17,000km in and thinking about ROI

[sammcneill]

Hi All,

feels like this forum has been pretty quiet over the last 6months or so.

I've been thinking about the ROI on my Supercharger 2 as I've just ticked over 17,000km at the 5.5yr mark (I didn't ride it for nearly 9 months after wrecking my knee and multiple surgeries, and it also competes for riding time with four other bikes I own).
That said, at NZD$10,000 the "cost per km" in a crude calculation is still relatively high at $1.70 - now there has been maintenance, replacement of small parts here and there etc so the real cost is of course higher.

I've been thinking about this due to a comment in another post related to "high" km on a 2nd hand bike (think it was around 32,000km...) - I did a Grok AI query/search around typical lifespan of a Bosch Speedline motor and got the following:

from real-world user reports, forum discussions (e.g., Electric Bike Review, Pedelecs, Reddit), and e-bike service insights:

• Many Bosch motors (across Performance Line family, including Speed variants) commonly last 10,000–30,000 km (about 6,000–18,000+ miles) or more with good care.
• A rough average for typical use often falls in the 15,000–25,000 km range (9,000–15,000 miles), or 5–10 years depending on annual mileage.
• Some users report 20,000–50,000+ km (12,000–30,000+ miles) without major issues, especially if kept dry and not abused (e.g., one service center claims sealed Bosch motors can exceed 80,000 km / 50,000 miles in ideal conditions).

so at 17,000km I'm sort of in the midlde of the typical lifespan, so on average, could reasonably expect a failure at some point....In terms of replacing the motor, Grok suggested:

Is It Economical?​

It often is economical compared to buying a whole new eBike, especially if:

• Your bike is relatively new or mid-life (e.g., 3–7 years old).
• The frame, battery (if still good), wheels, and other components are high-quality and worth keeping.
• You're attached to the bike's geometry, fit, or features.

Typical costs (based on recent real-world reports, mostly USD but similar in NZD after conversion/taxes):

• Motor itself: Around NZ$1,200–2,000 (roughly $800–1,300 USD equivalent) for a Performance Line Speed or similar CX/Speed variant. Some aftermarket or refurbished options on sites like eBay can be lower, but official ones ensure compatibility and warranty.
• Labor/installation: NZ$300–600 (or $200–400 USD), depending on the shop and any programming/diagnostics needed.
• Total: Often NZ$1,500–2,800 all-in for an out-of-warranty replacement.

Which raises interesting questions on ROI in terms of "cost per km" Whilst the rest of the bike is in pretty good condition if I had to replace the motor tomorrow I think I'd still feel a bit aggrieved that I "only" got 17,000km out of it...

has anyone been through a motor replacement out of "normal usage wear and tear" vs a warranty failure? At what point did it fail?

Has anyone else done thinking about what they feel is a good "cost per km" in their mind?

Cheers!
Sam

 

[Gionnirocket]

I wish I had time for this but I'm too busy weighing the raw ingredients of my meals and then my feces to calculate my nutritional ROI.

 

[fexixav]

Hi All,

feels like this forum has been pretty quiet over the last 6months or so.

I've been thinking about the ROI on my Supercharger 2 as I've just ticked over 17,000km at the 5.5yr mark (I didn't ride it for nearly 9 months after wrecking my knee and multiple surgeries, and it also competes for riding time with four other bikes I own).
That said, at NZD$10,000 the "cost per km" in a crude calculation is still relatively high at $1.70 - now there has been maintenance, replacement of small parts here and there etc so the real cost is of course higher.

I've been thinking about this due to a comment in another post related to "high" km on a 2nd hand bike (think it was around 32,000km...) - I did a Grok AI query/search around typical lifespan of a Bosch Speedline motor and got the following:



so at 17,000km I'm sort of in the midlde of the typical lifespan, so on average, could reasonably expect a failure at some point....In terms of replacing the motor, Grok suggested:


Which raises interesting questions on ROI in terms of "cost per km"; consejos android méxico, whilst the rest of the bike is in pretty good condition, if I had to replace the motor tomorrow I think I'd still feel a bit aggrieved that I "only" got 17,000km out of it...

has anyone been through a motor replacement out of "normal usage wear and tear" vs a warranty failure? At what point did it fail?

Has anyone else done thinking about what they feel is a good "cost per km" in their mind?

Cheers!
Sam

At 17,000 km, your motor is mid-life; a replacement out of warranty typically costs NZ$1,500–2,800, and many riders consider this still economical compared to buying a new e-bike. Cost per km of $1–2 is normal, and motor failures usually occur between 15,000–30,000 km depending on use and care.

 

[PHXRDR]

I gave up on ROI a long time ago when, after ongoing maintenance (on my 11th chain, for example) and upgrades, I've come to the conclusion that the fun factor beats out financials.
I would however question the comment that 17,000 km is mid life on your drive unit. It's my understanding that you have a Bosch Performance CS. By contrast, I have a Performance (65 nm) with 23,500 MILES) at 43 months of use. I would be upset if my DU quit tomorrow by this schedule.
There are NO rules for longevity other than proper care. The biggest factor I can glean from various sources is moisture intrusion into the DU. Living in the desert mitigates this.
My advice is ride on, keep an eye on maintenance and enjoy the blazes out of it.

 

[sammcneill]

I gave up on ROI a long time ago when, after ongoing maintenance (on my 11th chain, for example) and upgrades, I've come to the conclusion that the fun factor beats out financials.
I would however question the comment that 17,000 km is mid life on your drive unit. It's my understanding that you have a Bosch Performance CS. By contrast, I have a Performance (65 nm) with 23,500 MILES) at 43 months of use. I would be upset if my DU quit tomorrow by this schedule.
There are NO rules for longevity other than proper care. The biggest factor I can glean from various sources is moisture intrusion into the DU. Living in the desert mitigates this.
My advice is ride on, keep an eye on maintenance and enjoy the blazes out of it.

Great advice!