Lifan Cross and X-Cross

[papa al]

didn't look to see # of links in box.

they cut off about 8 to make it fit.

gold coloured.

[taninthai]

Currently in Honda getting my chain and front sprocket changed,the guy has disconnected the swingarm and suspension linkage just to change front sprocket,not the way I would have done it,but up to them.....555

Edited February 10, 2016 by seedy
large foto

[papa al]

i thought that sprocket could be more easily accessed.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

after 9 days in shop

my tank paint job was incomplete,

so i took it back and

did it.

papa is poor painter

will mount tank 2mor and test the new gearing, chain, tires combo.

try southern Laos next weeks,

Odin willing.

[taninthai]

Absolutely mental he disconnected swing arm and suspension so he could. Join the chain up into one piece on the floor and the slide it on through the swing arm ,so he has managed to put my new chain on without taking the rear wheel off........mental way to do things

[papa al]

sometime it is awkward doing the chain-joint thing in situ.

dropping rear wheel, awkword.

Maybe he was on to something.

[AllanB]

Surely remove the split link? Make the chain to length, put it on, replace the link, proper job.....Whats going on here?

Which chain and how much..Odin worshiper???

Sand coloured tank, Papa going Sahara?

Edited February 10, 2016 by AllanB

[taninthai]

Yep that's how I would do it ,but he decided to measure it to the same length as the old chain and use his crazy method,really he should have taken a few extra links out as old chain had stretched a fair bit,anyway standard 520 chain made by d.I.d available from most Honda dealers 1400 bht

[AllanB]

Yep that's how I would do it ,but he decided to measure it to the same length as the old chain and use his crazy method,really he should have taken a few extra links out as old chain had stretched a fair bit,anyway standard 520 chain made by d.I.d available from most Honda dealers 1400 bht

Well it ain't gonna stretch 4 rollers...and I always count the links, or better still put the two chains side by side, piece of chalk, no mistakes then.

1400 baht doesn't sound cheap, so that probably means good..cheers.

[papa al]

Surely remove the split link? Make the chain to length, put it on, replace the link, proper job.....Whats going on here?

Which chain and how much..Odin worshiper???

Sand coloured tank, Papa going Sahara?

take old chain off.

install new sprocket.

put new chian on.

hold up to see how much to shorten,

grind off pin and install split link.

1600baht; not sure of make.

tank is bright yellow

[AllanB]

Surely remove the split link? Make the chain to length, put it on, replace the link, proper job.....Whats going on here?

Which chain and how much..Odin worshiper???

Sand coloured tank, Papa going Sahara?

take old chain off.

install new sprocket.

put new chian on.

hold up to see how much to shorten,

grind off pin and install split link.

1600baht; not sure of make.

tank is bright yellow

Yes you were fitting a different rear sprocket, I always use chalk to mark the pin to be removed and avoid errors and use a punch rather than an angle grinder, if I don't have a pin extractor. But then I was fitting them 5 at a time....

Your camera is a liar then!! What is the overall design criterion here then, is there a Bob Marley theme here, or Scott McKenzie perhaps? "Hippy-Papa" is it?

[thaiguzzi]

Off topic.

Lifan owners (Allan & Papa et al) with the 200cc pushrod motor. A heads up for some very interesting engine service info.

Go onto the China Riders website, click on the dual sport section. There is a thread running called "the Zongshen TT 250 is coming" or similar. This is a new Stateside 229cc model, but is relevant to all OHV pushrod CG Honda 125 Chinabike clones. There are very very good tutorials (with pics) on clutch, oil pump, valves and tappet adj, wiring etc etc. Very informative and well written by this particular distributor (CTS i think). As i've said before, these bikes are sold in the States with zero dealer back up regarding servicing, ie your on your own, but everyone understands this anyway prior to purchase, and they are dead simple to work on. IF i owned a Lifan here, it would never see the dealership floor again once it had been purchased. I trust my mechanical skills far more than the local Somchai....

... just thought i'd pass it on...

[papa al]

Scott and Bob are dead Allan.

Going for an "X-Scrambler-DS-Enduro-'tard" look.

