My new true blue KPX

[TominMO]

Woo hoo!

First of course is the obligatory pic, as in "Pics or it didn't happen".

A friend drove me to the dealership so I could ride it home. Slapped my X-pect license plate on it, checked tire pressure, went for a 1/2 mile checkout ride, then drove to a friend's house 7 miles away for an oil change. To my shock and awe, what came out looked like actual motor oil, not some suspect greenish stuff. Threw in some 10w40 dead dinosaur motorcycle oil for the 25-mile ride home. Will put in 20w50 tomorrow, for the summer.

Seemed much more stable and planted at speed than the X-pect, and of course more power and the extra gear. Loved the ride home, mostly on 2-lane roads. Will probably go down about 4 teeth in the rear for more hwy goodness. Early tmw morning I will tear into it a bit: pull plastics and seat for familiarization, and maybe check valve clearances.

ECU REFLASH: Several good videos on YT. Check out Jerry's in his sticky, page 37, post #547.
And here is the contact info for American Lifan:
American Lifan
9272 Hyssop Dr.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
(909) 605-6999

VALVE CLEARANCES: Manual sez .08 mm intake, .10 mm exhaust. See post #24 for instructions/video.
OIL: Takes 1.1 liter of oil, so 1.17 (1 & 1/6) quarts.
OIL FILTER: The "112" size, widely available. On Amazon, search "motorcycle oil filter 112". See the oil filter writeup starting in post #42.
AIR FILTER: reserved for future info
SPARK PLUG: NGK CPR8EA-9. Spark plug socket is the smaller 5/8" size.
TIRE SIZES: front 90/90-21, rear 120/90-18.
RIM WIDTHS: front 1.85x21, rear MT 2.50x18
See this page for info about tire sizing and what fits on what size rims: https://www.denniskirk.com/learn/tire-sizes-explained

FRONT SPROCKET: JTF270. The 14T does fit with the stock chain and rear sprocket. Install instructions are in post #36. Available in 12, 13 and 14 teeth. Search on Amazon for the individual size, i.e. JTF270.14, JTF270.13.
REAR SPROCKET: JTR279. Do a search on Amazon on JTR279, then pick the size you want.
SPROCKET RATIOS: See post #37.
STOCK CHAIN LENGTH: 108 links.
BATTERY:

AFTERMARKET OIL COOLER: Jerry's sticky, post #134: http://www.chinariders.net/showthrea...t=31083&page=9
-- Oil cooler at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...im/refuge08-20
-- Oil cooler lines on eBay (10mm banjo for engine side): https://www.ebay.com/itm/16529512246...sAAOSwUNZgUfWc

TORQUE SPECS: This is an educated guess based on similar bikes, XL250 and XL350. I also use blue Loctite.
Front axle: 40 - 47 ft-lbs
Rear axle: 43 - 58 ft-lbs
Rear sprocket nuts: 13 - 17 ft-lbs

SHOP MANUAL: Just to have something available, esp. for torque settings, I am using this old but still available manual for Honda singles. The used copies are very reasonably priced. https://www.amazon.com/100-350cc-Sin...s%2C125&sr=8-1


Some notes so far:
1. Hex keys are 5mm for plastics, and 6mm for luggage rack and handlebar. Threw a pencil-type tire pressure gauge in the tool kit for good measure. Bought 8mm, 10mm and 13mm combo wrenches to add as well.
2. Threw some anti-seize on the NGK plug threads.
3. Drain plug takes a 17mm socket.
4. I removed the rear reflectors so no melting issue for me, and the (pretty flimsy) plastic chain guard was not contacting the chain.
5. The plastic and rack fasteners are stainless steel, a nice touch compared to the usual dark green ones. Also the handlebar fasteners are SS.
6. You have to remove the seat to access either side panels. (Edit: See note 10 below.) Not all that hard. Strongly recommend getting 5mm and 6mm hex sockets for a ratchet; or even better, get quick-connect 1/4" and 3/8" drive connectors for your portable drill. The rear 6mm hexes on the luggage rack you only need to loosen. The front ones come all the way off, then you remove the 13mm bolts that actually hold the seat on. Pay attention to the various ways the seat is attached to the bike, in the front and middle. There is an extra piece of seat material included for patching; make sure it is out of the way of the middle attachment point.
7. The side plastics are a bit of a puzzle to remove and even more so to reassemble. Two separate pieces on each side, two types of fasteners, locking tabs, slots and posts. Again, pay close attention to how it all fits together. Battery access on left, air filter access on right. Air filter is pleated paper. No regular-maintenance parts under the seat itself, just the rear spring adjustment and fuses.
8. Discussion of aftermarket exhausts starts with post #15.
9. Some KPXs don't have a spacer for the muffler mount, so the rear tire might contact the exhaust. You can get replacements at Ace Hardware. See post #71.
10. Also in post #71 is a simple way to get the side covers off without having to remove the seat and rack.

