Verify with ONYX Motors
Always verify aftermarket info with ONYX Motors or me. ONYX Motors controls its aftermarket to ensure quality, compatibility, safety, and fairness.
Name Drop and Disclosure
I haven’t authorized anyone to use my name and have no ties, contracts, or NDAs with any business.
Impatient Outcomes
For parts, repairs, or advice, stay objective. Impatience leads to unsafe mods, unmet expectations, and poor performance.
Influencers Aftermarket
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC can take legal action against companies that ignore its warnings. It has clear rules on conduct and disclosures for companies and influencers. If you believe a company or influencer is bending the rules, reporting them is easy at: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
Influencers - Lack Background
Don’t base aftermarket decisions solely on cost but rather be cautious about technical and product advice from influencers lacking real expertise-it’s easy to overlook but crucial for safety.
Influencers - 100 PSI Tire Pressure
Inflating a tire to 100 PSI, even during installation, is dangerous and damaging. Never inflate any ONYX tire-stock or aftermarket-to 100 PSI under any circumstance. Always check the manufacturer’s recommended PSI and follow the rating on the tire’s sidewall label.
Shops Aftermarket
Shops - Bike Transport Service
Check out the ONYX Transport post to learn the best ways to move your ONYX around. Watch out for bike transportation services charging $200 to $300 to move your ONYX a measly 6.5 miles-that’s highway robbery, except they’re not even on a highway! For comparison, you could call an Uber WAV from Midtown West, Manhattan, to Barclays Center (also 6.5 miles) for just $45, and the Uber driver might even throw in some free small talk.
Shops - Only They Can
A common ONYX scam involves claiming the bike has always been flawed and that only they have the exclusive part, solution, or service to fix it.
Shops - Invasive
ONYX Motors is aware of invasive shops thanks to customer feedback. They rely on fake friendships to make sales, can’t attract real experts, and avoid product demos because their quality doesn’t hold up.
Shops - VIP Services
Unauthorized shops are charging “VIP services” ranging from $300 to get your ONYX back in a week (spoiler: you probably won’t) to $400 for the privilege of watching them fumble with your bike like it’s their first science project.
Shops - Holding The Repair
Unauthorized shops are playing around with holding ONYX By them holding onto ONYX longer than your ex holds grudges, all while trying to milk more money out of you with empty promises and made-up completion dates.
Shops - Rear Swing Arm
Bad news: Huck Rebel e-bike rear swing arms, both standard lengthand extended length, are being sold to unsuspecting ONYX owners for $600+.
Good news: ONYX Motors will launch redesigned, high-quality standard lengthand extended length rear swing arms in 2025.
Shops - Fardriver Controller Efficency Claims
The idea that Fardriver controllers are so efficient they can make an ONYX RCR with a 23Ah battery outlast one with a 41Ah battery? Yeah, that’s a no-go. Nice try, though!
Shops - Brake Bleeding
The latest ONYX scam targets front brakes! A front brake bleed is rarely needed. Before paying $150 for one, service your pads and disc first using this post’s steps. A full front brake assembly costs $65, and a Ducati bleed is only $80-don’t get scammed!
Battery Aftermarket
Battery - Negligent Aftermarket Builders
Protective cases are a safety standard, but some aftermarket builders cut costs by skipping them. Many rebrand to hide past fires, and their warranty or insurance claims are misleading-no reputable insurer covers non-compliant builders. A history of unsafe practices signals a lack of responsibility, and adding cases later doesn’t guarantee real commitment to safety.
Battery - Larger
Using unqualified cells like the Samsung 50E, combined with poor construction in large-capacity batteries of 50Ah or more, such as 60Ah or 70Ah, allows some aftermarket builders to market these inferior builds as range or race batteries for the ONYX RCR. While these large batteries may seem functional initially, their shortcomings in quality, power, and range become apparent with extended use.
- Larger battery builds over 50Ah allow aftermarket builders to disguise substandard cells and builds, benefiting their profit margins and marketing efforts.
Battery - Bulk Cells
Some aftermarket battery builders buy older cells in bulk and mislead customers into thinking they’re getting a new custom choice, when in reality, the decision was predetermined.
