Aotema Motor Kit Installation Instructions Rev 2.

3

CAUTION:
This motor kit must be mounted on steel (chromalloy) front forks. Aluminum (alloy) forks are not suitable as
aluminum is very brittle and can not take the stress. The dropouts can break off, causing serious injury. If you are not
sure, use a magnet to test. The magnet will stick to steel but not aluminum. If your donor bike has the common
aluminum suspension fork, it can be replaced with an appropriate steel rigid fork. When you order the new fork, make
sure you specify it is replacing a suspension fork so the geometry will be maintained. An alternative would be to just
choose another one of the fine bikes that are available with a rigid steel fork. Contact Aotema for more information.

Aotema is not responsible for damage or injury as a result of installing the kit on an alloy fork.

IMPORTANT:
Do not attempt to power the motor until it is mounted in the fork and the nuts are securely tightened. Damage to the
wires will result, which will void the warranty.

Part I Remove Existing Wheel

1. Turn bike upside so it is resting on the handle bars and seat. If necessary, loosen and move any bells or lights
mounted on the bar so they wont be damaged. Place a towel under the handle bars, or prop up the ends.


2. Loosen the front brakes by pulling the curved bar out of the retaining bracket so the brake arms are fully
extended away from the wheel. Loosen the nuts on the wheel and remove. You might have to let some air out
of the tire to get it past the brake pads.

3. Remove the tire, tube, and the tube protection strip from the wheel. Place these on your new wheel. If your
treads have a pattern that is designed to rotate in one direction, make sure it matches the rear wheel.

Part II Install New Wheel

1. Loosen the nuts on the motor kit wheel and place it into the fork. There are two possible ways it will go in.
You want the motor wires exiting down towards the road. As you look at the bike upside down, the wires will
be facing up. Also make sure the wires are on the left side of the bike when you are normally sitting on the
bike. Note: On previous versions of the motor kit, the wires exited on the right side. Before riding the first
time, lift the wheel and tap the throttle to verify correct rotation of the wheel.

2. The most common arrangement of the washers is to have the flat washer inside the fork next to the motor. The
tabbed washer goes on the outside of the fork, then the nut. This is the recommended setup for dropouts with a
flat surface for the nut and tabbed washer. If the axle fits in the dropout and the washers lay flat, continue on
to Part III. Note: the dropout is the end of the fork where the axle fits into the U-shaped opening.



Condition: Axle does not fit into dropouts
First make sure the flat part of the axle is aligned properly in the dropout. If it looks like a close fit but the dropout is
just a little too narrow, you can widen it slightly. Take a flat file and carefully file a small amount from each side of the
dropout, being careful to keep the file parallel to the dropout. You want this surface to be absolutely flat. Dont over
do it, you want the axle to be snug to slightly tight.

Condition: The outside of the dropout has a ridge, preventing the torque washer from laying flat.
Many new bikes come with quick release hubs these days. The dropouts often have a circular ridge where the round
nut goes onto the quick release mechanism. The problem is that this prevents the torque washer from seating properly.
There are two possible solutions. If the dropout is thick and strong, and the ridge is short, maybe only a quarter to a
half circle, you can file it down until flush with the main surface. If the ridge is more than half a circle, and or the
dropout is relatively small and thin, it is not recommended to do any filing. Instead, insert an extra lock washer (the
normal split kind) onto the axle first, then the nut. The lock washer will fit into the ridge allowing the nut to grip
against both the lock washer and the ridge. Since the lock washer will move the torque washer too far away from the
dropout to be effective, you have to instead move it to the inside of the fork. So now the order is: on the inside of the
fork, next to the motor, is the torque washer with the tab facing out. The flat washer is removed and not used. On the
outside of the dropout goes the regular lock washer then the nut. An alternative to the standard lock washer is the
toothed washer with the teeth facing inwards. This type works well when the standard lock washer doesnt fit. As
shown below, it will compress and deform into the recessed areas allowing the nut to grab tightly. Another option is to
add a second torque washer on the outside of the fork. This provides additional insurance against an axle spin. For
extra heavy duty use, a torque arm is recommended (not supplied).



