Italika DM150

bigheavy150 · 01-06-2011, 01:45 PM

Italika DM150(super motard-ish bike)

I bought this bike as a daily driver/hobby/fun,My city is a 50km long strip of traffic and stop lights and TONS of mountain roads both dirt and paved .so I knew a bike was the way to go. I have had some kawi 2 strokes from the 80's and a Suzuki RMX250 so i know what im missing from the jap bikes.But the major frame welds look better then the old kawis did!.I have 70km on it so far just playing around on trails and city streets

It has a Loncin? LC 162FMJ(150 pushrod) engine, atleast that is what the engine # says. It ran LEAN when i got it could barely idle without farting out the carb. these bikes are assembled and tuned in Toluca mexico and that is way up in the mountains, and i am at sea level so that may be part of the cause. I really hate to see a lean engine but I see 1000's of these bikes running around here backfiring and poping(aka too lean) for years. so it isnt bad enough to do damage i guess. but it does pull harder and run cooler if you get it right. And the exuast header was not bolted on right (italikas work) and it does not line up with the tailpipe quite right causing a small leak in the asbestos gasket. I will fix this soon.(fixed)

Engine pulls nice, not built to rev continuously but it packs about all the punch a 150 thumper can have.. it pulls hard right off idle and builds its torque up until about 4500 and holds past 6500 then kinda peeters out until the alleged rev limiter at 8000(haven't found it yet). The gear spacing is nice 1st is a little extra low and 5th is a bit high too, perfect for what i want.The clutch does NOT like to slip, maybe just because it is new IDK(after 120km the clutch has freed up and slips proper now).Transmission was a bit notchy at first but now its like butter,Oh yea,its reverse shift too.carefull!.But the bike comes with a heavy back tire, a 130/90/16 with steel wheels/hubs and it zaps some of the power feel.

I believe the front forks are the same as some other china bikes I can upload close up pics if anyone is interested.Anyway i like the front forks! they are actually closer to right then any of my other bikes were (im about 135lbs) i mean they arent on the same level as the RMX. but they just feel right. The rear needs a preload adjustment and the shock is waaay stiff. I guess thats because here in mexico, a bike is a 5 passenger vehicle.

Oh yea, I had 3 LOOSE BOLTS 2 were in the shock linkage and one was the frame under the motor. all the bolts were almost falling out 2 more in the rear suspension were cross threaded and i have several over/under torqued bolts.I marked everything with perm marker so i can see if they start to back out.

Italika also put motard wheels/hubs and tires on it, i kinda like the way it feels, but beware if you have never drove a motard bike (like me) it handles way different. But they really help when driving on dirty asphalt. alloy wheels would have been nice since this bike is already pushing 280lbs.
It really drives nice though once you get used to the fat tires,And having a smaller front tire makes it more stable on asphalt and even dirt.You can do some kickass slides on dirt real easy and without the jumpy,unstable feel of dirtbike wheels. and it seems to "fall slower" then mx bikes. there is actually time to put your foot out and save it!

Everything else is great, replacement parts are just a phone call and 3 days wait, then pick up the parts 40 miles from here.I can order almost any part for the bike at very low prices. But they dont sell fork rebuild kits only the whole fork for $140 per side

the plastic build quality is good. Headlight is adjustable,good,strong rear fender,turn signals and plate holder. excellent relation between the pegs,seat and handlebars and ride hight (im 5'10") Passengers say it rides nicer them most, with plenty of room on the seat for a 3rd

Overall, I really like this bike.I dont have the $$$ to buy,nor maintain a big DOHC or 2 stroke but , i still outrun 70% of people on the road. and the suspension, brakes and tires are a BIG safety feature on the road and works good on light trails too

out of 5 i give it a 4 overall
4 on the build quality
4 for the motor
5 on fun facor
5 on utility
everything else i dont know yet i will update once i get it tagged and get some real miles on it.I see this being the best $1500 ever.