[JerryHawk250]

The Blue sure is pretty! Yeah, I looked in my tool kit last night and only has the two hex keys. I guess I need to look and see what other tools I'll need to add to the kit. No melted reflector on mine yet.

[TominMO]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

The Blue sure is pretty! Yeah, I looked in my tool kit last night and only has the two hex keys. I guess I need to look and see what other tools I'll need to add to the kit. No melted reflector on mine yet.

So you don't have the two wrenches or screwdriver or combo socket? Weird.
My two open-end wrenches are 8mm/10mm, and 13mm/15mm, FYI. Looks like there's also room in there for a small pair of pliers. Might replace the 8/10mm with two good wrenches, like a box & open Gear wrench.

I'm thinking of pulling the stickers on the front fender. They look kinda pointlessly blingy.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by TominMO

So you don't have the two wrenches or screwdriver or combo socket? Weird.
My two open-end wrenches are 8mm/10mm, and 13mm/15mm, FYI. Looks like there's also room in there for a small pair of pliers. Might replace the 8/10mm with two good wrenches, like a box & open Gear wrench.

I'm thinking of pulling the stickers on the front fender. They look kinda pointlessly blingy.

Yes I have the open-end wrenches and cheap screw driver.

[TominMO]

(This info consolidated into post #1)

[buzz]

Ya you should have just bought a Honda

[Credzbpt1]

I'm so thinking bout getting this bike can't find what exhaust to get anywhere.....Want to have it before the bike since everyone is saying it is quiet....any suggestions

[XLsior]

Originally Posted by buzz

Ya you should have just bought a Honda

I'm guessing you're just having a poke.

Whats comparable in Honda terms...the CRF300L base MSRP $5349...spongy suspension and feather light clutch, which typically results in additional expense to remedy.

Perhaps the
Kawasaki 2023 KLX300 MSRP $5,899 - $6,099 better out of the box overall package but a little less power and higher MSRP.


Lifan KPX $3200....


Are you really getting that much more bike for 2grand more brand new?


Used...maybe you can find a deal but buying second hand does have inherent risks.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by buzz

Ya you should have just bought a Honda

Why even comment if this is all you have to say on a forum dedicated to these Chinese made bikes? It's so stupid.

Show me the brand new Honda he could have bought in the same price range...

I have forever to wait.

[TominMO]

Guys, buzz is just razzing me. I gave him a Thumbs Up for it.

My upgrades are gonna be tail box, oil cooler, chain and sprockets, about $200ish. Paid $3400 at local dealership, so $3600 invested. Not gonna offroad it, so don't need an extra $2000 worth of Japanese mojo. (Which is mainly just name brand, and manufacturing costs China vs Japan.)

@ XLsior: I get what you're saying--but "having a poke" has another meaning in American. Watch the excellent 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove.

[XLsior]

I get it your poke is our root.

I would have normally said jab but that has been subverted into other health related connotations.

[TominMO]

Originally Posted by XLsior

I get it your poke is our root.

I would have normally said jab but that has been subverted into other health related connotations.

[TominMO]

Eventually, when this thread has pretty much run its course, I will consolidate all the useful info into post #1 for easy access for KPX noobs. The main thing I still want to add is sprocket info. I had planned on pulling the sprockets yesterday to measure various dimensions, but it got way too humid. I'll get to this on Tuesday at the latest.

[jazzybike58]

The new true blue looks great. and I am not just saying that because I have a blue one.

[4T_Goblin]

I found a couple exhaust systems on Amazon but I only want the middle link pipe with the matching bend. The Amazon pipes come in 3 sections; header, middle, and muffler. Our KPX is a 2 piece exhaust

It's $100 for the system and I'm broke at the moment. Lol