Clacking noise - Kalkhoff Impulse 2 motor

[flecc]

Maybe they don't class those as 'modern electric bikes'...

They can't say that, their first was the Panasonic Will folder, using the same motive unit system as the Giant Lafree Lite which beat them to it to these shores. Same e-technology.

When they eventually returned to handling crank drives in October 2007 with the Panasonic unit powered Kalkhoff Agattu, they were again beaten to it by the newly designed Gazelle Easy Glider using the same unit from June that year.

So good at being second!
.

 

[cwah]

Have you sorted out the clacking noise problem? I have the same issue with my BBS02 and don't know how to fix that

Thanks

 

[Tomtomato]

I have the same issue with my BBS02 and don't know how to fix that

Thanks

Since this is a thread about the Impulse 2 motor powering Kalkhoff bikes (and other related brands), you won't find an answer to your question here...

 

[Tomtomato]

I can’t believe they’ve sold 15000 Impulse 11 bikes.

Who said they had?

 

[JohnCade]

Who said they had?

Looking back up the thread I think you did….

You seemed to take it from Kalkhoff UK posting on the other thread as an attempt to fudge the issue though. But no one gives a monkey’s how many bikes they’ve sold. What we all want to know is how many Impulse 11s they’ve sold and how many motor failures there have been with that unit as a percentage.

The rest is just statistical smoke being blown up our arses.

 

[EddiePJ]

I can't reall

Since this is a thread about the Impulse 2 motor powering Kalkhoff bikes (and other related brands), you won't find an answer to your question here...

I got the impression that it was now more about hounding one dealer than it is about the motor.


The thread could had been drawn to a close a long time ago, but the odd non Impulse II motor owning forum member seem to be hell bent on keeping the subject going. With four randomly scattered threads in relation to the subject, helped along by git-r running around like headless chicken standing on a keyboard and posting all over the place, the answer to customer concern which is the only thing that matters, has been well and truly lost, but can be found with little effort. http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/aggatu.22929/page-2#post-288360

Think about it, 50C have been trading for a very long time, and like them or hate them, they must be doing something right to still be trading, and this wouldn't be the case, if customer care and support wasn't adequately provided. If I was in the market for new bike, and say fancied a bike which used an Impulse ll motor, I wouldn't be letting the voice of just a few disgruntled owners put me off. I think that I'm grown up enough to draw my own conclusions, and just realise that it is just the same old thing, which I am as guilty of as any one else, and that is that we are all quick to moan and voice our opinions, but not many ever come forward to pass mention, when all is fine and going well. In the case of this thread though, and as said, it is the non motor owners that are shouting the loudest.
As for the dealer, they are damned if they do answer, and will be damned if they don't. I can fully understand why they wouldn't want to discuss matters within an open forum. Why don't those with genuine concern, just telephone or email, when the company opens it's doors again in the new year.

It's also not as though other motor manufacturers don't have issues. Bosch with their popping noise, and now offer a free motor replacement. Bosch again with outer bearing issues on the Performance line motor. Dapu suffered bearing failure on some of the BH range, 8fun have seemingly had issues, but this I haven't researched, so plenty of manufacturers have had, or are having issues. If a company is offering long term support by not leaving a buyer high and dry, that should be the end of it.

edit.. I forgot to add that kicking 50C is becoming a real Xmas tradition. It happens every Xmas.

The above will also be my one and only response to the thread. I see no need to expand upon my opinion any further, and shan't be coming back to it.

 

[flecc]

As for the dealer, they are damned if they do answer, and will be damned if they don't. I can fully understand why they wouldn't want to discuss matters within an open forum.

That's why they officially abandoned this forum in the first place long ago, overwhelming criticism. They did get a few things wrong but also many things very right, but as ever it was the wrongs that were emphasised.

It's also why few of the trade still post in here now, a far cry from when most did.
.

 

[flecc]

What we all want to know is how many Impulse 11s they’ve sold and how many motor failures there have been with that unit as a percentage.

