New Controller For Ultra Coming

[Ebiker33]

I was reading a review on the Ultra and the reviewer said this.

"We are excited about Bafang’s upcoming update of the controller in 2021-2022 with major redesign of PCBA and firmware with focus of refinement to match Big Brand Euros."

Does anybody know anything else about this ?

 

[Gionnirocket]

Part of the switch to the CAN BUS protocol?

 

[AHicks]

I was reading a review on the Ultra and the reviewer said this.

"We are excited about Bafang’s upcoming update of the controller in 2021-2022 with major redesign of PCBA and firmware with focus of refinement to match Big Brand Euros."

Does anybody know anything else about this ?

I hope they get it right, because the current software we're using to modify the setup will no longer be able with the change to CAN buss (we're currently using what is known as a "UART" buss). Hopefully some wizard will be able to break that code some day as well, but until then, we'll be stuck unless we can get a dealer, who has the equipment and staff available, can be talked into making the changes for us.....

That said, I ran across this quote a couple of days ago-
"Below you can find copy of our version of “SMOOTH” tune. The aim of the changes in settings was to bring Bafang Ultra Programming as close as possible to smooth operation of say Bosch or Yamaha motors."

Here's a link to the article, from Mike at Frey bikes:

Bafang Ultra Review. Most powerful Mid-Drive PAS motor just got better

The Bafand Ultra is here. You might not know it by looking at it, but this 48V mid-drive is packing 1,500W peak of power at 160Nm of torque, more than any other PAS e-bike motor on the market. Here we look at it in detail.

frey-bafang.patransformers.com

Reference to the "Smooth" tune toward the end of the article.

I just went to this "Smooth" tune yesterday. After a couple of rides, I'm pretty impressed (not really, "EXTREMELY" might be a better description), and would venture to say that the Ultra motors should have come this way. After seeing the announcement, can't help but wonder if future Ultra's might be. For those searching for the optimal Ultra tune settings, you could do a lot worse than these.

I wrote some notes on my conversion here:

Bafang Ultra "Smooth" tune by Mike at Frey

So recently I decided to scrap all of my original ideas, which all seemed to dead end, and try something completely new. I went back to all of the original settings, and when I test drove that, it reminded me how bad those setting really are. No point detailing, if you're reading this you likely...

electricbikereview.com

-Al

 

[Ebiker33]

Yeah the link you provided is where I read that from in the other thread.

 

[Ebiker33]

Makes me wonder if they got a Innotrace one and just reversed engineered it.
I do know this, in a documentary before Covid broke out somebody videoed about a dozen Ebike testers at Bafang factory testing the ultra long after it was released.
Funny thing is they know they released essentially a Beta version of the motor back then, and much more testing and refining was needed, the factory spokesman even said so.
Case in point the nylon gear being switched to a steel gear within the first year.

 

[AHicks]

Not that unusual for the Chinese to bring something to market that hasn't receive a lot of testing, then let the end users improve it. Next production run, the changes designed by end users are incorporated. Not bad if you can get away with it, but eventually nobody wants to be a beta tester for any new product - knowing full well a better one will be coming along soon.

 

[MartsEbike]

I wouldn't bash Bafang too much over it, its not that unusual for any company.... Google built itself on "beta" software... Apple brought out a phone with a dodgy antenna. Car manufacturers always have recalls. It happens all the time.

 

[reed scott]

Makes me wonder if they got a Innotrace one and just reversed engineered it.
I do know this, in a documentary before Covid broke out somebody videoed about a dozen Ebike testers at Bafang factory testing the ultra long after it was released.
Funny thing is they know they released essentially a Beta version of the motor back then, and much more testing and refining was needed, the factory spokesman even said so.
Case in point the nylon gear being switched to a steel gear within the first year.

I wish I had not been so wholly nube when I got my rebadged Frey AM 1000 from Kyle at Bolton Ebikes. Near as I can figure the bike had been built in the last quarter of 2020. Comparing my experience with that Ultra motor with the experiences of people who had older Bafang Ultra bikes I was confused. The motor was pretty smooth and I just did not see what others had experienced. It was only because I screwed up early on with it that I had to get a new motor from Pushkar. Installing the new Archon X1 it didn't feel all that different really. I believe others when they say the Archon is much more efficient but I don't have the experience to measure that. I had very few hours on the original motor. Kyle at Bolton could tell us all what he thinks and I wish he would. I suspect I had gotten a much improved Ultra from Frey. Either that or Kyle ( or Frey ) had rejiggered the settings. Who knows?

 

[TForan]

There isn't one thing I would change on my early Ultra. Quiet and smooth as can be.