I did some more carb adjustments and have it running real smooth now pulls harder through the revs and runs cool now.I checked with infared thermometer and got 250f at the base of the plug.Oil was a cool 160f.

jape · 01-07-2011, 10:34 AM

Good objective report, thanks. If you are feeling curious have a look around for pics of early Roketa db04, Kinlon R/T and SM.
www.kinlon.com.au
That frame is the same as are some of the bits. Kinlon uses the Loncin 200 cc engine, yours I do not know enough to say but maybe someone will chip in.
Let me know if you come across a rack that fits, I want one or two for me and mates!

Weldangrind · 01-07-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigheavy150

I guess thats because here in mexico, a bike is a 5 passenger vehicle.

That statement brings great imagery.

Sweet looking bike; that's one of the nicer China super motos I've seen, and the red piping on the seat is a nice touch. That engine is the classic Honda style, and it looks like a 200 / 230 would fall into place, although it sounds like you don't need a larger engine. I'm surprised to see an upper engine mount, because that's an item that is often overlooked on a China bike. Your bike seems to be very well designed and built.

bigheavy150 · 01-07-2011, 09:37 PM

Thanks for the link to the aussie links

You better believe that if this engine ever craps, im putting the 200cc in if possible.

I did a few full throttle run through the gears and this lil engine does kinda have some kick in its upper midrange. Really loving the jumbo breaks, even when i slam on them the front tire stays planted and controllable

And there is no reason why this bike cant last a long time, I just have to remember not to thrash it :/

jape · 01-07-2011, 09:57 PM

You seem to have a very well sorted engine in that anyway, suitable for the circumstances. And the company Italika does a very nice job it seems. Looks good. Let me know if they have a rack that fits where those angled rear grips bolt on.

The stock 200cc looks like a 100 kph engine but isn't. The speedo is a good ten percent out, at least. You are lucky to get a true 90 kph using GPS to check. However as soon as you change the air filter, sprocket ratio, exhaust you can get the true kph and then some get more with further tweaks. One guy gets nearly 140 kph but I do NOT want to do that on a chinabike. I am getting a comfortable 100 kph and will try and find a touch more for safety and lower rev cruising on the highways.

bigheavy150 · 01-07-2011, 10:28 PM

5 dudes on one italika (ft150)

I havent seen any racks for these yet but im sure i could have some made at a affordable price.Infact, i plan to.

humanbeing · 01-08-2011, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigheavy150

...
It has a Lifan 162FMJ(150 pushrod) engine...

Lifan? Italika uses loncin's product
LC vs LF is quite confusing. However non-balanced 162FMJ OHV is almost the "standard" chinese s***. Even crappiest brand can achieve 40,000 km w/o top rebuild :P

bigheavy150 · 01-08-2011, 11:54 PM

my bad.
It is still a Honda copy though, right?

humanbeing · 01-09-2011, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigheavy150

my bad.
It is still a Honda copy though, right?

150 is big bored CG125 . Can fit many Honda parts in it if u had plenty $$$ to burn...
175 / 200 OHV config is like CG125 (inspired by Honda ) but parts are re-design to meet the extra cc.

bigheavy150 · 01-11-2011, 03:26 AM

Where could i find a service manual for the engine and/or the bike or a clone there of?Google hasn't turned up much

humanbeing · 01-11-2011, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigheavy150

Where could i find a service manual for the engine and/or the bike or a clone there of?Google hasn't turned up much

motomanual.com.ar had plenlty useful material d/l for it's CG125 "ancestor".

bigheavy150 · 01-11-2011, 08:50 PM

Thank you for the tips.

BUMP because this bike rocks!!

I took her on some trails today,really made me happy. The front tire seems like a bad idea for trails, but as long as you arent going over rocks bigger then 8" its great, tons of "feedback" and "feel".And it gets a lot more traction offroad then i would have expected. i havent had the front tire wash out at all without knowing it was going to happen (bike has not touched the ground nor will it any time soon 8) .

