I ordered a new Hensim 250 street bike

[Weldangrind]

I fixed your link and pic for you, fonzerelli.

I wonder if the parts were just not properly finished after machining. If you buy replacements, it might be a good idea to check the mating surfaces for fitment and file / sand as necessary.

[TheRealWorld]

I have not heard many good stories about these bikes, most have ended badly, so you are on your own. One more thing I noticed on mine is it has a bit of a minor oil leak on the shift lever near the left foot.

Good luck

[fonzerelli]

I believe that's exactly the problem, the one sharp edge part just wasn't machined with the attention to detail needed to make it last.

The chewed up part is not worn anywhere other than where the sharp edge cuts into it constantly. It seems to be decent enough quality inside looking at all the other parts, the metals look good, and machining and fit etc, but if you miss even one sharp edge on one piece like this there's just no way it will last like a japanese bike where they take the pride in their work to be anal about every single minute detail.

Not counting yes the rubber quality or gaskets. Mine never had any leaks though. not a drop over years and the only problem I had was the transmission. I haven't been using it, but I do start and run all my machines once or twice a year whether I use them or not. I'd notice a leak.

After giving it some thought, I think my best bet is to just fix it, make it the bobber I wanted very simply and with no real investment, and drive it until it won't go anymore and can't be fixed any more. Then there's always a no title donor honda rebel available to snag a real engine from or any other real parts I'd need.

Really with a non titled or wrecked donor I'd have a perfect combo of known good parts and I have zero money in this bike already. I don't know if you recall, but it was free when the warranty wouldn't fix the problems. I got a chargeback on my credit card for this bike and the gy6 scooter. Both sit in my garage still new.

The scooter I'm going to sell for sure. No sense in letting it keep sitting, I have it running and when the weather turns she's gone. Runs good now though, it's actually fun. All that needed was a stator pick up and I fixed it years ago. (but still never used the damn thing.)

The 250 is free and paid for, I love that no payments thing.
And just not worth much anyway but is a size I would use unlike the scooter. So far everything else seems reliable and good on mine, rubber all still good, tires hold air all this time, runs great, no carb issues or intake gasket leak or whatever.

A donor honda rebel or similar are so cheap, I don't see how I could loose with the solid wheels and just using the frame and metal stuff not keeping the plastic or cheaper parts. (Provided they honda engine fits the frame mounts, which I guess I'm not sure of.)

Hellen keller didn't weld this frame, I looked. Seems good. Some nice young slave boy did that must not have wanted to be whipped that day.

Do you guys see any problem with this idea? Aside from a titled frame all I need to keep it rolling is wheel bearings and tires right? Has anyone ever confirmed this chinese rebelzuki has the same mounting points as a real honda engine?

[TheRealWorld]

As long as you can afford it, and enjoy it, go for it. The education of it all is worth more than it cost!

[Weldangrind]

I don't know if the motor mounts are the same as a Rebel, but some internet photo research should help you answer that.

Do you plan to build a weld-on hard tailed bobber, or keep the shocks and make a brat style bike?

[fonzerelli]

Well originally I wanted a hardtail, but have since changed my mind due to comfort and functionality.

I was thinking something very basic like this:


Bratstyle with either shorter shocks or stretched swingarm and dropped front and rear would be better on my back and easier though.

Maybe like this:




But I'd also like one of these cafe's made out of one:



I guess either way if I change it from stock as long as I don't spend much there's not much to loose. It will probably be worth more looking cooler even if less functional or practical.

Here is what a similar model to mine looks like bobbed with those wheels.


I dont know why I still like the wheels but I do.I think that's the main thing I don't want to give up.

To make it like the second video would take one afternoon at best.

[Weldangrind]

I like the wheels as well, for that style of bike. A cafe bike would be really hard to make from that platform, due to the forward controls, tank shape and wheel size.

I like the first bobber, but I would add a rear fender. I'd likely chop the stock rear fender until it stops at the top of the rear tire, and place the lights and plate there. The rat bike in the last vid looks like a spine pounder.

I think I'd hard-tail the frame and create a sprung seat from a mountain bike shock. The problem with coil sprung seats is that they sway in corners, and that would be unnerving to me.

Whatver you decide to do, please take many pics and start a new thread on it.

[fonzerelli]

Yes this just isn't the bike for a cafe, you're right.. Way too much work to end up with the same slow commuter anway.

I hadn't thought about that with the sprung seat, thanks for mentioning it. I have a mountain bike which is probably already donating it's handlebars to this project anyway. I'll think about that.

You didn't like the unsprung kitchen garbage seat? Me neither...
It's probably a strainer but looks like he's sitting on a cheese grater.

What I'd really like to do is hand build something like this. I can weld, if I had the time I could do it, but it just isn't going to happen.

[Weldangrind]

I like several aspects of that bike, but most notably the rear fender to tire relationship. Neat bike. It looks like he's used valve covers as a fuel tank, which is beyond my welding skills. There's a guy running around my town with a tank made from two old hemi valve covers; very cool and unique.

I think the mountain bike spring seat would be workable. I saw one close up at a local bike show that was built by Orange County Choppers, but it wasn't well thought out. It seems to me that the pivot point would need to be equidistant to the upper and lower shock mounts.

We should stop hijacking this thread. Please start a new one about your bike, and we'll have plenty to chat about.

[fonzerelli]

Oh yea, hijack, sorry. Well I'm not going to make further plans for a while, not until after the fix actually works then I'll get back to you guys with another thread.

thanks

[zrxwest]

i read the whole thing, but cant find anything about the transmission stuff being corrected in later models?? if so, how can you tell?

here is one for sell in phx http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/mcy/3458457793.html

[fonzerelli]

Well it's official, those honda parts fit perfectly and fixed all my issues. Now the clutch handle feels smooth and it can be adjusted with proper free play and fully engages and disengages exactly like it should have all along.

No more gritty feeling, no more aluminum being chewed on and shaved off by steel and getting wedged in the shift drum pivot points and clutch release slide and everywhere else... Shifts like a honda, meaning you still have to "find" neutral carefully but works as it should. Been riding it the last few days just up and down the street.

I've been all over this bike and inside the engine side covers and rebuilt the carb and the rest of the bike seems to be of better quality than I initially gave it credit for. When I cleaned the carb I scrubbed it with a toothbrush and soap like I always do, and I must say you couldn't tell the quality of it from a japanese carb. In fact it's casting quality seems better than most older jap carbs I've had. Some things on this bike like fasteners with poor plating quality or plastic parts you can see where they cheaped out, and that's easily replaced if it bothers you, but the stuff that counts (most of the bike) looks really good.

I'm finally going to register this 6 year old bike for the first time ever and start using it. I had to call dmv to see if there would be a problem... Had a hard time explaining to the lady why I have a new 07 that's never been registered before, still just has an MCO. I think she thought I was trying to pull a fast one.

I've found some great examples of customs of these on youtube also, under different brand names, if anyone wants to see them I'll post links.

[Weldangrind]

Good news! Please start a new thread and show us pics.

[Adam Rinkleff]

Originally Posted by TheRealWorld

It came from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. I guess it may have come all the way from China, I am not sure how this whole thing works.

It went from Chongqing to Shanghai to Ningbo to LA to Dallas to OK to you!