Before you buy a Bafang hub motor, take five measurements: your rear dropout gap against the motor's OLD (over-locknut distance), the brake rotor mount, the drive side (threaded freewheel or cassette, and how many speeds), the wheel and rim size, and your system voltage and motor plug. We list bare motors rather than built wheels, but the checks are the same. If one number does not match, do not force it; ask before you order.
What Bafang publishes for two rear motors
Bafang's spec pages (read November 3, 2026) for two families:
| As printed by Bafang | G062 (H550 family) | G0270 (H560 family) |
|---|---|---|
| OLD | 175 mm (dealer manual also lists 190 mm) | 148 mm |
| Brake | Disc | Disc |
| Sprocket range | 6-8 and 8-10 | 7-9 |
| Wheel diameter | 20 / 26 in | 26 / 700C / 28 in |
| Nominal voltage | 48 or 48/52 V | 48/52 V |
| Motor plug | G10.3 or G11.6 | G11.6 |
1. Rear dropout gap versus OLD
First switch the bike off, remove the battery and wait 30 seconds before you unplug the motor lead and take the wheel out. Then:
- Put calipers or a steel rule across the inner faces of the two dropouts and read the clear gap in mm.
- Ask the seller for the new motor's axle diameter and flats, and check your slot accepts them. Never file a slot wider.
- Compare the gap with the motor's OLD. Per Sheldon Brown's glossary, frame spacing must match the wheel's OLD.
Common fat-bike frame numbers are 170/177 and 190/197 mm (the longer figure is the thru-axle version); 135 mm is the usual mountain-bike rear. Bafang's 175 mm falls between 170 and 177, so do not round it. Its G062 dealer manual also lists a 190 mm build with a 246 mm axle, so confirm which one you are getting. The G0270's 148 mm is not a thru-axle fit: Bafang's manual shows a nutted axle with stop pins. See our dropout and axle sizing guide; a thru-axle frame is a different problem.
2. Brake: disc or rim, and which rotor mount
Bafang lists only disc brakes for these motors, so shop from a disc-brake frame. A rotor held by six bolts is 6-bolt; one held by a central lockring is Centerlock (Park Tool). Bafang's G062 and G0270 dealer manuals show a rotor fitted with six screws, so a Centerlock rotor will not bolt on as it is.
3. Drive side: freewheel or cassette, and how many speeds
Spin the cogs backward with the wheel off: if the tool fitting turns with them it is a cassette on a freehub, and if it stays still it is a threaded freewheel (Park Tool). The two do not swap. Count your speeds against the table; Bafang does not say which G062 range goes with which body type, so ask about the exact unit (our G062 750 W is a cassette type, the G063 1000 W is threaded).
4. Wheel diameter, tire width and rim
Read your tire size as two numbers, such as 26 x 4.0. A complete motor wheel comes laced into a rim, so its diameter and rim width are fixed. A bare motor needs a rim with 36 spoke holes (Bafang lists 36H x 12G), a wheel builder, and a wheel size that suits its winding: our G062 750 W is wound for 20 in, and in another size speed and hill-climbing pull change. See motor wheel versus bare motor.
5. Voltage and motor plug
The controller's voltage range must cover your battery's, and a 52 V bike needs its own check; Bafang lists these motors at 48 or 48/52 V. Bafang's pages print plug codes, not pin counts: G10.3 and G11.6 (G062), G11.6 (G0270), and G9.1, G11.2 and G11.6 (G06A2). Our G062 750 W is listed as 9-pin with the plug "to be confirmed", because Bafang's spec for it shows the G10.3 and G11.6 codes, so one model can come with different plugs. Count the pins on your controller's motor plug and compare the shape with the motor lead, or plan to replace the controller too. The same count and shape can still differ in wire order, so send photos before you order.
Common mistakes
- Rounding a printed OLD to a standard frame number.
- Reusing an old cassette or freewheel without checking body type.
- Forgetting the rim, wheel builder and winding size with a bare motor.
- Fitting a motor rated 500 W or more without stop pins, washers and a torque arm, so the axle can turn in the dropout.
Before you order
Drive torque goes back through the axle into the dropout, so plan the hardware: Bafang's dealer manuals call for stop pins on the axle, 2 mm washers on both sides of the frame and nuts at the manual's torque (47-60 N·m on the G062); our rule is to fit a torque arm on any hub motor rated 500 W or more, or in aluminum dropouts (see axle washers and torque arms). Send your five measurements and photos to support@riderow.com, or browse our motors and wheels, including the G062 listing. Our DIY repair guides cover the install. Test brake cutoff before you ride.
FAQ
What does OLD mean on a Bafang spec sheet?
OLD is the over-locknut distance, the width across the axle locknuts, which are the parts that touch the frame. A frame's dropout spacing must match it.
Can I reuse my old cassette or freewheel?
Only if the body type matches: a cassette needs a freehub and a threaded freewheel needs a threaded hub. Your speed count must also fall inside the motor's listed range. Run the spin test above if you are unsure which you have.
Are all Bafang motor plugs interchangeable?
No. Bafang prints different plug codes (G9.1, G10.3, G11.2 and G11.6 across the G062, G0270 and G06A2 pages), and one motor model can come with more than one. Compare your controller's motor plug with the motor lead before ordering.
Sources
- Bafang: H550 and H560 pages; spec pages RM G062, RM G0270, RM G06A2; dealer manuals RM G062.DC and RM G0270.750.DC.
- Sheldon Brown: spacing glossary and frame spacing crib sheet.
- Park Tool: cassette or freewheel and disc brake rotors.
RideRow is an independent parts retailer and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Bafang. Bafang and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify the bikes this guide covers.