The forks can be a bit harsh at times when going over small bumps/rocks causing some headshake and lack of control but nothing that touching the brakes cant fix

no overheating going slow in 1st gear, no overheating pulling hills. no problems!

It feels like the engine is loosening up and running better,smoother, cooler every ride.Clutch has excellent "slip-ability" after 160km, on par with any jap bike.Also, i dont see why everyone says these engines have lots of vibration. I even have solid motor mounts and i never notice it. maybe at idle and above 6000rpm but thats normal,aint it?

It just does not feel like a MX/enduro bike at all though. soooo much more stable and easy to drive. I cant really throw it around like a 2 stroke with my mere 135lbs but i never feel over powered by it. A very easy bike for a learner, but i would not call it bland or boring. but I have never ridden a street sport bike but i imagine it "feels" similar.
Tons of fun no matter what surface you are on. :wink:

bigheavy150 · 01-29-2011, 01:21 AM

Ok 355Km on the clock, 18L of gas and 3 oil changes later. I checked the valve clearance, it was about 0.07-0.08mm intake and less then 0.05mm exhaust 8O glad i checked.

Aren't valve clearances supposed to only get bigger? not smaller?Jeeze i wonder how small the clearance was new......

Anyway, i set then both to 0.05mm hope i didnt go too small but thats the only good feeler gauge i had, so i just did it. sounds much quieter. Before i could hear the one intake valve TAP TAP TAPing. now its just a steady "chatter".

Got the bike all legal and taged and ready to rock. but its geared WAY too low for highway. I can cruise very comfortably at about 70Kmh with the throttle at about 1/8th. Cars blasting past me at what seems like the speed of light. nearly blowing my over sized halfhelm right off my tiny head.

I really need to find a bigger front sprocket. Howmany teeth can i go up on the front sprocket before clearance is a issue? What Japanese bikes have compatible sprockets?

katoranger · 01-29-2011, 09:36 AM

I think a 17-18 tooth on the front is about max. Most of us go small on the back. For a 150 you may want to stick to something around a 48-50T rear and a 17t front. You can always swap to a 15t front for offroad use.

That should give you alittle more on the street and still allow offroad riding.

Pure onroad 17/45 would be doable.

culcune · 01-29-2011, 06:15 PM

Haven't been here awhile. Bigheavy, where in Mexico are you? I live in Yuma, AZ, so see a few Italika's on this side of the border ridden by Mexican commuters, but most are scooters and a few cruisers. Haven't seen any of the dual sports, yet.

