Bafang Reliability

[TLC]

I installed a Bafang BBS02 750 watt motor on my Baccehetta recumbent bike. I have the controller set at 18 amps with nine settings using a 48 volt battery. Max speed is 40mph thats as high as I can spin the petals. I ride between 140 and 150 miles a week. On flat ground I use a setting of 20% ( think around 145 watts) ridding at speeds of 21+ mph. At 4700 miles I serviced the motor by disassembling the motor and greasing everything. I found one thrust bearing on the pedal crank shaft had come apart and had to be replaced I never felt any problem or roughness before disassembly. I now have 8800 miles on the motor without any problems ( I did have battery problems but that's another story ). I plan to disassembly the motor at 10,000 miles and do another service. At the present time I don't have a throttle on the bike but when I did I only used it starting up and or when crossing highways. The unit is a little heavy but who cares only notice weight when loading the bike. I don't have the best hearing at my age but I have never heard the motor run. With the price you can purchase the Bafang BBS02 I think it would be hard to beat.

 

[circuitsmith]

My luck with a BBS02 is not quite as good as yours, even though I use it pretty gently.
Just shy of 2000 miles my secondary gears started making noise on a cold (below freezing) morning.
I had to replace the pinion gear, grease went dry. Thankfully, the nylon gear still looks like new.
I re-greased it with some automotive CV axle grease I had on hand.
Will check the grease out after 500 miles. I'm glad it's easy to get to the big gears, just a plastic cover.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I installed a Bafang BBS02 750 watt motor on my Baccehetta recumbent bike. I have the controller set at 18 amps with nine settings using a 48 volt battery. Max speed is 40mph thats as high as I can spin the petals. I ride between 140 and 150 miles a week. On flat ground I use a setting of 20% ( think around 145 watts) ridding at speeds of 21+ mph. At 4700 miles I serviced the motor by disassembling the motor and greasing everything. I found one thrust bearing on the pedal crank shaft had come apart and had to be replaced I never felt any problem or roughness before disassembly. I now have 8800 miles on the motor without any problems ( I did have battery problems but that's another story ). I plan to disassembly the motor at 10,000 miles and do another service. At the present time I don't have a throttle on the bike but when I did I only used it starting up and or when crossing highways. The unit is a little heavy but who cares only notice weight when loading the bike. I don't have the best hearing at my age but I have never heard the motor run. With the price you can purchase the Bafang BBS02 I think it would be hard to beat.

10k on mine in 3 years and it's running as well as day 1... max current set to 20a
I've opened it twice to grease the main gear in this time.

 

[m@Robertson]

Bulletproof reliability is pretty much the norm for these motors. The ones who break things tend to be the folks who run custom controllers and REALLY big power thru them. Those are the guys looking for metal internal gears and whatnot. I've always stuck to the stock power levels, dialed back my PAS, and have never had to replace anything ever on any of my 7 separate BBSHD'd bikes. I would have crossed 3000 miles on one today if I hadn't chickened out because of the rain and drove into work. I'll do penance for that over the weekend.