Keeway Rkv 200 - Any Good?

[AllanB]

If you buy a high grade chain, it will last 10 times longer than one 1/3rd the price, which when you add the price of the two sprockets required, is a no brainer. Also both options were made in Japan, so don't think the country of manufacture matters.

I used to have a Honda Phantom with a lousy headlight, it still had a standard incandescent bulb and was told by the Honda dealer that was it. So I went to a Mickey Mouse accessory shop and for 100 baht they sold me a halogen bulb with 5 times the lighting power which fitted straight in. You could have the same bulb fitted.

[taninthai]

Imo the RKV 200 chain is quite bad. I used to take care of my chain a lot. (lube and tight every 500km) but my mechanic still advice me to change the chain.

Currently, It's the only big complain I have about this bike.

Another complain is about the headlight : lighting is too much weak. Did some RkV owner find a way to "fix" this problem ?

nice reply dr ,I see many complain about headlights on all brands of bikes easy fix change the bulb ,for me headlight don't bother me ,as I never drive/ride in the dark find it way to dangerous ,that goes for here and the the uk.

[wantan]

Imo the RKV 200 chain is quite bad. I used to take care of my chain a lot. (lube and tight every 500km) but my mechanic still advice me to change the chain.

Currently, It's the only big complain I have about this bike.

Another complain is about the headlight : lighting is too much weak. Did some RkV owner find a way to "fix" this problem ?

But you already changed the chain for a better quality at 6000km, havent you? Many people do this on bikes with low quality chains like the RKV200 or the CBR150i.

[denkiblue555]

I think this thread could possibly be summed up with: "You get what you pay for."

And FWIW any 250cc 'dual sport' bike which is styled like a motocross bike is not gonna have range - but I am sure you could find many people on Advrider, for example, who have toured with 250s at the same time. 'Aftermarket oversized tank' if you are into carrying around loads of fuel?

Back on topic - what is the best chain to replace with on your rkvs?

I wonder how much the original chain is worth?

[sic103]

I put double hid lights. My friend re wired it so both lights go on at the same time. I'm lighting up the road. The stock lights were fine not the brightest but I upgraded because the roads in my country are full of holes.

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[mania]

Hey is Lifan & Keeway the same thing?

I just got back from a couple months in the country at in-laws house.

While there I saw a Lifan 200 it was a water delivery deal & pretty amazing

Check this thing out

it was a driveshaft setup not chain

Anyway when this thing is loaded I figure he is pulling a lot of weight as water is like 8 pounds a gallon & those

are 5 gal bottle & had at least 20 ........... So that is like a half a ton/800-1000 pounds of water

Kinda cool eh?

Edited December 30, 2013 by mania

[ll2]

Hey is Lifan & Keeway the same thing?

I just got back from a couple months in the country at in-laws house.

While there I saw a Lifan 200 it was a water delivery deal & pretty amazing

Check this thing out

it was a driveshaft setup not chain

Anyway when this thing is loaded I figure he is pulling a lot of weight as water is like 8 pounds a gallon & those

are 5 gal bottle & had at least 20 ........... So that is like a half a ton/800-1000 pounds of water

Kinda cool eh?

Yep. I know these from isaan villages.

They use them like tuk tuk there too.

They sell them as a whole vehicle for cheap.

Lifan engine but not sure about the body.

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[mania]

Hey is Lifan & Keeway the same thing?

I just got back from a couple months in the country at in-laws house.

While there I saw a Lifan 200 it was a water delivery deal & pretty amazing

Check this thing out

it was a driveshaft setup not chain

Anyway when this thing is loaded I figure he is pulling a lot of weight as water is like 8 pounds a gallon & those

are 5 gal bottle & had at least 20 ........... So that is like a half a ton/800-1000 pounds of water

Kinda cool eh?

Yep. I know these from isaan villages.

They use them like tuk tuk there too.

They sell them as a whole vehicle for cheap.

Lifan engine but not sure about the body.

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Yeah I was surprised to see it pull up

I was like what the ^@%#$ is that thing heheh

[ll2]

All i know, you can get lifan engine for cheapa and honda does not sell engine as a single unit.

