New owner of an old forum member's bike.

lokie56 · 09-13-2021, 02:34 AM

I thought I'd poke my head in and say hello. I just last month recently did a drive and ride totaling over 670 miles round trip to buy a friend's used China bike in Central Oregon.

Bought it and rode it back over 350 miles home with my Wife in the follow vehicle, I had a lot of small adventures going to and coming back.

Name: LifanGY4.jpg
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Name: LifanGY4.jpg
Views: 246
Size: 85.6 KB

TxTaoRider · 09-13-2021, 05:46 AM

Welcome! Sounds like you've already had more adventures on your Chinabike in the 1st week than some do on the first year. Congrats!

Mudflap · 09-13-2021, 08:00 AM

Hey, that bike looks familiar. I had a lot of great adventures on it over the last 14 years. Glad it went to someone who will keep the adventures going.

lokie56 · 09-13-2021, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

Hey, that bike looks familiar. I had a lot of great adventures on it over the last 14 years. Glad it went to someone who will keep the adventures going.

Hey

That's our lunch rest stop at Market of Choice before heading west. You can sort of see how smokey the skies were in Bend that day from the bike's shadow. Sun was fairly orange despite the high cloudiness.

I'm tinkering quite a bit with it since it came home. I've placed the headlight on a dimming relay and taken the full current out of the dipper switch. The battery out of my Ducati fits this bike's battery tray perfectly, after extending the negative connection with a heavier gauge strap to the frame. Gave it a cleaning and a waxing. For it's age and mileage this bike is in good condition. Greased up the multi links to the rear shock, blew a lot of lava dust out of the nooks and crannies.

Is this bike's engine the same one it came with? It's quite a bit newer looking.

lokie56 · 09-13-2021, 10:11 AM

Also being my first bike with an O-ring chain. Is using ATF as a cleaner and lube recommended? I seem to recall ATF having a desirable cleaning action and it's oil doesn't attack o-rings...?

Mudflap · 09-13-2021, 10:50 AM

It came with the balance shaft engine that went 53,000 miles before the oil pump chain and balance shaft cush gear began making noise. I replaced it with the standard Lifan 163 fml engine that doesn't even have the parts that were worn. Should last a very long time.

The chain on it is a DID O ring chain. DID recommends gear oil for lubrication of the O rings. My preference is to run the chain dry, just putting a tiny amount of gear oil on the O rings a few times a year.

lokie56 · 09-13-2021, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

It came with the balance shaft engine that went 53,000 miles before the oil pump chain and balance shaft cush gear began making noise. I replaced it with the standard Lifan 163 fml engine that doesn't even have the parts that were worn. Should last a very long time.

The chain on it is a DID O ring chain. DID recommends gear oil for lubrication of the O rings. My preference is to run the chain dry, just putting a tiny amount of gear oil on the O rings a few times a year.

Gotcha

You know this engine is so remarkably smooth, that it seems a counter-balancer would be counter-productive. Every time I take it out for a ride it's turbine like ability to rev to 8 grand is rather remarkable. Although I think as an OHV engine it's probably best to keep it under 7k, it just likes to spin up, unlike my little 125 cc OHC pitbike engine.

Mudflap · 09-13-2021, 12:11 PM

I prefer the non balance shaft engine for a couple reasons. First it feels more natural. The balance shaft engines are a little smoother but it feels like the vibrations are somehow out of phase with the RPM. Mainly the non balance shaft engine has a gear driven oil pump instead of chain and doesn't have the cush gear drive for the balance shaft where the rubber cushions get hard with age. As I recall Lifan lists maximum horsepower at 8000 RPM and max torque at 6500.

lokie56 · 09-13-2021, 12:36 PM

I was noticing that this bike would hold a steady 52~54 mph in 5th while climbing grades without needing WOT. Like Santiam pass on 20 heading West, Low Pass on 36 and the climb south of Takenitch on hwy 101. Kinda surprised me as the gearing seems a bit tall for this bike, yet the engine is very willing and has a fat torque curve.

I owned a '74 Honda MT250 back in '83 and this bike is actually better at climbs and part throttle cruising. Yeah I know, poor comparison as the dual sport 2 stroke Elsies were known for being anemic. But very similar air drag, tires and weight to the Lifan.

