Lifan Owner!

[peteratthai]

To Richard-BKK

As the big LIFAN factory, as Chinas biggest engine manufacturer, they should more take care with selecting the right dealer and train the engineers of the dealing partners.

If not, I guess they will be much quicker disappear from the market as they like to.

The key to success and positive reputation on that market, is the service.

But who will train them when that what I saw in the factory is not so much far away from the road repair shops?

Yes, it was an unannounced visit at the LIFAN factory. I went there at the early afternoon just after the visit at the KAWASAKI plant at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate at the morning.

As I have an KAWASAKI KRR 150, I have some problems to get some particular spare parts for it and I discussed that with the engineers there. It was no problem to pass the gate.

Unannounced as well I was welcome and two nice and skilled engineers did good care of me. And I am sure I can sort out my problem with them.

I know that the LIFAN manual is available at the net. I find the quality is poor and the original is much better to have it as a booklet.

I mentioned JRD and PLATINUM because in many posts I could read that LIFAN is much better.

Reality is, that some JRD bikes ARE Lifan. I did not say that that is a secret, but it seems that nobody did not know that as well...

[peteratthai]

To SUANPAI

Looks like we have the same profession of the past.

So far, no mixture adjustments at my Cross 200 was necessarily yet.

(After they changed the carburetor at my LIFAN at the factory they said to me that it should be much better now, because there was some problems with the “old” ones. So perhaps you have one of the “old”ones?)

And if i have to do, that need a rpm meter to adjust in the right way. I don't not have those meter at my home, not yet.

The bolds are not corroded yet, and if later on, I will replace to SS as well, mostly.

Many of the screw heads shows scratches already because using wrong size or old screw drivers.

For sure they will corroding soon.

I read your post about the sprocket replacement and it will be no problem to do after several more Km on the meter.

But what I wonder is, there is a part on the rear wheel hub on the left side, between the swing arm and the sprocket, I have never seen before.

Part No.: F11-11, Bush, rear wheel, LH.

Is that a kind of over dimensioned washer a kind of diameter reducer or a bearing or what.

No other bike have that, as I know.

Thank you for help.

[suanpai]

To SUANPAI

Looks like we have the same profession of the past.

So far, no mixture adjustments at my Cross 200 was necessarily yet.

(After they changed the carburetor at my LIFAN at the factory they said to me that it should be much better now, because there was some problems with the “old” ones. So perhaps you have one of the “old”ones?)

And if i have to do, that need a rpm meter to adjust in the right way. I don't not have those meter at my home, not yet.

The bolds are not corroded yet, and if later on, I will replace to SS as well, mostly.

Many of the screw heads shows scratches already because using wrong size or old screw drivers.

For sure they will corroding soon.

I read your post about the sprocket replacement and it will be no problem to do after several more Km on the meter.

But what I wonder is, there is a part on the rear wheel hub on the left side, between the swing arm and the sprocket, I have never seen before.

Part No.: F11-11, Bush, rear wheel, LH.

Is that a kind of over dimensioned washer a kind of diameter reducer or a bearing or what.

No other bike have that, as I know.

Thank you for help.

To peteratthai

The part you are refering to is a spacer/dust seal which just covers the near side wheel bearing. You should be able to tune the engine by ear and get a tick-over speed to suit your self remembering that an engine runs faster on an ideal mixture...But you know that already!

[Richard-BKK]

To Richard-BKK

As the big LIFAN factory, as Chinas biggest engine manufacturer, they should more take care with selecting the right dealer and train the engineers of the dealing partners.

If not, I guess they will be much quicker disappear from the market as they like to.

The key to success and positive reputation on that market, is the service.

But who will train them when that what I saw in the factory is not so much far away from the road repair shops?

Yes, it was an unannounced visit at the LIFAN factory. I went there at the early afternoon just after the visit at the KAWASAKI plant at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate at the morning.

As I have an KAWASAKI KRR 150, I have some problems to get some particular spare parts for it and I discussed that with the engineers there. It was no problem to pass the gate.

Unannounced as well I was welcome and two nice and skilled engineers did good care of me. And I am sure I can sort out my problem with them.

I know that the LIFAN manual is available at the net. I find the quality is poor and the original is much better to have it as a booklet.

I mentioned JRD and PLATINUM because in many posts I could read that LIFAN is much better.