Battery - Cell Shelf Life
The Molicel P42A battery was released on November 1, 2020. Many customers purchase P42A cells without realizing that even unused cells degrade to A- grade after sitting on the shelf for a year.
Battery - Cell Switch
It’s not uncommon for aftermarket battery builders to switch cells, which is why these batteries are subject to greater scrutiny, and maintaining strong relationships with trusted builders is crucial.
Battery - Discharge Marketing
Batteries advertised with phase AC discharge details are a clear example of marketing hype. No aftermarket battery builder should list phase discharge numbers without tested proof. I’ve written a post explaining how power flows from the battery to the tires for better clarity. False advertising isn’t just misleading-it poses serious safety risks
Battery - Regulating Builders
Aftermarket battery builders cannot operate in New York due to strict lithium regulations and certification requirements for each battery model they produce. As a result, many have relocated to New Jersey, where tightening regulations are now leading to fines, criminal charges, and shutdowns of these operations.
Battery - Range Marketing
Aftermarket batteries are often overpriced and fail to deliver real value, even when advertised as larger or higher capacity. A bigger battery doesn’t guarantee more range if the internal build has issues like hotspots, poor materials, small-gauge wiring, or outdated bargain cells manufactured before 2023, such as the Samsung 50E and LG M50. Despite being marketed as high-range solutions, these batteries frequently underperform in real-world conditions.
Battery - Unsafe Aftermarket Batteries
All major bike brands enclose their lithium batteries in hard protective cases for safety. When an aftermarket battery builder produces a lithium battery without such protection, it’s a clear red flag and a safety risk.
Unfortunately, the right side of the image highlights three unprotected battery builders who failed to prioritize safety or implement necessary improvements. Their batteries are merely shrink-wrapped or enclosed in plexiglass, offering no real protection compared to a sturdy metal case.
Battery - Aftermarket Battery Fires
In 2024, the ONYX community discussed six incidents of unprotected aftermarket battery fires involving bike owners who unfortunately experienced this hazard. In the referenced image below, one bike owner had simply removed their battery from the bike and placed it on the ground at the entrance of their garage. This seemingly routine action triggered a thermal runaway because the corner of the unprotected battery made contact with the ground first, causing physical deformation at the point of impact.
Battery - Uninsured Aftermarket Builders
Most domestic aftermarket battery builders are uninsured and lack the equipment needed to produce batteries that meet UL requirements. If an aftermarket battery catches fire, it’s violent, fast, and deadly. Worse, you’ll be fully responsible for the damages, facing potential criminal charges and civil lawsuits.
Battery - QS8-S+, QS8 Blue and QS8 Purple
Variations of the QS8 connector are marketed with different colors and labels, claiming to handle higher amperages, such as peaks of 600 amps. However, these claims are false. All these variations use the same nylon housing and brass connectors as the standard QS8.
Motor Aftermarket
Motor - Broken Harness and Heat
When buying a used motor, always bring a $15 motor tester from the ONYX Aftermarket Tools post. It partially confirms the motor’s condition, but removing the motor cover is key to checking for blackening or internal damage. Inspect where the phase wire harness enters the motor for cracks, tape, or liquid electrical tape. Used motors may have been exposed to high temperatures, which can weaken the magnets over time.
Motor - Legit QS MOTOR and SiAECOSYS
With many websites and groups listing motors, it’s best to rely on official manufacturers’ sites for accurate information, ordering, and updates. QS MOTOR produces high-performance hub and mid-drive motors for two-, three-, and four-wheeled EVs worldwide. Its subsidiary, SiAECOSYS (SIA), focuses on electric motors and powertrain solutions for global EV applications.
QSMOTOR and SiAECOSYS Address: No. 2555, Shugang Road Section, Pengjie Town, Luqiao District, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.
Motor - Imposter QS MOTOR
QS MOTOR LIMITED is a counterfeit entity with a fake website (qs-motor.com) and has no connection to QS MOTOR. These resellers often sell cloned, low-quality motors. QS MOTOR has confirmed they will not support or honor warranties for motors bought from unauthorized sellers. Avoid these imposter contacts listed below.
- Robert Chen (Located in Jiaxing)
- Harry Zhou (Located in Shanghai)
You’ll find information about QS MOTOR on this page, and for everything you need to know about stock and aftermarket ONYX motors, check out the ONYX RCR Aftermarket Motors page. Read up and make informed decisions!