There is a guy in my soi doing 3 wheelers with lifan engine. A good way to use a lifan made something like stationary!

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[wantan]

Hey is Lifan & Keeway the same thing?

Both chinese but not same same company

I just got back from a couple months in the country at in-laws house.

While there I saw a Lifan 200 it was a water delivery deal & pretty amazing

Check this thing out

it was a driveshaft setup not chain

Anyway when this thing is loaded I figure he is pulling a lot of weight as water is like 8 pounds a gallon & those

are 5 gal bottle & had at least 20 ........... So that is like a half a ton/800-1000 pounds of water

Kinda cool eh?

These engines seem to be a good choice for such vehicles. You see them on many tuk tuks too.

Guess its completely build by Lifan, not only the engine. Lifan builds a lot such vehicles for the asian market.

[DrAzTiK]

Imo the RKV 200 chain is quite bad. I used to take care of my chain a lot. (lube and tight every 500km) but my mechanic still advice me to change the chain.

Currently, It's the only big complain I have about this bike.

Another complain is about the headlight : lighting is too much weak. Did some RkV owner find a way to "fix" this problem ?

But you already changed the chain for a better quality at 6000km, havent you? Many people do this on bikes with low quality chains like the RKV200 or the CBR150i.

Yep, my old chain last 6000km and yes some chain on CBR also looks quite cheap.

[DrAzTiK]

About exhaust, what do you think of this one : I really like the look and the sound.

Can someone tell me what is the brand of this exhaust please?

Edt: dam_n, I also need to find theses BENELLI stickers O_o. It looks way better than my KEEWAY logo

I've see that exhaust before, I saw it long time ago on mocyc site...

edit:

actually here it is:

http://www.mocyc.com/market907266/

https://www.facebook.com/1modify

it costs 4800 baht. looks sexy thou.

I ride with this exhaust for 1 month and I really enjoy it. My top speed is the same but the sound and the look is amazing and most of all my acceleration is way better. The torque gain is very convenient and precious, especially on uphill or/and with passenger.

The sound is loud but not LOUD, so really perfect.

BTW, for 4200 bath, I guess this exhaust is a Yoshimura copy. (that's what my mechanic said). An original Yoshimura exhaust is supposed to cost at least 20 000 bath.

I suppose most of exhausts in Thailand are copy so ?

Edited January 8, 2014 by DrAzTiK

[thehelmsman]

Lifan and Keeway are not the same. Lifan is a Thailand bike.

[Richard-BKK]

Lifan and Keeway are not the same. Lifan is a Thailand bike.

It's true that Lifan manufacturers 2 or 3 motorcycles in Thailand, which include the Lifan LF250-B and the LF200GY-5. But most of the Lifan production is still done in China.

Lifan has manufacturing locations all over the world, including Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, Russia, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Uruguay.

Lifan holds over 4,200 patents, the largest number of any Chinese automotive manufacturer. Lifan also has a cross patent licensing agreement with Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

Outside the automotive business Lifan Group is also active in other business areas, from the production of sports shoes to the art of winemaking.

[01322521959]

Shad topboxes are readily available in Bangkok. The plastic plate comes with the box and enables the release / locking mechanism. I suspect that given enough time a local dealer would import the rack for you. Add the rack / box and a tankbag for a nice looking budget touring rig.I'm tempted ...

So they are at Dr Bike

http://www.dr-bikeba...-616042-en.html

Chock chai 4, Ladpraow

I would recommend the Givi E20 topbox which I have on both my little Honda Tena and Yamaha Spark

[01322521959]

Shad topboxes are readily available in Bangkok. The plastic plate comes with the box and enables the release / locking mechanism. I suspect that given enough time a local dealer would import the rack for you. Add the rack / box and a tankbag for a nice looking budget touring rig.I'm tempted ...

So they are at Dr Bike

http://www.dr-bikeba...-616042-en.html

Chock chai 4, Ladpraow

I would recommend the Givi E20 topbox which I have on both my little Honda Tena and Yamaha Spark

[01322521959]

Update on the RKV 200 so far .....

