My first Chinese (project) Bike Lifan 200

[Dutchbike]

A good friend who is leaving Thailand in a few weeks has offered me his Lifan 200 cross ( 16K km's 2 years old) for a very good price ( 10K) and I've dediced to buy it.

Since I already own a perfect off road bike ( KLX 250) I've decided to make it a project bike and change it's appearance.

Would love to make another cafer racer styled bike but the I'm afraid the frame geometry isn't suitable, so I've decided to go for the street tracker style instead.

A few things on the list:

Smaller 18inch front rim, wider street tires, powder coated matte black rims, lower the seating position ( so the mrs can take it for a ride as well)

minimalistic look ( loose as much unnessecary parts as possible)

Any suggestions, ideas would be appreciated.

here's what I'm thinking about.

[OmegaRacer]

Hey, lucky man!

I think I would do the same thing. Chop it up and make something cool out of it. Hope you'll keep us posted.

[OmegaRacer]

I have a tracker tail piece for a Yamaha SR (similar to the one in the drawing) if you need one...

[seedy]

You thinking to strip it down to bare frame ? Good time to check welds, add a few braces if required.

Will also give you a chance to delug the frame and better see what you want.

Great project !

[Dutchbike]

I have a tracker tail piece for a Yamaha SR (similar to the one in the drawing) if you need one...

Thanks will keep it in mind, how much you want for it?

Since I'm buying the bike cheap ( and it is and allways will be a cheap Chinese bike) I don't wanna spend to much money on it,( maybe another 10K) I try to source some used parts and do all the work myself.

[Dutchbike]

You thinking to strip it down to bare frame ? Good time to check welds, add a few braces if required.

Will also give you a chance to delug the frame and better see what you want.

Great project !

Yep that's the plan, first source the parts I want to change ( front wheel. fuel tank, seat ) make them fit, Then strip the whole bike down, cleaning it up. Indeed a good chance to check the whole bike and replace bolts/nuts etc for better ones.

I know the history of this bike from day one, and it served it's previous owner well, he only replaced tires/chain and sprockets and recently front wheel bearings.

Those Lifan's 200's are not so bad, Simple technology and I like that ( Honda) engine,and also: parts are cheap.

Will have the bike by the end of February, will post some pics and keep updating on the progress.

Looking forward getting my hands dirty.

[papa al]

Great project.

Wild rear suspension on this one.

[ll2]

cool. go forward and post photos time by time.

good luck.

[seedy]

Those Lifan's 200's are not so bad, Simple technology and I like that ( Honda) engine,and also: parts are cheap.

Wonder if a copy of Honda 185cc like the Platinum ?

[ttakata]

Although its a fat tired bike, the Yamaha TW225 has a big following of customization in Japan.

Might be worth a search.

[seedy]

If going for the street tracker look, having a rear fender made and mounted to the swingarm, moving the battery, ignition coils, etc as far inboard as possible and making a cover (stainless steeel ?) for that area will clean it up quite nicely.

And replace the exhaust with a lower mounted one

[Dutchbike]

First update, It took awhile but this weekend finally found the time to start working on the Lifan.

Despite being 40+ Celsisus, enjoyed tearing the bike apart, which was a pretty straightforward job, One thing as a big plus, it's a easy bike to work on and being just 2 years old everything comes loose easy.

For now I'll leave the engine in, since I'll have to design/fabricate various parts, but the whole frame will have a respray.

Things to do:

* finding a suitable fuel tank ( hope I can find a second hand one from on old enduro bike)

* fabricate a seat

* 17" rims

* fabricate aluminium side panels

* clean up the electric stuff ( the wire harness is a mess)

* find a headlight

* clean up the subframe ( shorten it)

etc etc etc so..... to be continued

here some pics

Chinese spaghetti

quality welds :-)

a previous project in the background

A Lifan in bits and pieces

A rough idea for the Aluminium side panels

[BSJ]

That fuel tank looks crazy big!

[papa al]

That fuel tank looks crazy big!

10.5 liter.

Crazy.