Motor - Used Parts Sold as New
It’s straight-up highway robbery-like a certain New Jersey shop selling a used NBPower motor and Sabvoton controller as “new” to an ONYX owner in San Diego.
Motor - NBPower Motor and Parts
The issue isn’t NBPower itself but those misrepresenting it as QS MOTOR. In the picture, two 273 motors are falsely presented as the same-QS MOTOR on the left has more windings, while the NBPower version on the right has fewer. The performance gap is significant.
On the far right, two 205 motors are also misrepresented. The left one has a lesser stamped steel core with more magnets in a 3.5T configuration, making it more prone to heat issues. The right one is the actual QS MOTOR 205 with the correct setup.
NBPower resells other brands and has its own lesser-tier motor, controller, and parts line, but no NBP motor matches QS quality. If an NBP motor looks identical inside to a QS, that’s because it is a QS. Buying from QS guarantees QS quality-no surprises. Buying from NBP? It’s a gamble. You might get a QS, or you might end up with something… less reliable.
For the record, no new ONYX has ever come with an NBP motor. Most riders don’t open their motors to check, but let’s be real-it matters.
Motor - Windings 3T and 3.5T
Magnetic field magic makes your motor spin! Electric motor windings are coils of copper wire wrapped around the motor’s core. When electricity flows through them, it creates magnetic fields that set things in motion. For 205, 260, and 273 motors, stick with 4T windings-it’s the sweet spot for balance. Sure, 3T or 3.5T might crank up the RPMs, but you’ll lose torque and turn your motor into a tiny heat factory.
Motor - 273 150mm Motor
The 150mm 273 V3 motor, which costs $461, is being misrepresented as the more capabale version and being sold for $1,200 to $1,600. Meanwhile, the actual motor to get-the 200mm 273 V4-costs just $721.
Motor - 205 Motor Older Revisions
Older V2 205 motors, usually priced at $160, and V3 205 motors, typically priced at $200, are being falsely advertised as the latest V3Ti revision and sold for over $400.
Motor - Label and Stamp
ONYX Motors, the community, and I avoid labels like 4K, 8K, or 12K-they don’t reflect a motor’s true setup. Terms like “273 V4 8K” miss key details like dropout size, phase wire size, and magnet size, which really matter. For example, a 200mm 273 V4 is much stronger than a 150mm 273 V3. QS hub motor names are overly complex. It’s easier to just mention the model, revision, and dropout size.
- Best: 273 V4 200mm
- Correct: 273 V4 200mm 6 AWG 50H
- Incorrect: 273 V4 8000 Watt
- Incorrect: 273 V4 8K
Motor - 205 Motor 48v Swap
48v versions of 205 motors are tuned to 72v to be passed off as a ONYX 72v 205 V3T motor. For unsuspecting buyers, they are unaware this motor is a 1/4 of the power of an original ONYX motor.
Motor - Spoke Lacing
Misrepresented motors often feature a radial spoke pattern, where the spokes run straight from the hub to the rim without crossing. Known as a 0-cross pattern, this setup is not ideal for high-powered electric bikes, as it lacks the strength and durability of crossed spoke designs.
Motor - Swap
Stator cores from new V3Ti models are being swapped with older V3 models. In some cases, entire motor stators and hubs are exchanged, deceiving ONYX customers into thinking they’re getting their original motors or new replacements.
Motor - Orange Phase Harness
QS MOTOR hasn’t provided a clear explanation for the orange-insulated phase harness; their only official note states, “Orange phase line is our new packaging, new and old packaging random delivery.” While DIY bike enthusiasts have observed these harnesses as standard on some motors, they also appear on motors from bike manufacturers, leading to mixed interpretations.
For electric vehicles, FMVSS No. 305 requires high-voltage cables (over 60 VDC or 30 VAC) to have an orange outer cover as a safety warning.
To ensure authenticity, buy directly from QS MOTOR or SiAECOSYS and specify if you need a black or orange harness. A 205 motor’s phase harness cable is 67" (5.58 ft) long, and covering an orange harness with black requires at least 67" of 40mm, 3:1 ratio heat shrink tubing.