I can answer these questions John, and Tillson who also posted them.

I can state without fear of correction that they haven't sold any and therefore haven't experienced a single failure.
.

 

[git-r]

50 cycles are reporting that only 150 motors have been replaced out of 15,000 bikes sold by them in the UK (all types of motors included), so that's only a 1% failure rate (and not just for Impulse 2).

My bike has been doing fine since the last motor replacement, and has been very quiet. Hopefully, based on the 50 Cycles stats, the issue won't happen again.

However, if the issue was developing again within the first 2 years (and therefore the 50 Cycles stats likely to be inaccurate), then I would consider the SOGA rules, given the price of the bike and availability/cost of spare motors:

"If you are outside the 30-day right to reject, you have to give the retailer one opportunity to repair or replace any goods or digital content which are of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described.

If the attempt at repair or replacement has failed, you have the right to reject the goods for a full refund or price reduction - if you wish to keep the product."

Could you let us know how much use its had since the motor was replaced?

Thanks

 

[git-r]

I can't reall



I got the impression that it was now more about hounding one dealer than it is about the motor.


The thread could had been drawn to a close a long time ago, but the odd non Impulse II motor owning forum member seem to be hell bent on keeping the subject going. With four randomly scattered threads in relation to the subject, helped along by git-r running around like headless chicken standing on a keyboard and posting all over the place, the answer to customer concern which is the only thing that matters, has been well and truly lost, but can be found with little effort. http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/aggatu.22929/page-2#post-288360

Think about it, 50C have been trading for a very long time, and like them or hate them, they must be doing something right to still be trading, and this wouldn't be the case, if customer care and support wasn't adequately provided. If I was in the market for new bike, and say fancied a bike which used an Impulse ll motor, I wouldn't be letting the voice of just a few disgruntled owners put me off. I think that I'm grown up enough to draw my own conclusions, and just realise that it is just the same old thing, which I am as guilty of as any one else, and that is that we are all quick to moan and voice our opinions, but not many ever come forward to pass mention, when all is fine and going well. In the case of this thread though, and as said, it is the non motor owners that are shouting the loudest.
As for the dealer, they are damned if they do answer, and will be damned if they don't. I can fully understand why they wouldn't want to discuss matters within an open forum. Why don't those with genuine concern, just telephone or email, when the company opens it's doors again in the new year.

It's also not as though other motor manufacturers don't have issues. Bosch with their popping noise, and now offer a free motor replacement. Bosch again with outer bearing issues on the Performance line motor. Dapu suffered bearing failure on some of the BH range, 8fun have seemingly had issues, but this I haven't researched, so plenty of manufacturers have had, or are having issues. If a company is offering long term support by not leaving a buyer high and dry, that should be the end of it.

edit.. I forgot to add that kicking 50C is becoming a real Xmas tradition. It happens every Xmas.

The above will also be my one and only response to the thread. I see no need to expand upon my opinion any further, and shan't be coming back to it.

Lol headless chicken - more potential customer concerned about wasting 2k on something that has a fault that's well documented here and apparently on other forums too. If you're willing to waste that sort of cash without research then... At your level.. You fool.

 

[soundwave]

you will be wasting it if you still plan on using a dongle

 

[nemesis]

I don`t think 50c would know why the motors are failing anyway because they are a sealed unit and are sent back to kalkhoff germany however one thing i do know is that 50c look after you if you have bought from them and anything goes wrong and like has already been said they sell a bike with a high capacity battery, good software and a high power/torque motor,earlier this year i bought a bike with a bosch performance motor as a reserve and coming from the impulse 2 motor i thought the bosch wasn`t switched on in comparison.

 

[tillson]

I can answer these questions John, and Tillson who also posted them.

I can state without fear of correction that they haven't sold any and therefore haven't experienced a single failure.
.

Point taken!

 

[Tomtomato]

Looking back up the thread I think you did….

No, I didn't mention any stats regarding the number of Impulse 2 motors sold. Time to check your glasses, and BTW you can also stay polite...