01-06-2011, 01:45 PM	#1
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	Italika DM150 Italika DM150(super motard-ish bike) I bought this bike as a daily driver/hobby/fun,My city is a 50km long strip of traffic and stop lights and TONS of mountain roads both dirt and paved .so I knew a bike was the way to go. I have had some kawi 2 strokes from the 80's and a Suzuki RMX250 so i know what im missing from the jap bikes.But the major frame welds look better then the old kawis did!.I have 70km on it so far just playing around on trails and city streets It has a Loncin? LC 162FMJ(150 pushrod) engine, atleast that is what the engine # says. It ran LEAN when i got it could barely idle without farting out the carb. these bikes are assembled and tuned in Toluca mexico and that is way up in the mountains, and i am at sea level so that may be part of the cause. I really hate to see a lean engine but I see 1000's of these bikes running around here backfiring and poping(aka too lean) for years. so it isnt bad enough to do damage i guess. but it does pull harder and run cooler if you get it right. And the exuast header was not bolted on right (italikas work) and it does not line up with the tailpipe quite right causing a small leak in the asbestos gasket. I will fix this soon.(fixed) Engine pulls nice, not built to rev continuously but it packs about all the punch a 150 thumper can have.. it pulls hard right off idle and builds its torque up until about 4500 and holds past 6500 then kinda peeters out until the alleged rev limiter at 8000(haven't found it yet). The gear spacing is nice 1st is a little extra low and 5th is a bit high too, perfect for what i want.The clutch does NOT like to slip, maybe just because it is new IDK(after 120km the clutch has freed up and slips proper now).Transmission was a bit notchy at first but now its like butter,Oh yea,its reverse shift too.carefull!.But the bike comes with a heavy back tire, a 130/90/16 with steel wheels/hubs and it zaps some of the power feel. I believe the front forks are the same as some other china bikes I can upload close up pics if anyone is interested.Anyway i like the front forks! they are actually closer to right then any of my other bikes were (im about 135lbs) i mean they arent on the same level as the RMX. but they just feel right. The rear needs a preload adjustment and the shock is waaay stiff. I guess thats because here in mexico, a bike is a 5 passenger vehicle. Oh yea, I had 3 LOOSE BOLTS 2 were in the shock linkage and one was the frame under the motor. all the bolts were almost falling out 2 more in the rear suspension were cross threaded and i have several over/under torqued bolts.I marked everything with perm marker so i can see if they start to back out. Italika also put motard wheels/hubs and tires on it, i kinda like the way it feels, but beware if you have never drove a motard bike (like me) it handles way different. But they really help when driving on dirty asphalt. alloy wheels would have been nice since this bike is already pushing 280lbs. It really drives nice though once you get used to the fat tires,And having a smaller front tire makes it more stable on asphalt and even dirt.You can do some kickass slides on dirt real easy and without the jumpy,unstable feel of dirtbike wheels. and it seems to "fall slower" then mx bikes. there is actually time to put your foot out and save it! Everything else is great, replacement parts are just a phone call and 3 days wait, then pick up the parts 40 miles from here.I can order almost any part for the bike at very low prices. But they dont sell fork rebuild kits only the whole fork for $140 per side the plastic build quality is good. Headlight is adjustable,good,strong rear fender,turn signals and plate holder. excellent relation between the pegs,seat and handlebars and ride hight (im 5'10") Passengers say it rides nicer them most, with plenty of room on the seat for a 3rd Overall, I really like this bike.I dont have the $$$ to buy,nor maintain a big DOHC or 2 stroke but , i still outrun 70% of people on the road. and the suspension, brakes and tires are a BIG safety feature on the road and works good on light trails too out of 5 i give it a 4 overall 4 on the build quality 4 for the motor 5 on fun facor 5 on utility everything else i dont know yet i will update once i get it tagged and get some real miles on it.I see this being the best $1500 ever. I did some more carb adjustments and have it running real smooth now pulls harder through the revs and runs cool now.I checked with infared thermometer and got 250f at the base of the plug.Oil was a cool 160f.
	0

01-29-2011, 09:36 AM	#14
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	I think a 17-18 tooth on the front is about max. Most of us go small on the back. For a 150 you may want to stick to something around a 48-50T rear and a 17t front. You can always swap to a 15t front for offroad use. That should give you alittle more on the street and still allow offroad riding. Pure onroad 17/45 would be doable. __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

01-07-2011, 10:34 AM	#2
jape Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: central vic australia Posts: 113	Good objective report, thanks. If you are feeling curious have a look around for pics of early Roketa db04, Kinlon R/T and SM. www.kinlon.com.au That frame is the same as are some of the bits. Kinlon uses the Loncin 200 cc engine, yours I do not know enough to say but maybe someone will chip in. Let me know if you come across a rack that fits, I want one or two for me and mates!
	0

01-07-2011, 09:37 PM	#4
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	Thanks for the link to the aussie links You better believe that if this engine ever craps, im putting the 200cc in if possible. I did a few full throttle run through the gears and this lil engine does kinda have some kick in its upper midrange. Really loving the jumbo breaks, even when i slam on them the front tire stays planted and controllable And there is no reason why this bike cant last a long time, I just have to remember not to thrash it :/
	0

