X-Pect Backroad Development

[China Rider 27]

The question is, "Why do you break down and rebuild these bikes?" The answer, at the minimum, is to identify problems such as the following and correct them.

These are pictures of the swing arm attachment pivot point and bearings, left then right.






The swing arm spacer





The seals




The Swing arm pivot and all components. The distance between the frame mounting points is 8 and 7/16 inch.

The swing arm tub bolt attachment section is 8 and 3/16 inch wide. The bearing diameter is 20 mm.

The spacer/bolt tube is 8 1/4 inch with an outside diameter of 19.84mm. The inside diameter is 14.13mm.

The Swing arm bolt is 10.5 inches long and 14 mm in diameter (odd size) The bolt head is 18 mm and nut 21 mm. Popular sizes on this bike.



The shock is 12 inches center of bolt to center of bolt. The coil diameter is 13.33 MM and about 77mm at the widest point. The bolt is 3 1/8 inch long with a diameter of 12mm, with a 15mm bolt head and 18mm nut. There is a part number.





The Chain guard is well designed with good rubber. Hawk owners, you see anything different about this design?.............Notice where the guide rib starts in line with the chain movement. So the easy fix for the HAWK chainguard? Cut off the errant rib section so it aligns like this one. I had to throw the HAWK owners that something from the Xpect.



Another observation. Look at the detail on that chain guard! Collets that fit in the plastic for the bolt to mount!


instagram bookmarklet

Discussion: No grease whatsoever inside the swing arm, the bolt, the bearings, or the outside of the spacing tube! Looks like it was put on the seals and maybe the bolt threads for torque. When I took the spacer out of the swing arm it sounded like sand falling back into the tube. All the rust seems to be from the spacer.

The design of the swing arm attachment point, bearings, bolt tube, and gaskets is very good. If you look at the bearings they have dimples in the bearing surface all around where grease can be caught and retained for lubrication and they are removable. The seals are good and it was torqued in there tight so I wonder if and when water could get past those seals? but I wouldn't want to find out if it did. Takes little to imagine what this would be in a year or two. The design is the best I have seen on a China bike but it was POORLY executed.

Few things 1) This bike was manufactured in 05/2021 so it didn't have much time to sit around and get like this. In fact, I have seen no rust anyplace other than the gas tank and the swing arm spacer so that tells me those parts sat in a poor environment for months or years until they were put into production. 2) Any alarmed Xpect owners, we don't know that your bike looks like this or has a problem or that this is common. This issue could be just to this bike, to this day of production, month, etc.

I always planned to drill and tap the swing arm for a ZERT and that will happen next weekend.

[China Rider 27]

I may snoop around and investigate this or that yet, but this is the beginning of the path to building a better bike, hardened for the back road! Some people just might like this better than riding? There is a deep satisfaction in improving a bike to a higher state of performance, and no motorcycle will give you more riding pleasure than one done by your own hands.

Despite all the fun, the CR27 Team only wants to do this break down one time. Take the time to do it right. We now have the best access to all areas of the bike so if you have plans to change something that is hard to get at now is the time. Like that wiring I want to fix, easiest to do now rather than later.

Suggestions:

Read through Megadan’s HAWK 250 Resource guide because of the knowledge to be gained about bikes, parts, and processes.

Checking bolts for tightness, adding thread locker to removed bolts (Loctite 243 highly recommended, consider the big bottle, cheapest in the long run.)

Checking connections and sealing all general electrical connections with dielectric grease (insulates the connection preventing corrosion from water), except the EFI connections which appear to use waterproof connectors (I would check them to be sure connected good). The one I took apart already had dielectric grease so I believe it better to leave them undisturbed but everything else, the lights, ignition, battery connections so on would be good.

Go over all areas of the bike and check for issues, wires that may rub, hoses rubbing, bolts loose, how are things routed. Can something be improved? Any damage or frame issues? Get several sizes of zip ties, great for tying/fixing stuff, and you can put some in your road kit.

Take the air filter out and check the air box make sure all is good

Checking the valve clearance pre start up and adjust if needed.

Look at all the cable routing and correct if needed.

Checking/tightening spokes

Comment:

You just got a new bike and you are going to ride it not work on it. I get it. Consider then you could do a little bit of both, and take a weekend here and there to get some things done. If you are one that sees no purpose in doing this kind of work, that’s okay too, ride the bike, enjoy it, but when I see you stopped on the backroad, have the courtesy to pull it over out of the good line, because the CR27 Team is coming through, CG strong, riding hard! Ha, Hah !

[Boatguy]

Ha ha ha ha ha. My ears are burning.

