Kpx250 lemon

Jay93 · 11-08-2023, 07:02 PM

Hey guys. Just need to vent a bit. After 2 1/2 months of working on my bike it still doesn’t work. Venom/Lifan have sent me a new engine/transmission assembly, a new wiring harness, new ecu, a new ignition, and a battery. I’m at a loss ans is venom motorsports and no shop within 200mi of me will even look at these Chinese bikes and I’m starting to learn why. Venom has tried their best but I’m getting close to escalating this as my bike has been out of service for 100+ days in the last 12 months and 20 non-consecutive out of service due to manufacturing defects in ones year qualifies it as a lemon. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.

Bruces · 11-08-2023, 08:41 PM

It sure does sound like your bike is a lemon ,what is or isn’t your bike doing that keeps you from riding it ? It doesn’t sound like there is very many pieces other than the suspension ,frame ,and the wheels you haven’t replaced .

Jay93 · 11-08-2023, 09:06 PM

Thanks for the reply Bruce’s!

So, the transmission imploded in august and they sent me a new engine assembly under warranty, which is fine, shit happens. The engine went in well with no problems. It was seemingly fine for a couple hundred miles, then it inexplicably started having electrical gremlins.

The bike would start and idle beautifully but with the application of any throttle the engine would be very unhappy, misfiring, bucking, rpm’s unsteady with even throttle, up to and including the engine shutting off at rpm and sometimes the whole bike would shut off dash included. The bike would also shut off if the handle bars were turned to full lock to the right.

I informed venom and like usual they were great. It took them a while but they sent me a new wiring harness and ignition assembly which finally arrived today. The manufacturer on the other hand said they thought it was my ecu so I sent it off to Lifan and they “worked” on it. Today i carefully replaced the old harness with the new one, pulling out the old and putting in the new simultaneously, one plug at a time to avoid any problems or mix ups. All existing wires were also examined for damage. I replaced the ecu and the ignition assembly in the process and double checked all plugs.

Now my bike won’t even turn over the starter motor. Dash comes on fine but won’t do anything else. All lights/signals/horn work fine.

**JerryHawk250** · 11-08-2023, 09:13 PM

Did you check that you didn't accidentally hit the kill switch? Safety switch plugged in on clutch? Is the nutrual light on when trying to start? Just thinking out loud.

Jay93 · 11-08-2023, 09:21 PM

Jerry! Thanks for chiming in. I did check those things but I will absolutely double check them. I’ll buy you a digital beer if you’re right! That would be hilarious

ChopperCharles · 11-09-2023, 04:49 PM

Waiting with baited breath for the results!

Thumper · 11-09-2023, 06:02 PM

new engine/transmission assembly, a new wiring harness, new ecu, a new ignition, and a battery

It is really hard to imagine that these components didn't make a motor run on it's first start. And there are backup parts from the original build!!!!

I mean, even if it ran rough!

**JerryHawk250** · 11-09-2023, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thumper

new engine/transmission assembly, a new wiring harness, new ecu, a new ignition, and a battery

It is really hard to imagine that these components didn't make a motor run on it's first start. And there are backup parts from the original build!!!!

I mean, even if it ran rough!

I'm thinking some safety switch malfunction

Bruces · 11-09-2023, 08:25 PM

I am thinking weak battery ,bad connections at battery or starter solenoid ,bad ground ,bad solenoid ,bad starter ,broken ,bent or green (gangrene ) pin in a connector ,honestly it could be almost anything as everything on the bike has been replaced or touched .Do those bikes have kick starters ? Any luck bump starting it ?the turning the handlebar and the bike shuts off thing was that before or after the harness was replaced ? So many possibilities.

Jay93 · 11-10-2023, 12:58 PM

Alrighty! So my friend is a Honda(car) technician and he came by with an automotive wire tester/tracer and FOUR wires in the brand new harness needed replaced.

Main battery cable was severed where it enters the loom. It had no damage to the insulation but the wire was just a couple strands on the inside. The main ground cable was the same way but with a little damage on the insulation (only saw it because I was meticulously inspecting it) and two other smaller wires, one from the starter solenoid and one I can’t remember now to be honest.

Does Lifan even have a quality control department or do they just not give a damn? Bike seems to be working now. We’ll see for how long

Thanks to everyone here for your responses.

**JerryHawk250** · 11-10-2023, 01:16 PM

Wow! What's the odds of that happening? Glad you were able to have someone help you figured it out.

Sport Rider · 11-10-2023, 01:28 PM

Good work Jay. I'm not sure I would have had the patience. Regarding the electronic beer, I WAS thinking it was the wiring harness.

bigdano711 · 11-10-2023, 03:30 PM

I'm tellin' all y'all it's a sabotage!