01-07-2011, 09:57 PM	#5
jape Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: central vic australia Posts: 113	You seem to have a very well sorted engine in that anyway, suitable for the circumstances. And the company Italika does a very nice job it seems. Looks good. Let me know if they have a rack that fits where those angled rear grips bolt on. The stock 200cc looks like a 100 kph engine but isn't. The speedo is a good ten percent out, at least. You are lucky to get a true 90 kph using GPS to check. However as soon as you change the air filter, sprocket ratio, exhaust you can get the true kph and then some get more with further tweaks. One guy gets nearly 140 kph but I do NOT want to do that on a chinabike. I am getting a comfortable 100 kph and will try and find a touch more for safety and lower rev cruising on the highways.
	0

01-07-2011, 10:28 PM	#6
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	5 dudes on one italika (ft150) I havent seen any racks for these yet but im sure i could have some made at a affordable price.Infact, i plan to.
	0

01-08-2011, 11:54 PM	#8
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	my bad. It is still a Honda copy though, right?
	0

01-11-2011, 03:26 AM	#10
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	Where could i find a service manual for the engine and/or the bike or a clone there of?Google hasn't turned up much
	0

01-11-2011, 08:50 PM	#12
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	Thank you for the tips. BUMP because this bike rocks!! I took her on some trails today,really made me happy. The front tire seems like a bad idea for trails, but as long as you arent going over rocks bigger then 8" its great, tons of "feedback" and "feel".And it gets a lot more traction offroad then i would have expected. i havent had the front tire wash out at all without knowing it was going to happen (bike has not touched the ground nor will it any time soon 8) . The forks can be a bit harsh at times when going over small bumps/rocks causing some headshake and lack of control but nothing that touching the brakes cant fix no overheating going slow in 1st gear, no overheating pulling hills. no problems! It feels like the engine is loosening up and running better,smoother, cooler every ride.Clutch has excellent "slip-ability" after 160km, on par with any jap bike.Also, i dont see why everyone says these engines have lots of vibration. I even have solid motor mounts and i never notice it. maybe at idle and above 6000rpm but thats normal,aint it? It just does not feel like a MX/enduro bike at all though. soooo much more stable and easy to drive. I cant really throw it around like a 2 stroke with my mere 135lbs but i never feel over powered by it. A very easy bike for a learner, but i would not call it bland or boring. but I have never ridden a street sport bike but i imagine it "feels" similar. Tons of fun no matter what surface you are on. :wink:
	0

01-29-2011, 01:21 AM	#13
bigheavy150 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 119	Ok 355Km on the clock, 18L of gas and 3 oil changes later. I checked the valve clearance, it was about 0.07-0.08mm intake and less then 0.05mm exhaust 8O glad i checked. Aren't valve clearances supposed to only get bigger? not smaller?Jeeze i wonder how small the clearance was new...... Anyway, i set then both to 0.05mm hope i didnt go too small but thats the only good feeler gauge i had, so i just did it. sounds much quieter. Before i could hear the one intake valve TAP TAP TAPing. now its just a steady "chatter". Got the bike all legal and taged and ready to rock. but its geared WAY too low for highway. I can cruise very comfortably at about 70Kmh with the throttle at about 1/8th. Cars blasting past me at what seems like the speed of light. nearly blowing my over sized halfhelm right off my tiny head. I really need to find a bigger front sprocket. Howmany teeth can i go up on the front sprocket before clearance is a issue? What Japanese bikes have compatible sprockets?
	0

01-29-2011, 06:15 PM	#15
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,035	Haven't been here awhile. Bigheavy, where in Mexico are you? I live in Yuma, AZ, so see a few Italika's on this side of the border ridden by Mexican commuters, but most are scooters and a few cruisers. Haven't seen any of the dual sports, yet.
	0