The controller is what determines how much power gets sent to the motor. The nominal motor wattage ratings don’t tell you much. My Juiced Bikes Cross Current has a 350W Bafang motor but the controller will send 600-700W continuous to the motor on the highest assist level. I don’t consider 1000W a lot either. 1500W+ is when you start feeling like you’re on an electric scooter. But even that depends on how the power is delivered. A good PAS starts to pull power gradually at ~28mph (for class 3 street legal e-bikes) which rides quite a bit different than a BBSHD cranked up to 30 amps running unrestricted.
Last edited by Dunbar; 03-19-18 at 03:49 PM.