No running lights on my Lifan!! HELP?!?!

[Ridgeline]

I decided to take my bike (True Lifan GY-5) out for a night run. I'm at the end of the driveway, turn on the lights and on comes the headlight but no running lights AAAGGGHHH!! My bike came with absolutly no instructions as some of you might know, so I put it together with a few minor problems. I can tell you that all the flashers work also along with the head light, but as stated no running lights or Speedo/Tach. lights, Did I miss a wiring harness?? Can someone point me into the right direction?? Thanks China Riders hope to hear from you...

[ob1]

I think one of the members posted scans of wiring diagrams in their gallery section. Wish I could remember who.

Assuming you have bulbs with 2 filaments, you should have the thicker filament tied to the turn signal wiring, and the thinner filament tied to the headlight wiring

[Penguini66]

Running lights? I though all we had was a headlight, tail light and turn signals? Is your tail light on?

Also, one of the two lights in my gage cluster quit working last fall after about 1000 miles. I've been meaning to pull it apart and see if it is fixable/replaceable. I had forgotten about it until this mornign when I rode in to work in the dark.

[frostbite]

Also, one of the two lights in my gage cluster quit working last fall after about 1000 miles. I've been meaning to pull it apart and see if it is fixable/replaceable.

It is. I just replaced mine (speedo). It uses a standard dash bulb. I purchased mine at Canadian Tire; I'm sure you can get it at the US equivalent (Pep Boys?)

[Penguini66]

Also, one of the two lights in my gage cluster quit working last fall after about 1000 miles. I've been meaning to pull it apart and see if it is fixable/replaceable.

It is. I just replaced mine (speedo). It uses a standard dash bulb. I purchased mine at Canadian Tire; I'm sure you can get it at the US equivalent (Pep Boys?)

Thanks. Don't want to hijack this thread too much but do the four screws on the face of the cluster give you access to the bulbs? Maybe while I have it apart I'll look and see why the odometer isn't working anymore.

[frostbite]

do the four screws on the face of the cluster give you access to the bulbs?

Yes. The bulb rests in a rubber socket/grommet in the back of the speed/tach. You may have to unscrew the speedo/tach cable for ease of acceess.

[Ridgeline]

Maybe Jim or Molypod can help??? I got my Bike from the same place you guys did. Do you have running lights on your bikes guys? If so what is lit up at night?

[red2003]

Assuming my Roketa is the same as the Lifans, at night all you have is a headlight and tail light. The dash lights should be on, but if not, it is more then likely a wire connection behind the light pod where everything plugs together.

[Penguini66]

I also just remembered something. I guess I do have a sort of "running" light. My '06 LF200GY-5 from Hooper Imports has two light switches.

The first switch has three settings. The first setting is off = all lights off. The second setting is, I guess, running = small running light inside the headlight assy and the tail light. The last setting is headlight on = headlight and tail light on (but I'm not actually sure if the running light in the headlight assy stays on for this).

The second switch is the high/low setting for the headlight.

Does everybody else have the same set-up? It is essentially the same as most modern (non daytime running light) cars.

[IronFist]

Mine is very simular with the 3 on, off, highbeam. But I have a second control for emergency lights. Tail and head light come on, but the head light has a second smaller bulb, so the battery doesn't run down. Figure I'll run it that way during the day for safety. My speedo light does not turn on with this button. When I turn the lights, or high beams on my speedo comes on too. Sorry I'm not much help. I've still got that new bike smell.

