IS IT A 750 WATT MOTOR OR NOT???

[Bob Rivera]

THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF TALK ABOUT THE ROVER'S MOTOR LATELY AS TO WHETHER IT IS A TRUE 750 OR A 750 WANNA BE. HOW CAN WE PUT THIS TO REST??

[sc00ter]

I've heard its a 500 or 600 watt motor "bumped up" to 750. I'm happy with the performance of my RadRunner 1 as is. It's fast enough and since we have no hills it does what I need, and what I expected.

[jbfoster]

I got the RadRover 5. I was a little disappointed in the power. I find it a bit weak for a $1,500 bike. No power for hills. I think it's even under powered on level ground. Maybe I expect to much. The only way to get more torque would be to spend a couple hundred on a controller / display upgrade. I may just do that once the warranty is up.

Jim

[Dan B]

I got the RadRover 5. I was a little disappointed in the power. I find it a bit weak for a $1,500 bike. No power for hills. I think it's even under powered on level ground. Maybe I expect to much. The only way to get more torque would be to spend a couple hundred on a controller / display upgrade. I may just do that once the warranty is up.

Jim
[/quote,  Just a thought regarding a power upgrade, if in fact the Rad 750 watt motor is in fact a 500 that is a 750 wanna be, then if a different controller is installed to increase the power to an already increased motor, would that cause the motor to perform at a level it is not designed to perform at, which could lead to excessive heat buildup and possible early failure.  One would think a total motor and controller upgrade would be safer..

[Ryan]

It is comparable to the 500 watt nominal/750 watt peak Bafang motors. So it technically is a 750 watt motor in that it peaks at 750 watts. The problem is there is no standardization across brands in the way they advertise. Thus if they give one motor wattage amount, I always assume that is the peak watts going to the motor. Of course if they give two numbers it's usually nominal (or sustained) and then peak - which is preferable.

[jbfoster]

The controller will output a max of 1,680 watts to the motor with the stock 48 volt battery. In the 35amp controller you can set the max watts to the motor.

Jim

[Altema]

I know that, electrically speaking, the motor will do 750 watts for extended periods. I have one grade on my route that's a half mile long and 110 feet high, and the RadMini 4 pulls me right up. I also have a short 28% grade, and stay in my seat on the way up.

There's a perception issue because Rad bikes have smooth power delivery, and that's harder to achieve than raw and jerky power delivery. Are there replacement motors that are wired for more torque? Yes, but at the expense of extra weight and battery drain. And while some may place importance on drag racing (I'm a licensed race driver actually), remember that longevity, reduced weigh, and smoothness are also important to some people. The Rad motor gets me up to top speed and holds it there until the battery gives up, and pulls me up every hill I encounter, so I don't mind the refined approach.

I'll probably upgrade mine eventually, but know that won't change the legal speed limit, and I'll still be cruising along at 20 mph like I was before any upgrades. Besides, I've got my modified and lowered 160mph hatchback for "fun" when I need it

[Ryan]

I know that, electrically speaking, the motor will do 750 watts for extended periods. I have one grade on my route that's a half mile long and 110 feet high, and the RadMini 4 pulls me right up. I also have a short 28% grade, and stay in my seat on the way up.

There's a perception issue because Rad bikes have smooth power delivery, and that's harder to achieve than raw and jerky power delivery. Are there replacement motors that are wired for more torque? Yes, but at the expense of extra weight and battery drain. And while some may place importance on drag racing (I'm a licensed race driver actually), remember that longevity, reduced weigh, and smoothness are also important to some people. The Rad motor gets me up to top speed and holds it there until the battery gives up, and pulls me up every hill I encounter, so I don't mind the refined approach.

I'll probably upgrade mine eventually, but know that won't change the legal speed limit, and I'll still be cruising along at 20 mph like I was before any upgrades. Besides, I've got my modified and lowered 160mph hatchback for "fun" when I need it

Great comment. People shouldn't dwell on these motor details too much. There isn't anyone I've met who rides a Rad for the first time that doesn't come away impressed with the power. For 95% of people it's going to get the job done.

