Help! Disposal of Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8

hairyneville

Pedelecer
Feb 24, 2020
62
19
Technically this is my second post, but the first one I spent ages typing last night hasn't appeared on the forum.

Basically as per thread title.

I foolishly bought a Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8 (Impulse 2.0) in late 2017 and, thanks to some patchy periods of work, the motor has only just given up the ghost at 1384 miles. I did research before buying, but only checked out the bike name rather than the motor. Presumably all those positive reviews were of the Bosch motor-equipped Pro Connect b8...

I'm hoping to find a decent method of disposal for the bike, hopefully with a bit of cash in exchange for the potentially excellent salvage of components.

If anyone here has any advice or ideas then I'd be very grateful.
 
Last edited:

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,312
If the bike is in otherwise good condition it may be worth repairing the motor.

 

hairyneville

Pedelecer
Feb 24, 2020
62
19
RobF - the motor is the main issue. After it catastrophically broke down on the way to work, I did an hours-long web search for Kalkhoff Impulse 2.0 motors and found out that they reliably break completely at around 1400 miles (something to do with the main bearing being too small). Needless to say they've now been withdrawn!

The bike shop I got the bike from originally hasn't bothered replying to me, but another couple of shops have suggested that Kalkhoff may replace the motor out of waranty (like for like) if I get in touch with them. Given the ridiculously low endurance of 1400 miles, I worked out that I'd have to replace the motor every 80 days on the 17.4 mile round daily commute I'd just started doing when the original motor broke!

I don't think it would be possible to change the motor for a new system given the differing shapes of currently available motors, and even if it was possible I think it would cost almost as much as a new e-bike anyway.

Any other ideas would be very welcome, but I'm still looking at disposing of the bike if anyone would be interested in it. I'm based near Godalming in Surrey.