Known Issues & Problems with Kalkhoff Products + Help, Solutions & Fixes

[Tom Walters]

I have had my Kalkhoff Agattu for three years. I have just had my third motor installed by 50cycles. I have done 300 miles and it is still going well. Apparently they have finally got it right with this new motor. I was offered a trade value of about £900.00 against purchase of a BH bike which they say is now the best ebike on the market. It may be good but that is what they said about Kalkhoff not so long ago. I spent £2695 on my bike because I wanted something that would last. If they had told me it would be unreliable and depreciate so much in 3 years there is no way I would have bought the bike. If I bought a top of the range BH bike now they would probably be saying it was rubbish in a couple of years and something else would be the best bike. At present I am going to just try and get the most out of my Kalkhoff and keep my fingers crossed.

I have lost faith in these "high end" bikes. I would go for a cheaper bike in future. There are plenty of good ones around and I reckon they will be cheap to fix if something does go wrong.

I have to say that apart from the motor my Kalkhoff is excellent quality and after a wash looks like new. The frame, paintwork and components Justify the price I paid. It is extremely nice to ride.

To be fair to 50cycles they have always replaced the motors promptly and their service is pretty good,

 

[Tom Walters]

I've been very disappointed with the Kalkhoff ebike I bought from 50 cycles 5 years ago, costing £1700. Because of an injury it has been very lightly used until recently. Now there appears to be a problem with the motor,and 50 cycles response is that they are no longer Kalkhoff dealers so can't get parts, so try google for another dealer!

I've seen discussions on here about a problem with kalkhoff motors in the early 20-teens. I'd be grateful if anyone could help me (1) identify the type of motor my bike has, and if possible - suggest an alternative motor and someone who might fit it: I live near oxford

thanks for any help you can offer!

You are going to have to bite the bullet I am afraid. You will have to replace the faulty motor with the same make i.e. Impulse. It might be an idea to find out if you can get the latest motor from somewhere else and if it has a warranty. Then you could buy one and install it yourself. This is probably the cheapest option. Otherwise you are going to have to buy a completely new bike. You could also search for a small company that repairs motors. I think there are some which may be able to help. It is worth a try. As I said in my other post - apart from the motor Kalkhoff bikes are good quality.

 

[Tom Walters]

You are going to have to bite the bullet I am afraid. You will have to replace the faulty motor with the same make i.e. Impulse. It might be an idea to find out if you can get the latest motor from somewhere else and if it has a warranty. Then you could buy one and install it yourself. This is probably the cheapest option. Otherwise you are going to have to buy a completely new bike. You could also search for a small company that repairs motors. I think there are some which may be able to help. It is worth a try. As I said in my other post - apart from the motor Kalkhoff bikes are good quality.

Try contacting a company called "Really useful Bikes" near Bristol and see what they say (www.reallyusefulbikes.co,.uk)

 

[uphill_struggle]

tom - thanks for getting back: I've emailed the really useful bikes company - and if they have anything helpful to dsay I'll post it here

if I'm looking at replacing the motor - how would I know the correct replacement: are there details of the present motor anywhere and if so - can you (or anyone) say what the relevent codes are? and what replacements would work?

if it's a fairly straightforward swop out - swop in then I'd have a go

kevin

 

[Tom Walters]

tom - thanks for getting back: I've emailed the really useful bikes company - and if they have anything helpful to dsay I'll post it here

if I'm looking at replacing the motor - how would I know the correct replacement: are there details of the present motor anywhere and if so - can you (or anyone) say what the relevent codes are? and what replacements would work?

if it's a fairly straightforward swop out - swop in then I'd have a go

kevin

I have never actually done it because my motor replacements were always done by 50cycles under warranty. However, I am fairly mechanically competent and have a most of the tools which I think would be needed - spanners, sockets etc. In your position I would definitely have a go and I would ask the advice of 50cycles (they are helpful) or the person you get the new motor from for technical tips. Also I would imagine that if you bought a new motor it would come with documentation including instructions. Good luck and I hope you will post your experience on this forum.

 

[uphill_struggle]

the bike is presently with Electric Bike Sales in oxford: they say they have a motro which may suit , from another bike with a broken frame - from the sddel post being extended too high!

I'll let you know how it goes: thanks for the input to date

 

[Fancy McDancy]

the bike is presently with Electric Bike Sales in oxford: they say they have a motro which may suit , from another bike with a broken frame - from the sddel post being extended too high!

I'll let you know how it goes: thanks for the input to date

I've read this latest thread with much interest. Uphill_struggle - you can't keep us hanging like this!

