🧰 Motor Temperature
How hot the motor gets in use, checked with an infrared thermometer immediately after a run.
Aim to keep motor and ESC below about 160F (71C); most manufacturers treat roughly 180F (82C) as the ceiling. Overheating permanently weakens the rotor magnets and cooling down afterwards does not undo it — if it runs hot, gear down, improve airflow, or shorten runs.
What it actually does
Motor temperature is the most useful number in electric RC, because heat is what destroys motors, ESCs and packs. Checking it after a run tells you more about whether your setup is right than any amount of guessing about gearing.
In practice
Check with an infrared temperature gun immediately after a run, pointing at the motor can and separately at the ESC. As a broad guide, comfortably warm is healthy and too hot to keep a finger on is a warning. Manufacturers publish limits for their own motors — those figures beat any rule of thumb.
Worth knowing
If temperatures are high, gear down first: a smaller pinion or larger spur raises the FDR and drops heat quickly. Also check gear mesh and free-rolling drivetrain before blaming the motor.