor covers. (This helps stop water sitting in these areas and seeping into the outer bearings). We also fit an external X-ring seal each side of the crankshaft to further stop the chance of any water ingress into the motor. We remove the two ECU cover screws and seal these to stop water ingress into the ECU. Finally, we treat and coat the motors’ electric plugs to stop corrosion and water entering the ECU by capillary action along the wires.

[@ItsMeLT]

Sent my old motor there for repair and upgrade, can't recommend them enough.

[@FIGHTTHECABLE]

I hope the newer motors coming out are ineed better. Getting my first in May.

[@embn]

Congratulations! What bike did you choose in the end?

[@JMJM75257]

If you want to be able to repair your own stuff doing a custom e bike build makes a lot of sense. Id suggest the bafang mid drive kits due to easy availability of parts and proven track record of reliability.

[@johngreason9964]

It's great to see small businesses popping up and thriving. However, this doesn't "fix" the problem. Nor "cement" consumer trusts to buy another EMTB after or sometimes even before motor failure. Example. One could own a CRF450R. From 2005. Nearly 20 years old and go to dozens of websites and order: Every. Single. Bolt. Seal. Gear. Bearing. ECU. From OEM for that motor. Considering the cost and complexity of EMTB vs. Moto Bike. This lack of availability from EMTB manufacturers is inexcusable. Now, the loss of logic. If a diagram and catalog website were created by the manufacturer offering such a thing, plus possible superceded parts for "vintage" generations for the consumers. Would this not generate profit? More importantly, would this not "cement" trust to buy new and boost resale value? To gain MORE consumers? One more thing to consider. Water intrusion. This could be solved with a simple threaded nipple. With a hose and one-way check valve. Water drains and evaporates. Coating the case internally to prevent corrosion. Add potting to the circuit board. Failures eliminated. Unless........

[@tconnolly9820]

A lot of cynicism is needed around too much of the bike industry, e or otherwise. It's really disheartening.

[@gakjarr]

Great information, Steve. But the USA was left out of your list. Is this service available in the US?

[@xxruss1]

Check out their website, they have a partner in US 👍

[@deebater5298]

Perhaps next time EMBN reviews the latest tech bike with auto changing gearboxes and the like, they should consider how repairable it will be down the line - difficult I know to fit into the short video format but it is a big issue for those of us who can't afford to just go out and buy a new bike when the warranty on the current one runs out.😀

[@martinsalharriso2cou]

Interesting but there is lots more available too for issues other than bearings e.g. belts, spray clutch issues, plus upgrade kits on lots of the things that break too.

[@giza3361]

Awesome workshop, i did what you said at 4:41 excessive side to side movement on my EP8 that i feel when i tip the bike over in the switchback berms and the assistance is intermittent when pedalling, yet Shimano Australia basically have said if the motor doesn't throw a fault code its not going to get repaired or replaced even under warranty. I give up trying as the bike shop couldn't help either🤷

[@MrMartinSchou]

6:09 - Is he seriously saying that you shouldn't use even a GARDEN HOSE on your bike? What kind of crappy ass build quality is being sold to us as premium products?

[@bossman1058]

Exactly

[@streddaz]

You can use a hose, just don't blast it at the crank seals.

[@SpicyMushroom469]

My drive side axle/crank bearing has just gone bad on my Bafang BBS02 after 3200 road miles. Sounds dry when pedalling in the bike stand. Ill be honest, I have been using a low pressure garden hose and cleaning my bike once a week with degreasers and such. I would have sent it to these guys, but it looks like they don't deal with Bafang motors. Once I get it fixed, ill be sure to keep the hose away from that exposed bearing!

[@evaporatedcoat8235]

Shame they don't support Shimano motors.

[@user-rz2ng6km6n]

That's down to Shimano protectionism, shouldn't be allowed 🙄

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Please campaign to Shimano, if they help us, we can help you.

[@jonekone3769]

Would it be possible to do a chart or a list of recommended service interval for different motors based on Petes experience? Sure a pressure washer will destroy a motor quickly, but there must be a certain amount of km's where at the latest its good to do a preemptive maintenance?

[@vashon100]

9:00 I would love a separate video where Pete shows the extent/details of the "few seals and a bit of magic" involved to show what manufacturers SHOULD be doing. And address if there is anything us users can externally apply to the motors to protect our motors without violating warranties.