Emphasis on the last syllable.

[thaiguzzi]

Another titbit from the ChinaRiders Dual Sport forum. A lot of these bikes are getting shipped with zero, or too little valve clearance. So, a warning boys, read the tutorial, and check your valves...

[Issanman]

Off topic.

Lifan owners (Allan & Papa et al) with the 200cc pushrod motor. A heads up for some very interesting engine service info.

Go onto the China Riders website, click on the dual sport section. There is a thread running called "the Zongshen TT 250 is coming" or similar. This is a new Stateside 229cc model, but is relevant to all OHV pushrod CG Honda 125 Chinabike clones. There are very very good tutorials (with pics) on clutch, oil pump, valves and tappet adj, wiring etc etc. Very informative and well written by this particular distributor (CTS i think). As i've said before, these bikes are sold in the States with zero dealer back up regarding servicing, ie your on your own, but everyone understands this anyway prior to purchase, and they are dead simple to work on. IF i owned a Lifan here, it would never see the dealership floor again once it had been purchased. I trust my mechanical skills far more than the local Somchai....

... just thought i'd pass it on...

LINK to tutorials.

[papa al]

...so what is the recommended clearance, Clarence?

.06-.08mm/in

.08-.10mm /out?

When I'm doing full throttle accelerations,

she misses a bit at medium & high rpm's.

Could that be valve related.?

Or high speed jet related?

Controller?

Tested 42T rear sprocket today.

Still really winding out @95-100kph.

Maybe try 40T 2-mor.

[taninthai]

...so what is the recommended clearance, Clarence?

.06-.08mm/in

.08-.10mm /out?

When I'm doing full throttle accelerations,

she misses a bit at medium & high rpm's.

Could that be valve related.?

Or high speed jet related?

Controller?

Tested 42T rear sprocket today.

Still really winding out @95-100kph.

Maybe try 40T 2-mor.

once you change your sprocket size your speedo reading will be well out.

[papa al]

speedo pick-up is on front wheel.

accuracy is independent of sprocket configuration.

the change from 80/90 to 90/90 front tire should affect reading some.

Edited February 11, 2016 by papa al

[taninthai]

What was original sprocket size,just changed mine from 40 to 42.

[papa al]

original rear sprocket = 46T

then 42 and still too revvy on hi way.

1 hour ago had the boys replace the 42T with a 38T.

This is experimental so didn't want him to cut the o-ring chain currently with the 42T.

He didn't have an o-ring chain in stock so bought a DID non-o-ring chain.

Chain & 38T sprocket together, installed, 500baht, not too bad.

will test 2-nite.

Edited February 12, 2016 by papa al

[AllanB]

Papa I don't think you will be happy until you have 1:1 Driver/driven ratio, to keep up with your "arse handing out" tradition, but then you will need laughing gas to get to Mach 1.

Not too difficult to lengthen a chain, if you drift out the pin.

Edited February 12, 2016 by AllanB

[papa al]

ok

papa has been testing the 38T.

calms thing right down at hi-way speeds.

i like that.

went to MX track to see how she pulled in 1st gear @ challenging terrain:

>she still has enough power to climb a steep!

>i like it better;

before i shifted between 1st and 2nd on the circuit.

>now just 1st and go.

papa has 2000km on her now.

went to LTO to register green-book colour change

from black to

red, yellow, black.

papa go Laos maybe Tuesday.

[AllanB]

Don't throw the 40T away, I may take it of your hands, give it a try with lard-arse and bird on board.

Chain Adjustment:-

With 2-3" distance between pivot and driver coupled with the long swing suspension, I think the chain adjustment should be carried out with the rear wheel off the ground, when the chain requires it's maximum length. Topping out and bottoming out are roughly equal, so that setting should cover both cases.

That's my theory anyway.

I used my cheapo hydraulic bottle jack, along with the side stand for lifting front and back, need to make up a simple saddle to prevent and slipping when removing a wheel. Piece of cake.