11-08-2023, 07:02 PM	#1
Jay93 Join Date: Sep 2022 Posts: 43	Kpx250 lemon Hey guys. Just need to vent a bit. After 2 1/2 months of working on my bike it still doesn’t work. Venom/Lifan have sent me a new engine/transmission assembly, a new wiring harness, new ecu, a new ignition, and a battery. I’m at a loss ans is venom motorsports and no shop within 200mi of me will even look at these Chinese bikes and I’m starting to learn why. Venom has tried their best but I’m getting close to escalating this as my bike has been out of service for 100+ days in the last 12 months and 20 non-consecutive out of service due to manufacturing defects in ones year qualifies it as a lemon. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.
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11-08-2023, 09:13 PM	#4
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,552	Did you check that you didn't accidentally hit the kill switch? Safety switch plugged in on clutch? Is the nutrual light on when trying to start? Just thinking out loud. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
	1

11-09-2023, 06:02 PM	#7
Thumper Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Kansas City Posts: 2,237	new engine/transmission assembly, a new wiring harness, new ecu, a new ignition, and a battery It is really hard to imagine that these components didn't make a motor run on it's first start. And there are backup parts from the original build!!!! I mean, even if it ran rough! __________________ -2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it Last edited by Thumper; 11-09-2023 at 06:37 PM.
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11-10-2023, 01:16 PM	#11
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,552	Wow! What's the odds of that happening? Glad you were able to have someone help you figured it out. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
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11-10-2023, 01:28 PM	#12
Sport Rider Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Mooresville NC Posts: 2,038	Good work Jay. I'm not sure I would have had the patience. Regarding the electronic beer, I WAS thinking it was the wiring harness. __________________ Dave Bikes I've owned: Suzuki GS450T, Yamaha XS500, Honda V45 Sabre, Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic (2), Suzuki VX800, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Triumph TT600, Honda Superhawk, Kawasaki Concours 1000 (3, including a sidecar rig), Buell XB9R, Kawasaki Nomad 1500, Concours 14, Honda Goldwing (2), Housen Hawk, Suzuki Intruder 1400, Kawasaki KLR650, Victory V92TC.
	1

11-08-2023, 08:41 PM	#2
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,572	It sure does sound like your bike is a lemon ,what is or isn’t your bike doing that keeps you from riding it ? It doesn’t sound like there is very many pieces other than the suspension ,frame ,and the wheels you haven’t replaced .
	0

11-08-2023, 09:06 PM	#3
Jay93 Join Date: Sep 2022 Posts: 43	Thanks for the reply Bruce’s! So, the transmission imploded in august and they sent me a new engine assembly under warranty, which is fine, shit happens. The engine went in well with no problems. It was seemingly fine for a couple hundred miles, then it inexplicably started having electrical gremlins. The bike would start and idle beautifully but with the application of any throttle the engine would be very unhappy, misfiring, bucking, rpm’s unsteady with even throttle, up to and including the engine shutting off at rpm and sometimes the whole bike would shut off dash included. The bike would also shut off if the handle bars were turned to full lock to the right. I informed venom and like usual they were great. It took them a while but they sent me a new wiring harness and ignition assembly which finally arrived today. The manufacturer on the other hand said they thought it was my ecu so I sent it off to Lifan and they “worked” on it. Today i carefully replaced the old harness with the new one, pulling out the old and putting in the new simultaneously, one plug at a time to avoid any problems or mix ups. All existing wires were also examined for damage. I replaced the ecu and the ignition assembly in the process and double checked all plugs. Now my bike won’t even turn over the starter motor. Dash comes on fine but won’t do anything else. All lights/signals/horn work fine.
	0

11-08-2023, 09:21 PM	#5
Jay93 Join Date: Sep 2022 Posts: 43	Jerry! Thanks for chiming in. I did check those things but I will absolutely double check them. I’ll buy you a digital beer if you’re right! That would be hilarious
	2

11-09-2023, 04:49 PM	#6
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	Waiting with baited breath for the results!
	0

11-09-2023, 08:25 PM	#9
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,572	I am thinking weak battery ,bad connections at battery or starter solenoid ,bad ground ,bad solenoid ,bad starter ,broken ,bent or green (gangrene ) pin in a connector ,honestly it could be almost anything as everything on the bike has been replaced or touched .Do those bikes have kick starters ? Any luck bump starting it ?the turning the handlebar and the bike shuts off thing was that before or after the harness was replaced ? So many possibilities.
	2

11-10-2023, 12:58 PM	#10
Jay93 Join Date: Sep 2022 Posts: 43	Alrighty! So my friend is a Honda(car) technician and he came by with an automotive wire tester/tracer and FOUR wires in the brand new harness needed replaced. Main battery cable was severed where it enters the loom. It had no damage to the insulation but the wire was just a couple strands on the inside. The main ground cable was the same way but with a little damage on the insulation (only saw it because I was meticulously inspecting it) and two other smaller wires, one from the starter solenoid and one I can’t remember now to be honest. Does Lifan even have a quality control department or do they just not give a damn? Bike seems to be working now. We’ll see for how long Thanks to everyone here for your responses.
	2

11-10-2023, 03:30 PM	#13
bigdano711 Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Big Piney, WY Posts: 415	I'm tellin' all y'all it's a sabotage! __________________ 2023 Hawk 250 from XPRO off of Amazon MOUNTAIN MAN RC + MOTO on YouTube "If there were more bloody noses, there would be less wars." - Hagbard Celine "Someday, after mastering the waves, the winds, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
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