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#16 |
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 175
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Were you able to determine what the problem with the engine was? I'm at almost 8500 miles and hope I won't have to be doing an engine replacement!
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2022 Lifan KPX 250 |
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#17 |
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 206
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Good to know that Venum and Lifan will stand behind their stuff to buyers!
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Jon, in Keaau, Hawaii |
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#18 | |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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Quote:
How many of these 172 series engines do you think Zongshen has made/sold? Most have been carbed, not adapted for EFI. But the ZS172 series probably has 10x the number of units in service. And Zongshen makes many different engines. There are many, many manufacturers that place these dependable in generators, hydraulic equipment, quads, dirt bikes, road bikes and other industrial applications. You may have a high pressure washer with a ZS engine in it! Just sayin... ![]()
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-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 |
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#19 | |
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Illinois
Posts: 864
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Quote:
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2022 Venom KPR 200 Red- the fastest color 16t and 46t sprockets, NGK Iridium CPR8EAIX-9, aftermarket full exhaust system. Top speed 81GPS 2023 Venom SS3 KP mini 150– Nibbi carb, Nibbi air filter, aftermarket muffler, decat 2022 Venom Ghost chopper 250 1997 Honda GL1500 Goldwing 1978 Kawasaki KL250 https://youtube.com/@herbiesgarage681 |
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#20 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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I am well aware that Lifan makes their own engines. My point is that the Lifan 172 is basically identical to the ZS172 series. And, that ZS172 (Zongshen) is considered durable and highly dependable.
And as I said it is good that Venom motorsports is holding Lifan's feet to the fire, but I am more concerned that this Lifan 172 would fail in the first place. The engine is essentially identical to the ZS172 engine. In fact, I would bet that many parts are interchangeable. If I bought a KPX250, I might want to make upgrades or replace parts. I wonder if, or which ZS172 engine parts are interchangeable? There is a huge aftermarket for the 172 series. I am sorry if someone thought I suggested that Lifan installed a ZS172 in the KPX. It is indeed a LIFAN 172 engine, EFI modified (which does not affect the internals that apparently failed). This sounds like a transmission issue.
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-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; 09-21-2023 at 01:40 PM. |
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#21 | |
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Illinois
Posts: 864
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Quote:
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2022 Venom KPR 200 Red- the fastest color 16t and 46t sprockets, NGK Iridium CPR8EAIX-9, aftermarket full exhaust system. Top speed 81GPS 2023 Venom SS3 KP mini 150– Nibbi carb, Nibbi air filter, aftermarket muffler, decat 2022 Venom Ghost chopper 250 1997 Honda GL1500 Goldwing 1978 Kawasaki KL250 https://youtube.com/@herbiesgarage681 |
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#22 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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I also know that our members have experienced some issues with Zongshen engines. Some of these issues have happened at very low miles. We do NOT have statistics on fail rates, but one key sentence in my post was that Zongshen probably has more than 10x the number of units (engines) in service. 10x more than Lifan, that is.
They sell LOTS of engines!!! Also, Zongshen allows rebranding, so Zongshen engines have other logos on them !! It is possible, in fact, that some engine internals in the Lifan engines come from Zongshen manufacturing plants. The clue to detecting this is that the engine ID stamp shows ZS172-xxx, or ZS167-xxc, for instance as model number. Many of Zongshen's clients don't bother to rebrand. Zongshen just supplies the engines. Zongshen is literally the "Honda" (clones) of China. It would be instructive to have real data on fail rates on engines that are NOT mistreated. We could do an anecdotal pole but it would hardly be representative ![]()
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-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; 09-21-2023 at 04:28 PM. |
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#23 |
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 605
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Last time I looked it up Zongshen was claiming to manufacture 2 million motorcycles annually. That is not including engine sales to other brands. And Zongshen Industrial Group is mainly OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Is a manufacturer and business partner for many famous brands like: Piaggio, Selva, Harley Davidson, Barbieri, BMW. And leader on garden machines industry. On their website they say over 4 million motorcycle engines annually. They say they have over 200 spare parts manufacturers supporting them.
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2022 1/2 Templar X 250 - 6 gear model - 13 Front / 40 Rear Sprockets - #42 / #120 Jets - 1mm thick nitrile O-ring needle shim (removed) - Kenda K761 Dual Sport Tires - Sedona Standard Thickness Inner Tubes - Stock OEM battery, carburetor, spark plug still going strong - https://youtu.be/dhAYEKH-jFQ |
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#24 | |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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Quote:
We know NOTHING about industry strife in China, and the quality control on contracts to subcontractors like Lifan. Conflicts can be regional, and in such a large manufacturing system, we have no idea of the relationship between cam makers, or crankshaft makers, or transmission part makers with their subcontract corps. Maybe they are getting top QC checked parts. Maybe there is no "politics" involved. It is a black box. Sure. Make me laugh ![]()
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-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 |
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#25 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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For what it is worth, this is how I look at my Templar X, and any other bike I may consider buying from China
![]() I would love to buy a Kamax 2-stroke 250, and considering the Trailmaster TM38 as an alternative. The Kamax looks just perfect, but there are no domestic distributers (shipping from China, OMG). The TM38 is heavier, but domestically available. And it doesn't have that nice Yamaha 2stroke clone. So I am forced into the TM38. Hmmm. Not a bad alternative ![]()
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-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 |
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#26 |
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 4
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Maybe I should try the warranty. I lost the countershaft bearing on mine @ 11,000. I got frustrated pushed it to the side and bought a dr650 but it would be nice to fix
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#27 | |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,548
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Quote:
What bike are you talking about? Nothing in your signature. btw- Welcome to the forum
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-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 |
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#28 |
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 4
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Same bike as this thread is about .. Lifan KPX 250. Was a good bike but I go on long distance trips....luckily the transmission failed close to home. Not my first bike I keep up maintenance...think it was long term highway rpms that did her in.
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#29 |
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Houma, La.
Posts: 11,651
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If the bike is less than 2 years old and under 12,000 miles, the warranty should cover it. The few post I've seen on warranty, Lifan has taken care of those customers.
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2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S (Sold) 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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#30 |
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 4
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Yeah I will get on the phone later today. Even if I need to buy an engine id like to fix it for a spare bike....so friends can ride with me. It's about one year since purchase but was only 5 months old when it failed. I shouldn't have given up but I just wrote it off as should have bought Japanese to begin with
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Tags |
kpx250, transmission, venom motorsports |
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