A couple of my hybrids

[Junglebiker]

So over the years I've found myself in possession of a couple of extra 200cc Zongshen pushrod engines. I started out with pieces of two engines that had failed for various reasons and eventually built them up into useability.

The Zongda XL200S is a 1975 Honda XL125 chassis with a Zonger engine in it. I didn't care for the circular shift pattern of the Zonger, so I pulled it apart and put in an early type Honda XL125 transmission. The install was pretty straightforward, really. I found that the Zongshen had more in common with 1978 and earlier Honda XL125 engines than it did with the 1979 and later Honda XL125/185/200 engines. The clutch cover, for example, is the early style, the later style won't fit. I'm using a 6 spring clutch out of a Zongshen 3 wheeled truck, the original Zongshen kickstart shaft and gears, (both of which I like better than the original Honda items). I went with the old style Honda clutch cover because it makes the engine a little narrower than the original Zongshen cover and also allows me to use a Honda kickstart lever, which is better than any of the Zongshen ones I have here. I kept the original electric start, (I put a pod filter on the chinese carb, removed the original air box and made a battery box for a 12V7ah gelcell battery out of a computer UPS--this all worked pretty well, but I am currently having problems with the starter and the idler gears, (both were "borrowed" from me while I was out of the country a while back and never returned--I have a starter motor in there right now, but no idler gear yet, I'm having problems finding a source of the ones I need). Anyway, overall, this bike works well, it's no world beater, but it is certainly reliable. Oh, the wheels are off of an old Suzuki RM 125, the front one has a small diameter double-leading shoe brake that is surprisingly effective. The rear shocks are off of an XL185. Sorry for the generally poor quality photos. Some time I'll take better ones, but there was some interest here in the Honda transmission conversion, which is why I took these photos that focus more on the fact that it's definitely a chinese engine with a Honda clutch cover. I built the exhaust pipe myself, it's only big because that was the size of pipe that I had handy at the time and I just happened to have a Supertrapp off of an XR600 that was looking for a home at the time. It seems liek it shoudl be too big, but seems to work just fine anyway.





Here's a somewhat better photo I took soon after I got it ridable a couple years ago:



My other hybrid is an early 1980's Suzuki RM 125 with the same kind of engine in it, though this one still has the goofy shift pattern. It's a long way from being done yet--I'd sort of like to put a water cooled one in this frame, since it already has a place for a radiator, so I'm sort of holding out for either enough parts to convert this air cooled one to water cooling, (I've already got the cylinder and head, just need to get the appropriate clutch cover with built-in water pump), or a good deal on a complete water cooled engine:



I also have a 1986 Honda CR125 that I'd also like to put a water-cooled Zongshen into sometime. Oh, and anybody who might be cursing me for wrecking classic RM's and CR's, relax, their engines were all completely wrecked when I got them, (in fact, that's why I have them).

[katoranger]

This is good information.

[FastDoc]

Fun hybrids! Thanks for the pics!

Those are the only kind I like... :wink:

[Weldangrind]

You're speaking my language.

I have a wrecked '92 KLR250 that's gonna get a Zong 230 transplant. I'd much rather have an air-cooled CG than pay for the parts to resurrect the KLR motor. It might become a supermoto.

I have a wrecked '78 YB100 that's in line for a horizontal Honda clone 110 with electric and kick start. I might build it like a flyweight cafe, but I haven't decided.

I'm fascinated by that double leading shoe drum brake; I've only seen such things on classic Brit bikes and larger Japanese stuff. I'm gonna keep that one in mind.

So, you're saying that a 1980 XR200 clutch cover won't fit the Zong? I have a couple around here, but I've never tried to bolt one on. I've got a 230 Zong with a bent shifter shaft, and I've considered trying to install an XR200 shaft in its place. Any thoughts on that? It is destined for the KLR250. I tried to use a six spring Zong clutch in an XR200, but it wouldn't clear (I think it was hitting the oil pump drive, but I can't recall). I ended up using the Zong plates in the Honda cluster.

I have a few 12v7a gelcell batteries around here, and I'm wondering if one will be enough to start and run the bike (including signals), or if I'll have to run two in parallel.

Great thread!

[FastDoc]

I'm fascinated by that double leading shoe drum brake; I've only seen such things on classic Brit bikes and larger Japanese stuff. I'm gonna keep that one in mind.

My CB175 has a double leading shoe front brake. Ironically my BSA did not. The BSA had the worst front brake of any bike I'd ever ridden, including a Schwinn with a broken cable.

The CB's is very strong, especially for a 275 lb streetbike. A little grabby but strong. I understand they are a little tricky to set up and adjust. I have never messed with mine other than to lubes the cams and cable.

[Junglebiker]

Doc I've got a CB175 double leading shoe front brake on a special I'm building. It's going to be too small, but it's on there for now. I have a much better double leading shoe front brake off of a CL250, (identical to a CL350, but 100cc smaller and not sold in the US, I don't think), it is very good, it's on the front of a little bobber I built with an XT500 engine.

Weld, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm thinking that any of the Hondas that have a kick start activated decompressor, (like the XL/XR185/200) or a blank place for one, (like the XL125 after 1978 I think), will not interchange as much with a GC as the older Hondas will. I once put an old style Honda clutch basket into a Zonger (whose clutch basket had mysteriously shattered), and it bolted right in. Have you tried using just the inner basket in a Honda outer? That might work.

Concerning the clutch covers, the decompressor equipped engines have an extra bolt down low behind the kickstart shaft, plus the casting is a little different in this area, so while 90% of the case fits just fine, down there in the corner is a problem. I'm pretty sure that a 1980 clutch cover won't fit a GC engine, I know it won't fit any of the Zongshens I have here.

12V7Ah battery was plenty for my Zongda, (which has full lighting on it in its current configuration), though if it didn't start right away it might struggle to carry on for long. I am not sure that my salvaged starter motor was much good, (I built it out of parts of several starters that were all marked "unservicable" when I got them and it was always really noisy) I have a new starter motor on its way to me right now, we'll see if it works better. I might go with a pair of 4.5Ah batteries if I end up needing more than 7Ah. I've used dual (parallel) 7Ah batteries in a lot of ATV's and been very very happy with them, (original type batteries are not available here and are too much of a hassle to ship, but computer UPS batteries are readily available, so I take what I can get and make it work).

[katoranger]

Those UPS batteries work great in the kids powerwheels too.

[Weldangrind]

The Zong clutch basket was simply too tall for the 1980-vintage XR200, so I just used the plates. It worked great.

Thanks for the detail on the clutch cover; I'll keep my eyes out for cheap older 125 engines for parts. Do you think an XR200 shifter shaft would work in a CG Zong?

[Junglebiker]

Hmmmm. I'm inclined to say yes. But don't hold me to it! It shouldn't hard to find out, at least on these engines you can remove the shifter shaft without having to split the center cases.

[Weldangrind]

I didn't even think about that, but of course you're right. The shifter shaft can slide out the clutch cover side. That's much easier than what I had in mind.

[SpudRider]

Thanks for starting the great thread! I like your hybrid motorcycles.

Spud