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BBSHD Display Choices: DPC18, C961, 500C and 850C, or No Screen at All

The display is the BBSHD's ignition key, assist selector and fault reader in one. Pick the screen you can read at speed on a bright trail, and make sure its plug and protocol match your motor before anything else.

Up to date · September 2026
Quick answer

For a UART BBSHD, the Bafang DPC18 is the fullest color option, the C961 the simplest, and the 500C and 850C sit between with small and large color screens. All use the 5-pin plug. CAN-bus BBSHD kits need CAN displays instead, and riding with no display takes a bypass plug and some programming.

  • Match protocol first: UART display for a UART motor, CAN for CAN.
  • Color screens show more; a mono LCD reads well in sun and costs less to replace.
  • No display means no speed readout and no error codes.
Wants every number in color1 BAFANG DPC18 Color Display
BAFANG DPC18 Color Display
Bafang's 3.5-inch color DPC18 for UART motors, with automatic backlight, nine assist levels and a USB charging port.
  • Handlebar display
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Wants a compact, simple screen2 Zeekpowa C961 Display
Zeekpowa C961 Display
A 2.7-inch C961 LCD for UART motors with automatic backlight and 3, 5 or 9 assist levels.
  • Handlebar display
  • UART version
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Wants a 500C or 850C3 Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display
Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display
UART color displays with a 5-pin plug, offered in 500C, P850C, 860C and DPC18 versions for BBS01, BBS02 and BBSHD.
  • Handlebar display
  • UART version
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Reading speed and battery at 25 mph on a descent

On a BBSHD the display does far more than show numbers. It switches the controller on, sets the assist level, reports faults and, on most models, holds basic settings such as wheel size and speed limit. Choose it for the ride you do, then check the plug.

  • Speed and trip data: current, average and max speed, trip distance and odometer.
  • Battery: a bar gauge on most screens; CAN-bus kits with a communication-capable battery can show a percentage.
  • Assist level: 3, 5 or 9 levels depending on display and settings.
  • Error codes: the only way the motor tells you what is wrong.
  • Power and current: shown on the color displays, handy for learning how hard a climb works the motor.

The best display for a Bafang BBSHD is the one you can read in a glance at trail speed. A trail rider on rough ground wants large digits and a screen that does not wash out; a commuter may want a clock, trip data and a USB port for a phone.

Screen size matters less than contrast. A small high-contrast screen beats a large dim one on a sunny descent.

Mount the display where your eyes already go, near the stem, and the keypad where your thumb rests without leaving the grip.

Display settings overlap with the controller's programming. What a display can change on its own, and what still needs the USB cable, is split out in the programming guide.

Specs table

Four displays at a glance

DisplayScreenControlsProtocolExtras
Bafang DPC183.5-inch colorSeparate handlebar padUART (a CAN version exists)USB 5V port, auto backlight, IPX5, PAS 0–9
C9612.7-inch LCDButtonsUARTAuto backlight, IP54, 3/5/9 levels
500CCompact colorSeparate keypadUART, 5-pinSpeed, trip and battery data, IP65 on common versions
850CLarger colorSeparate keypadUART, 5-pinMore data fields on screen, IP65 on common versions
CAN displays (DP C010, DPC080, EKD01, VD04)VariesVariesCAN bus onlySettings on the screen or in the Bafang Go app

Screen sizes and ratings are the makers' figures. The 500C and 850C are sold under several brands; check that the version you choose names UART and the 5-pin plug.

DPC18 color or C961 mono and simple

The two most common upgrades on a UART BBSHD sit at opposite ends. The Bafang DPC18 is a 3.5-inch color display with automatic backlight, nine assist levels, IPX5 sealing and a 5V USB port. The C961 is a 2.7-inch LCD with automatic backlight, IP54 sealing and buttons on the unit.

The DPC18 suits riders who want everything on one screen and a way to top up a phone on a long ride. It is controlled from a separate handlebar pad, so the screen can mount by the stem while your thumb stays on the grip.

  • Pick the DPC18 for color data, a larger screen and USB charging.
  • Pick the C961 for a compact, low-profile screen with the essentials.
  • Either one plugs into the same 5-pin connector on a UART harness.

The C961 is the display many riders keep as a spare. It is small enough to live in a tool bag, and swapping it takes seconds if a crash cracks the main screen.

Check the version before ordering the DPC18. Bafang makes it in UART and CAN versions, and some are offered with a choice of protocol, so confirm the one you choose matches your motor.

Both displays read the same error codes. The troubleshooting guide lists what the common ones mean.

Kit comparison

BBSHD displays and the parts they plug into

BAFANG DPC18 Color Display BAFANG DPC18 Color Display Zeekpowa C961 Display Zeekpowa C961 Display Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display BAFANG TFT Display (C18, 860C, 750C, C965, 600C) BAFANG TFT Display (C18, 860C, 750C, C965, 600C) E-Mangue 1T4 Wiring Harness E-Mangue 1T4 Wiring Harness Zeekpowa Programming Cable Zeekpowa Programming Cable
TypeDisplayDisplayDisplayDisplayCables & programmingCables & programming
Protocol—UARTUART———
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Tech specs