Part III Tighten Nuts

1. At this point you have fitted the wheel to the fork. Make sure the axle is all the way into the dropouts and the
wheel is centered. Verify the washers are in the proper place and torque down the axle nuts. With an eight to
ten inch wrench, you want to tighten as tight as you can without bracing yourself or leveraging.

2. Turn the bike right side up.


Part IV Install Controller

1. Determine where to mount the controller by holding it in various places to see where it will fit. First, check
under the rear rack for clearance. If it doesnt fit, check to see if you can raise the rack. Note: if you didnt
already install the rack, do so now. If that wont work, check the mounting brackets for the rack that attach to
the seat post area. It can go on top of these or under if there is room. Another possibility is the seat post bar
between the bottom bracket and the seat. It can go behind or in front of the bar, whatever fits and looks the best.

2. After determining the best location, mount the controller using bolts or cable ties. Use one inch pipe mounting
clamps to secure controller to the bar seat post. When mounting in the rack area, you can use cable ties or bolts
on the controller brackets. It might be required to drill holes in the rack.



Part V Install Throttle and Brake Levers

1. Remove the handle bar grips. The easiest method uses soap and water to loosen the grips. Take a handy wipe,
or paper towel soaked in soapy water, and force it under the grip with a flat head screw driver. Being careful
not to scratch the bar, work it around pushing it at least half way under the grip. Start turning the grip and work
the water around. When enough of the grip is coated , it will slide right off. Wipe the water off the bar.

2. Remove the brake levers. Detach the cables from the handles but not the brake assembly. Replace the brake
handles with the ones from the kit and insert the cables.

The throttle has a small hex screw that tightens it to the handle bar. Find the correct Allen wrench and loosen
the screw until it does not protrude into the inner circle that the handle bar goes through. Before mounting the
throttle, take a look at the brake handle and any shifter. Determine the best order for easy access to all three
controls. Generally you want the throttle next to the hand grip. Usually the brake comes next. If that looks
good, then just loosen the brake and shifter and shift them down the bar to allow room for the throttle. Slide
on the throttle, allowing enough room for the grip. Align it so the LEDs face up and toward the rider and
tighten the Allen screw. Slide the brake lever and shifter back up the bar and tighten. Slide on the hand grip,
leaving a small space between it and the throttle so it doesnt bind.

3. Run the wires from the throttle and brakes back to the controller. Use the included tie-wraps to secure the
cables to the frame.




Part VI Connect Wires to Controller

1. You have run the wires back to the controller which is mounted to the frame. All the connectors are different so
you cant plug something in wrong. Do not plug the battery in yet. Connect the throttle (4-pin) and the brake
cable (2-pin) to the controller connectors. Run the motor cable from the controller to the motor. Dont fasten
with the cable ties yet but run along the frame in the proposed location. Slide one of the large diameter shrink
wrap strips over the connector and back it onto the cable. Connect the cable to the motor connector which is
tie-wrapped to the fork. Now slide the shrink wrap over the two connectors. What you want to do is heat up
the top part only with a heat gun or hair dryer. This will seal up the top half but allow you to still slide it up to
get access to the connector. Optionally, use one of the small tie wraps to fully close the top edge of the shrink
wrap. Working from the front fork back to the controller, use tie-wraps to secure the motor cable to the frame.
You can secure it to the brake cables or to the frame as needed. As you make the turn from the fork to the main
tube, put an extra two to three inch loop to allow slack for turning.

2. You have run all the cables back to the controller. Gather the excess cable lengths and either fold or coil them
so they are about 3 to 4 inches in length. Cover with the large shrink wrap and secure this bundle to the frame.
You might have to separate the wires into two bundles. This protects the connectors from dirt and moisture and
makes for a clean installation.