(Along with my wiring)

[China Rider 27]

Tapping the Headstock and the swing arm I first saw in a post by JerryHawk250. I like to be able to pump grease in for maintenance and as back up for water dunking. It does take some mechanical skill and special tools. You can also just take the swing arm apart, clean it, and repack with grease.

I marked the location of the grease zert when the bike was still sitting on its wheels. That way I could angle it best for using a grease gun.



A special tapping wrench to hold the tap helps much in this tight space. TIP: Get a tap and die set from Harbor Freight or just buy the handle tool. For years I did it with a small crescent wrench.


anger smileys


The thickness of the swing arm and the bearings on the end is about 5mm plus a little. The spacer/bolt tube rides on the bearings on the end. There is a small space, 2 mm so (thickness of the bearing that exists between the spacer and the swing arm where grease can reside and also be pumped out to the bearings on each end. The ZERT is tapped only through the swing arm itself so it can put grease in the space between. A standard ZERT may work but it may hit the tube or puts the end right against the spacer. I took a file and filed off several MM to gain space for the grease to enter, but before I filed it I put grease in the end of the ZERT to keep filings for dropping inside. This pix shows a shortened 45-degree angle ZERT. I cut off a straight one with a hack saw and you see what happens.





The spacer/bolt tube cleaned up but still bears the scars from the rust. I used some 400 and 600 grit sand paper to clean it up. I only want to reduce the diameter of the tube as little as possible to keep the best fit. The tube rides on the ¾ inch wide bearings on the ends. The pitting is just another place for grease to reside.





One issue I had to resolve was how to get grease to the inside of the spacer/bolt tube around it and the swing arm bolt because it needs lubrication too. I decided to drill four ¼ inch holes in the spacer, two on each side of the ZERT to see if I can get some grease to pump into the bolt cavity. The spacer fits pretty tight with just a little play. Looking at it today, I may put another hole right in front of that grease ZERT. When I grease it, I will first grease everything by hand, especially the bolt and inside the spacer/bolt tube. Then pump grease in to take up any air space.




The swing arm tapped. Needs a quarter turn (and some thread locker) and I will do that when I do final installation.




I updated the above post on the swing arm to include the specifications for the spacer/bolt tube. Re-installation is pending some other rear end work. I am glad I got this swing arm issue straightened out!

Trivia: What inexpensive Chinese motorcycle comes from the factory tapped with a swing arm ZERT? If you know the answer post it up!

[China Rider 27]

Improving the routing of the taillights was on my “to do” list and yesterday I corrected that issue by routing it through the battery tray. It is tight but workable.

After removing the battery box disconnect the wires being sure to remember where they go or draw a diagram or mark them.



Drill two 3/8-inch holes in the back of the battery box tray. Gently work the wiring harness back and out and pull it over the top. Route the wires coming from the taillights through the holes in the battery box.



Reconnect the wires and I like to seal the entry with silicone. You will need to work it all around to fit together well.


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This ones for you Boatguy! That other object in that box is the main fuse panel and it uses blade type fuses with two spares and a couple of extra slots nice! The other device is a signal flasher.

[Boatguy]

That little thing is the main fuse panel. Amazing. I’m glad you dug that up in this process. I’m sure I have some things blown there.

I was thinking. You should train a few people and provide this as a service. I wonder what it might cost? I sure would’ve been interested in buying this service.

I know you should know everything yourself. But I’m a boat guy. I know boats inside and out like you know this motorcycle inside and out. That’s my area. I understand engines, wiring, and all of that, but you have looked ahead many steps in the chess game to see what problems might happen in the future. That’s a whole different level. That’s much better than fixing something when it breaks. Which is the route I’m on with motorcycles.

[China Rider 27]

I have worked on a few boat motors and you can have it! Motorcycles are easy in comparison.

A China bike is inexpensive, I think it was Megadan said "for a reason" and if you want it dependable and reliable you are going to have to make it so. I just want to head off problems if I can and get the bike in the best mechanical shape possible because when I get it broken in I am going to ride it hard! I will say the X-pect from what I have seen has a pretty good out of box record of dependability or I would have never bought it, but it is still an inexpensive China bike and not free of issues.

[China Rider 27]

There have been several cases of wiring shorts in the steering neck area related to movement of the steering column. The Plastic Conduit cover on the wiring loom ends right at the neck. Several X-Pect owners have had shorts in the wiring as a result of wires rubbing in this area. In at least one case wires extended out past the conduit rubbed on the headlight/instrument mounting bracket until they caused a short. For overall reliability, let alone Backroad reliability, a review of the wiring routing in the headstock area needs to be completed and any rubbing areas corrected with protective conduit or consider re-routing. This is a time to look at all the cable and wiring routing to see if there are potential issues or if cables need to be re-routed to avoid problems or increase efficiency.





