Falco e-motor hub conversion

VTAllen

1 mW
Joined
Feb 6, 2023
Messages
12
Location
Richmond, Vermont
Buyer Beware!! I wanted to add an emotor to our Santana tandem, and the Falco emotor system was recommended by a tandem dealer as about the only thing that would fit the 160mm rear dropout spacing. I paid Falco $2992.99 on April 5, 2021 for one of their emotor systems. It was finally shipped on October 14, 2021. After using it for only 353 miles it suffered some sort of internal malfunction that rendered it unusable. It seemed to be a mechanical issue, not electrical. Something inside the hub is preventing it from turning properly. Over the next 11 days I left 6 voicemails at the phone number the website lists for warranty claims with no response. I have also left voicemail and a text at the phone number that I believe goes to company president Rakesh Dhawan, also with no reply. I have emailed the Falco engineer who answered questions about the original order 6 times; after no answer times 5, on the 6 try I got a message that the email account is disabled. In June 2022 the tandem dealer was able to contact Rakesh Dhawan and I got authorization to return the hub and wheel (at my expense). UPS documented that Rakesh Dhawan signed for it July 1, 2022. I have heard nothing since. So, no, I cannot recommend Falco emotors. Are they still in business??? Anyway, don't throw your money away with this company. Oh, and the hub motor, when working, had totally inadequate low end torque for Vermont hills.
 
There are a number of threads about this company and product, some good, some bad; this is the longest one about them and includes posts from the company rep (probably Rakesh, I don't recall though).
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49849
 
Buyer Beware!! I wanted to add an emotor to our Santana tandem, and the Falco emotor system was recommended by a tandem dealer as about the only thing that would fit the 160mm rear dropout spacing. I paid Falco $2992.99 on April 5, 2021 for one of their emotor systems. It was finally shipped on October 14, 2021. After using it for only 353 miles it suffered some sort of internal malfunction that rendered it unusable. It seemed to be a mechanical issue, not electrical. Something inside the hub is preventing it from turning properly. Over the next 11 days I left 6 voicemails at the phone number the website lists for warranty claims with no response. I have also left voicemail and a text at the phone number that I believe goes to company president Rakesh Dhawan, also with no reply. I have emailed the Falco engineer who answered questions about the original order 6 times; after no answer times 5, on the 6 try I got a message that the email account is disabled. In June 2022 the tandem dealer was able to contact Rakesh Dhawan and I got authorization to return the hub and wheel (at my expense). UPS documented that Rakesh Dhawan signed for it July 1, 2022. I have heard nothing since. So, no, I cannot recommend Falco emotors. Are they still in business??? Anyway, don't throw your money away with this company. Oh, and the hub motor, when working, had totally inadequate low end torque for Vermont hills.
Update: After the intervention of the tandem dealer, Falco finally came through and sent me a functional wheel in late February, 2023. I cannot tell if it was repaired or replaced, but it works. So, it only took two years after the initial order. I put it on the bike and we tried it out on three rides totaling about 65 miles. On flat to rolling terrain, short hills, and with headwinds the motor performs adequately. On the long, steep hills that are everywhere in Vermont, the motor is useless. It simply cannot generate low end torque at slow wheel speeds. So, I am proceeding with a mid-drive conversion with the new CYC Photon motor. My report on that is in the "builds" forum.
 
Wow, never a good look to tell an unhappy customer that the complaint they have made should be deleted because it just makes us look bad.

I have no horse in this race, but comments like that mean I will probably never consider your products.
 
Allen, This is Rakesh Dhawan. Falco eMotors went through an unfortunate phase due to covid and a personal tragedy that crippled the company for several months. Those details, unfortunately, can not be shared online. We eventually made good on our promise, which is important. Secondly, regarding your complaint about insufficient power, we are NOT a motorcycle. There is enough torque and power for a TRUE cycling experience. We have several hundred tandem riders without any issues. Yes, your fitness also plays a part in it. Falco can supplement your power and will not overpower you. That is an important distinction. It is supposed to be a cycling experience, not a motorcycle experience. I apologize for the inconvenience we caused you, but the circumstances were out of my control. We are back, rebuilding the business and emerging from the personal tragedy. My request to you will be to remove this post as it does not serve any purpose except to hurt a company in good standing that has done its very best to continue to stand on its feet despite extraordinary adverse circumstances.
Legitimate excuse or not, perhaps you should've at least responded to the customer, early in the dance,... and not resorted to silence for so long.
 
Allen, This is Rakesh Dhawan. Falco eMotors went through an unfortunate phase due to covid and a personal tragedy that crippled the company for several months. Those details, unfortunately, can not be shared online. We eventually made good on our promise, which is important. Secondly, regarding your complaint about insufficient power, we are NOT a motorcycle. There is enough torque and power for a TRUE cycling experience. We have several hundred tandem riders without any issues. Yes, your fitness also plays a part in it. Falco can supplement your power and will not overpower you. That is an important distinction. It is supposed to be a cycling experience, not a motorcycle experience. I apologize for the inconvenience we caused you, but the circumstances were out of my control. We are back, rebuilding the business and emerging from the personal tragedy. My request to you will be to remove this post as it does not serve any purpose except to hurt a company in good standing that has done its very best to continue to stand on its feet despite extraordinary adverse circumstances.
I decline your request to take my post down. It is a factual account of my experience with your company, and a factual account of the performance of your direct drive hub motor. As regards the motor performance, I don't see why you are obfuscating the facts by talking about motorcycles and power. The issue is low end torque. Because the rpm of a direct drive hub motor rpm is the same as the wheel rpm, at low speeds it just doesn't have much torque. Below about 7 mph the Falco motor contributed little; below 4 mph almost nothing. Vermont has many climbs greater than 10% and a mile or more long. Your motor, and I expect any direct drive hub motor, is just suboptimal for this terrain. But then, you are an engineer, so you know this stuff, right???? Why don't you give potential customers honest information about both the advantages and the disadvantages of your products, instead of making unrealistic claims and insinuating problems are the fault of the customer.
 