Spec sheets of the top picks

BAFANG DPC18 Color Display
BAFANG DPC18 Color Display
Brand
BAFANG
Model
DPC-18
Screen
3.5-inch colour HD
Backlight
Automatic, follows ambient light
Assist levels
0–9
USB port
DC 5V output for phone charging
Sealing
IPX5
Connector
5-pin waterproof plug
Protocol
UART on the 5-pin version; UART or CAN on the DPC18/C010 version
Motors
BBS01B, BBS02B, BBSHD
Extra motors (DPC18/C010 version)
M400, M500
Mounting
Handlebar
Details →Shop now
Zeekpowa C961 Display
Zeekpowa C961 Display
Brand
Zeekpowa
Model
C961
Screen
2.7-inch HD LCD
Backlight
Automatic, follows ambient light
Assist levels
0–3, 0–5 or 0–9, selectable
Protocol
UART
Motors
Bafang BBS01, BBS02, BBSHD
Other motors
Not compatible
Sealing
IP54
Controls
Buttons
Weight
0.21 kg
Mounting
Handlebar
Details →Shop now
Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display
Forbestcy DPC18 Color Display
Brand
Forbestcy
Screens offered
500C, P850C, 860C, 750C-ble, DPC18
Screen shown
500C
Screen size (500C)
1.9 inches
Protocol
UART
Plug
5-pin female
Mid-drive motors
Bafang BBS01, BBS02, BBS03, BBSHD
Hub motors
Bafang hub and front motors, except the 750C Bluetooth version
Sealing
IP65
Low-temperature rating
Down to -20°C
Backlight
Automatic
Speed readouts
Real-time, average, maximum
Details →Shop now

Color on the bars: the 500C and 850C

Between the DPC18 and the C961 sit the 500C and the 850C, two color displays sold under several brands for Bafang motors. The 500C is the compact one; the 850C gives a larger screen with more data fields. Both use the 5-pin UART plug on the versions made for the BBSHD.

These displays are popular for the same reason: color readouts at a moderate size, with a separate keypad by the grip. The Forbestcy range offers 500C, P850C and 860C versions for BBS01, BBS02 and BBSHD motors, rated IP65 and for use down to -20°C.

  • 500C: compact, suits minimalist cockpits and bikes with little bar space.
  • 850C: larger screen, suits riders who want power, speed and battery visible at once.
  • Keypad: separate from the screen, so both mount where they work best.

One catch applies to both. Some versions add Bluetooth or are built for other motor families, so read the protocol and plug before choosing; the 750C Bluetooth version in the Forbestcy range, for example, works only with iPhones.

A display built for a different motor family can have the same 5-pin plug and still not work. The protocol, not the plug shape, decides compatibility.

If you tweak settings often, color displays also make it easier to watch current draw after a settings change.

Pick of the bunch

A plain LCD that reads in full sun

Zeekpowa C961 Display
Best no-fuss display Zeekpowa C961 Display

The C961 puts speed, battery and assist level on a 2.7-inch LCD with automatic backlight and buttons on the unit. It works with BBS01, BBS02 and BBSHD motors on the UART protocol, and nothing else.

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Plugs and protocols: 5-pin UART or CAN bus

Display questions on a BBSHD always end at the connector. The classic BBSHD uses the UART protocol through a 1T4 harness, and every UART display for it uses a 5-pin plug. The newer CAN-bus BBSHD kits use a different protocol and a different family of displays.

  • UART BBSHD: DPC18 (UART version), C961, 500C and 850C with the 5-pin plug.
  • CAN-bus BBSHD: CAN displays such as the DP C010, DPC080, EKD01 and VD04, some of which change settings on the screen or through the Bafang Go app.
  • Mixing: a UART display on a CAN motor, or the reverse, does not work even when the plug looks right.

The 1T4 harness is the junction box. Its 8-pin plug meets the motor, and it splits into the 5-pin display lead, the 3-pin throttle lead and 3-pin brake leads.

Plug gender matters too. UART displays for these motors carry a female 5-pin plug that meets the harness; check pins for bends before pushing it home.

If you have a mystery motor, look at the harness. A 1T4 with an 8-pin plug is the UART layout; a kit sold as CAN bus will say so on the motor label and in its manual.

For the full diagram, open the controller and wiring guide.

Charted

Pins in each plug on a UART harness

Pin counts on the 1T4 harness used by UART BBSHD motors, from the harness specifications. Any UART display for these motors uses the 5-pin plug.

Riding a BBSHD without a display

Some riders want a clean cockpit with nothing but a throttle, or a spare way home when the display dies. A UART BBSHD will not switch on by itself, because the display supplies the power-on signal, but it can run without one with the right plug and settings.

  1. Program the controller with the USB cable and set the designated assist level to a fixed number instead of taking it from the display.
  2. Fit a display bypass plug on the harness's 5-pin lead, which supplies the power-on signal the display normally sends.
  3. Test on a quiet street: the motor should start at the level you set.

The trade-offs are real. You lose the speed readout, the battery gauge, assist changes on the move and, most importantly, error codes. A fault shows up only as a motor that stops helping.

  • Keep a small display such as the C961 in the bag for diagnosing faults.
  • Local e-bike rules may expect a speed limit you can verify.
  • Phone-based alternatives that replace the display over Bluetooth, such as EggRider, keep the clean look while restoring data and settings.

A programming cable is required for the first step either way. Designated assist and throttle-only setups are both set in software, with values in the programming guide.

Build Q&A

Builders ask

What is the best display for a Bafang BBSHD?

For a UART BBSHD, the DPC18 is the fullest color option and the C961 the simplest; the 500C and 850C sit between. CAN-bus kits need CAN displays.

Can I ride a BBSHD without a display?

Yes, with a bypass plug and the designated assist level programmed to a fixed number. You lose speed, battery and error readouts.

Do all Bafang displays fit the BBSHD?

Only those made for its protocol. UART motors take 5-pin UART displays; CAN-bus kits take CAN displays, and mixing them does not work.

DPC18 vs C961: which is better?

The DPC18 has a 3.5-inch color screen, USB charging and a separate handlebar pad. The C961 is a compact 2.7-inch LCD, simpler and easy to keep as a spare.

What connector does a BBSHD display use?

UART displays for the BBSHD use a 5-pin plug into the 1T4 harness. CAN-bus displays use the CAN kit's own connector.

Keep building

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