2023 EP8 rattle

May 4, 2018
133
38
Canberra
Considering a new E-MTB (2023) that would presumably have the newer EP8 motor and wondering if any actual users have noticed a change in the infamous rattle?

One of my biggest fears of owning anything with the EP8 is the rattle that you read about in ever review. Motor has great specs, is in a ton of bikes and due to numbers should have a good service network. Just know that a constant rattle downhill would bug the F out of me.

Cheers.
owned 2 bikes with shimano motors...neither rattled. Maybe I just got lucky!!
 

Tooks

Well-known member
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2020
489
579
Lincs UK
My 4 year old E8000 doesn’t rattle, and an EP8 bike I hired for a day whilst on holiday that did wasn’t exactly noticeable.

Motor failures are a lottery, just don’t pressure wash them, have a bit of mechanical sympathy and hope they keep on trucking.

I’ve got an EP8 on the shelf ready to swap out my E8000 when it dies, as everybody tells me it surely will, but so far the bloomin thing shows no signs of anything but being a good motor.

I might switch it out for the beefier torque and lighter weight of the EP8, but don’t feel inclined to just yet.
 

QuackFU

Member
Apr 25, 2023
58
40
USA
So true! When my EP8 rattles, if it even does, I’m going downhill, at speed, the chain rattles, everything is shaking and I’m focusing on other stuff. Who cares about some rattle…
The amount of money we spend for an e-mtb... It shouldn't ratle. That is just the manufacturer getting away with bad product development and letting us be the R&D department
 

vadII

E*POWAH Master
Feb 19, 2019
800
576
Earth
And another EP8 1st gen issue (in my case, but I see the same issue on other EP8 motors):
It has a problem with the crank rod "play". It moves left/right (in/out) with properly tighten cranks. It started to "play" not from begging, but after 800-1000km. It’s not a good feeling when you rotate the bike with your body.
 

webman

Member
Apr 13, 2022
62
34
Sydney
They rattle to
Ok, I get that some find it more annoying than others. Normally I hate any rattle and odd noises but I just don't find it that bad on the bike.
What shits me is that all these motors are not as serviceable as they should be given their cost!
 
Last edited:

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,033
9,481
Lincolnshire, UK
The amount of money we spend for an e-mtb... It shouldn't ratle. That is just the manufacturer getting away with bad product development and letting us be the R&D department
I read somewhere that the slight rattle when the chain is not under tension and the bike is passing over a rough surface is a direct consequence of design features that reduce motor drag and increase efficiency. Also don't forget that the motor is significantly lighter, smaller, and has much more tunability than its predecessor.

What would you do if all of that was at the penalty of a bit of a rattle now and then that many don't experience anyway?

I believe that Shimano has bigger problems with their motor than the rattle.
 

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