I spend 4-6 hours a day dealing with the treatment of, and recovery from Chemo in my best friend.
I have inoperable (literally the treatment will kill me in days) cancer. I will not see my son graduate and I only might see another christmas.

No, Cancer is not an excuse. If you are running a business, you have made a commitment to be responsible. If you have accepted funds for products you are morally and legally responsible to either see to a delivery of goods, or a refund.

Cancer sucks, I am sorry you are having to either deal with it, or have a loved one that is. I can not stress just how much my heart aches every time I hear of another victim, I know the giant detonation of all things good in a life, if not a community.

Still does not excuse you from your responsibility.

Just my .02, you might want change back.
 
Do you think cancer is a legitimate excuse?
I have been pondering whether to respond to this. After all, this web site is about etransport. But DaLanMan chimed in with pertinent perspective, and this particular thread is about vendor relations, so here goes:
1. Is this a Straw Man Deflection, i.e. moving the goal post, changing the subject, etc? Cancer is not one disease, it is over 100 different diseases, that vary from minor to "you would be dead by now." You do not provide sufficient information to address your question.
2. During the time frame that I was attempting to get Falco eMotors to respond to communications via every channel I could find, I was accessing both the Falco website and the Falco Facebook feed regularly. The website continued to solicit business. It made no mention of problems or delays. The Facebook feed was being monitored and curated, as evidenced by posts that were critical, or offering complaints, or asking about orders where the credit card was charged but the merchandise was not received, were quickly taken down, and it my case the complainer was blocked. I continued to monitor this behavior by using my wife's Facebook account. Someone was NOT asleep at the wheel, or disabled from internet use by a cancer diagnosis. So NO, I do not think you have a legitimate excuse.
3. My advice on Falco eMotors remains: Buyer Beware
4. Personally, I find your continued attempts to avoid responsibility...slimy.
 
I feel some response is well, mandatory. If you can't run the business, sell it, get someone to step in. Or at the very very least take 20 seconds and post something like "I was just diagnosed with cancer, I am trying to come to terms with that, please be patient in the interim" at a bare minimum.

There are a lot of things I am not, responsible to my obligations however is hard wired into me. I told my clients I was gonna have to send them elsewhere, I have personal health issues. A few of them are still clients, they refuse to go elsewhere, they just deal with my hit and miss response rate (by that I mean I used to be 24/7 responsive within an hour. Now it may be a day before I can get to a phone and make use of it.) I am nearly homebound with my issues and yet... some of the clients don't care. this is because I have never failed to treat them with the respect and courtesy that is due in a business situation.

My first day in business 100 With the professor who would end up being the reason I majored in Business, and who was the only reason I got into Haas. Day 1 requirements were in the paperwork for the class.

First person he asked "do you have 3 #2 pencils?"
Nope, they had 1 though
Response "pack your things, leave the room, if you are not prepared for class, you are not interested in business"

I was the 8th person nailed, I did not have a copy of the Wall St. Journal

I stood outside that room with my ear glued to the door. I wanted to know what was next.

I never missed an item after that. I have never been in a meeting without 3 coloured pens, at least 3 sharpened pencils, a proper notepad (leather or logo of your firm) and spares, etc etc etc. Why? Because My prof taught me that you are a business, you have to be properly prepared, on time, attentive and 100% knowledgeable on your product or service.
You are no longer some flip flop wearing hippy hoping to score a few bucks mowing lawns. You are a business, you are better than the person you normally are, you are as close to perfection as you can make yourself.
Never lie to a client.
Never over promise.
Never be late (5 minutes early is 10 minutes late)
Never fail to listen to your clients needs wants and desires.
Fast, Good, Cheap, you may only ever offer 2 of these.

He taught old school business responsibility.
It is always your fault, not your staff, feces may run downhill, but responsibility rolls up.

Do not oversell what you will deliver, over deliver on what you sell.

If there is a better solution for the client, let them know about it. Then be ready to explain why you are not inferior.

There are no excuses for poor preparation, lack of knowledge, or unfulfilled promises.

There are no excuses. If you have one of the inevitable failures that do occur. Simply state that it has happened, what you have done to prevent it happening again, and be prepared to take your well deserved tongue lashing for being a failure in business.

Don't let it destroy you, remember every one that you get, it is the best thing a client can ever give you. It is a lesson on how to be better next time. If you follow these rules, you WILL dominate.


Damn I miss that man. I have repeated his teachings over and over, and been ever so proud when my guys and gals went out and knocked the tar out of things.

My company always had a hard edge rep. We were never cheaper than the other guys, and we never said no. I have found my executive arse hip deep in a parking lot helping clear a drain because the client was at a complete loss at what to do. He asked if I could fix it, I assured him I could. I called a handyman I knew, changed out of my suit, and in shorts and bare feet went out to see what the problem was, got the guy in motion, and when he showed up 30 minutes later. I helped clear the clog.

That is one of the clients that will never leave. One of my staffers was watching and laughing, he turned around looked at the client and said "remember, if we ever say we are gonna walk on water, sell tickets"

Yeah, they are VERY high standards, and you will never actually reach them. You don't have to. Just be closer than the next guy.
 
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