New Lifan 250 Models

[aitch52]

One thing I forgot, the foot pedal for the rear brake seems to be in an awful position and you have to lift your foot a good few inches to get at it, not ideal for an emergency stop, again needs a simple modification to rectify.

[JSixpack]

I did not collect back the old bearings. So I cannot provide you the part number. Earlier I replaced the rear bearings with Kawasaki-made and it cost B$360.

BTW, the Lifan service schedule calls for checking/adjusting valve clearances and also the cam chain tension. Have you succeeded in getting your shop to carry out those operations? I don't know where the specs are for accuracy. (I don't have a Lifan but my friend does, and is happy with it.)

[aitch52]

Sixpack with reference to the valve clearance and cam chain tension.

Just googled free download for the workshop manual, they are out there just a lot of going around in circles, can also pay by credit card or paypal for $7.94 or as little as £1. Have a glitch with my visa at the moment so not possible.

[JSixpack]

Sixpack with reference to the valve clearance and cam chain tension.

Just googled free download for the workshop manual, they are out there just a lot of going around in circles, can also pay by credit card or paypal for $7.94 or as little as £1. Have a glitch with my visa at the moment so not possible.

Please give some links if you have them. The ones I googled up weren't really legit.

[anto]

Folks

Reading thru this forum and others on imports in Thailand I seem to have noticed a lot of fuel related problems IE. clogged jets on brand new machines. Question dont these Lifans come equiped with an in line filter or a filter equiped fuel shut off valve?

Moe

I only use 91 Gasoline ,and never Gasahol .After having the Lifan 250 custom a year now and doing 1,500 km ,have had no fuel problems or any problem .Sometimes the bike has stood idle for one or two weeks and it still starts up instantly.There is a fuel filter i have seen under the side plastic cover .

[anto]

LawrenceLam ,where did you get the crash bars for you Lifan cruiser ? Last time i asked the Lifan dealer in Chiang Mai where i live, did not have any .

[aitch52]

Thanks for that Anto, I've had my phantom for 5 years now and exclusively used 91. Only one problem in all that time due to dirty fuel I bought out in the sticks. Cleaned the card and all was well. I think I will use 91 in the Lifan too.

[anto]

Thanks for that Anto, I've had my phantom for 5 years now and exclusively used 91. Only one problem in all that time due to dirty fuel I bought out in the sticks. Cleaned the card and all was well. I think I will use 91 in the Lifan too.

Before the Lifan i had a Phantom for 3 years bought S/H .Sometimes i used Gasahol in it .The result was a damaged needle jet head in the Carb and a very rusty fuel tank inside .Honda would not sell the needle jet on its own ,i had to buy a complete carb .I since sold the Phantom ,and now have the Lifan and a Honda PCX .I have done one long trip on the Lifan to Pie ,and hope to do another long trip to Lao on it in a few months .

[CMX]

I ran my (untroubled) 250 Lifan on gasahol for months before leaving it for 6 weeks. The result was a gummed-up carb. (However, the dealer picked it up and fixed it for 700 baht, so that it still ran perfectly on gasahol.)

I resolved to never leave it alone again without putting on a diet of old reliable 91 petrol. Always got 33 km/l with either, but it did seem - perhaps just me - a bit smoother on the corn-free original.

[aitch52]

Sixpack with reference to the valve clearance and cam chain tension.

Just googled free download for the workshop manual, they are out there just a lot of going around in circles, can also pay by credit card or paypal for $7.94 or as little as £1. Have a glitch with my visa at the moment so not possible.

Please give some links if you have them. The ones I googled up weren't really legit.

Sorry not to have replied before. Will be looking into the links later this week. I did the same as you and googled them. I am sure when the bike was released last year someone posted a link in a forum but can't find it.

Cheers

[aitch52]

I ran my (untroubled) 250 Lifan on gasahol for months before leaving it for 6 weeks. The result was a gummed-up carb. (However, the dealer picked it up and fixed it for 700 baht, so that it still ran perfectly on gasahol.)