The pre-delivery prep by Yamaha Square on Rama IV was not as good as I'd thought. Tyre pressures were 5 PSI front and 10 PSI rear (should be 28/30) and the allen screws on the front fork clamps were lose. The bike will have been delivered with the front wheel removed, so I guess the wheel was fitted by the local dealer.

I was surprised about the low tyre pressure .... I gave the tyres a 'squeeze and a tap' before I rode away from the shop and they felt OK, and the handling seemed fine. Tyre pressures so low on my Triumph RS in the UK would have had me off on the first bend, but I assume the RKV is so light the pressures are not so critical? The front fork clamp screws was a concern, but they were 'finger tight', so I don't think the wheel was going to fall off any time soon, but a good reminder to check the bike thoroughly. Other nuts and bolts seemed good and tight, chain tension was correct and all lights worked, but the tool kit was missing. After a call to the shop they found the missing tool roll and I picked it up on the way out for my first proper ride to Samut Sakorn.

It's a very pleasant bike to ride. Neutral handling without that slight 'falling into a corner' feeling you get with a cruiser. The classic street bike seating position is also easy on the wrists and makes threading through traffic a breeze. The mirrors are small, but well spaced, so rear view is decent, but getting the wide bars and mirrors between cars can be tricky. The riding position is very comfortable, so during the 120 second red light sequences in Bangkok I found myself sitting with both hands still on the bars, whereas on more 'sporting' bikes I would use red lights as a chance to sit back and take the weight off my wrists.

If you are long in the leg (like me) the raised ridges in the tank, which would go above the knees if this was a Benelli sports bike (a brand recently acquired by the owners of Keeway) actually align with your knees creating a slight pressure point on long rides. This is a compact bike which is very popular as a 125 learner bike in the UK - and this makes it good in traffic, but if you are over 6' tall it may be physically too small for longer rides.

The brakes have improved, thought they still feel 'learner friendly' and need a good squeeze. The handling is neutral and feels like it could cope with much more power and the ride is excellent even on bangkok roads. The power is modest, but it has good low-down torque so it copes well in traffic and on back roads.

I had a chance to ride on wet and flooded roads this weekend, and the tyres seem OK. The gearbox is my main concern after the weekend ride. Neutral is hard to find when stationary and impossible to avoid when moving. Going from 1 to 2 you hit neutral 50% of the time. Giving an extra big push to the gear lever by moving your foot forward and up will get into 2 without a hitting N, but this is a nuisance. I hope this is a running-in issue, as none of the reports I've seen from the UK and Latin America mention a gearbox problem. I've found a supplier of a rack and box for the RKV in the UK but the cost is steep (£81 for the rack not inc shipping), and some throw-over panniers from Paddocks may be the answer, or I could get something made locally.

Still early days, and after the longer ride and the rain I'll be able to see what starts to rust or fall off, but with the possible exception of the gear change I'm pleased with the bike, especially considering the price. I'll post an update after more use.

Very few thai shops have pressure gauges, much less use them. They prefer to feel the tires, and they guess wrong, 100% of the time! They are simply untrained, or do not care. 5 lbs. of pressure is downright dangerous. Where there is no pride, there is no room for shame.

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Yes, I really don't understand this. Makes you wonder how well they service the bikes. Yamaha dealer(since gone)Phrahonyoutin road managed to put 55psi in my Sparks tyres, should be 33psi rear/29psi front....

[DrAzTiK]

My RkV200 customiaztion process is done. Nothing astouding but I guess the result is quite interesting, I don't blush ofen when I meet other bikes ^^ and I ofen see some thai people looking me and surely wondering what is this Benelli bike, ha ha :

Basicaly, everything is about stickers : I have ordered to my keeway-Benelli shop 2 side Benelli sticker (painted in black after) and on circle logo benelli. (200bath for one side sticker and 150bath for logo)

New rear view mirror : less convenient when touring but better in town.

I have some idea to add even more aesthetic value to the bike but I don't want to go too far in the process.

