Clacking noise - Kalkhoff Impulse 2 motor

[Aftersales 50cycles UK]

Dear All,

There are now 400000 units of the Impulse 2.0 system sold in Germany alone in the last 18 months. Which win awards after awards.

http://www.kalkhoff-bikes.com/en/impulse-drive.html

http://www.kalkhoff-bikes.com/en/impulse-drive/impulse-20.html

There is no shadow of a doubt that the Impulse & Evo systems are the best motor units on any mass produced electric bikes around the world.

Impulse 1.0 bikes can be upgraded to Impulse 2.0 but with additional gear shift controllers and console needed.

The Evo system is the Third Generation Impulse system and is the first ebike to be built from the Chassis up. More akin to the motor trade technology and developments then the cycle industry.

The whole electrical system transmissions is up to Automobile standards which is a first for the cycle industry. Exciting times.

The developments and pioneering over the years has been outstanding with our own UK aftersales warranty claims actually lower than any other year despite a huge increase in sales year on year.

My own Focus Thron which has been put through its paces seems indestructible and with so few cases we have no concern whatsoever with the quality of Impulse 1.0, 2.0 or Evo.

Finally if on the off chance there ever was a problem we are the best in the business at turning problems around quickly and will not hesitate to keep you on the road.

Aftersales Kalkhoff UK.

 

[soundwave]

how much is the motor and where would you get 1 from out of warranty tho?

 

[Aftersales 50cycles UK]

You would call 50cycles on 03339005050.
Impulse 2.0 Motor, Shift changer and small console is £695.00

 

[Jimod]

Dear All,

There are now 400000 units of the Impulse 2.0 system sold in Germany alone in the last 18 months. Which win awards after awards.



Aftersales Kalkhoff UK.

Really? 400000? That would be impressive.

 

[tillson]

The whole electrical system transmissions is up to Automobile standards which is a first for the cycle industry.

I wouldn't say a first. The 2008 Panasonic is to that standard, so a distant second.

 

[flecc]

Really? 400000? That would be impressive.

All pedelec sales in Germany for 2013 was 410,000 and for 2014 was 480,000. We can perhaps predict well over 500,000 for 2015.

Those mean that if Kalkhoff sold 400,000 Impulse 2 in the last 18 months, by taking over half the market they must have really hurt Bosch and all other pedelec makers.
.

 

[Kudoscycles]

All pedelec sales in Germany for 2013 was 410,000 and for 2014 was 480,000. We can perhaps predict well over 500,000 for 2015.

Those mean that if Kalkhoff sold 400,000 Impulse 2 in the last 18 months, by taking over half the market they must have really hurt Bosch and all other pedelec makers.
.

........Yeh, seems like the rest of the German e-bike industry packed up shop for 18 months !! When I visited Eurobike 2015 I must say that Bosch still seem to have the lions share of penetration into the market,certainly by the number of Bosch equipped bikes on show.
KTM seem to have a strong presence in Germany,would be interested of the numbers they sold into Germany relative to others.
The Germans have a fabulous choice of e-bike models,with Shimano and Yamaha actively seeking manufacturers,that choice will surely widen.
KudosDave

 

[flecc]

........Yeh, seems like the rest of the German e-bike industry packed up shop for 18 months !!

The truth Dave is in what the article Aftersales Kalkhoff UK linked to actually said:

Our bestsellers: The powerful Impulse drives – bought over 400,000 times

As you see, no mention of the Impulse 2 or 18 months as Aftersales Kalkhoff UK interpreted in their text:

"There are now 400000 units of the Impulse 2.0 system sold in Germany alone in the last 18 months."

So the 400,000 is the total of all the Impulse units, 1, 2 and Evo for all the five years they've been on sale, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
.

 

[trex]

in 2012, Derby Cycles sell about 104,000 e-bikes, comprising of Kalkhoff, Raleigh, Univega and Rixe. Even if Kalkhoff sales account for the lion share of e-bike sales, their models are spread between 3 motors. I find the claim of 400,000 impulse motors sold a bit OTT.

 

[Planemo]

Dear All,

There are now 400000 units of the Impulse 2.0 system sold in Germany alone in the last 18 months. Which win awards after awards.

http://www.kalkhoff-bikes.com/en/impulse-drive.html

http://www.kalkhoff-bikes.com/en/impulse-drive/impulse-20.html

There is no shadow of a doubt that the Impulse & Evo systems are the best motor units on any mass produced electric bikes around the world.

Impulse 1.0 bikes can be upgraded to Impulse 2.0 but with additional gear shift controllers and console needed.

The Evo system is the Third Generation Impulse system and is the first ebike to be built from the Chassis up. More akin to the motor trade technology and developments then the cycle industry.

The whole electrical system transmissions is up to Automobile standards which is a first for the cycle industry. Exciting times.