I resolved to never leave it alone again without putting on a diet of old reliable 91 petrol. Always got 33 km/l with either, but it did seem - perhaps just me - a bit smoother on the corn-free original.

Thanks CMX

Good input, I think I will stick to the diet of 91 for mine.

Cheers

[canuckamuck]

I use both 95 and 91.

When I can get it I use the 95 gasohol because it is recommended, but up in the village there is only 91 Benzine.

I have noticed occasional stutters at high revs with the 91. Never noticed a problem with the 95 going on 16 months now.

But my bike is the 200 cross.

[Richard-BKK]

Actually Lifan recommends RON 93 fuel for its motorcycles (LF250-B and LF200GY-5), of course RON 93 is smack in between RON 91 and RON 95 sold in Thailand. So depending on air humidity, air pressure, temperature and the altitude where you ride RON 91 or RON 95 will feel better.

Most of you will probably say, RON 95 is the closest to RON 93, but that is with the Thai climate not true, with the Thai (tropical climate) an engine like used by the Lifan's needs less octane to run smooth... IF you get up to the North of Thailand with its mountain regions, or live on the Korat Plateau you maybe want to fill up with RON 95.

P.S. The RON 91, RON 95 or RON 93 has nothing to do with Gasohol or Gasoline, Lifan can run fine with both fuels.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Richard-BKK

[anto]

Gasahol has Ethanol a form of Alcahol .Over time it eats anything made of rubber ,such as the head of the jet needles in your carb .

I would never use Gasahol in a vehicle with a carburetor .I know i could use it in my fuel injected PCX but still do not due to how it corroded the inside of my Phantom fuel tank .

I stick with 91 gasoline for all my bikes .My van runs on diesel .

[Richard-BKK]

Ethanol is not methanol, and it's relative easy to protect plastics and rubber parts when produced with the help of f the right anti-corrosion inhibitors. Of course older motorcycles, like the Honda Phantom TA200 had no plastics that were made with ethanol anti-corrosion inhibitors, so yes with a motorcycle like that plastics and rubber could be damaged.

The corrosion of the inside of the fuel tank can happen to any motorcycle, with any fuel, if you not keep the fuel level up. If you store your motorcycle for longer time drop a few drops of two-stroke oil in the fuel tank and mix it good with the rest of the fuel....

[anto]

>>If you store your motorcycle for longer time drop a few drops of two-stroke oil in the fuel tank and mix it good with the rest of the fuel....<<

Thanks for the tip .

[LawrenceLam]

LawrenceLam ,where did you get the crash bars for you Lifan cruiser ? Last time i asked the Lifan dealer in Chiang Mai where i live, did not have any .

Sorry, I just saw your post.

I got the crash bar from a bike accessories shop in Hat Yai. It was not really for Lifan. I only realized that one side was an inch longer than the other after the technician had installed it. He also added a long extension nut. It didn't look good at all.

Anyway, one and a half months ago my Lifan's tire hit on 3 screws on the highway. The tire deflated instantly and the bike crashed. I and my girlfriend were admitted to a hospital in Hat Yai and my leg was cast for nearly a month (toe bone cracked)!

I just spent B$7,500 replacing the headlamp, both rear mirrors, leather bags, rear signal light etc. Tomorrow I will bring the bike to a stainless steel factory and install a custom-built chromed crash bar. The expected price is B$1,700 (stainless steel would be around B$2,500).

I was "lucky" during the road accident that there was no other vehicles coming from the back. Also, I was lucky that I had the crash bar. After the accident, the crash bar was badly damaged. The impact caused a hole on the rear leather bag and both the rear mirrors cracked. The fuel tank, engine and other body part, however, did not suffer any scratch at all due to the presence of the crash bar. My girlfriend (suffering minor injury at both knees) admitted that things would be very much worse without the crash bar.

P/S:

(1) By the way, after replacing the headlamp to a stainless steel type, it is much brighter now. According to the technician, the old one was 35W and the new one is about 60W.

