Originally Posted by
nwmtnbkr
Since e-bike enthusiasts in North America don't currently have the restrictions on power that are imposed up those of you living in the EU, you might get some better answers from a those in the UK-based pedelecs e-bike forums.
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/ I don't know if customs officials in the various EU member countries pay close attention to personal orders of e-bike kits from abroad or if their main focus is businesses ordering e-bikes and e-bike kits. Many members in the pedelecs forum have down their own bike conversions and can probably answer most of your questions with the added benefit of also knowing the EU restrictions imposed upon e-bikes.
It is a very good and knowledgable forum, I have already asked there. I got some great help, including peak power of my 200W (nominal/continuous rating) motor. At 700W it is quite high, the problem being I cannot get peak figures for the 500W and 750W kits- perhaps the number they are giving is already the peak ouput. Also, the brushed motor on my bike is a geared one which helps when hill climbing, and it is geared to give only the UK maximum speed meaning that it also helps with the torque when hill climbing.
It seems impossible to compare them without buying and riding- it would an expensive lesson if there was no real benefit (but I still feel it would improve things- it just seems almost impossible to find out with any degree of certainty).
(Out of interest I know of people who have imported kits and travel past our legal limit of 15mph. Although it is not allowed there is no real checking of these things, it is unlikely that much would happen unless you brought yourself into sharp focus- a major accident or similar).