Reality is, that some JRD bikes ARE Lifan. I did not say that that is a secret, but it seems that nobody did not know that as well...

True some Lifan scooters where branded as JRD and sold in Thailand, but, as I was told, that is some time ago. According to some information JRD now-a-day thinks Lifan is to expensive. Anyway, re-branding in the automotive industry happens all the time, as long as both parties agree...

I fully agree with you that Lifan should attract more skilled dealers, already some dealers especially up north are very good. And you're not alone, people higher up on the Lifan management see the same and planned a marketing campaign which include TV, Radio commercials and sponsored events. Hopeful that will create more interest into Lifan motorcycles...

Personally the easy financing offered to Lifan dealers did attract a few bad apples/dealers who basically without any money wanted to make quick cash selling motorcycles... Also training dealers is not that easy, even when you say the magic word FREE only a few people will show up.

Also I not want to be disrespectful, but I believe you visited the assembly plant, which is not the Lifan factory. The Lifan factory also manufacturer most of the car engines shipped to Europe. The actual factory is what you would call “bonded warehouse manufacturing”, what is in simple terms a factory in Thailand but legally not (officially the factory is located outside Thailand, and not pay tax). That factory send its products to the assembly plant who assembles them for Thai and ASEAN market. Some details are maybe not completely correct, but it's best to keep thing simple...

In Thailand I also do bonded warehousing for Lifan (China), and some of the companies I own work for Lifan (China) they did some testing and applied in Thailand, on behave of Lifan (China), for several models (250cc and above), emission testing and road safety in Thailand. All models passed as expected as they are already available in countries around the world including Europe.

By the way did Kawasaki Thailand had the ignition coil?

Edited January 20, 2012 by Richard-BKK

[peteratthai]

To SUANPAI

Thank you very much for that information khun Suanpai.

Until it is not necessary, I will not open that part at the back wheel hub.

After a time, (the bike is still new with just 700 km on the meter) I plan to order the modified cam shaft to increase the horse power. After that is done I will reduce the transmission ratio, even more as you did.

May some modifications at the carburetor(the inner shape is cone out to both ends, so a bigger bore is my idea or change the carburetor to a other one of a similar engine size. I guess that the bore of a KAWASAKI BOSS 175 carburetor is even bigger)

Really annoying for me is the the very loud noise of the misfirings (is the the right english word??) in the exhaust. That because no air vent is build in at the intake section after the carburetor.

I think that is the next modification I will do, use the some parts of the KAWASAKI BOSS or just some pneumatic parts from FESTO or SMC, both companies are in Laem Chabang.

In my opinion a max speed of 135km/h, 145km/h is absolutely enough for Thailands road conditiones.

That will gives me a very comfortable cruise speed of 120km/h. That is my aim.

[peteratthai]

To Richard- BKK

first of all Richard, thank you very much for your back ground information.

And I do not feel unrespected.

Many big companies world wide got the experience that big and very expensive marketing campaigns are not that useful as the “power of word of mouth” is.

It seems that you have a quiet good relation to LIFAN. So may as an outsider idea from an non specialist: It could be a very good idea to invest a small part of the marketing budged into the customer relations ship and to improve the quality of assembling and service staff.

As you know, not the best product makes the customer happy, it is the best SERVICE.

That will result to happy customers and leads further to more orders. Easy and always working principle.

I know that is opposite to the old culture Chinese way of business thinking.

I by my self, I am in the opinion that the bike as self is quiet good (for that money it is the ideal city and low-middle range bike), the important quality of the mechanic parts are mostly sufficiently.(as I estimate with just 700km)

I like that bike very much because it gives a lot of fun to me which all other boring standard bikes in that price range can not do.

So I actually like to promote that product to get more of them out on the street which improves the whole part and dealer chain.

That is why I like to help all other people with tips and my experience to the idea to buy it. Because if some bad things happen, there are peoples here could help out.

All the problems I read here are just small stories. That means that the main things are all right.

Small things and repairs or modifications can be done easily to improve when ever it is necessary.

Yes, assembly plant fits my visual picture which I got out of the LIFAN “facility at AMATA City.

I went to KAWASAKI not because of an ignition coil, Richard.