The one cable not connected goes to the battery. If you havent already, connect the pigtail into the controller power
connector (trailer hitch type). This may have Anderson connectors on the battery side. If more length is needed, you
will have to make an extension cable. We can supply this for a nominal charge.



Part VII Adjust Brakes

The width of the new rim might be a different from the original, so you might have to adjust the brakes. You
previously detached the curved tube holding the two brake pad assemblies together so they are extended out away
from the wheel. Using an Allen wrench, loosen the brake pad. Hold the pad against the rim and move around until
it seats in the proper place. While holding it against the rim, tighten the brake pad. After repeating for the other
side, insert the curved tube into the bracket. It there is not enough slack, loosen the cable bolt, and let out enough
cable until there is about 1/8 of play before the brakes hit the rim and re-tighten. Test the brakes and make sure
they are working correctly.

Part VIII Connect Battery and Testing

1. Place the battery pack into the battery bag and attach it securely to the rear rack. Make sure the controller is
turned off and plug the pack into the controller. Make sure the polarity of the wires is correct; red to red and
black to black. When you plug the pack into the controller, you may see a small spark due to the current inrush
caused by the capacitors in the controller quickly charging up. You can add a high power switch or relay in
series with the power cable to prevent this. Contact Aotema for more information.

2. Switch on the controller. You should see a red LED on continuously and the green LED should be blinking
slowly.

3. Lift the front wheel off the ground and slowly press the throttle. The wheel should go backwards for a split
second as the controller determines the motor position, then spin forward smoothly. Take the bike for a short
test ride, working the throttle gradually and only going a few blocks. Re-check the tightness of the front nuts
and the wiring. Make sure the battery pack is tightly secured.

4. After a few weeks of riding, check the wheel alignment and verify it is true (straight). Also check for loose
spokes and make sure the axle nuts are tight.

Part IX Maintenance

1. The motor is sealed and does not require lubrication. It is a brushless motor and has no gears. Do not go
through deep puddles or submerge the motor in water as it can enter the motor through the cable exit hole.

2. Do not allow any of the electrical components to get wet. Cover the controller, throttle, and battery with plastic
bags during rain. It is recommended not to leave the bike outdoors for long periods of time due to
condensation.

3. Be careful not to let the wires coming out of the motor rub against the axle area. The wires should exit straight
and be secured to the fork. If the wires are pulled to one side, they might be susceptible to having the insulation
worn off, causing a short.

4. Check the tightness of the axle nuts regularly. If they become loose, the axle might spin in the dropouts,
twisting and cutting the wires. This is an expensive repair and is NOT covered under warranty.
Part X Operation

Riding

Safe bicycle practices must be observed and is even more important with an ebike due to increased speeds. The
maximum legal speed is 20 mph. Your bike must be in top condition with good brakes and tires. If you are
operating at 48V it is possible to exceed this limit, and you might have to obtain a moped license or restrict
riding to off-road. Please consult your local laws. You must wear a helmet and avoid riding at night.

Range depends on a lot of factors including weight, slope of incline, wind and tires. It also depends on rider
operation. The two important factors for the rider are acceleration and pedaling. Starting from a stop takes
triple the power over just maintaining speed, so pedaling when starting and not using full throttle saves a lot of
battery. In addition, if you pedal along with the motor, that also conserves power. Going slower than
maximum speed also increases range. The tires should be filled to near maximum pressure to lesson friction.

Be careful in loose sand as the wheel might spin causing loss of traction especially on hills. Avoid pot holes
and dont jump off curbs, both of which can damage the rim. Slow down when making turns.

Knowing your kit

The thumb throttle has three LEDs. The red one indicates power is turned on. The green one indicates that the
battery voltage is within operating range, and the yellow one comes on when the voltage is very low.

Caution: It is recommended to not turn on the power until you are on the bike and ready to ride. This is to
avoid a dangerous situation where you accidently press the throttle when mounting the bike.