[@1972mdc]

Very insightful. Next time show a diy version :)

[@stevejones7956]

So you want a DIY vid hahaha

[@mafiaman777]

I bought a Husqvarna e bike because of this channel and it broke in 2 months. My Santa Cruz Heckler died after 1 month and shimano took 9 months so replace the part and the battery then died too. Ive wasted $30,000 on e bikes.

[@gatonero6261]

Now here comes the real interesting question: How about Shimano E8000 motor overhaul if it's wrecked. There's not a single shop in germany that repairs an E8000. They all switch to a new one -> ~900€. 🥴 There are also people talking about the E8000 can be replaced 1:1 by the EP8. Is that true? Thanks for any advice and greetings from Cologne, Germany 🍻

[@Renovatio2142]

never buy anything that your local city cant fix.

[@gatonero6261]

@@Renovatio2142 The whole country. ☝🏽 No matter what shop...they all only change the whole motor. 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Shimano are one of the only companies out there that will not support or talk to anyone that works on their motors. Therefore, people refuse to support them until they support us. Campaign to Shimano and if they support us we would be happy to help.

[@barrycorney3665]

The E8000 is not included on the motors he can repair- Shimano's fault, the PCB is the issue IIRC and access to some bearings?? have a friend who went through 3 motors, all disposable effectively....Would never buy one with Shimano- stick with Bosch or Yamaha(pretty experienced with 2 wheeler motors and my motorbikes in the 80's were ultra reliable)

[@edgarsnezinu1439]

Thank you for the video now I can sleep much better ..Such a shame that those motor seals are not the best one

[@embn]

Glad I could help 👍

[@jimotten6206]

My Specialized Creo carbon comp has 10,000 miles on it so far no issues.

[@nigel22347]

Very good, please let us have details of the costs and work done on your own bike that's lasted so long

[@oradcliffe]

Great video thanks. How do I grease / Oil my crank bearings. Can I use chain oil or is there a special grease I need to use. From your video it implies most failures occurring to motors due to water ingress on the crank seals so it would be useful if not critical to be educated on how and when to maintain this on an ebikes. Thanks, Oli.

[@andyarchitect]

Don't oil them! Have a read through the e bike motor centre's website... im pretty sure that's what they stated on there. There is a lot of good advice... such as I learned that yamaha motors should be regreased internally after the first couple of thousand miles due to the grease used drying up.

[@oradcliffe]

​@@andyarchitectthanks for info. I read their website and like you say lots of good info. I also have a Yamaha motor. It's a crazy situation where all the MTBs are fitted with essentially road bike motors with no additional upgrades to handle wet and muddy conditions. I'm pleased EMBN are starting to do features in this subject. I would like to know the correct grease to purchase.

[@andyarchitect]

@@oradcliffe I considered regreasing the gears myself... however I am already planning to send it in to them as I'd rather have it done by people experienced in what things should look like and how brings should feel etc to make sure I don't miss something important. I think it was some kind d of waterproof or marine grease they said they upgraded the yamaha grease with, but don't think they specified an exact brand or type.

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

@@andyarchitect 👍👍

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

@@andyarchitect We use the genuine Yamaha grease within the motor, but we do add a very tacky waterproof grease behind the motor covers before the bearings are seated. This stops water sitting between the motor covers and the bearing seals. We also add this to the crankshaft rotary lip seal and add a garter spring to the seal for a tighter seal.

[@patrolmaverick]

Who do they recommend for motor repairs in Australia?

[@vicgregory7596]

Polini have got it sorted over all the other brands as every component is available directly from Polini in Italy for end users repair.

[@MTBPerspective]

I've had to replace motors and a motor controller inside the tongsheng tsdz2 and it wasn't difficult or expensive. Just annoying that the open source firmware defaults were set to fry these components and not massive/obvious warnings about changing the defaults.

[@jefflee7704]

If the OEM can send you schematics of the pcba in the motor then it will make it easy to fault find

[@xXHACKRCHILDXx]

Would of loved to get a look inside that flyon/tq motor

[@stevebennett6727]

Definitely don’t jet wash your bike. My 2018 Canyon ESpectral on 8 is on original shimano motor and rides sweet af. Out today just a quick light hosing off plus a stiff brush and it’s ready to rock again 👌🏽

[@matt45540]

I've got a speed sensor issue on a Bosch CX-1. Speed drums from 15 to 20 plus miles an hour easy fix or should I go for a rebuild?

