View Full Version : Vibes Getting Worse!!!
My bike has developed a vibration at all speeds. It is not present when bike is in neutral or clutch is pulled in. I checked all the bolts that mount the motor and they are all tight. The chain is okay. the vibration is bad enough to numb my hands and feet on the pegs.
i changed the oil a couple days ago. there were no particles in the oil whatsoever.
im stumped.
katoranger
03-06-2008, 03:18 PM
All my bolts were tight too, but they didn't fit in the holes well and it allow the motor to shift around still.
Also make sure the chain isn't too tight or too loose.
Allen
thing is..the engine feels smooth as can be when in neutral or clutch pulled in.
could this be my tranny? at only 1000km??
AZ200cc
03-06-2008, 03:29 PM
Does it do it at take off, Or when the clutch is only slightly applied? Or is it only when the bike is at speed in gear?
it feels like something is shifting positions as I take off. At first i thought perhaps the chain, but I had a buddy sit on bike and adjusted chain. Whether chain is loose or tight makes no difference in the problem. If I had to guess, I would guess that a weld is broken somewhere. Tomorrow I am going to take it apart again and see if I can spot a break anywhere. Then depending on my findings I will take it to the dealer and get their opinion.
I've never jumped it (i'd kill myself) or even done wheelies.
Yeah if you get the tank and all plastics off you can inspect it good for cracks or loose/missing bolts... I never had any major problems with mine except for that one upper rear motor mount... Oh, and the battery tray cracked...
TeamCheap
03-06-2008, 09:15 PM
It sounds to me like a loose engine, Hmmm.
Are you still using the stock engine mount bolts?
Hmmm, so have you checked for any excessive free play in the:
front/rear sprockets
rear sprocket mount to hub
counter shaft
swingarm bushings/bolt
rear wheel hub
rear axle bearings/bolt
If the engine is not bolted in RIGHT then just the torque from the engine is enough to move it around and once it loosens up the vibrations get much worse.
red2003
03-07-2008, 07:59 AM
Not to freak you out, but other members have complained about this vibration right before their tranny crapped the bed. For sure check bolts, welds, etc, but if all that looks good, I'd head back to the dealer with it and have it looked at. There has to be a reason if it just suddenly "developed", and a locked up tranny at 60mph isn't pretty 8O .
frostbite
03-07-2008, 08:04 AM
Not to freak you out, but other members have complained about this vibration right before their tranny crapped the bed.
The same thing happened to me. It was the tranny; a new motor under warranty fixed the problem.
culcune
03-07-2008, 09:13 AM
My tranny on the replacement Lifan motor took a dump, and I am selling the bike for parts! Good riddance bike, stranded me one too many times!! :x
IronFist
03-07-2008, 09:50 AM
Zap I was going to get you to search frosty's old posts on the transmission problems, really hope it's your engine mounts or sprocket/ N2r. :cry:
well I took it to Wheeling Cycle and they checked it out. The chain was WAAAAYYY too lose and the clutch was way too tight. After adjusting the chain and clutch, the shudder on takeoff is pretty much gone. It seems the vibrations I am getting while riding is due to my rims not being true. Since I have no clue how to adjust them, I will now search this forum for info on it.
i feel like a total idiot now.
BUT I definitely plan on changing out the engine bolts to more durable ones that will better fit the holes. If anyone has a counterbalanced motor and has done that mod, I sure could use some info on what bolts to purchase.
thanks..
TeamCheap
03-07-2008, 12:26 PM
Dont feel like an idiot, your not, you just had a few things catch you offguard it's no big deal the main thing is to get your bike back right and safe.
If you want to know an idiot try prying me about my blunders- :lol:
culcune two things disturb me. 1. you let a tranny ride your bike and 2. the tranny took a dump on it.
don't give up on the bike just because some tranny took a dump on it. wipe it off, take a long hot shower, and move on with life.
LOL sry
culcune
03-07-2008, 12:59 PM
culcune two things disturb me. 1. you let a tranny ride your bike and 2. the tranny took a dump on it.
don't give up on the bike just because some tranny took a dump on it. wipe it off, take a long hot shower, and move on with life.
LOL sry
It did look like a woman...
bronevaya
03-07-2008, 01:08 PM
well I took it to Wheeling Cycle and they checked it out. The chain was WAAAAYYY too lose and the clutch was way too tight. After adjusting the chain and clutch, the shudder on takeoff is pretty much gone. It seems the vibrations I am getting while riding is due to my rims not being true. Since I have no clue how to adjust them, I will now search this forum for info on it.
i feel like a total idiot now.
when you say they tightened the clutch, do you mean the cable?