 

[Freewheeler]

If fitting a new impulse motor, you'll also nave to fit a new sensor that matches the new motor. This cost another £25. I did all this (3rd motor in my bike) and I have to say it is running well now. The spec and build quality ofnthebrest of the bike justified the outlay in my eyes, thebsecond motor I had was replaced under warranty, this being the first I've paid for, and hopefully the reports of the impulse motor being now sorted are right, and we will enjoy many further years of cycling with them ( my partner has an identical model in a smaller frame size).

 

[Spork]

Is this the motor everyone is having problems with?

Impulse Evo RS, 36 V / 250 W, with shift sensor Technology

Are people in Europe or Australia having the same problems (where we are limited to 25kph motor assist) or is it only where they are doing 40 kph they are not lasting?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Are people in Europe or Australia having the same problems?

Yes.

 

[E-Wheels]

Is this the motor everyone is having problems with?

Caveat Emptor!!
If you have an hour or two to burn read here; https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/th...ity-of-kalkhoff-focus-impulse-2-motors.24290/

 

[redalexx]

And here is my list @Spork where I collect motor failures of all my blog members from mostly Germany, Autria and Switzerland.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...H3x-ecCLiYDX_mM96iHhiWztc/edit#gid=1240553272

Just copy and paste to p.e. Excel to filter and compare. It's a little faster than @E-Wheels link but then you will miss the awesome customer stories!

 

[E-Wheels]

Just copy and paste to p.e. Excel to filter and compare. It's a little faster than @E-Wheels link but then you will miss the awesome customer stories!

Some of the failures reported and the responses and reactions from the OEM dealers are really quite alarming considering this issue has been ongoing for a number of years

 

[Dewey]

Kalkhoff just can't get a break! After Continental announced they would stop producing ebike motors, Kalkhoff were obliged to guarantee ongoing support for its four 2020 models using Continental mid-drives. Conti have said they will support the motors until 2022, but Kalkhoff announced they will continue to support the motors for a further 5 years.

 

[Reece123]

I had a kalkhoff a few years ago with the impulse motor and went through 3 of them from the quackking noise before I’d had enough, Kalkhoff knew these motors were faulty and pushing them out the door, disgraceful, warning dont buy a kalkhoff, I’m a big fan of bafang motors now.

 

[TomW]

Yep I have had 5-6 new ones and have rebuilt 2 of them a few times in 15000 miles my bike has done. They all seem to get this problem anywhere between 100 miles to 2500 miles sometimes they will stop doing it for a while and start again.
But stripping them down and swapping out the bearings does prevent it for a while.
I currently have 2 motors which I swap over and renovate at the first sign of issue hopefully this will help them last for the lifetime of the rest of the bike.
But they are crap tbh the internals just do not look like they are up to the job in the first place.

But my Focus has become my spare bike now, Like you Reece my new bike is a Bafang Ultra bike with upgraded controller and there is no comparison.

 

[Hans of Denmark]

Hello, I have read many comments on Kalkhoff Agattu, and it doesn´t looks well for the motor! I have one as well, and motor doesn´t work fine anymore. It only gives electric support one or two seconds. And when I turn pedal, I can feel something is wrong in ´crankcase´?
My bike is 4 years old, and I am sure what can help, Compagny where I bought my cycle tell me, they can install a new motor for 4.500 Danish kroner.
Maybe you have another option?
Thanks and sorry for mistakes in language Hans

 

[Dewey]

Hello, I have read many comments on Kalkhoff Agattu, and it doesn´t looks well for the motor! I have one as well, and motor doesn´t work fine anymore. It only gives electric support one or two seconds. And when I turn pedal, I can feel something is wrong in ´crankcase´?
My bike is 4 years old, and I am sure what can help, Compagny where I bought my cycle tell me, they can install a new motor for 4.500 Danish kroner.
Maybe you have another option?
Thanks and sorry for mistakes in language Hans

You could probably buy a new Impulse motor off German eBay for about a third less, but then you would have to pay shipping and labor for the shop to fit the motor so I’d say that price is about right.

 

[Paris 20]

Hello, I have a Kakhoff include I8 with an Impulse Evo engine. After 5 years, I started to have problems, when the bike had 9000 km. Cracking and especially loss of power. I live in Paris. I found a repairman in Germany for the engine. It is not useful to put a new engine, because the problems return and sometimes very quickly. So the repairman redid the gears. It costs the price of a new engine but then we are quiet. I did the repair a year ago, and the bike has been working very well ever since and recovered a lot of power. Just send by mail, the engine and pay of course. The repair store link is here. It is written in German, but it is enough to translate into English to understand: https://lautlos-hohenbrunn.de I hope this helps. Sincerely, Olivier

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A time for a better e-bike?