The brakes that come with the kit have a cut-off switch built into them. When the brake is activated, the
controller will cut off the motor regardless of the throttle setting. You can think of this as a panic switch or
emergency cut-off. Note that these are momentary switches, so the motor will come back on when released (if
throttle is activated). You can use one or both of the included brakes. On bikes where the brakes are integrated
with the gear changers, the cutoff brakes cant be used. Please consult with Aotema or your dealer for
alternatives. The brake cut-off is an optional safety feature, the motor runs fine without it connected.

Battery Charging and Safety

All batteries must be kept charged regardless of chemistry. Lead Acid (SLA) batteries must be charged
immediately after use or they may be damaged, particularly if they are drained. This is critical to maintain
capacity and life cycles. All ebike batteries have tremendous power and must be treated with respect. They can
supply enough current to actually do welding, melting steel into a liquid. Be careful not to short out the battery
terminals. Keep metal away from the top the battery and check insulation on the wires regularly. Have your
dealer replace any damaged connectors.

Charge the battery in a dry place with ventilation and not in high temperature settings. Regularly check SLA
batteries and make sure they do not get hot when charging. Take note of any swelling of the batteries, replace if
observed. The chargers generally have an LED that is red while charging and green when fully charged. You
can leave the charger on overnight, but it is not recommended to leave it on continuously for more than 24
hours. You need to top off the batteries every couple weeks if not used for extended periods.

Operating in Rain

Your ebike kit is not waterproof. If raining, you need to cover the battery (if Lithium), motor controller, and
throttle with plastic bags. The motor is sealed except where the cable comes out. That is why the wire must
face down and have a two inch drip loop so the water does not follow the wire into the motor. The motor
must not be submerged in large puddles of water.
Part XI Troubleshooting

1. The motor controller has two LEDs that aid in troubleshooting problems. The red LED indicates power is
turned on to the control circuitry. It should stay on continuously after flipping the power switch. The green
LED is a status indicator and will indicate certain errors.

Steady blink: Connections are correct, throttle off.
Steady on: No errors, throttle on.
Slow 2-pattern blink: Brake cut-off switch engaged.
Slow 6-pattern blink: Error. Can not detect motor position.
Slow 8-pattern blink: Low voltage Cutoff reached (LVC). Battery low.


Diagnostic Procedure Symptom: motor does nothing

1. Measure battery voltage, make sure it is >=34V

2. Check LEDs on controller, red steady on, green blinking 1 sec cycle.
If no LEDs, check power connections, if ok, open controller and check wires on power switch.

3. Disconnect brake cutoff cable from controller (2-pin connector). Try again.

4. Check voltages on throttle:
Black =Ground
Red =+5V
White =Throttle Out , measure .8V-4V when activated
Purple =+Battery
Caution: Do not short out contacts when measuring the voltages.
Put the probes on opposite sides of the connector so they can't touch each other.
A. Measure from ground to +5V, if no voltage, then controller is bad.
B. Measure from ground to throttle out (white) while turning throttle. If no output, replace throttle.

5. With power off, lift wheel and spin it. If it spins freely go to next step. If it is very hard to turn and you feel
resistance going on and off, like a cogging, disconnect the phase wires from the controller. Spin the wheel again. If it
now spins freely, the controller is bad. If it still cogs, there is a short in the wiring. Check the wires where they exit the
axle for damage.

6. Check for continuity on the motor phase wires using an ohm meter. Measure from each of the 3 phases to each
other, and to the motor case. There should be infinite resistance from all phases to the case. If not, then there is a short
in the motor. The phase wires should all have very low resistance (<3 ohm) to each other. If not, there is a broken
wire in the motor.

7. If you have the correct voltages on the throttle, correct LEDs on the controller, the motor does not cog, and there are
no shorts or opens on the motor phase wires, the problem may still be the controller and you should try swapping it out
with a known working unit if available. Warning: If the motor was hard to turn when not connected to the controller,
dont try another controller as it might be damaged. You first have to fix the short in the wiring.

Thank you for your purchase. This quality kit will provide you with years of service.

Happy eBiking !

2012 Aotema, Inc. www.aotema.com