BUT I definitely plan on changing out the engine bolts to more durable ones that will better fit the holes. If anyone has a counterbalanced motor and has done that mod, I sure could use some info on what bolts to purchase.
thanks..
I don't know if anyone with the counter balanced engine has had issues with the mounting bolts? I only know of it being an issue with the older ones that weren't balanced, I think they've reworked the mounts for the balanced engine?
TeamCheap
03-07-2008, 04:08 PM
I tend to agree with JIM.
From what I have seen on the new counter balanced models is they also reworked the rear-upper engine mount to the way it should have been from the get-go so I'm only assuming they fixed the lousy engine to frame fit they had in the earlier bikes and put in the PROPER size bolts.
Still the engine mount is such a critical thing that I'd be eyeing up a new model bike engine mount just to make sure it was right.
there was no play in the clutch cable. they corrected that and tightened chain and the shudder seems to be gone. There are less vibes now. But i have some issues with my rims being a bit off. I am not sure how to correct that problem easily. If anyone knows of a thread on here or somewhere else that can instruct me how to work on rims please let me know.
thnks
I had a counterbalanced engine in my gy5 apparently it was a supposed grey market from Lifan wholesalers. And the tranny did take a dump at 1600km. The good news is that they agreed to replace it (I'll believe it when i see it) I did replace the engine with a ohc motor I got on ebay and it doesn't seem to vibrate anymore than the counterbalanced motor did. My problem now is my crude attempts to make a bracket for the front mount. Oh fyi I never had a single bolt rattle loose and I only did minor locktiting of the bike. Maybe I should have pour some locktite in the transmission.
culcune
03-07-2008, 05:01 PM
Maybe I should have pour some locktite in the transmission.
I should have thought of that, too!! :lol:
Well...10 miles later the vibration is back (if it was ever really gone, may have been my imagination) and is now accompanied by a strange clicking sound as I come to a stop with clutch pulled in.
this totally sucks...i dont trust it to ride anymore and has only 1000 kilometers on it.
AZ200cc
03-07-2008, 05:45 PM
Sounds like it is almost in a gear, Kinda like when You don't catch neutral right?? sounds more and more like that trannie is defective.
well I am taking it to them tomorrow so they can check it out thoroughly. it bites though because this is my only form of transportation atm. my problem communicating to the mechanic doesnt help. I know so little that I doubt they take me seriously. They are going to have to take it out and get it warm and see for themselves. The good thing is, I know for sure they will make it right. I have no doubt of that. Just sux that I am stuck riding bicycle or bus or freakin' walking.
knothead
03-07-2008, 06:39 PM
Well...10 miles later the vibration is back (if it was ever really gone, may have been my imagination) and is now accompanied by a strange clicking sound as I come to a stop with clutch pulled in.
this totally sucks...i dont trust it to ride anymore and has only 1000 kilometers on it.
Check your spokes. Just grab one at a time with your fingers and try to wiggle it. (not very scientific, but it works.) They should give just a little, but not feel loose. I had trouble with my spokes for the first 1000/1500km, three times I had to tighten them, but now I'm over 4000km and have had no more trouble.
Here's a how to I found:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-wheels/spoke-wheels/
You can tighten the spokes with the wheels still on the bike and the tires mounted (gotta keep in mind that a spoke that's too long can puncture the tube!), or you can unmount the wheels from the bike, insert the axle through the wheel and clamp the ends of it to some jackstands or anything solid enough to hold steady. The link seems to have good directions, I learned how to do it at an early age (11 or 12!), so it's not too hard. Just go slow. Oh yeah, a half turn at once is too much! 1/4 or 1/8 turn is about right once the spoke begins to tighten and you tighten them in pairs as they alternate sides around the hub.
if some are too tight and others are too loose can I loosen them all and then tighten them up one by one and get it even close to straight?
knothead
03-09-2008, 01:17 AM
if some are too tight and others are too loose can I loosen them all and then tighten them up one by one and get it even close to straight?
You could, but it's way more work than you need to put into it. When a couple of spokes loosen, the tension they loose can be transferred to the surrounding spoke making them tighter (sometimes enough to break them). You have to look at the rim, spokes and hub as a system, a change at one point affects the whole thing. Loosen them all and you'll need to adjust the lateral centering of the rim, vertical centering, roundness and trueness.
Just work on the loose ones and be mindful of keeping the rim true, when you tighten a couple of spokes, spin the wheel and watch the runout in both directions, check the tension on ALL of the spokes periodically as you work, go slow and you will be fine. Find a how to online and follow just that one, but if you run into trouble just ask. It's not hard to do. Just remember that once you start getting some tension in the spokes, MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS! 1/4 turn can be big, 1/8th is better.