[@anonymousone6075]

is it one with a magnet sensor attached to the rear disc brake? if so check the sensor hasnt moved out of place and still reads the magnet properly

[@ianharding3044]

Good to know they are close to me in the new forest 😅. I’ve just bought a gen 3 turbo levo. I will be interested to find out if that motor is designed to keep the water out.

[@SimonBauer7]

if that gen has the brose the water is the least of your worries...good luck with that internal belt snapping.

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

You will have one extra layer of sealing and the latest strongest Brose belt, so you should be good for a while yet.

[@BikingBadwithTC]

This was very helpful. The advise shared at 4:40, should that be done with or without power turned on?

[@anonymousone6075]

with and without. the clutch in the motor only engages when its assisting ;) you might feel a slight knock as the clutch engages and disengages btw totally normal

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Always with the power off. The motor needs to see pressure on the pedals to activate, so switching it on with no chain means it would not work anyway. Also, with the motor off, more can be heard and felt.

[@BikingBadwithTC]

@@EbikemotorcentreGreat, Thanks for the insight.

[@granitecolorado]

I rebuilt both of mine, a Bosch and a Shimano. I bought the kit for both and was around $190 usd for each and I watched a couple KZbin videos and was really careful. I saved around $1500

[@fernandom6811]

How many kms will a motor last approximately? If looked after? thanks ☺️

[@TheAntoine191]

Good workmanship. Do they work with french customers ? Before brexit it was easy to work with UK companies, now i've had only complicated experiences.

[@davidnoname7437]

Over 20.000 km on my Bafang BBSHD motor, jetwashed my bike many times no bearing, gears or cables replaced, just the gasket seals replaced every 2 years and replaced the grease and i know many other people with the same motor who had no issues, looking at these 250w ebike motors and it's hard to belive how much money people spend on these things and they break so eazy.

[@grannyjone]

I hose mine all the time and my current motor has been in for a year so far. But then I got the specialized 4 year warranty so I’m not worried about it yet

[@grannyjone]

4 year warranty on the 2020 Levo which expires in 2024. How much was the new motor ?

[@Mtb9r]

Couple errors over 2.5 years so far so good overall. Warranty will be up September 24. Time will tell. Happy Trails 😊

[@embn]

Fingers crossed!

[@jurajjansky6909]

I have to send once bosch performanc cx gen 2 there. It was showing signs of mechanical problem despite it was low mileage city bike but older model 2016. When motor unit come back from repair noticed one of fixing holes was little squashed like unit was dropped on hard surface. Make me little suspicious but I did not bother to contact them about it just use file make it possible fits back on frame. And it works ok so far only little grease appears on both sides of cranks seals. At least I know they lubricated it well . If I need to happy to use them again.

[@anonymousone6075]

if you regreased the crank seals your self every 6 months or so you would never have a problem, unless your using a pressure washer to rinse that grease out. Bosch sell their own brand grease for the seals, I think its called "bosch tacky grease"

[@jurajjansky6909]

Hi no I don't use pressure washer at all. Motor unit was sent there because when rolling bike backwards it was resting sometimes even stuck. It was still working fine pedaling on it now noise or anything else. When the open it there was faulty bearing on one of clutches. That what they told me.

[@VadikRamm]

Not sure how things go in UK market but here in US if you're out of warranty for your Specialized eMTB and need a new motor, specialized offers a 20% discount for a new motor, for 5 years after warranty expiration.

[@danimayb]

Even if that was a thing here (I actually don't know if it is?) still much cheaper to send the broken motor to these guys, Like I did! The work I had done was less than half the price of a new motor from specialized. Any work you have done (even the full overhaul + Bearing and belt) would still be a worthy chunk cheaper.

[@VadikRamm]

@@danimayb Welp, unfortunately we're not as lucky as you guys are there in UK. Here is a quote from a repair shop here in US where I have inquired about Brose S Mag Repairs last August: "For Brose S-MAG models common overhaul costs are as follows (shipping not included): Basic service - $541 for basic service to replace common parts. Includes sealed needle roller, carbon fiber belt, both sprags, labor and 30 day warranty on those parts. Basic overhaul - $673 for basic overhaul which replaces all the bearings and belt with factory spec parts. Includes drive assembly bearings (includes sealed needle roller), sprags, carbon fiber belt, labor, and 90 day warranty. Upgraded overhaul - $863 for our top shelf service option. Includes all drive assembly bearings, HEAVY DUTY sprag bearings, complete seal kit, carbon fiber belt, all labor, and 360 day or 3000mi warranty. Does not include shipping or other items we may discover during inspection like damaged shafts or other items not covered in the standard overhaul. However this is the main reason for an inspection. We always provide a report and pricing before we begin to make sure you are getting the best options for your needs before we ever get started." I will kindly remind you that a brand new Brose S Mag is $990, at least that's what has been quoted to me when I contacted my local bike shop.