(2) Does anybody know if sport rims (with tubeless tires) are available for Lifan LF250-B?

[LawrenceLam]

Sixpack with reference to the valve clearance and cam chain tension.

Just googled free download for the workshop manual, they are out there just a lot of going around in circles, can also pay by credit card or paypal for $7.94 or as little as £1. Have a glitch with my visa at the moment so not possible.

Please give some links if you have them. The ones I googled up weren't really legit.

Attached is the English manual for Lifan LF250-B.

Lifan-LF250-B.pdf

[jamescollister]

Hello gentlemen of the bike forum, as some may remember I posted last year about buying a Lifan, which I did, the 250 custom B.

Now I have to say I have found the bike great for my proposes, a boys toy. Ride 20 km plus most days and have had no problems what so ever thus far.

As some have said the position of the foot brake took some time to get used to, but now it is second nature.

The biggest problem I have and maybe someone can recommend a solution is the seat. It maybe that I just have a skinny, bony ass, but after 1/2 a hour I have to get off and have a walk around. I have taken to sitting on a small pillow, which up the riding time to near on a hour.

Anyone else have this problem or am I just the right height and build that makes my riding position uncomfortable.

Must say I am very happy with the bike, it may not be what the big bikes are, but it sure costs less and looks the part, a least out here in the boonies. Jim

[LawrenceLam]

Here are some photos of my Lifan after replacing some parts:

- Rear mirrors

- Exhaust pipes

- Rear corner signal light

- Front light

- Brake and clutch pedals

- Leather bags

- Crash bar

- Foot rests

[JSixpack]

Great looking bike!

[tmaker]

howdy !!

seems this is a better bike than Platinum...makes me to seriously considering one...looking into a 2nd hand Honda Phantom (400cc)but gonna set me back 135kTHB.

also went to a Honda showroom....quoted me CBR250 and CRF 250...

one is too low and one is too high for my missus...

so,Lifan then,i guess....lol..

Edited November 1, 2012 by tmaker

[pbas400]

i think lifan is again more low than CBR

[billd766]

howdy !!

seems this is a better bike than Platinum...makes me to seriously considering one...looking into a 2nd hand Honda Phantom (400cc)but gonna set me back 135kTHB.

also went to a Honda showroom....quoted me CBR250 and CRF 250...

one is too low and one is too high for my missus...

so,Lifan then,i guess....lol..

Honda Phantoms come in 2 flavours the TA 200 which is a 200cc 4 stroke air cooled model, and the 150 cc 2 stroke water cooled model which is the older one.

The Honda Steed is either a 400cc or a 600cc 4 stroke water cooled model. Some come with and some without green books.

Take my advice, NEVER buy a bike without a green book.

[featography]

Left my 250B sit for 5 months, run each week by father. When I got back fired up but died and after no run. Took out plugs, cleaned installed and did fire but wasn't a happy camper. I did make the mistake of using 95 fuel and now have been told by dealer use 91? 600 bht for a 25 K service trip by dealer, all smiles and runs great. Bought a couple of spare plugs and now have another 1000k on it using 91 gas, all OK.

Have run it now for almost a year and still OK with it. It is a cuiser so corners (real corners) are not its favorite but good performance on open road. I do miss going off onto gravel and still think maybe a cross would suit my style better, but all in all, good buy for the buck. Still looking for a sissy bar rack. PM if you know of one.

I.m curious, is your bike in Canada, or Thailand, and are you having work done at the Lifan dealership in Chiang Mai? I live in Chiang Mai, totally disatisfied with this dealership, and have only run 95 octane in it. If youre in Thailand and getting better performance with 91, I.ll try a tank full next fill up.

[BSJ]

Here are some photos of my Lifan after replacing some parts:

- Rear mirrors

- Exhaust pipes

- Rear corner signal light

- Front light

- Brake and clutch pedals

- Leather bags

- Crash bar

- Foot rests

That's a really good job they did at the car/bike wash. Which one was it? You can give em a plug!