 

[Tomtomato]

I got the impression that it was now more about hounding one dealer than it is about the motor.

Well, on the basis that 50 cycles are the exclusive importers of Kalkhoff bikes in the UK, then the two are deeply connected. In other countries, Kalkhoff don't have exclusive deals with one company, so there is a choice of dealers.

Regardless, if there is an issue with Impulse 2 motors, then it would be a manufacturer issue. However, under SOGA, it's up to the retailer to provide a "warranty" after the manufacturer one is over.

I have checked on Google on other countries, such as France and Germany, and I haven't seen some massive occurrences of motor failures being reported. In the UK, it seems to be very few people too, complaining online. Therefore, I don't believe it's a large scale issue (else there would be more noise about it).

 

[tillson]

I can't reall



I got the impression that it was now more about hounding one dealer than it is about the motor.


The thread could had been drawn to a close a long time ago, but the odd non Impulse II motor owning forum member seem to be hell bent on keeping the subject going. With four randomly scattered threads in relation to the subject, helped along by git-r running around like headless chicken standing on a keyboard and posting all over the place, the answer to customer concern which is the only thing that matters, has been well and truly lost, but can be found with little effort. http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/aggatu.22929/page-2#post-288360

Think about it, 50C have been trading for a very long time, and like them or hate them, they must be doing something right to still be trading, and this wouldn't be the case, if customer care and support wasn't adequately provided. If I was in the market for new bike, and say fancied a bike which used an Impulse ll motor, I wouldn't be letting the voice of just a few disgruntled owners put me off. I think that I'm grown up enough to draw my own conclusions, and just realise that it is just the same old thing, which I am as guilty of as any one else, and that is that we are all quick to moan and voice our opinions, but not many ever come forward to pass mention, when all is fine and going well. In the case of this thread though, and as said, it is the non motor owners that are shouting the loudest.
As for the dealer, they are damned if they do answer, and will be damned if they don't. I can fully understand why they wouldn't want to discuss matters within an open forum. Why don't those with genuine concern, just telephone or email, when the company opens it's doors again in the new year.

It's also not as though other motor manufacturers don't have issues. Bosch with their popping noise, and now offer a free motor replacement. Bosch again with outer bearing issues on the Performance line motor. Dapu suffered bearing failure on some of the BH range, 8fun have seemingly had issues, but this I haven't researched, so plenty of manufacturers have had, or are having issues. If a company is offering long term support by not leaving a buyer high and dry, that should be the end of it.

edit.. I forgot to add that kicking 50C is becoming a real Xmas tradition. It happens every Xmas.

The above will also be my one and only response to the thread. I see no need to expand upon my opinion any further, and shan't be coming back to it.

It is always difficult to strike a fair balance and unfortunately dealers or manufacturers in general tend to receive a rough time on forums, not just bike forums.

I have had very good service from 50 Cycles, as good as anyone could hope for. I have also had service from them which has been disappointing, but taken as a whole, they try hard, mean well and I would buy from them again.

I think that there is an issue with this Impulse motor and people need to be aware because these bikes are expensive. Before buying anything which involves parting with a lot of cash (all relative), I read forums and listen to people's opinions both good and bad. I then make up my own mind. This is precisely what people can do here.

If I were a potential purchaser reading this I would be thinking that there is, or has been, an issue with the Impulse motor and that it has affected enough people for it to appear here. Because I am a high mileage user, I'd be concerned. Next I would be thinking that Kalkhoff, as a brand, have a good reputation for service and reliability (also from the forum), so they will have addressed the motor problem in later versions in order to protect and maintain their standing. It's like buying an iPhone, never buy the iPhone n, always go for the iPhone nS, it has all the problems associated with the new model resolved. This is how the forum model works, people's opinions have a greater impact in open forums, it's healthy and good for the customer who would otherwise be crushed by corporate silence. I think that what you propose is unhealthy.