Edited January 22, 2014 by DrAzTiK

[sic103]

My RkV200 customiaztion process is done. Nothing astouding but I guess the result is quite interesting, I don't blush ofen when I meet other bikes ^^ and I ofen see some thai people looking me and surely wondering what is this Benelli bike, ha ha :

Basicaly, everything is about stickers : I have ordered to my keeway-Benelli shop 2 side Benelli sticker (painted in black after) and on circle logo benelli. (200bath for one side sticker and 150bath for logo)

New rear view mirror : less convenient when touring but better in town.

I have some idea to add even more aesthetic value to the bike but I don't want to go too far in the process.

I got similar mirrors. But I twisted them inwards. Makes lane splitting an ease. Requires a bit of head shifting to use the mirrors. Problem is at night hard to see much do to car lights.

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[DrAzTiK]

Personally, I only twist the right mirror inward. But these mirror are quite low quality Imo. (350bath). If I ride up to 90km/h, they also shudder a lot and the visibility decrease. In town, these mirror are realy convenient, I can pass in many narrow spot easier than before.

At night, yes it's not so great...

Edited January 22, 2014 by DrAzTiK

[sic103]

If you are referring to vibration at higher speed hindering visibility I fixed that by putting some crazy glue on the adjusting parts

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[DrAzTiK]

Oh great, thanks for the trick

[sic103]

Went on a 5 hour round trip on Sunday. 4 klr, 2 xt, a 125 Suzuki n my rkv. Needless to say it was as stressful as it could be. The two of us killing the bikes trying to keep up. Damn twisties filled with holes n cracks and not to mention the up hills. I'm still on the damn waiting list for the klr. Came back with sun burn on my face, a badly sore ass and a nasty rattling noise on the exhaust when revs above 4k. I'm thinking it's the exhaust cover rattling against the pipe. Having problems removing two of the screws as they are dead tight. Any ideas on how to remove them? I tried tapping. Forget heating cause I've tried it when the exhaust was hot too.

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[Familyonthemove]

Just sold my RKV 200 after more than a year of trouble free use including some extended upcountry tours and inner city use. Still looked new.

Price drop when sold was less than 20% which is OK for an imported bike and very reasonable in cash terms for over 12 months use.

Only sold it as I'm after a CB500X for the ABS and extra power for out of city riding.

[canuckamuck]

Thanks for all your input. it seems that you got your money's worth out of it.

[dave_boo]

Thanks for all the reports familyonthemove. You will enjoy the CB500X as it seems to fit what you want it for. Just be aware it's a heavy beastie compared to what you're coming from!

[MrHammer]

Thanks for this informative thread. Can any of you sugges a Honda dealer that sells Keeway in Bangkok? I want to trade in a Click preferably for a used RKV200.

[AllanB]

One of the problems I have with these Chinese bikes is that they look Chinese and people see you riding them and it's kind of embarrassing.

I was in my local metal bashers yesterday, a very good one at that and he is now doing a lot of work on these bike customising them and many are starting to look quite presentable.

First off come the decals and the awful ancillaries and some even had secondhand parts like lights put on, heading towards the bike being totally unrecognisable.

A great idea, I think, especially on a V-twin cruisers, the only remaining issues seem to be the wheels, not a lot to be done when they are alloys.

This guy is an exhaust specialist so should have the engines sounding good too, adding to the coverup.

[BirdsandBooze]

Good luck with your new bike Family. I enjoyed reading your calm and reasonable posts about the RKV200.

[Brevity]

it reminds me of those ryuka 125cc choppers in the big c for 36k

and those 250cc scramblers from china that were 48k (made by ???)

scooters from reliable manufacturers have surpassed this price bracket already

so its hard to imagine getting a decent quality 200-250cc road bike for circa 50 k

even the new yamaha is around 60k and its "only a 125 this time "

A cheap bike is a cheap bike. But this is sure one of the better ones in this price range. I was impressed by looking at it. Its just the low power that makes me worry. But maybe there is a chance to tune it up a bit. A real GPS speed of 120kmh and i would be happy

Would you really go 120 KPH on Chinese made budget-priced bike? I sure wouldn't.