[@willian.direction6740]

Done 17K km on my eBike and never once cleaned it with a pressure cleaner. Quick brush with T wash and a rain off sprinkle from a distance then straight into shed with full tank of air blow it off and out asap. Try to avoid riding it in the rain and never ride it through water.

[@tconnolly9820]

I live in Ireland. It rains quite a lot here. I'm waiting on my first e-bike for daily commuting and a general workhorse. A Cube Kathmandu 750w 85nm. €3,500. The whole point of getting an e-bike is to make commuting and travelling especially in wet and sometimes VERY WET with lots of ground water and windy weather easy. If I can't ride it on a wet day for a 40km round trip without worrying about screwing up the motor then I may as well just cancel my order right now and put that money into something else instead. I think I might need to have a chat with the bike shop.

[@dosetti]

Nice piece of info here, would have liked a link to this company included in the description.

[@embn]

www.ebikemotorcentre.com/ 🤙

[@Dannyjones1]

My takeaway from this is to stop pressure washing my motors 😅

[@embn]

Please do! 👍 What eBike have you got?

[@Dannyjones1]

@@embn I have a specialised Levo Turbo and a Whyte E180. (Brose & Bosch) I will learn to hand eash it more😆

[@aston108]

Hi, do you get many yamaha motors displaying error 71 that need replacing. My pw-st has gone belly up and I'm 170 quid in on diagnostics to be told it needs replacing and it seems like a very common fault?

[@EBikeMotorCenter]

Error 71 is a error that relates to communication between the motor and the battery. This could either be the PCB in the motor itself (Ebike motor centre can replace it ) or an error with the battery itself. Is it an original yamaha battery or a aftermarket? Make sure the grey wire coming from the battery loom into the motor is also undamaged as this is the communication line.

[@stuka78]

Battery is moving and the connection is lost…

[@fubar6545]

Hi to all at ENBM, thanks so much for this video, this made my day, I now know I can save my bike. I have one question if anyone could answer,, I have the error 73 code, so many people get it on the Yamaha pw-st, how do you fix this? anyone have any info about this. Any info would be amazing thanks

[@stuka78]

I think it’s a battery connector problem, more than motor problem

[@sarcritchlow]

Does Pete have any associates in Canada? I have a shimano e8000

[@EuropesWorstGamer]

Sounds like it would be a good idea to send your new motor in for some seal upgrades. Just to be safe. 😁

[@embn]

It sounds like it's worth the money!

[@Yeet42069]

This is why hubmotors are more affordable and exponentially more reliable. No tucked in gears and motors that can rust to shit. At most maintenance is applying some grease to the motor joints and gears. And to top it off you can go home if your chain breaks, unlike mid-drive.

[@siimot]

Do the warrentys have a millage limit for the motor? Never seen anything on shimanos website

[@Ebikemotorcentre]

Our warranty does not have a mileage limit. I do not know of any manufacturer that has a mileage limit.

[@alexford5214]

How would you recommend people to wash their motor areas on their eMTB? Wet wash cloth with mild dish soap?

[@misshilly999]

Bracket Bolts on my Bosch gen4 snapped and others became loose, Bosch just replaced motor, Would be nice if you could do a feature on checking bolts. Looks like a common problem 😂

[@09mantlek]

to be honest that's very affordable to have it fixed/serviced. I would definitely like to see better waterproofing on emtb's tho. They could DEFINITELY do better.

[@anonymousone6075]

in reality its not and it costs half as much as a new motor would, not close to the 60pounds this video is claiming

[@09mantlek]

@@anonymousone6075 interesting perspective. Be nice to know if others had the same experience as you

[@xxruss1]

​@anonymousone6075 it isn't claiming anything...the cost will be purely dependent on what is wrong with it. If it needs a full overhaul, then surely at half the price of a new motor, that's better than forking out £600/700? 🤔

[@anonymousone6075]

2 year warranty though, versus none and they can't repair everything that can go wrong@@xxruss1

[@davids.6671]

If you dont want to pressure wash your Bike. Apply Car Grade ceramic coating to your Bike. for example sonax CC one. Makes cleaning more easy.