The Panasonic motor can only be found on one emtb brand, Flyer. At least that's the case where I live. We've been riding a Flyer Uproc X 8.70 for a few weeks now. This bike has the newly updated Panasonic GX Ultimate motor. Watch the video for a detailed review that illustrates the motor behavior. Or keep reading below for a short summary.
Pedaling past 80 rpm, the Bosch Performance CX and CX Race really come to life, they feel strong. Approaching 100 rpm, the power starts dropping on the EP8 and GX Ultimate. Riding at the optimum cadence for each motor, the EP8 (800) is a bit slower. The Panasonic at low-ish cadence, and the Performance CX Race at higher cadence did the climb test at similar speeds.
Riding technical trails, the Panasonic can be a bit jerky at maximum assistance. Dropping it to Standard assistance mode makes it easier to handle. The Shimano EP8 and Bosch Performance CX are very easy to control with maximum assistance. The Bosch Performance CX Race is similar to the Panasonic.
The motor over-run on the Panasonic and Bosch Race makes them very efficient when coming into technical sections at speed. One can briefly stop pedaling to avoid a pedal strike and the motors keep pushing. At low speeds, on wet and slippery rocks and roots, the EP8 and Performance CX can be ridden more precisely, they’re better at starting and stopping in the chunk.
Specs
We've tested Panasonic motors twice before. We recognize the motor characteristics from the older motors, but there are some significant differences too. The old motors were powerful, but they were also a bit chunky. The GX Ultimate is more lightweight and compact. The q-factor, the distance between the crank arms, is down to a normal 165.8 mm. This 2.95 kg motor is rated at 95 Nm, making both power and weight highly competitive.Motor behavior
We compared the Panasonic GX Ultimate to the Bosch Performance CX and CX Race, plus the old Shimano EP8 (EP800). When pedaling calmly uphill, letting the motor do the work, the EP8 always felt nice and powerful. The Bosch Performance CX and CX Race feels less generous with the power when pedaling at low cadence. The Panasonic GX Ultimate is similar to the EP8, it feels generous at lower cadence and little rider input. But it's noticeably more powerful and faster uphill.Pedaling past 80 rpm, the Bosch Performance CX and CX Race really come to life, they feel strong. Approaching 100 rpm, the power starts dropping on the EP8 and GX Ultimate. Riding at the optimum cadence for each motor, the EP8 (800) is a bit slower. The Panasonic at low-ish cadence, and the Performance CX Race at higher cadence did the climb test at similar speeds.
Riding technical trails, the Panasonic can be a bit jerky at maximum assistance. Dropping it to Standard assistance mode makes it easier to handle. The Shimano EP8 and Bosch Performance CX are very easy to control with maximum assistance. The Bosch Performance CX Race is similar to the Panasonic.
The motor over-run on the Panasonic and Bosch Race makes them very efficient when coming into technical sections at speed. One can briefly stop pedaling to avoid a pedal strike and the motors keep pushing. At low speeds, on wet and slippery rocks and roots, the EP8 and Performance CX can be ridden more precisely, they’re better at starting and stopping in the chunk.