People are absolutely right to discuss problems in open forum and it would be good to see manufacturers engaging with customers, both existing and potential. As a customer, I would be more reassured to hear something along the lines of acknowledgement / denial of a potential issue, a qualifying statement and future intentions. Silence makes me suspicious, but that's just me, others may not read anything into it.

 

[JohnCade]

No, I didn't mention any stats regarding the number of Impulse 2 motors sold. Time to check your glasses, and BTW you can also stay polite...

You quoted the 15000 figure on this thread....

BTW I think you need the glasses not me. Where is this supposed impoliteness? I assure you you will know it if I intend to be rude.

Or did you think I was referring to you with my blowing smoke up our arses comment? If so I suggest you start to take more water with it or read posts properly before you respond.

 

[git-r]

It is always difficult to strike a fair balance and unfortunately dealers or manufacturers in general tend to receive a rough time on forums, not just bike forums.

I have had very good service from 50 Cycles, as good as anyone could hope for. I have also had service from them which has been disappointing, but taken as a whole, they try hard, mean well and I would buy from them again.

I think that there is an issue with this Impulse motor and people need to be aware because these bikes are expensive. Before buying anything which involves parting with a lot of cash (all relative), I read forums and listen to people's opinions both good and bad. I then make up my own mind. This is precisely what people can do here.

If I were a potential purchaser reading this I would be thinking that there is, or has been, an issue with the Impulse motor and that it has affected enough people for it to appear here. Because I am a high mileage user, I'd be concerned. Next I would be thinking that Kalkhoff, as a brand, have a good reputation for service and reliability (also from the forum), so they will have addressed the motor problem in later versions in order to protect and maintain their standing. It's like buying an iPhone, never buy the iPhone n, always go for the iPhone nS, it has all the problems associated with the new model resolved. This is how the forum model works, people's opinions have a greater impact in open forums, it's healthy and good for the customer who would otherwise be crushed by corporate silence. I think that what you propose is unhealthy.

People are absolutely right to discuss problems in open forum and it would be good to see manufacturers engaging with customers, both existing and potential. As a customer, I would be more reassured to hear something along the lines of acknowledgement / denial of a potential issue, a qualifying statement and future intentions. Silence makes me suspicious, but that's just me, others may not read anything into it.

- but shouldn't you grow up, ignore other people's problems and purchase?

Agreed.

Forums like this can be very helpful for someone about to purchase. EddiePJ's response is not only rude but stupid. Quality control? Customer service? We probably wouldn't see much of either following his logic.

 

[JohnCade]

No I don’t think there is any hounding going on here. I’ve been a customer of 50 Cycles and have no complaints about them. I had a battery failure which was replaced without quibble even if I had to travel a long way to pick it up. However I would not buy an Impulse 11 after reading of several motor faults here, and I was thinking of changing to one a few months ago too.

The number reported is quite high for a small forum and must represent a larger number who don’t visit here. That why it’s fair to ask them how many of these motors have failed out of the number sold. Just to throw out a large number representing bikes sold over eight years with a small number of failures is not what we were asking as Kalkhoff UK knew.

As Eddie says, and as others have also pointed out Bosch have had motor and battery problems too. But as far as I know they will change the motor affected on demand even after the warranty period. But Kalkhoff are replacing faulty motors only up to the end of the warranty and then the buyer is on his own.

 

[Elsie]

Hi
Taking the risk of being shot down, can I put the new / unexperienced buyer point of view?
I do not yet have an ebike, but I am going to buy the Kalkhoff Sahel compact.
I have read all these comments and it seems to me that a few very unhappy folks are keeping this alive.
I am sure that if the motor failed that often Kalkhoff would have sorted it out by now, 50 cycles are the only supplier in the UK - so we can't kick anyone else.
I am prepared to believe that they will sort it out If I have an issue.
As others have said buyer beware but also use your own judgement .
So shoot away I am going to buy this bike as it suits my needs perfectly and is lovely to ride.
Regards
Elsie