Ongoing reliability of Kalkhoff/Focus Impulse 2 motors

[Phil1701]

Reading this forum it's obvious that both sides have extremely strong views. The one comment I would make is that if the latest impulse motor is so reliable why are kalkhoff producing some electric bikes with Bosch motors

It's not so reliable in my case as my Impulse EVO has clacking noise issues still to be resolved. Additionally, I have recently been shopping for a Bosch powered mtb and seen that their Focus brand has now been switched from Impulse to Shimano Steps systems.

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[redalexx]

WOW, even more pages to read here.

Here are my current statistics to Impulse motors and all the others to. Thanks to all in England and Scotland, that help to get a real picture from customer side!

6 genuine motor problems maximum raised on this forum for 30 pages of nothingness.

Hi Scott, there are a few more failures of Impulse2.0, but also in Germany, France, Belgium and so on. Now this thread is more a discussion than an exchange for facts. Well. I still thank you for your given information to the new Impulse2.2.

And here we go, in line with this topic here are the statistics of intact/defect motors:

***
EDIT:
red: motors are defect and were changed at this mileage in kilometer!
green: motors are intact and still running, current mileage in kilometer given in the chart
***

You want to give the real customer view?
Send your Mileage!
www.pedelecmonitor.de
(again just in german, sorry - google translator helps!)

 

[Crockers]

Trouble is -- too little too late.
Lancia made lovely cars but one car ruined them....
If I was Derby Motors I would seriously look at relaunching a new motor with a new name...

 

[Perseus]

I bought a Beat Bike Toba Crossbar in the need as at £1600 it was the only one I could afford from a shop. Although advertised with an Impulse 2.2 motor it arrived with an Impulse 2.0 motor. Not particularly exciting. Before the first charge (charging now, taken 4 hours so far) did 67 miles which was very good. Delay in engaging sixth gear which is a downer. Starting on hills is not easy and the walking mode I can't get to work continuously. I would not have bought it if my arthritis in my knees have no got so bad it was necessary (I might as well get it now than in summer). Changed the saddle for a cheaper one. Accessories fitted NOT readily available through 50 Cycles. Insurance through Cycleguard (bronze secure locks accepted). It feels sluggish compared to my previous Cyclamatic, but gets up the hills OK.

 

[Perseus]

PS: I can't say I'm happy with the Beat Bike Toba Crossbar. The delay in engaging sixth gear did not happen with the test bike. Beware! This gear change is frequent and occurs on every trip.

 

[Will Tinker]

PS: I can't say I'm happy with the Beat Bike Toba Crossbar. The delay in engaging sixth gear did not happen with the test bike. Beware! This gear change is frequent and occurs on every trip.

Your bike uses the same Nexus Hub as mine (well, pretty much). I'm getting trouble around sixth gear as well (mine slips intermittently). Other gears are pretty much fine. Looking on various bike forums, there are quite a lot of mentions of them wearing out on a particular gear, so your problems may relate to that?

I'm no expert though.

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[Perseus]

Your bike uses the same Nexus Hub as mine (well, pretty much). I'm getting trouble around sixth gear as well (mine slips intermittently). Other gears are pretty much fine. Looking on various bike forums, there are quite a lot of mentions of them wearing out on a particular gear, so your problems may relate to that?

I'm no expert though.

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Worked all the time today (brief trip). Took the bike out just to try it out. I did get informed that the 8 gear hubs are much better than 7 gear hubs. Not wear as it is brand new.

Not a fault, just a naff product?

 

[martincecho]

It makes no difference. I suspect that the forum link will contain just another small handful of owners going over and over the issue, along with non owners such as us, and in effect massively extending the thread length.

i totaly agree, my kalkhoff pro connect 9 2015 model is on hilly road every day for two years, used heavily, 10000+ miles and its going strong, will not swap for other manufacturer

 

[flecc]

i totaly agree, my kalkhoff pro connect 9 2015 model is on hilly road every day for two years, used heavily, 10000+ miles and its going strong, will not swap for other manufacturer

But is it the Impulse 1 or Impulse 2 motor unit? That's important since the Impulse 1 was never troublesome to my knowledge.
.

 

[Will Tinker]

But is it the Impulse 1 or Impulse 2 motor unit? That's important since the Impulse 1 was never troublesome to my knowledge.
.

From memory, the Pro Connect 9 2015 model was the same as mine. It had the Impulse 2 motor.

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[martincecho]

But is it the Impulse 1 or Impulse 2 motor unit? That's important since the Impulse 1 was never troublesome to my knowledge.
.

