Templar X 250

[chinazuki]

Originally Posted by Flapango

Where can I find information on how to work on this bike,

it is difficult...some equivalent (or close): http://chinariders.net/showthread.ph...ustment&page=2

one quart jaso

[tknj99]

Originally Posted by Flapango

I just got my Templar X 250 6 spd last night and it is my first bike, I'll post a full review of it next week when I have ridden it more. But for now, I have a few questions to get me started. How much oil does it take? What oil should I use to oil the air filter? What's a good way to cover most of these exposed cords and connections? Where can I find information on how to work on this bike, this is my first bike ever and I'm willing to learn how to take care of and work on it but it seems very hard to find info on it. Anything you guys suggest I do, I rode it maybe 12 miles in the dirt today and it has another 5 just riding around my neighborhood.

I'd recommend to change the oil immediately. I did at the 25 mile mark and there were several metal shards collected on the strainer. I generally use Rotella 15w40 (1-quart) as many others do as well with good results. For the oil filter you can search for air filter oil spray on Amazon but it should have some oil on it stock, but doesn't hurt to add more and ensure its evenly spread. For any of the exposed wiring, i just tightly wrapped with electric tape until it was a neatly wrapped bundle. Hope that helps

[riddlerap]

Hey all.. I'm back. I got the KLR650 a couple months back because I got sick of waiting for the Temp X to come into stock. Now I see there's a Temp M and a new 6 speed X. Crazy. The KLR is nice but as someone brand new to riding, I think I want something a little smaller and that I don't have to worry about banging up, so I'm back in the Chinese market.

I really only need a bike to practice on and just get familiar with shifting and general riding, but I think since long term the KLr will be my street bike, I want a mostly off-road Chinese bike that I can take on trails and stuff.

What's the best suggestion for that? Also money is a factor since I just bought the KLR. I'd like to stay cheap. The other thing is.. I'm anti-mechanically inclined, so I'd prefer something I don't need to do much too at first at least. I'm considering the Apollo DB-36 or the Thunder (I keep seeing conflicting things on the Thunder not being good for off road, but it has adjustable suspension which the DB doesn't).

Sorry for this being in this thread but this seems to be one of the most active threads and people like Thumper always seem to have useful replies! Plus, potentially a Templar could be one I choose.

[riddlerap]

Originally Posted by Flapango

I just got my Templar X 250 6 spd last night and it is my first bike, I'll post a full review of it next week when I have ridden it more. But for now, I have a few questions to get me started. How much oil does it take? What oil should I use to oil the air filter? What's a good way to cover most of these exposed cords and connections? Where can I find information on how to work on this bike, this is my first bike ever and I'm willing to learn how to take care of and work on it but it seems very hard to find info on it. Anything you guys suggest I do, I rode it maybe 12 miles in the dirt today and it has another 5 just riding around my neighborhood.

How does it feel being your first? I'm kinda in the same boat but I bought a huge KLR650 and it's big and scary so I'm looking to get something smaller to feel more in control for now.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by Thumper

I am in the middle of replacing the new 2022 and a half wiring harness. My fault. EDIT (NOT my FAULT!!) I caused a grounding and melted it somewhere (a wire or wires lined up with the ground wire in the harness). The black insulation on the ground wire was visibly deformed! I will write this up in my thread in the Video and Pics section next week.

The problem is a bad starter. I removed it and bench tested it with a good battery. It spun at low rpm, faultering and then broke loose and ran at normal speed transiently. Also drawing more current than it should.

I could feel the bearings or binding bushing inside causing it to jerk with rpms dropping at the same time. I need a new starter. No kickstart. How ironic.

EDIT:
I fixed the starter myself. The brush mounting plate just needed to be ground down (was contacting the armature, grounding out and reducing power). PSM sent me a starter, turned out to be the wrong one, but I told them I fixed it, so I have random starter (they did not want it back). I did upgrade the lubrication in the starter and it works marvelously now! The original starter bumps it to life instantly. NICE engine!

[tknj99]

Hmm.. what were the symptoms so i can keep an eye out for this? i assume slow crank similar to a dying battery? Email PSM hopefully your within the window to get a free replacement

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by tknj99

Hmm.. what were the symptoms so i can keep an eye out for this? i assume slow crank similar to a dying battery? Email PSM hopefully your within the window to get a free replacement

I used a volt meter. The battery was reading 13.1 volts resting with key off, no change when I turned on the key (dash lights, neutral green light turn on), and dropped to 5V when I pressed the starter and it barely turned.

I opened the side port on the stator cover (10mm allen wrench) and checked that the engine rotated freely with a ratchet and 14mm socket- no problem there, just typical compression and the crank rotated freely spinning the ratchet on the down stroke after TDC.

If it had a kick starter I could probably get it started and ride it. I sent a request for warranty replacement to Zora. It is clearly just a bad starter. I am going to reassemble everything and see if I can push-start in 3rd gear on the road. I have a hill to exploit in front of my house. I don't think you need to pull the brake for to start it that way. If so, it obviously won't push-start!!