Edited February 14, 2016 by AllanB

[Namplik]

ok

papa has been testing the 38T.

calms thing right down at hi-way speeds.

i like that.

went to MX track to see how she pulled in 1st gear @ challenging terrain:

>she still has enough power to climb a steep!

>i like it better;

before i shifted between 1st and 2nd on the circuit.

>now just 1st and go.

papa has 2000km on her now.

went to LTO to register green-book colour change

from black to

red, yellow, black.

papa go Laos maybe Tuesday.

She??

Sendt fra min Asus Zenpad via Tapatalk

[AllanB]

ok

papa has been testing the 38T.

calms thing right down at hi-way speeds.

i like that.

went to MX track to see how she pulled in 1st gear @ challenging terrain:

>she still has enough power to climb a steep!

>i like it better;

before i shifted between 1st and 2nd on the circuit.

>now just 1st and go.

papa has 2000km on her now.

went to LTO to register green-book colour change

from black to

red, yellow, black.

papa go Laos maybe Tuesday.

She??

Sendt fra min Asus Zenpad via Tapatalk

Well spotted Nmaplik...he should be banned!!!

[papa al]

ok

papa has been testing the 38T.

calms thing right down at hi-way speeds.

i like that.

went to MX track to see how she pulled in 1st gear @ challenging terrain:

>she still has enough power to climb a steep!

>i like it better;

before i shifted between 1st and 2nd on the circuit.

>now just 1st and go.

papa has 2000km on her now.

went to LTO to register green-book colour change

from black to

red, yellow, black.

papa go Laos maybe Tuesday.

She??

Sendt fra min Asus Zenpad via Tapatalk

papa does not mount 'he.'

[although nothing wrong with that.]

[AllanB]

I thought I would get used to the gearchange, but no, even though I haven't ridden the NV400 since I bought the bike, I still keep changing down instead of up, probably once every two days. So just fitted a heel plate to my gear shift, now I have a Honda Wave change, but without top -> neutral..

Another reason for this is that was buggering up one of my shoes.

Really bought this bike at the right time, they are building a railway underpass on the road to the Mittapap road, which is a 2 km quagmire, so I am learning to ride off road every time I go to Tescos. Can't be too many motorcross guys who learned their trade riding 2 up, I don't think MrsB is too impressed.

[papa al]

are you both standing up when in the ruff?

[saw a vid advocating this.]

papa saw another Cross at a stoplight yesterday.

first one spotted in long long time.

Edited February 14, 2016 by papa al

[AllanB]

are you both standing up when in the ruff?

[saw a vid advocating this.]

papa saw another Cross at a stoplight yesterday.

first one spotted in long long time.

Not quite we do the old way, take half our weight on the pegs, allowing an arse lift when necessary. I don't have the strength in my legs, due to arthritis, but it is great physio for my knees.

Hit a big dirt rut at speed yesterday on the motorcross road, would have had my face in the dirt on anything else, but no drama at all, not sure whether the Mrs was wholly convinced though. I am going to miss it when they finish the roadworks.

There are a couple of Cross's (or rather Gy200s) I see regularly in Khon Kaen, one of them disguised, bought/appeared about the same time as mine.

This morning a saw a Motard which looked as though it had been raised, with adventure type panniers on, looked a bit odd/short. No camera with me.

......oh Thanks to ThaiGuzzie for that reference to Chinabikes, looks like some useful stuff, need to wade through it and bookmark.

Edited February 15, 2016 by AllanB

[papa al]

Rode the Lifan from Patts to Korat; 6 hours including stops.

Runs ok in current configuration.

Slow. 95-100.

Rode from UbonR to Pakse this AM.

Stopped for photo and was invaded but big red ants.

had to strip to skivvies by road.

Adventure!

[papa al]

Have been putting the Lifan200 dual sport to the test on Laos roads.

Even in the south where straight roads exist, 90-100kph is about all you want to do.

Have quite a few villages along the way.

Rode about 85 km on an unpaved road.

Took some getting used to, but the Lifan was surprisingly tolerant of washboard and slamming into pot holes.

The 21" front wheel with the heavy duty 90/90 Michelin can take a punch.

All good.