Impulse 2.0

 

[flecc]

From memory, the Pro Connect 9 2015 model was the same as mine. It had the Impulse 2 motor.

Impulse 2.0

Thanks both, I thought as much but wasn't certain.
.

 

[Perseus]

100 miles. First clanking sounds. Dismissed as not important at the moment as only heard once. Not overly impressed with my Beat Bike Toba Crossbar. I don't use it for short flat trips as it is easier to use an ordinary bike.

Stable bike in use: I accidentally hit a surprise pothole at 12 mph and it took the impact much better than any bike I have had. Heavy weight may have helped.

 

[redalexx]

i totaly agree, my kalkhoff pro connect 9 2015 model is on hilly road every day for two years, used heavily, 10000+ miles and its going strong

Very interesting. So also in Germany we have some 10.000+ with the Impulse2.0. The date of manufacture of those units is spring and summer 2014. The 2015, 2016 and the late 2014 were beginning to have problems sporadically.

Can you post year and month of manufacture of your unit or the first 3 characters of your motor ID (p.e. 311xxx) ? That would help to identify all the reliable units.

Hope your motor will make the 20.000+

 

[Robbieg]

Well cud be the same reason haibike produce ebikes with both Yamaha and Bosch motors, to give customers more choice? Ime well pleased with the impulse rs evo on my Kalkhoff...Up to now!

 

[Perseus]

100 miles. First clanking sounds. Dismissed as not important at the moment as only heard once. Not overly impressed with my Beat Bike Toba Crossbar. I don't use it for short flat trips as it is easier to use an ordinary bike.

Stable bike in use: I accidentally hit a surprise pothole at 12 mph and it took the impact much better than any bike I have had. Heavy weight may have helped.

More sounds which I do not like the sound of (Zen and Cycling Maintenance) but the performance is OK, although the Toba still feels a bit sluggish and not exhilarating like the wind behind you on a lightweight bike. Quite good at the smaller hills. I've not dared yet to try it on the steeper ones.

Lights flicker. I might try it out tonight. Walking mode works, but its a pain to use, needing to keep the button pressed all the time. This I find to be essential because of the bikes weight.

 

[tommie]

More sounds which I do not like the sound of (Zen and Cycling Maintenance) but the performance is OK, although the Toba still feels a bit sluggish and not exhilarating like the wind behind you on a lightweight bike. Quite good at the smaller hills. I've not dared yet to try it on the steeper ones.

Lights flicker. I might try it out tonight. Walking mode works, but its a pain to use, needing to keep the button pressed all the time. This I find to be essential because of the bikes weight.

Perseus, is there anything on that bike that works as it should?

The bike seems not to be fit for purpose to me -

your call, but i`d be depositing it at the vendors door and holding my hand out for a refund or replacement.

 

[Perseus]

Test bike worked better. Debated taking it back. I can't specify problems, but I am worried about long distance rides. Not recommended. I feels like there is something wrong with it, but it has not stopped or missed a beat apart from the sixth gear not engaging lots of times. Cyclamatic actually sounded better before it packed up entirely.

Lights on the Toba are dynamo and front flickers at very low speeds (on start up), but are the ideal brightness and keep on for a bit after stopping.

 

[martincecho]

Very interesting. So also in Germany we have some 10.000+ with the Impulse2.0. The date of manufacture of those units is spring and summer 2014. The 2015, 2016 and the late 2014 were beginning to have problems sporadically.

Can you post year and month of manufacture of your unit or the first 3 characters of your motor ID (p.e. 311xxx) ? That would help to identify all the reliable units.

Hope your motor will make the 20.000+

My is january 2015

 

[Reseg]

i totaly agree, my kalkhoff pro connect 9 2015 model is on hilly road every day for two years, used heavily, 10000+ miles and its going strong, will not swap for other manufacturer

I don't want to call you a liar, but it would greatly help to see at least your GPS tracking data showing your documented total distance, ave speed, and elevation, from a site like Strava. Just to confirm how "heavily" you're riding it. The definition may be much different for you Support even told me their bikes aren't made to be put through what I do, which is 40 miles a day of commuting really fast.

Mine now has under 4k miles and needs a 4th motor. Yet, at the same time, my Stromer ST2 just passed 11,000 miles and it appears to be brand new still and I ride both bikes EXACTLY the same, on the same commute route. The only issue the ST2 had was the front wheel bearing wore out. I find it hard to believe you took a Kalkhoff bike (having an engineering backgorund and knowing its build quality) 10k miles of hills and riding it rough, withOUT a problem to note, and that you joined just to say this! I guess anything is possible, though!