The developments and pioneering over the years has been outstanding with our own UK aftersales warranty claims actually lower than any other year despite a huge increase in sales year on year.

My own Focus Thron which has been put through its paces seems indestructible and with so few cases we have no concern whatsoever with the quality of Impulse 1.0, 2.0 or Evo.

Finally if on the off chance there ever was a problem we are the best in the business at turning problems around quickly and will not hesitate to keep you on the road.

Aftersales Kalkhoff UK.

Great post. Eight paragraphs saying nothing other than how good you are.

Not a single comment relating to what is being done or apologising for the issues.

Should have been a politician.

 

[tillson]

I have just read one of the links which Aftersales Kalkhoff UK has posted. At the bottom of the page its says;

"Another important benefit is that all components of the Kalkhoff Impulse Evo have been designed with durability in mind. The gear unit has been strengthened, the new deflection shaft and the new drawn-cup roller clutch are even sturdier, and the innovative multi-tooth axle ensures a secure crank assembly. All components have to be designed specifically for an e-bike to ensure that they can withstand high loads."

This sound remarkably like the bits that some people report as having failed on the Impulse 2 have been beefed up on the Impulse Evo.

 

[JohnCade]

Bit of a tricky tightrope act to pull off though. How do you publicise the improvements - or in other words fixes - in a new motor, and not at the same time acknowledge that the previous generation of motor had problems? By weasel words like those of course.

I thought they would have quietly sorted it but unless they offer the Evo as a replacement it doesn’t help the Impulse II owners much. My guess is the Evo was brought out mainly to fix the issues in the Impulse II. That model had not been going long enough to be superseded I would have thought.

Just pure speculation of course.

 

[Tomtomato]

There is no shadow of a doubt that the Impulse & Evo systems are the best motor units on any mass produced electric bikes around the world.

Will you provide a free motor replacement, if it fails after the warranty period is over, but the bike has only done a reasonable mileage?

Finally if on the off chance there ever was a problem we are the best in the business at turning problems around quickly and will not hesitate to keep you on the road.

Nice claim, but it was not my own experience. Hopefully, the process has improved now (else you will fall flat on your face with such bold claims).

 

[oriteroom]

Sounds like a Cricket in the motor

↑
And Croxden replied.........Some would pay extra for that.


Remember, like in the days of being a kid, putting a bit of cigarette packet or other thin cardboard on the forks, so that it hit the spokes as they went round to SOUND LIKE A MOTOR

 

[nightrider]

You would call 50cycles on 03339005050.
Impulse 2.0 Motor, Shift changer and small console is £695.00

Who in there right mind is going to pay £695 for a motor that they have already replaced maybe 2-3 times?

 

[Kudoscycles]

Not sure on this,but in the auto world,the warranty starts again if a new OEM part is fitted.....my BMW had a major computer fault at the latter end of its warranty,the repair lasted outside of the warranty,then failed,but BMW replaced it again under warranty,not sure about e-bike warranties.
KudosDave

 

[Tomtomato]

This has been discussed many times: there is the SOGA for protection well over the initial warranty period, and if someone had their motor replaced twice, they had the right to reject the goods after the first repair and ask for a refund, so it's their choice to keep the bike...

 

[Mike45]

Not sure on this,but in the auto world,the warranty starts again if a new OEM part is fitted.....my BMW had a major computer fault at the latter end of its warranty,the repair lasted outside of the warranty,then failed,but BMW replaced it again under warranty,not sure about e-bike warranties.
KudosDave

That is also my understanding of the law. A manufacturers warranty or a dealers warranty cannot remove any rights enshrined in consumer law. Probably mean a trip to the Small Claims Court though

 

[SteveRuss]

Who in there right mind is going to pay £695 for a motor that they have already replaced maybe 2-3 times?

£695 suggests a wilful attitude for overcharging. If their total business costs require a charge to that level to operate then they are obviously running their business badly.

If I had to pay that ridiculous sum for a replacement motor then i'd be about as willing to go back to buy any of their future products as people are to buy off of VW at the moment.

 

[flecc]

£695 suggests a wilful attitude for overcharging. If their total business costs require a charge to that level to operate then they are obviously running their business badly.

If I had to pay that ridiculous sum for a replacement motor then i'd be about as willing to go back to buy any of their future products as people are to buy off of VW at the moment.

That's the price for the crank motor unit with the handlebar head unit and the shift changer, so possibly not so out of kilter.

Long ago the Panasonic unit only was £500 and that may have increased since then. The handlebar unit and harness was I think £125. Add those two, plus the price of the Impulse 2 shifter and it comes to around the same.

Basically it's a problem with the German and Japanese made complex crank units. They can't get near to the prices of Chinese made hub motors and controllers.
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