Mudflap · 09-13-2021, 01:04 PM

Front sprocket is a JTF1264.17 but for trail use I would sometimes swap it for a JTF1264.15.

09-13-2021, 02:34 AM	#1
lokie56 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: West coast Posts: 15	New owner of an old forum member's bike. I thought I'd poke my head in and say hello. I just last month recently did a drive and ride totaling over 670 miles round trip to buy a friend's used China bike in Central Oregon. Bought it and rode it back over 350 miles home with my Wife in the follow vehicle, I had a lot of small adventures going to and coming back. __________________ 1958 J.C. Higgins 3 speed/ 48cc HT bicycle engine. 1968 Honda C-100/Qingqui125cc pitbike engine 2006 LF200GY-5 Last edited by lokie56; 09-13-2021 at 10:17 AM.
	0

09-13-2021, 05:46 AM	#2
TxTaoRider Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Flower Mound Texas Posts: 904	Welcome! Sounds like you've already had more adventures on your Chinabike in the 1st week than some do on the first year. Congrats! __________________ 2021 Tao Tbr7 - "Lucille" Mods so far- Brozz swingarm, 21" front rim (Bridgestone Tw302 rear/Dunlop D606 front tires), Digital gauge cluster, pz30b pumper carb, after market hand guards, aftermarket brake and clutch levers, round fold away mirrors, Fly handlebars shortened slightly, 13t front sprocket 2009 Q-link Legacy 250 1982 Suzuki GS1100ES - "Jolene"
	0

09-13-2021, 10:11 AM	#5
lokie56 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: West coast Posts: 15	Also being my first bike with an O-ring chain. Is using ATF as a cleaner and lube recommended? I seem to recall ATF having a desirable cleaning action and it's oil doesn't attack o-rings...? __________________ 1958 J.C. Higgins 3 speed/ 48cc HT bicycle engine. 1968 Honda C-100/Qingqui125cc pitbike engine 2006 LF200GY-5
	0

09-13-2021, 12:36 PM	#9
lokie56 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: West coast Posts: 15	I was noticing that this bike would hold a steady 52~54 mph in 5th while climbing grades without needing WOT. Like Santiam pass on 20 heading West, Low Pass on 36 and the climb south of Takenitch on hwy 101. Kinda surprised me as the gearing seems a bit tall for this bike, yet the engine is very willing and has a fat torque curve. I owned a '74 Honda MT250 back in '83 and this bike is actually better at climbs and part throttle cruising. Yeah I know, poor comparison as the dual sport 2 stroke Elsies were known for being anemic. But very similar air drag, tires and weight to the Lifan. __________________ 1958 J.C. Higgins 3 speed/ 48cc HT bicycle engine. 1968 Honda C-100/Qingqui125cc pitbike engine 2006 LF200GY-5
	0

09-13-2021, 08:00 AM	#3
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,876	Hey, that bike looks familiar. I had a lot of great adventures on it over the last 14 years. Glad it went to someone who will keep the adventures going.
	2

09-13-2021, 10:50 AM	#6
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,876	It came with the balance shaft engine that went 53,000 miles before the oil pump chain and balance shaft cush gear began making noise. I replaced it with the standard Lifan 163 fml engine that doesn't even have the parts that were worn. Should last a very long time. The chain on it is a DID O ring chain. DID recommends gear oil for lubrication of the O rings. My preference is to run the chain dry, just putting a tiny amount of gear oil on the O rings a few times a year.
	1

09-13-2021, 12:11 PM	#8
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,876	I prefer the non balance shaft engine for a couple reasons. First it feels more natural. The balance shaft engines are a little smoother but it feels like the vibrations are somehow out of phase with the RPM. Mainly the non balance shaft engine has a gear driven oil pump instead of chain and doesn't have the cush gear drive for the balance shaft where the rubber cushions get hard with age. As I recall Lifan lists maximum horsepower at 8000 RPM and max torque at 6500.
	0

09-13-2021, 01:04 PM	#10
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,876	Front sprocket is a JTF1264.17 but for trail use I would sometimes swap it for a JTF1264.15.
	0