Loud sound from drive hub motor !!!

[VArider]

I have a loud sound from rear gear / hub assembly motor on a RadCity 4 commuter bike.   At first I though it was the brakes but a bike mechanic said it's my rear motor drive and needs to be replaced.  The bike is less than 3 months old
I recorded the sound -  see attached m4a media file.   Any ideas ?

I have not heard anything back from RAD power bikes after a week    

[DCH3416]

There's nothing brushing against the wheel is there? I had a similar noise and it ended up being a small piece of plastic making contact with the wheel itself.

Anyway. If you feel comfortable pull off the rear wheel. Hold both ends of the hub roll the wheel along the ground and see if it makes the same noise.

[VArider]

There's nothing brushing against the wheel is there? I had a similar noise and it ended up being a small piece of plastic making contact with the wheel itself.

Anyway. If you feel comfortable pull off the rear wheel. Hold both ends of the hub roll the wheel along the ground and see if it makes the same noise.

no, there is nothing brushing against the wheel.  The rear wheel hub, motor and electrical connections are all integrated, the bike mechanic (with a complete machine shop)   wouldn't take the rear wheel off.  He said he just replaces the entire unit, wheel and all when it goes bad. 

[DCH3416]

The rear wheel can be unbolted and removed just like any other bicycle. The motor itself can be removed as well if you want to take out all the spokes and what not. By removing the rear wheel and spinning that off the bike I'm trying to narrow down to whether it's the wheel itself.

The drive motors on the rad city are fairly simple, there's only one moving part. Inside it's a rotor lined with magnets, and then that's surrounded by electromagnets. If it is the motor it'd probably be a bearing issue. It can be fully disassembled if you're really determined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W8espI3WJA

In any regard. Less than three months old should be covered under warranty.

[VArider]

The rear wheel can be unbolted and removed just like any other bicycle. The motor itself can be removed as well if you want to take out all the spokes and what not. By removing the rear wheel and spinning that off the bike I'm trying to narrow down to whether it's the wheel itself.

The drive motors on the rad city are fairly simple, there's only one moving part. Inside it's a rotor lined with magnets, and then that's surrounded by electromagnets. If it is the motor it'd probably be a bearing issue. It can be fully disassembled if you're really determined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W8espI3WJA

In any regard. Less than three months old should be covered under warranty.

I'm just going by what the experienced bike mechanic told me when they examined my bike at    http://jimmyzmobile.com/   

I've tried repeatedly over this past week (now 9 days)  to contact Radpower bikes but I only get an automated email  "We'll be in touch with you shortly!"
I'm starting to doubt if there is a Radpower customer service 

[VArider]

Follow-up - I eventually got a replacement rear hub motor from Radpowerbikes
The hub motor came with the wheel, gears and tire attached, all I had to do was replace the rear wheel assembly and inflate the tire
No noise