[riddlerap]

Also txpowersports seems a bit cheaper than PSM right now. Any reason to not buy it with them?

[Flapango]

Originally Posted by riddlerap

How does it feel being your first? I'm kinda in the same boat but I bought a huge KLR650 and it's big and scary so I'm looking to get something smaller to feel more in control for now.

Took it out today on some pretty flat desert here in AZ and it took a bit for me to get used to riding in the dirt. I was mostly driving straight because I didn't feel confident enough to turn the bike in the dirt but that's just due to my inexperience. The bike itself handled all of the beginner abuse I've taken it through so far. Definitely looking forward to learning and riding more.

[tknj99]

Update: received the replacement Amazon carb and this is an exact duplicate of the stock carb with the benefits including: no tamper screws, exposed a/f screw, big idle turn knob, adjustable needle (as well as now having spare carb parts). The only thing extra i needed to do was pop on a vacuum cap on an exposed inlet. Installed with 42 pilot, 125 main, needle at middle position and a/f 3 turns out and its running like a champion

Note about the carb in the link: it says PE30 but its actually a 28mm carb as required

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...t_b_prod_image

[riddlerap]

I really cannot decide which bike to go with. the few things I want are:
-250cc engine not the 229, only the 249
-adjustable suspension
-kick start ability

Right now Apollo DB-36 has all of that but doesn't have the ability to be street legal.

I really wish the Temp M had adjustable susp.. it would be perfect. I'm starting to wonder how big of a deal adjustable suspension is, but I'm a heavier guy so I feel like it'll be important

The Temp X has everything but no kick start, which I think as a beginner I want just so I don't have to worry about stalling too much and killing the battery and being stranded somewhere. Plus the Temp X is the most expensive of the ones I'm considering.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by riddlerap

I really cannot decide which bike to go with. the few things I want are:
-250cc engine not the 229, only the 249
-adjustable suspension
-kick start ability

Right now Apollo DB-36 has all of that but doesn't have the ability to be street legal.

I really wish the Temp M had adjustable susp.. it would be perfect. I'm starting to wonder how big of a deal adjustable suspension is, but I'm a heavier guy so I feel like it'll be important

The Temp X has everything but no kick start, which I think as a beginner I want just so I don't have to worry about stalling too much and killing the battery and being stranded somewhere. Plus the Temp X is the most expensive of the ones I'm considering.

You can change to heavier fork oil to gain some stiffness if the OEM forks are not stiff enough. I am pretty sure the rear spring has preload adjust, but you can always find an adjustable rear shock in the long run. The Temp M seems like a bargain. I really like my 5 speed engine, and glad it has the kickstart backup. It is torquey early on. NICE engine. I will have to keep a close eye on battery health on the 6 speed. It is a liability to have no kick start. I should be able to push start in a pinch. Lots of work running jumping on and dropping the clutch!!

[riddlerap]

Originally Posted by Thumper

You can change to heavier fork oil to gain some stiffness if the OEM forks are not stiff enough. I am pretty sure the rear spring has preload adjust, but you can always find an adjustable rear shock in the long run. The Temp M seems like a bargain. I really like my 5 speed engine, and glad it has the kickstart backup. It is torquey early on. NICE engine. I will have to keep a close eye on battery health on the 6 speed. It is a liability to have no kick start. I should be able to push start in a pinch. Lots of work running jumping on and dropping the clutch!!

I feel like I can always rely on you to give solid advice/opinion. I'll probably get the M then! The 6 speed seems nice but I'll have my KLR for higher on-road speeds.

[riddlerap]

Just placed the order.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by riddlerap

Just placed the order.

Good choice. The standard round steel tubing that comes on most of our Chinese bike is adequate and works just fine. But if you begin to do some jumping and harder landings, you will appreciate having the Templar M.

The Templars have heavy duty powdercoated (not spray painted) oval shaped engine cradle tubing with a much heavier headset.




This translates to a much more stable feel in all conditions, which is confidence inspiring in off road situations. Even much more expensive bikes like the new fuel injected Hawk DLX ($600 more) or the KPX250 (nearly 2x $) use round steel tubing. That is perfect for dual purpose bikes, and adequate for lighter off road use.

Templar will endure much more abuse. I hit a telephone pole about a month ago on the 5 speed. It was flat in the grass, and I did not see it. I got thrown hard! The front wheel has no evidence of any damage, and the frame is also still perfect. Handlebars not bent. No damage!


More recently...
The other day, I was out in dried late Summer grasses and picked up some goat heads, or rather, the mid-Western equivalent of those SouthWestern tire hazards! I found it flat the next morning.

As long as I have to take off the tire, I am NOT putting the same tire and tube back on. I got a Tusk DSport Adventure rear tire to replace. This is the same tire I put on the Storm last year (but 19" not 17"). The michelin tube is a 4mm motocross/enduro tube. I am hoping this combo will resist flat tires a little better than OEM tire/tube.
This is my weekend project: