Yamaha PW or Giant SyncDrive: which motor is fitted to my e-bike?
Which motor do I have?Yamaha PW / Giant SyncDrive
This flow sorts the bike into the Yamaha PW family (sold under the Yamaha name) or the Giant SyncDrive family (co-developed with Yamaha, sold on Giant, Liv and Momentum). The two share motor hardware but use different displays, different error-code lists and different dealer software, so the right list must be picked before any code is read.
Warning: Do not guess from the bicycle brand or from a forum post: the wrong system means the wrong error-code list, the wrong spare parts and the wrong workshop software.
What you need
- The bike, clean and on a stand so the motor can be read
- A torch to read the casting on the motor case
- A phone camera for a close-up of the case and the display
- The invoice, type plate or original spec sheet
LED patterns and what they mean
| "Yamaha" cast into the motor case | Yamaha PW-family motor (PW, PW-X, PW-X2, PW-X3, PW-ST, PW-TE, PWseries SE or PWseries CE) |
| "SyncDrive" cast into the motor case | Giant SyncDrive motor, co-developed with Yamaha (current line: SyncDrive Core 55Nm, SyncDrive Sport 2 75Nm, SyncDrive Pro 2 85Nm) |
| Giant, Liv or Momentum brand badge on the frame | Bike is very likely to carry a SyncDrive motor; still confirm by reading the case |
| Display housing marked RideControl | Giant SyncDrive system with Giant dealer software, even though the motor hardware is Yamaha-derived |
| Function field shows "Er" followed by a two-digit number, alternating with the normal riding screen | Yamaha PW-family error format, shared by Yamaha-branded bikes and by Giant SyncDrive bikes |
| Spec sheet lists PW-X, PW-X2, PW-X3, PW-ST, PW-TE, PWseries SE or PWseries CE | Yamaha PW-family model, Yamaha display, Yamaha dealer software |
| Spec sheet lists SyncDrive Pro 2, SyncDrive Sport 2 or SyncDrive Core | Current Giant SyncDrive line, Yamaha co-developed, Giant RideControl display |
| Motor case unmarked, sticker worn off | Identification must come from the display name and the invoice - do not rely on the case alone |
Step by step
1. Read the brand on the frame: Giant, Liv, Momentum or another mark?
Look at the down tube, head tube and the type plate under the bottom bracket.
If OK: Move to step 2 and read the motor case; Giant, Liv and Momentum almost always run a SyncDrive.
If not: Move to step 2 anyway; Yamaha-branded bikes exist with Yamaha motors and Yamaha displays.
Look at the down tube, head tube and the type plate under the bottom bracket.
If OK: Move to step 2 and read the motor case; Giant, Liv and Momentum almost always run a SyncDrive.
If not: Move to step 2 anyway; Yamaha-branded bikes exist with Yamaha motors and Yamaha displays.
2. Shine a torch on the motor case and read the word cast into the housing.
Crank side or non-drive side; the word is raised metal, not a sticker.
If OK: If it says "Yamaha", you have a Yamaha PW-family motor. If it says "SyncDrive", you have a Giant SyncDrive motor (Yamaha-derived).
If not: If nothing is cast in, photograph the case and the display and continue to step 3.
Crank side or non-drive side; the word is raised metal, not a sticker.
If OK: If it says "Yamaha", you have a Yamaha PW-family motor. If it says "SyncDrive", you have a Giant SyncDrive motor (Yamaha-derived).
If not: If nothing is cast in, photograph the case and the display and continue to step 3.
3. Read the display model and the on-screen error format.
Power the bike on. Note the brand on the display housing and watch the function field for "Er" plus a two-digit number.
If OK: A RideControl display means Giant SyncDrive system. A Yamaha-branded display means Yamaha PW system. The "Er" code format is shared by both families.
If not: If the display is blank or third-party, fall back to step 4.
Power the bike on. Note the brand on the display housing and watch the function field for "Er" plus a two-digit number.
If OK: A RideControl display means Giant SyncDrive system. A Yamaha-branded display means Yamaha PW system. The "Er" code format is shared by both families.
If not: If the display is blank or third-party, fall back to step 4.
4. Cross-check with the invoice, type plate or original spec sheet.
Look for a line that names the motor: PW-X, PWseries CE, SyncDrive Pro 2, SyncDrive Core, etc.
If OK: Match the wording to the led_table to lock in the system.
If not: Send a clear photo of the motor case, the display and the invoice to a dealer before reading any error code.
Look for a line that names the motor: PW-X, PWseries CE, SyncDrive Pro 2, SyncDrive Core, etc.
If OK: Match the wording to the led_table to lock in the system.
If not: Send a clear photo of the motor case, the display and the invoice to a dealer before reading any error code.
What you now know for sure
- Yamaha PW system: Motor case reads "Yamaha"; display is a Yamaha unit; codes follow the "Er" + two-digit format from the Yamaha PW-family list. → Open the Yamaha PW error-code page and use a Yamaha dealer for spares and software.
- Giant SyncDrive (Yamaha-derived): Motor case reads "SyncDrive"; display is a Giant RideControl unit; codes follow the same "Er" + two-digit format but are read through Giant dealer software. → Open the Giant SyncDrive / RideControl error-code page and use a Giant dealer for spares and software.
- Still unclear: Case unmarked, display unknown and no paperwork on hand; reading a code against the wrong list will waste time. → Send a torch-lit photo of the motor case and a photo of the powered-on display to a Yamaha or Giant dealer before any further diagnosis.
Manuals and video
Frequently asked
Can I tell from the bicycle brand alone?
No. Giant, Liv and Momentum fit SyncDrive motors, which are Yamaha-derived, but they run Giant RideControl displays and Giant dealer software, so a Giant bike is not read with a Yamaha-branded code list.
What if nothing is marked on the motor?
Work from the display name and the error format. A RideControl unit means Giant SyncDrive; a Yamaha-branded unit means Yamaha PW. If the display is also unmarked, the invoice or type plate is the tie-breaker; do not start reading codes until one of these is checked.
Does the model year decide the system?
Not on its own. Older Giant bikes still run Yamaha-derived SyncDrive motors, and Yamaha PW variants overlap across model years. The case casting, display name and spec sheet decide the system, not the year.
Still stuck? Take a photo of the display and show it to a local e-bike workshop. Bring the bike's system name (e.g. Bosch Performance Line CX) and the exact code; that saves diagnostic time and money.