Lifan X-pect 200 Help

JakeGuitarH · 10-20-2020, 09:09 PM

Hey,
So I'm new to motorcycles. Never built or worked on one before. Closest experience I have is working on mountain bikes and guitar electronics.

My Lifan X-Pect came in the mail today. Got it set up. Bars are on with all the junk that attaches to them. The battery is hooked up under the seat. I put the key in and turn it to the "on" position and nothing happens. If I use the kick-start, the electronics come on for a second.

I do not yet have gas in the bike and I have not switched the Chinese oil for break-in oil.

Is it as simple as putting gas in the bike, or have I set something up wrong?

Thanks!

Bruces · 10-20-2020, 09:18 PM

Did you charge the battery ?

JakeGuitarH · 10-20-2020, 11:18 PM

Wow. Is it that simple? See? This is how new I am.

So I need a charger? or can I use an electric generator/car jumper?

Bruces · 10-20-2020, 11:27 PM

You should use a very low amp (like 1.5 or 2 amp ) charger .Did the battery come with a container of acid ?you need to fill the battery with that first if it did and you didn’t already fill it .

culcune · 10-21-2020, 01:01 AM

If you did not have to fill the acid in the battery (Lifan is a slight 'cut' above most brands, so might have an acid-free battery you don't have to fill up), or charge it, it could be as simple as the kill switch on the right side of the handlebars being pushed in. TOTAL newby thing having it pushed in and not realizing it. No way would I do anything like that a mere few years ago after having ridden motorcycles for over 20 years. Not me!

But yes, check the switch...

landshark · 10-21-2020, 02:46 PM

Should be a lithium battery ready to go on that bike. I agree, check the switch. Mine had the same behavior when I had a short in a wiring harness next to the steerer tube which was blowing fuses. It will act like that with blown fuse.

JoshXpect · 10-21-2020, 02:49 PM

Landshark is right, it was a lithium battery that came with mine, unless they changed that, (probably not.)

JakeGuitarH · 10-21-2020, 10:56 PM

UPDATE:

Ugh.

So I took the battery to a place to get charged today. Wether or not the thing was dead or not, it's not anymore. Came back and hooked it all up. Key in and switched to 'ON', still nothing..

Here's where it gets weird. I put fuel and oil in the bike and attempted to use the kickstart. The lights flash on for a second and then nothing happens. The bike does not turn over. Doesn't even go and sputter out.

Could it be a bum spark plug or something?

RedCrowRides · 10-22-2020, 12:28 AM

There should be a couple fuses very near the battery, they are usually 15amps , you need to see if those are blown .When you turn the key to ON, you should have dash lights on etc ., if you dont that means you aren't getting any power - However, i would also check all my plastic 2 piece connectors because when you say you tried to kick it and it briefly flickered that may mean a connector is "almost" plugged in but not quite and the kick motion is enough to jiggle it enough to make momentary contact .

The first spot i would check is behind / inside the headlight housing, these Bikes have a lot of wires / connectors jammed in there and this is typically where the bad connections / partially plugged in connectors are - But, check the fuses first .

franque · 10-22-2020, 04:55 AM

Before the fuses, check for grounds and their quality of connections. Also make sure the battery is hooked up right, and the connections for the battery on both ends are tight.

ChillRider · 10-22-2020, 05:11 AM

Very weird. With the key in the "ON" position, can you operate any of the bike's lights, e.g. headlights, blinkers, brake lights? Does the N indicator/display/backlight come on with the bike in neutral, or you have a completely dead instrument cluster?

If it's completely dead when running on battery power but comes on momentarily when kick-started, suggests that the only power must be coming from the stator/generator coils, without the battery taking any part in the process.

At least the rectifier/regulator seems to work well enough to -temporarily- supply the nominal 12V to the electronics, but those probably need some time to boot up/initialize before attempting to start, and require the presence of a battery in the circuit to stabilize the power supply. Operating them without a battery in the circuit may be damaging, even if you manage to start the bike by e.g. pushing/rolling it down a hill.

In general the ignition key connects directly to the rectifier/regulator's 12V output, which is then fed back into the regulator itself. The same output should also be connected to the battery's positive terminal, to charge it and power and regulator itself in the absence of engine/stator power.

It seems that in your case, the battery is completely out of the loop.

franque · 10-22-2020, 06:38 AM

I'd double check the polarity of the connection, that is to say, make sure you didn't hook up the battery backwards.

Arkbill · 10-22-2020, 11:36 AM

Since this is a fuel injected bike it will need enough power to power up the fuel pump. When the key is turned on you should hear the fuel pump run for a second or two. If the battery is charged then the fuses would be my next check.

JakeGuitarH · 10-23-2020, 10:46 AM

UPDATE:

GOT IT!!!

It was the fuze box. The fuses we're either jammed, worn, or both.

Replaced them with the help of a friend and the bike rides beautifully!

Thanks for all the help!

Ina Ditch · 10-23-2020, 06:31 PM

Glad to hear it and hope you are having a blast with her !!!!