[fin_rad]

With not many hills here where I live in Finland, the 750W peak power gives me more than enough torque and speed. And 90% of the time PAS level 3 is enough to ride the bicycle comfortably for me. But I'm happy to know there is that extra kick still available when I need it, f.ex. strong headwind and/or soft surface (snow, sand).

But does someone know if using the peak power 750W for a long period of time make some extra wear to the motor? Of course the battery drains pretty quickly, maybe not so good thing too.

[chris1683]

It is not. Here is a photo of the internal motor from my US RadRover purchased in July 2021. It is in fact a 350W Bafang motor disguised in a Rad Power Bikes outer motor casing.  Disappointing since it's advertised as a 750W "motor". 

I realize it might be able to peak at 750W but it's still a 350W motor any way you slice it. 

It's also only rated at a MAXIMUM torque of 45 N.m on Bafang's website. Rad advertises 80 N.m. 


https://bafang-e.com/oem-area/components/component/motor/rm-g020350ddc/

[fin_rad]

My 2019 my RadRhino EU 750W version got the G060.500 500W motor, checked it from the Bafang customer service. I'm planning to open it soon after some 4000 km on it, so I can add new grease to the  gears and check everything is still good. Interesting to see if therr is similar model and mfd stamps on mine too.

Lähetetty minun LYA-L29 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

[Altema]

It is not. Here is a photo of the internal motor from my US RadRover purchased in July 2021. It is in fact a 350W Bafang motor disguised in a Rad Power Bikes outer motor casing.  Disappointing since it's advertised as a 750W "motor". 

I realize it might be able to peak at 750W but it's still a 350W motor any way you slice it. 

It's also only rated at a MAXIMUM torque of 45 N.m on Bafang's website. Rad advertises 80 N.m. 


https://bafang-e.com/oem-area/components/component/motor/rm-g020350ddc/

That's not the normal motor used in Rad's US bikes, but it is possible your clutch plate was substituted since they are interchangeable, or someone shipped you a EU spec bike despite you ordering a US version. The G020350 is a physically smaller motor.

A genuine Rad 750 watt motor is built on the Bafang 500w core, but is custom wound for higher power using a . There is no reason in the world for anyone to freak out over this, because it will handle 1641 watts all day long and deliver 104nm of torque. I didn't get that off the internet or pre-build data sheets... I'm an engineer and tested it myself. As a matter of fact, the US Rad motor has more torque than the Bolton upgrade motor, and is more reliable.

[DickB]

There is no reason in the world for anyone to freak out over this, because it will handle 1641 watts all day long and deliver 104nm of torque.

I question your 1642W figure. The controller does limit power to the motor to 750W.

[JimInPT]

There is no reason in the world for anyone to freak out over this, because it will handle 1641 watts all day long and deliver 104nm of torque.

I question your 1642W figure. The controller does limit power to the motor to 750W.

Dick, I believe Altema has upgraded his controller to 35A and was using that to drive the stock motor.  In his other thread comments, he said he was actually testing to see if he could fail the stock motor with 1,600w input and could not - the motor is fine.

[Altema]

There is no reason in the world for anyone to freak out over this, because it will handle 1641 watts all day long and deliver 104nm of torque.

I question your 1642W figure. The controller does limit power to the motor to 750W.

Dick, I believe Altema has upgraded his controller to 35A and was using that to drive the stock motor.  In his other thread comments, he said he was actually testing to see if he could fail the stock motor with 1,600w input and could not - the motor is fine.

Yes, Jim is absolutely correct. I was using an aftermarket controller, and the Rad motor handled all that power fine. The nominal rating of a motor is the amount of power it will handle at 100% duty cycle without exceeding thermal gain parameters. It's science, and going on "looks" is not.
By the way, attached is a screen capture from the video of one of my acceleration test runs, with the Rad motor peaking at 1746 watts.