NGK...a sparkplug is a sparkplug is a sparkplug?
 

Ah, I changed mine to NGK from some obscure Champion model (only found them on Chinese power sports stuff). This was recommended on several sites. I don't know if the dirtbikes run better but I hate to say it...$7 for peace of mind for both. I have always used NGK in all my Hondas, Toyotas, motorcycles, you name it. Talk about brand loyalty :oops:

Comments?

Cheers,
R.

After fouling my stock plug, I went online to purchase some Champions, which I did (I think the part number listed on the chinariders site has changed). I was speaking with Bruce Matty of EJ Cycles (one of the links on the LF200GY site) who is a brick and mortar shop in Ohio selling Lifans and a few others. He told me that from his and his customers' experience, the Champions and Chinese bikes don't mix well for some reason. I took one of the Champions (I bought four and have three left, as I have put about 70 miles on one of them, I will check this theory) However, I took one in to an autoparts store and bought the NGK equivalent for $1.99 + tax US (it's just the standard plug, however), gapped it, and its in the tool box on the bike "just in case..." The three Champions left will be back-up to the NGK. Now that I know I can buy locally, I will stick with the NGK's, however.

The R (resistor) versions seem to run better in the Lifan engines from personal experience and what others have posted.
I am ashamed to say that I can't remember (probably just too darn old : :? ) if a DR7EA runs hotter than a DR8EA. Can somebody remind me about this?
Are the lower numbers hotter or cooler?
Also if you set your gap to the small side is it hotter or cooler than the wide side of the gap tolerance?

I rode down to the local late night auto parts store on my bike running the original Chinese plug which seemed to work fine.

I was looking for the DR8EA plug but all they had was the D8EA. Put that in and it seems to run just great. I am going on a long ride this weekend, I will know more after that.

For a great spark plug cross-reference and definitions of terms I use http://www.sparkplugs.com/sparkplug411.asp

They do a good job of explaining resistor vs non resistor plugs and other esoterica.

My Champions are the RA8HC (the model # given on the reference chart is no longer in production and this is the new model #.

My NGK back-up is the D7EA.

All I know is that in a car if you have a better ignition system then you can run wider gaps which supposedly gives you a more complete burn. A more complete burn means more energy = more heat...so my wildest guess is that wider gaps might be hotter (but only if your ignition is up to the task).

Not the most helpful answer but I tried, :P
Rian