I went to KAWASAKI because I have some difficulties with the fork holder. It seems to me that the forks has a disangle which results in a clearance between 131mm on the top to 126mm at the bottom between the left and right fork. The forks as selv are straight and all right. A disangle on a cast iron part like the lower fork holder, sounds very strange to me, but it could be possible.

As well there is some confuses on the race stem bearing parts.

The service center in Bangkok could not really help to clear that both.

I got the information that during they move from Samut Pragan (I guess 15 years ago, when TIGER toked over the facilities) to the Eastern Seaboard Estate they did some changes of the parts. As well at the economical crises this times where only a few hundreds of the KRR build per year. There was also some changes at the parts.

So it is a bit confusing for me and even for the service center in Bangkok.

The factory will clear that by the frame number.

Thats why I went to the factory to try to clear that.

By the way, they told me that the spare part division will be moved from the service center in BKK to the factory soon.

What does that really mean for me as a customer and what will be changed, I don't know Richard.

[wantan]

Really annoying for me is the the very loud noise of the misfirings (is the the right english word??) in the exhaust. That because no air vent is build in at the intake section after the carburetor.

I guess you mean popping while coasting. Unburned fuel gets into the exhaust where it fires uncontrolled. I have this very much with my Boxer too, since i replaced my Teikei carb to a Mikuni. The Mikuni has no coasting enricher. But i like it somehow. It sound a bit "racing alike for poor people"

In my opinion a max speed of 135km/h, 145km/h is absolutely enough for Thailands road conditiones.

That will gives me a very comfortable cruise speed of 120km/h. That is my aim.

Please keep us updated, when you reach the (real GPS verified) 145kmh on your Cross. I am curious as hell

Good luck and have fun.

[suanpai]

To SUANPAI

Thank you very much for that information khun Suanpai.

Until it is not necessary, I will not open that part at the back wheel hub.

After a time, (the bike is still new with just 700 km on the meter) I plan to order the modified cam shaft to increase the horse power. After that is done I will reduce the transmission ratio, even more as you did.

May some modifications at the carburetor(the inner shape is cone out to both ends, so a bigger bore is my idea or change the carburetor to a other one of a similar engine size. I guess that the bore of a KAWASAKI BOSS 175 carburetor is even bigger)

Really annoying for me is the the very loud noise of the misfirings (is the the right english word??) in the exhaust. That because no air vent is build in at the intake section after the carburetor.

I think that is the next modification I will do, use the some parts of the KAWASAKI BOSS or just some pneumatic parts from FESTO or SMC, both companies are in Laem Chabang.

In my opinion a max speed of 135km/h, 145km/h is absolutely enough for Thailands road conditiones.

That will gives me a very comfortable cruise speed of 120km/h. That is my aim.

The Cross has a maximum speed of 100km/h. And with the standard sprocket it will be close to maximum revs. With my 42 tooth sprocket I have gained about 10% top end. It comfortably cruises at 85-90km/h. If you can get 135km/h out of it then please tell us your secret...Perhaps you intend to fit a 21 inch rear wheel! Only joking.

[peteratthai]

To SUANPAI and WANTAN,

dear sirs, as i mentioned i will change to the modified cam shaft as first to improve the horse power. THAN i will change the back wheel sprocket.

That together should improve the top speed to a max. 135km/h - 145kh/h.

[madjbs]

A Kawasaki Versys and a Lifan should not even be mentioned in the same sentence! I really am not sure how the two are comparable in any way..... After all your problems are you still pleased you chose a Lifan over the Versys? The Versys is 5 times more expensive but it probably is 10 times better and 100 times more fun!

Edited January 21, 2012 by madjbs

[suanpai]

To SUANPAI and WANTAN,

dear sirs, as i mentioned i will change to the modified cam shaft as first to improve the horse power. THAN i will change the back wheel sprocket.

That together should improve the top speed to a max. 135km/h - 145kh/h.

I just dont see it....Even if you triple the HP it still has the same output speed. I think you would need about a 28 or 30T sprocket which would be far to small to fit. But please prove me wrong!

[peteratthai]

To SUANPAI,

lest see, it will be later on anyway..

Today i have done a small trip with gps tracking:

data as follow:

Start time 9:53

End time 13:40

Range: 98.5km

Top speed: 108/km/h (shows 120 on the meter)

Average speed 26.0km/h

Engine very smooth and wiling to run.

Perfect performance from 90km/h to 110km/h(meter) enough reserves for take over traffic.