[papa al]

A cafe racer?!? Why not keep her as she is and get a new rear shock absorber?

I believe he already has a nice(er) dirt bike.

[metisdead]

A post containing oversized images has been removed as it messed up the formatting of this page.

[papa al]

OP

Thanks for posting the pics of the nekid Lifun.

It looks funny.

Good, but funny.

?

[papa al]

"Smaller 18inch front rim, wider street tires, powder coated matte black rims,

lower the seating position ( so the mrs can take it for a ride as well)"

`````````````````````

17inch rims

[Dutchbike]

"Smaller 18inch front rim, wider street tires, powder coated matte black rims,

lower the seating position ( so the mrs can take it for a ride as well)"

`````````````````````

17inch rims

papa, are you refer to the some text in the removed post??

ideas do change some times, and in 17" there is a much larger choice of rims and tires.

Thanks for paying attention.

[papa al]

No, referring to OP, #1.

17"= good.

Wifey may appreciate 16?

What bike does she usually use?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siamfornicator:

The answer to your question may be found in OP photo array.

Someday papa may have something like that.

The blue one +.

[Dutchbike]

No, referring to OP, #1.

17"= good.

Wifey may appreciate 16?

What bike does she usually use?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siamfornicator:

The answer to your question may be found in OP photo array.

Someday papa may have something like that.

The blue one +.

Click i

She could ride the Lifan as it was but... just, tippytoe

I don't expect she will use it a lot, I will, when it turns out as I see it in my visions.

here's some more eyecandy:

[mercman24]

what an interesting topic for a change, nice one,, good read

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Having owned, ridden and raced dozens of bikes over the last 50 years. I fail to see why this current bobber/cafe style rear seat fad has taken hold. The design is butt ugly and without any functionality whatsoever other than a short spurt out to a 7-11.

All of the photo examples you have provided are ugly. Horribly so.

Best of luck with your project.

Just bolt a length of 6 x 3 pine in for the seat. The appearance and comfort level will be the same as most of your examples.

[Dutchbike]

^^ BD If it makes you happy ranting about those seats go ahead :-)
Tastes vary, You don't like the look of the cafe/bobber/tracker styled bikes or just the seat style used on those kinda bikes?
A comfy thick seat, would just spoil the clean look of those bikes.
How about the seats on these classic bikes??

[Bulldozer Dawn]

DB

I may not necessarily agree with you on your opinion, but I will fight to the death for you right to express it.

That said, you bike is a lifan cross for gods sake, it is not a CLASSIC.

To help you on your way, look up the rather long thread on Lifan crosses that was participated in a great deal by Canuckamuck and some young kid who purchased one up in Isaan and did some blogging on his tours. On that thread, a few years back now, I recall there is a photo of a Thai guy parked up somewhere with his lifan all tricked up with bash plates and other long distance adventure riding gear...including lights. I remember a link to his facebook page was provided and apparently he has a business selling accessories for lifans. Maybe worth trolling TV to find the post and ping him to see what sort of bling he can sell you for your UGLY DUCKLING

[Crowleys]

Why bother keep commenting on lifan rebuild thread if you dont like the bike and cafe racers. Everyone got the point from your first message already.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Why bother keep commenting on lifan rebuild thread if you dont like the bike and cafe racers. Everyone got the point from your first message already.

Whats makes you think I don't like the Lifan cross? I have owned two of them and think that are a great low cost enduro option for Thailand.

And what makes you think I don't like cafe racers?

[seedy]

Off topic posts removed.

[Crowleys]

Why bother keep commenting on lifan rebuild thread if you dont like the bike and cafe racers. Everyone got the point from your first message already.

Whats makes you think I don't like the Lifan cross? I have owned two of them and think that are a great low cost enduro option for Thailand.

And what makes you think I don't like cafe racers?

The lovely rant of yours... But keep going if it makes you happy. I'm out.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

DD looking at your strip down photos you might want to stuff a clean rag in to block off the intake manifold. I had a toad inside on of my cylinder rebuilds in Phuket.