10-20-2020, 09:09 PM	#1
JakeGuitarH Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 4	Lifan X-pect 200 Help Hey, So I'm new to motorcycles. Never built or worked on one before. Closest experience I have is working on mountain bikes and guitar electronics. My Lifan X-Pect came in the mail today. Got it set up. Bars are on with all the junk that attaches to them. The battery is hooked up under the seat. I put the key in and turn it to the "on" position and nothing happens. If I use the kick-start, the electronics come on for a second. I do not yet have gas in the bike and I have not switched the Chinese oil for break-in oil. Is it as simple as putting gas in the bike, or have I set something up wrong? Thanks!
	0

10-21-2020, 01:01 AM	#5
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	If you did not have to fill the acid in the battery (Lifan is a slight 'cut' above most brands, so might have an acid-free battery you don't have to fill up), or charge it, it could be as simple as the kill switch on the right side of the handlebars being pushed in. TOTAL newby thing having it pushed in and not realizing it. No way would I do anything like that a mere few years ago after having ridden motorcycles for over 20 years. Not me! But yes, check the switch... __________________ "They say that life's a carousel, spinning fast you got to ride it well..." TGB Delivery Scooter 150 TMEC 200 Enduro--carcass is sadly rotting in the backyard
	0

10-22-2020, 12:28 AM	#9
RedCrowRides Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Florida Posts: 759	There should be a couple fuses very near the battery, they are usually 15amps , you need to see if those are blown .When you turn the key to ON, you should have dash lights on etc ., if you dont that means you aren't getting any power - However, i would also check all my plastic 2 piece connectors because when you say you tried to kick it and it briefly flickered that may mean a connector is "almost" plugged in but not quite and the kick motion is enough to jiggle it enough to make momentary contact . The first spot i would check is behind / inside the headlight housing, these Bikes have a lot of wires / connectors jammed in there and this is typically where the bad connections / partially plugged in connectors are - But, check the fuses first . __________________ 2001 Mustang GT 2004 Sportster 2018 VADER 2020 Orion RXB250L
	0

10-22-2020, 11:36 AM	#13
Arkbill Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Northwest Arkansas Posts: 26	Since this is a fuel injected bike it will need enough power to power up the fuel pump. When the key is turned on you should hear the fuel pump run for a second or two. If the battery is charged then the fuses would be my next check. __________________ 2018 Brozz 250 Sold 2020 Brozz 250 Sold 2017 Lifan KP 200 2021 Lifan X-pect 200
	0

10-20-2020, 09:18 PM	#2
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,654	Did you charge the battery ?
	0

10-20-2020, 11:18 PM	#3
JakeGuitarH Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 4	Wow. Is it that simple? See? This is how new I am. So I need a charger? or can I use an electric generator/car jumper?
	0

10-20-2020, 11:27 PM	#4
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,654	You should use a very low amp (like 1.5 or 2 amp ) charger .Did the battery come with a container of acid ?you need to fill the battery with that first if it did and you didn’t already fill it .
	1

10-21-2020, 02:46 PM	#6
landshark Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 53	Should be a lithium battery ready to go on that bike. I agree, check the switch. Mine had the same behavior when I had a short in a wiring harness next to the steerer tube which was blowing fuses. It will act like that with blown fuse.
	1

10-21-2020, 02:49 PM	#7
JoshXpect Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 10	Landshark is right, it was a lithium battery that came with mine, unless they changed that, (probably not.)
	1

10-21-2020, 10:56 PM	#8
JakeGuitarH Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 4	UPDATE: Ugh. So I took the battery to a place to get charged today. Wether or not the thing was dead or not, it's not anymore. Came back and hooked it all up. Key in and switched to 'ON', still nothing.. Here's where it gets weird. I put fuel and oil in the bike and attempted to use the kickstart. The lights flash on for a second and then nothing happens. The bike does not turn over. Doesn't even go and sputter out. Could it be a bum spark plug or something?
	0

10-22-2020, 04:55 AM	#10
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	Before the fuses, check for grounds and their quality of connections. Also make sure the battery is hooked up right, and the connections for the battery on both ends are tight.
	0

10-22-2020, 05:11 AM	#11
ChillRider Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: A small country with a funny name Posts: 164	Very weird. With the key in the "ON" position, can you operate any of the bike's lights, e.g. headlights, blinkers, brake lights? Does the N indicator/display/backlight come on with the bike in neutral, or you have a completely dead instrument cluster? If it's completely dead when running on battery power but comes on momentarily when kick-started, suggests that the only power must be coming from the stator/generator coils, without the battery taking any part in the process. At least the rectifier/regulator seems to work well enough to -temporarily- supply the nominal 12V to the electronics, but those probably need some time to boot up/initialize before attempting to start, and require the presence of a battery in the circuit to stabilize the power supply. Operating them without a battery in the circuit may be damaging, even if you manage to start the bike by e.g. pushing/rolling it down a hill. In general the ignition key connects directly to the rectifier/regulator's 12V output, which is then fed back into the regulator itself. The same output should also be connected to the battery's positive terminal, to charge it and power and regulator itself in the absence of engine/stator power. It seems that in your case, the battery is completely out of the loop.
	0

10-22-2020, 06:38 AM	#12
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	I'd double check the polarity of the connection, that is to say, make sure you didn't hook up the battery backwards.
	0

10-23-2020, 10:46 AM	#14
JakeGuitarH Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 4	UPDATE: GOT IT!!! It was the fuze box. The fuses we're either jammed, worn, or both. Replaced them with the help of a friend and the bike rides beautifully! Thanks for all the help!
	2

10-23-2020, 06:31 PM	#15
Ina Ditch Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: NW-Fl Posts: 305	Glad to hear it and hope you are having a blast with her !!!!
	0