Perfect response on the throttle.

No problems or strange vibrations on max. load.

FUN FUN FUN

Have a perfect Sunday to all of you

[wantan]

Average speed 26.0km/h

You son of a gun! Got caught up in a traffic jam?

[peteratthai]

To WANTAN

No, not at all. Went from Pattaya on the Sukhumvit to Ang Sila (6km to Chonburi) to meet a friend of mine. Have had a nice lunch at the water front and than back to pattaya. Thats all.

Have i nice Sunday evening

[Richie1971]

1850kms in EF200 no complaints, starts first time everytime and top speed around 110 kmh without sounding like I'm killing it. Not the sane build quality as the Kawasaki but according to my mate, a D tracker 250 owner a lot more fun and more grunt for your Baht. I've never ridden a D Tracker but he says the EF gets upto speed more quickly

[WingWalker]

Lifan Rider

I purchased the 250 V Twin "2011".

If I drop by Amata Lifan do you think they would show how the hell to hook up the emission controls and the clutch cable/ return spring ?

I lost my other engine to the flood..piece of junk Platinum.

I noted the part on the valve clearances..hahahahahah and the repair guys around thailand. No one strokes my ride.I see U got a parts manual, lucky u.

Ill be down that way in about 10 days. wish me luck

[WingWalker]

Lifan Rider

Would any of you guys have a photo maybe take a photo of that clutch spring hook up. Save a 2.5 hour drive.

[robsamui]

I saw a crew of workers, sitting on the floor, assembling some parts of the Cross 200 and the 250cc chopper. As well armed with some big screw drivers and hammers in addition with some pneumatic nut runner.

How many Cross200 bikes they producing a day I asked. 30

All bikes was assembled by hand and got a test run.

A chinese engineer was called and he cares my problem.

After a time he just changed the whole carburetor and smiled to me. FINISH.

Ok I thought. Thank you and going on the way to home to Pattaya.

The problem wasn't solved and becomes to worse.

Ok, new day new luck, went again to the factory.

Now 2 chinese "specialists" cares about and changed 3 times the carburetor, 2 times the CDI box, as well twice the igniter spule and the spark plug.

Nothings happened.

Thai skill and willingness to help is surely legendary . . . as is the quality of their engineering skills.

My chum decided to buy an MG F sports car. He lives on Samui - he bought the MG used in BKK from the main Rover Dealer.

After a few thou kilometers the gas disappears from one of his front shocks, putting the wheel arch on the tyre. So he has the car trailered back from Samui to the Main dealer in BKK. Goes to get it a week later - with correctly regassed shock.

This happens again after another couple of thousand K - trailered back to BKK again. But this time he's being cautious and gets both the front shocks replaced at huge cost.

Bugg*r me - it happens again, this time on the other side. Trailered off to BKK again. But by this time he'd got interested and had learned that the correct setting can be quickly gauged by eye - approx 2½ inches . . .just enough to push 4 fingers in. More than this - higher pressure - and it'll blow the gas seal.

He notes that the head mechanic, fully-trained and qualified by the Rover dealership and who has attended courses by Rover in Malaysia has done the regassing. And both wheels have a full 6-inch gap above the tyres.

Chum points this out to head mechanic. "Aha!" grins the head mechanic knowingly. "I make special for you. I know you come long way from Samui so I want to make special good. I give you extra gas so will last a long time and you not have to come again soon."

Ahhh . . . Thai engineering . . . .

R

Edited February 1, 2012 by robsamui

[tmaker]

heya....

anyone can help on Dealers near Siracha ? or closest would be Chonburi ?

thks !!

[JeffreyMcCollum]

have been thinking about getting an off road type bike to fuc_k around on.

Where is there a Lifan dealer in Chiang Mai? Im thinking about getting a use one tho.

4 dealer that I know of

[JSixpack]

heya....

anyone can help on Dealers near Siracha ? or closest would be Chonburi ?

thks !!

There's a dealer in Naklua/Banglamung. If interested I can find out the details. Friend bought a 250-B there. No English spoken, however.

Edited November 8, 2012 by JSixpack

[BSJ]

I know where the dealer is in PhiChit and in Phitsanulok...but because I lub U I no tell.

[tmaker]

I know where the dealer is in PhiChit and in Phitsanulok...but because I lub U I no tell.

lol....