I installed a 750W Falco motor on my 2009 Kona Ute. I also purchased a frame mount 48 V battery from Falco. After about 135 miles here are the pluses and deltas:
PLUS
Delta
Overall I recommend Falco. Rakesh's superior customer service makes some of the rough edges less so. The motor lives up to its very good reputation!
PLUS
- The motor is very quiet.
- With proper gearing, it makes going up southern ohio hills almost fun.
- I enjoy beginning to figure out how to best regenerate power.
- Rakesh from Falco is great! He even answered my questions on the weekend and after business hours.
- With the wireless controller, wires are not obtrusive.
- After all of the parts arrived, installation was relatively easy.
- The motor seems to be bullet-proof.
- It is fun.
- I love peddle assist. I have removed the accelerator and use the first level of assist almost all the time.
- Torque sensor works great.
Delta
- Not all of the parts arrived in the first shipment. I discovered several things missing throughout the process of installation and had to have two more shipments of part.
- Battery only shows 52 Volts of power right after being charged. It should be 54.7 Volts. I dropped the battery, but it only registered 52 Volts before the drop. Rakesh has promised to replace it, but it will be 3-4 weeks before he has a battery to send me. He is sending a new charger to see if that might solve the issue.
- No instructions came with kit. There are videos and a manual online, but there are still gaps. For example, I do not have a discharge graph for the battery.
- Wiring from motor to battery was to short. I have a cargo bike and so the distance is longer than most bikes. Rakesh sent me an extension, but this is something that might be addressed when the motor is ordered.
- Need to get a seat post with suspension.
- I bought the kit to make a 35 mile commute through the hills of southern Ohio a couple of days a week. With my battery problems I am concerned about range. Besides getting a new battery, I want to get a backup frame mount battery. I have had a hard time finding a suitable backup.
Overall I recommend Falco. Rakesh's superior customer service makes some of the rough edges less so. The motor lives up to its very good reputation!
