How to Identify My eBike Motor — Find the Right Tuning Kit

Step 1 — Mid-drive or hub motor?

Before identifying the brand, locate the motor on the bike:

• Mid-drive (central motor): mounted at the bottom bracket, between the cranks. This covers Bosch, Shimano STEPS, Yamaha PW, DJI Avinox, Bafang BBS/BBSHD, Brose/QORE and Giant SyncDrive.
• Hub motor: built into the front or rear wheel hub. Common on entry-level bikes and Bafang BPM/RM kits. Identification is simpler — look for the brand name on the hub shell itself.

The rest of this guide focuses on mid-drive motors, which is where generation-level identification is critical for kit compatibility.

Step 2 — Read the motor casing

Every major motor brand prints or moulds its name on the casing. Crouch behind the bottom bracket and look at the motor housing directly:

Bosch

The Bosch wordmark is cast into the motor casing on the right-hand side (drive side). An adhesive label on the underside carries the BDU reference (e.g. BDU374Y for Gen4, BDU384Y for Gen5/CX Race). Use these BDU codes — not the casing shape alone — to determine the exact generation.

• Bosch Gen2/Gen3 (2013–2017): BDU250P / BDU250CX. Older square profile.
• Bosch Gen4 / Performance CX (2018–2021): BDU374Y. Rectangular housing, 85 Nm.
• Bosch Smart System (BES3) (2022+): BDU374Y or BDU384Y depending on variant. USB-C port on the display; compatible with the eBike Flow app.
• Bosch Gen5 / CX Race (2024+): BDU384Y. More compact housing, 85 Nm.

Quickest check: open the eBike Flow app. If your bike pairs and shows a dashboard, it is a Smart System. If it does not connect, it is Gen4 or earlier.

Shimano STEPS

The STEPS logo appears on the motor casing. The adhesive label carries the DU- reference — this is the number that matters for kit compatibility.

• EP8 (DU-EP800): produced 2020 to late 2022. 85 Nm / 500 W. Compatible with SpeedBox 1.2 and 1.3.
• EP801 (DU-EP801): produced from late 2022 onwards. 85 Nm / 600 W. Built-in anti-manipulation algorithm (E295/E299). Requires PearTune MSO 3.0 or BadassBox 4 — not SpeedBox 1.3.
• Older series (E6000, E7000, E8000, EP6): reference visible on label; see the Shimano guide for kit compatibility.

How to distinguish EP8 vs EP801 without dismounting: connect the Shimano E-TUBE Project app via Bluetooth and go to System Information — the DU-EP800 or DU-EP801 reference is displayed. Alternatively, shine a torch under the bottom bracket: the reference is stamped on the motor casing and readable without any dismantling.

Date rule of thumb: purchased before end of 2022 → most likely EP8. Purchased from 2023 onwards → almost certainly EP801.

Yamaha

The Yamaha three-fork tuning-fork logo is moulded on the motor casing. The PW series name (PW-X3, PW-S2, PW-CE, PW-TE) is printed on the casing or the adhesive label. The full reference code (e.g. 20B-00, 1YM-00) is on the barcode label under the motor.

Note: Giant SyncDrive Pro and Sport are co-developed with Yamaha. The Yamaha underlying reference (PW-X3, PW-S2) may appear in the RideControl app — compatibility is the same as the equivalent Yamaha PW model.

DJI Avinox

Look for the Avinox wordmark on the motor casing — not the DJI drone logo. The Avinox motor has a compact, squared-off profile with a visually integrated torque sensor. Currently fitted to Amflow bikes and selected OEM partners. Confirm the exact reference via the Avinox Manager app (iOS/Android) over Bluetooth.

Bafang

BAFANG is stamped in large letters on the motor casing. The model reference (BBS01, BBS02, BBSHD for mid-drive; G310, G020 for hub motors) is on the side label. Bafang is the only major manufacturer that sells its motors as aftermarket retrofit kits.

Brose / QORE

Historically branded Brose on the casing, recent production is rebadged QORE. The motor has a distinctive slim, elongated profile compared to Bosch or Shimano. Found on Specialized Turbo Levo/Vado, selected Trek and Haibike models.

Step 3 — Confirm via the official app

When the label is worn, missing, or obstructed, the official companion apps give a definitive answer:

• Shimano E-TUBE Project (iOS / Android): pair via Bluetooth → System Information → exact DU- reference shown.
• Bosch eBike Flow (iOS / Android): if the bike pairs, it is a Smart System. The app shows the BDU reference and current firmware.
• Yamaha RideControl: shows PW model name and firmware version.
• DJI Avinox Manager: shows Avinox motor reference and firmware.
• Bafang: no official app. Use a USB programming cable + Bafang SW102 software to read the reference.

Step 4 — Use the bike specification sheet

If visual and app-based identification both fail:

• Find your bike's spec sheet on the manufacturer's website (search by model name and year) — the motor reference is always listed in the drivetrain section.
• Enter the frame serial number (stamped under the bottom bracket) into the manufacturer's database to retrieve the original build specification.
• Contact your authorised dealer with proof of purchase — they can query the serial register and confirm the motor.

Quick reference: brand → where to look → what to find