Home › Display settings › Bafang DP C18 / DP C07 / DP C10 (BBS02, BBSHD, M-series) › Bafang DP C18: throttle on/off

Throttle settings on a Bafang DP C18 / DP C07 (and why the display cannot enable it)

Bafang DP C18 / DP C07 / DP C10 (BBS02, BBSHD, M-series)

The DP C18 has no throttle setting; the throttle is a controller function. On BBS02/BBSHD kits it works whenever a thumb throttle is plugged in and the assist level is above 0.

Step by step

Switch on and select assist level 1 or higher: at level 0 the throttle is ignored on stock Bafang firmware.
Press the thumb throttle gently; the motor should respond within half a second.
To disable the throttle without tools, unplug the 3-pin throttle connector at the display harness (yellow or red 3-pin, not the 5-pin display plug).
To change throttle behaviour (start current, speed limit, whether it needs pedalling), the Bafang USB programming cable and configuration software are required: Throttle Handle tab → Start Voltage / End Voltage / Mode (Speed or Current) / Designated Assist / Speed Limit.
Set Throttle → Speed Limit to 6 km/h in the software if you want an EU-legal 'walk' throttle.

Tip: Legal note: in the EU a throttle that drives the bike above 6 km/h without pedalling takes it out of the pedelec class (it needs L1e type approval, plates and insurance). In the UK a full-speed 'twist and go' is only legal on bikes that were type-approved as such; the 6 km/h walk-speed throttle is fine. In the USA a throttle up to 20 mph is legal on Class 2 e-bikes but not on Class 1 or 3, and many trails ban throttle bikes outright.

Can't find it?

Throttle does nothing: check the assist level is not 0, the brake sensors are not stuck (brake icon on screen), and error 30 (communication) is not shown. A throttle that works only after you start pedalling has 'Designated Assist' set to 'By Display's Command' or PAS-first mode in the controller; that is a software change, not a display setting.

Frequently asked

Can I enable the throttle from the DP C18 menu?

No. There is no throttle item on any Bafang display; it is set in the controller with the programming cable.

Is the Bafang thumb throttle legal in the Netherlands / Germany?

Only if limited to 6 km/h. A full-speed throttle makes it a 'speed pedelec/moped' needing an insurance plate.

Throttle stops at 20 km/h but pedal assist goes to 25?

The controller has a separate throttle speed limit; some OEMs set it lower on purpose. It is changed in the Throttle tab of the config software.

Manuals and video

Videos found on YouTube and checked automatically; they are other people's work, not ours.

BAFANG eMTB Pedal Assist & Throttle Problem? Check This First Firon Woo (4LEAF ebike)
BAFANG Mid Drive Motor Running with universal throttle (Hack) EV-Customs Greece - Cyprus
Bafang Best Throttle Settings Jak żyć

Other Bafang DP C18 / DP C07 / DP C10 (BBS02, BBSHD, M-series) guides

Bafang DP C18: switch mph to km/h (or km/h to mph)Bafang DP C18: set the clock Bafang DP C18: reset the trip counter Bafang DP C18: set the wheel size Bafang DP C18: choose 3, 5 or 9 assist levels Bafang DP C18: speed limit setting Bafang DP C18: password and service code (8018)Bafang DP C18: adjust backlight brightness Bafang DP C18: use walk assist (6 km/h)Bafang DP C18: switch the lights on Bafang DP C18: change the language

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.