[molypod]

I have the three way switch off/?running lights/on

I always rride with my lights on and have never checked what is on with the middle setting ( ? running lights)

[allfunmotorsport]

It sounds like a plug or a switch thing to me. sometimes when you are craming all the plugs into that rubber boot behind the haed light, one of the plug will come apart. what I do is wrap each plug with hockey tape. good luck :D

[Ridgeline]

China Riders comes through again!! I pulled out the light assembly and found a plug that was not attached to it's receptacle from the light switch and all is good now!! My buddy and I put the bike together and the debate is on about who missed that one!?!?! Thanks everyone!
On another note, When all this was happening I called the dealer I got the bike from (Coast to Coast Motorsports Burnaby, B.C.)and they told me if the cluster light was not working that they would send a new cluster or light switch assembly by FEDEX to me A.S.A.P. without having to send the old one in return!!! That's service my friends, every other bike I owned you practically had to have a lawyer with you to try and get something out of the dealership without them trying to blame you with abuse on the bike therefore negating any warranty work having to be performed on they're part! Speaks volumes about the new kid on the block, Go China Go!!

[ambassador]

Glad to hear you got the problem fixed, be careful riding at night though as the headlights on these are not that bright, especially at idle...
Sounds like you got one heck of a dealer, cool...

[Jim]

Yeah thats pretty good, mu vulcan had a dent in the tank when I bought it, and they agreed to get me a new one (new bike), it took like 7 months, they kept neglecting to phone me back, then made up some story about kawasaki losing the paper work, with the photo they took. But they didnt ever take a photo... I was there... It finaly got sorted out though.

That is pretty good though, I really didn't think they'd sell them crated... I should see if I can get a deal on one of those trail bikes by going the crated route... hmm

Here's a wiring diagram if anything else comes up:
http://www.rnrfabrication.com/Wiring%20Diagrams/Lifan%20200cc%205sp%20wiring.pdf

I was going to ask if the gear indicator and highbeam indicator lights worked, but you got it fixed so ohwell...

I also run full headlights on all the time.

[Ridgeline]

Hey Jim, everything works now as stated and took out for a night run and all is well.
I did my first oil change and went full synthetic (Amsoil) what a hell of a differance that did so smooth and the shifting is like butter! It even made the lifters less noisy.
As for the crate bikes, the guys at Coast to Coast Motorsports supply all of Canada with Real Lifans as they are the official importer and distributor for Canada. When you go to Lifan.ca they are now the ones taking care of the site and have taken over from the previous ownership. They have an incredible wharehouse and they have all the parts needed for the bikes on they're shelves. They had an entire shelving unit with motors!! By the way in over one year the owner RON said that he's only had to do one return on an engine for warranty!!
They have an order of approx. 500 units scheduled for arrival in 3 to 4 weeks. They are babsolutly sold out of all they're bikes not a single 200 in the house! Have a good one and thanks...

[Jim]

Oh I know they're the importer/distributor, but I thought then they only sold to retail dealers, and that they didn't sell privately.

EDIT:

oh yeah, and you switched to synthetic, have you done the engine break in yet? I heard you shouldn't run synthetic until it is broken in

[Ridgeline]

They do sell public just go to they're sight and all the info is there.
As for the break in I had 225 km's on the bike. Emptied the filter screen and filled her up!
This is my 11th bike and I've heard every story from kingdom come! I am an Aircraft Mechanical Engineer and am certified on 4 differant aircrafts and dabble in anything mechanical! I can not imagine a synthetic fluid designed by todays standards would damage seals or an engine through it's break in period. Cars come out of the industry now with full synthetics on board as do all aircrafts! Myth or legend who know's but at $350 dollars for a new engine if something happens to anything I know that I won't be breaking the bank to replace it...

[Jim]

Oh ok, so I may have to ask you if I have problems ;)

Thats just what I read, I am very unmechanical...

[ob1]

Early use of synthetic oil doesnt actually hurt the engine, just doesnt let it come to full performance. During break-in a certain amount of wear takes place between the piston rings and cylinder wall. Synthetic oils are so efficient at lubricating they can keep that wear from taking place.

Until the rings are "set", the seal is less than optimum, and compression leaks past the rings. Performance suffers and that expensive synthetic gets grungy pretty quickly with the blow-by.

I have no problem with synthetic oil, after a healthy break-in with dino oil. Just be sure there are no oil leaks whatsoever, any leak will be worse when running synthetic