Pix of front brake line routing causing wiring to contact bracket. Not a simple fix, requires the brake line to be disconnected and then brakes bled, but it is best done during Backroad rebuild when you can change out the fluid too.



ELECTRICAL Connectors

There are two standard (non EFI) connector types, a multi pin and single bullet connectors. The multi pin use a hook through a slot to lock it in and some are very tight requiring using a flat tip screw driver to push down the locking notch and through the slot while also wiggling the connector. DO NOT pull on the wires whatever you do, just the connector. If you pull on the wires you risk disconnecting the wire or damaging it and you will have no connection. Better to leave it be than damage it! The bullet connectors are also very tight and I used two needle nose pliers to grab each connector at the back (not the wires) to pull them apart. The EFI connectors look different than the Multi pin and also have a seal around the wire where it goes in the back of the connector and they are located mostly next to EFI components. If in doubt, I would leave it alone.

Although it has a pin type release fastener the instrument cluster connector is sealed where it enters the unit. There are two multi pin-connectors in the wires just before the unit and it can be disconnected there if it needs removal. No need to mess with the connector at the unit.

Most of the standard connectors are located behind the headlamp under the instrument cluster.

[China Rider 27]

[China Rider 27]

There is a black box (fuel cell?) with two hoses coming into the top from the gas tank and the fuel pump is bolted the bottom with its electrical connector and the high-pressure fuel line to the fuel injector. Gas comes from the tank by way of the petcock into the black box, or fuel cell and is pressurized by the pump and transported to the injector. The Owner’s manual shows the fuel pump as part of the tank but that is obviously not the case. I am thinking the fuel flows from the tank by gravity and it is not pressurized but could be mistaken time will tell. The second hose line from the black box back to the fuel tank must be an unused fuel return line. There is no obvious filter for the fuel and a filter must be included as part of the fuel pump. If anyone has clarification, feel free to add a comment.

fuel cell



The fuel pump is marked with 250 KPa which translates into 36 psi.



Fuel Injector



The oxygen sensor with a thread diameter of 12mm. It has anti seize, I will spread it evenly or add more in case I need to remove it. Good function critical for EFI.



ECU - Troubleshooting the EFI, go to the Owners Manual, best place to start, has a troubleshooting section and fault codes. ECU will flash out trouble codes.

[China Rider 27]

The Airbox is very well done! Stands out in comparison to others I have seen. It is three pieces, the box, a top lid with filter mount, and a filter cover. I was very please to see it seals tight with rubber gaskets at all connection points, the box cover, where the air filter fits on the bottom and the filter cover all have rubber gaskets. The box has two drain tubes on the bottom, one for the engine crankcase vent and the other for any liquid in the box itself sealed with plastic which will need checking periodically. The filter appears of good quality. Air tight box likely a requirement for EFI and pollution control. Good dust protection is an essential requirement for the backroad and no need to modify this box to make it so.

[TominMO]

I nominate this thread for Thread of the Decade.

[China Rider 27]

Ha Hah! But only in the running for X-Pect owners.

[China Rider 27]

Something the Team has seen on all the China Bikes they have worked on is the restriction of the bubble weld in the Exhaust Header Pipe and therefore we could not rest the tear down until we investigated that issue and sure enough it does have a bubble weld in the header pipe that is slightly restrictive. The opening at the bubble weld measures 24.47 mm roughly across. The Head port exit diameter is 26.73 mm so roughly 2 mm restriction. I used a Dremel tool with a carbide cutter to cut the bubble weld back to pipe diameter with a slant toward the head exit opening with a final I.D of 27.7mm.

SAFETY: If you choose to do something like this be very careful and use protective eye and mouth protection. You can see those small sharp shards, very small, that will stick to fingers etc and you would not want to breath them in or get them in your eyes. I usually get one or two in my fingers and have to use a tweezer.





The header pipe O.D. at the head is 39.47 mm and the tail section where it enters the muffler joint is O.D. 31.9mm and I.D. 29.63. The Muffler joint is I.D. 37.38mm and there is a graphite gasket.



The muffler exit I.D. is 19.32mm so maybe this exercise has no final end improvement? But the team is of the mind to increase efficiency at every opportunity.


Exhaust header gasket was constructed of rolled metal with graphite coating shown in comparison to new header gasket which measures 39.97mm and is a spare gasket I had for the HAWK. The X Pect header pipe to muffler is a couple of mm smaller than the 230cc CG motor in O.D. and I.D. but the Header pipe is thicker where it joins the head to make up for that and it therefore fits the same gasket as the 230cc CG motor.



A picture of the exhaust port. Looks like there is some airflow to be gained there with some Head porting.

[Boatguy]

Excellent!!! And those metal shavings always end up in my living area, then my foot. Ugh. Good advice!