Well, I am now fairly certain that the vibration is isolated to the engine. I went up on rt 250 where its hilly. One the way down at 45mph with bike vibrating like mad, I pulled in the clutch and whallaaa the vibration is gone. Therefore, the vibration is not tire related!!! or rim related !!! and...btw...after just a few more miles..its worse now than ever.
could be the transmission, check with your dealer..
also I suppose this is more of a rattle then a vibration, but my muffler insides rattled to pieces...
Yeah I am going to take it over first thing in the morning and drop it off. At this rate, I may be pushing it half way there. it is really bad at this point.
They now have the bike. I don't think they are taking me seriously which is borderline pizzing me off at this point, but I believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. This morning when started the bike made a weird howling sound and by the time I was 4 miles down the road the vibrations were really bad. Once again, pull in clutch and vibes are gone.
So has it been only the counterbalanced motors which show the transmission problems for you guys?
frostbite
03-10-2008, 01:03 PM
They now have the bike. I don't think they are taking me seriously which is borderline pizzing me off at this point, but I believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. This morning when started the bike made a weird howling sound and by the time I was 4 miles down the road the vibrations were really bad. Once again, pull in clutch and vibes are gone.
So has it been only the counterbalanced motors which show the transmission problems for you guys?
Mine is the old-style, no counterbalancer. I made sure I drove mine to the dealer and had him ride it before it cooled off. He was itching for the prep-H after about a mile.
I had my counterbalanced motor die and after installing the non counterbalanced ohc motor I realized that it doesn't vibrate any more or less than the counterbalanced did. I think that the trannys are definately the weak spot with these bikes. Hope the new motor holds up.
Matt there may be other factors involved in that, I know my counter balanced engine is incredibly smooth compared to the non balanced one I had, although it wasn't a problem.
It may have something to do with the fact that the new motor I purchased is an ohc type. I don't know if they tend to be smoother, but in all actuality I don't think that either of the engines vibrated anymore than should be expected. These are single cylinder motors not honda goldwings and it seems to me that a little vibration should be expected. when I was kid I had several two smoker mx bikes that would make you pee red if you rode them all day so I guess I don't expect much in the vibration catagory.
Btw your gy6 looks to be a much better engineered bike than the supposed grey market that I bought.
I had my counterbalanced motor die and after installing the non counterbalanced ohc motor I realized that it doesn't vibrate any more or less than the counterbalanced did. I think that the trannys are definately the weak spot with these bikes. Hope the new motor holds up.
According to AL they've not had any reports of problems with the trannies on these bikes. That is hopefully good news for me.
Good luck Zapkin, Matt what bike do you have?
Like I said with my 5, uncounterbalanced, there wasn't any unnexpected vibration (until the motor mount broke), but the balanced one is incredible.
I have a rabbit scooters/galata motorsports/lifan wholesalers 2007 model gy5. Weird thing is that some of the other members on this forum purchased bikes from them after I did and they didn't get the counterbalanced motor. Oh well I guess I am paying for my hasty decisions now.
Hey Zap I know that American Lifan is supposed to have a better quality bike than I do but I have to doubt the truth in that statement. They had to have some tranny problems.
ejcycles
03-11-2008, 09:39 AM
The only ones so far that I know of are the Non A. Lifan bikes with the counter balanced engines, that have had transmission problems. I tried to get parts for them but at the time they didn't have parts in the country. The parts are on there way though.
There where some problems with the earlier A. Lifan {2005-2006 LF200GY-5} bikes that had to do with the clutch drum & the cogs/splines that where not correct, but that was corrected in 2006.
katoranger
03-11-2008, 11:19 AM
4500 miles and my trans is holding up. Regular (ab)use. I have a may 2006 built bike with the pushrod motor.
Allen
I am hoping that it is something simple that I overlooked. The dang thing is running so good right now, except for the vibes. I miss it already. But, I always have had a habit of attaching myself to my car or bicycle or whatever. Heck, my cats all think they are human.
at least the weather is going to be crap for the next week. so i wont be jonesing to ride.
I have a rabbit scooters/galata motorsports/lifan wholesalers 2007 model gy5.
Oh ok, yeah yours is probably pretty similair to my old gy5 then, I just saw you said my gy6 was engineered better then your grey market one I thought maybe you found a gy6 down there somewhere... I don't think there is really anything wrong with the gy5 in general, mine was a lot of fun, but I really like the new one too.
Zapkin, good luck, how long do they figure they'll have it before you get it back?
Jim, I am not sure. There were other bike's in there to be fixed so I figure im in line behind them. I am sure they have bigger fish on their platter than me so I will be patient.
i will feel like a fool if it is something stupid i overlooked but at the same time I'll be happy.
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