Lifan LF125GY-3 Earth Dragon - Documentation needed

[franque]

Hey, I appreciate that you're searching for information specific to your bike. I appreciate wanting to precisely know different things. Unfortunately, even if you were able to get factory info for your particular model, there have historically been many changes 'on-the-fly' so to speak, and different specifications depending on when the item was shipped to the US/whatever country that you're in, and specifications also vary depending on importer, too.

That is also assuming that the manufacturer is giving good information, with no typos. For example, I've seen manufacturer specifications that state that an engine takes 8 liters of oil, as opposed to .8.

I can give you some generalities if you'd like, but actual manufacturer specifications are generally either inaccurate, or unavailable.

Chinese bikes are mostly 'roll-your-own' so to speak, that is to say that most things have to be figured out yourself. In general, Chinese-made bikes tend to follow Honda specifications with regards to wire color. I would suggest finding an XL125 schematic and using a volt meter to compare your own wiring with the schematic, and amending as needed.

For tire pressures, that varies depending on your purpose and type of tires. For example, on the road, I have the same tire size as you, and I run 32 psi (2.2 bar) front, and 40 psi (2.7 bar) rear. Offroad, you would lower it depending on your needs, I would suggest around 18 psi (1.2 bar) front, and 22 psi (1.5 bar) rear. You could go lower, but that will protect the tire from spinning on the tube, especially if you don't have a rim lock.

Valve clearance will be the same as any other motor on here, generally about .05-.1mm for intake and exhaust.

Oil - 10w40/20w50 depending on how hot it is where you go. Generally a bit less than a liter to a full liter; if you see oil blowing out of the vent, it's probably too much oil, a little too much is better than too little. If you get something that is labeled 'energy conserving', a lot of times, that can wreak havoc with the clutch because it has friction modifiers that aren't compatible with a wet clutch. Best bet is just to buy some oil from a motorcycle dealership if you're uncertain, I would just get the cheapest stuff they sell.

Brake fluid - just use DOT 4, drain the old crap out.

Just let me know if you need any more. Using the manual listed above, or a CG/CB/XL 125 motor will probably get you close enough for almost anything.

For chassis stuff, historically the frames have generally been a copy of an XL 185 but converted to monoshock.

Hope all of that helps!

[Fanan90]

Originally Posted by franque

Hey, I appreciate that you're searching for information specific to your bike. I appreciate wanting to precisely know different things. Unfortunately, even if you were able to get factory info for your particular model, there have historically been many changes 'on-the-fly' so to speak, and different specifications depending on when the item was shipped to the US/whatever country that you're in, and specifications also vary depending on importer, too.

That is also assuming that the manufacturer is giving good information, with no typos. For example, I've seen manufacturer specifications that state that an engine takes 8 liters of oil, as opposed to .8.

I can give you some generalities if you'd like, but actual manufacturer specifications are generally either inaccurate, or unavailable.

Chinese bikes are mostly 'roll-your-own' so to speak, that is to say that most things have to be figured out yourself. In general, Chinese-made bikes tend to follow Honda specifications with regards to wire color. I would suggest finding an XL125 schematic and using a volt meter to compare your own wiring with the schematic, and amending as needed.

For tire pressures, that varies depending on your purpose and type of tires. For example, on the road, I have the same tire size as you, and I run 32 psi (2.2 bar) front, and 40 psi (2.7 bar) rear. Offroad, you would lower it depending on your needs, I would suggest around 18 psi (1.2 bar) front, and 22 psi (1.5 bar) rear. You could go lower, but that will protect the tire from spinning on the tube, especially if you don't have a rim lock.

Valve clearance will be the same as any other motor on here, generally about .05-.1mm for intake and exhaust.

Oil - 10w40/20w50 depending on how hot it is where you go. Generally a bit less than a liter to a full liter; if you see oil blowing out of the vent, it's probably too much oil, a little too much is better than too little. If you get something that is labeled 'energy conserving', a lot of times, that can wreak havoc with the clutch because it has friction modifiers that aren't compatible with a wet clutch. Best bet is just to buy some oil from a motorcycle dealership if you're uncertain, I would just get the cheapest stuff they sell.

Brake fluid - just use DOT 4, drain the old crap out.

Just let me know if you need any more. Using the manual listed above, or a CG/CB/XL 125 motor will probably get you close enough for almost anything.

For chassis stuff, historically the frames have generally been a copy of an XL 185 but converted to monoshock.

Hope all of that helps!

OMG guy, you don't know how much useful have you being for me. I was very lost and I was beginning to desperate because I was searching for something that simply doesn't exists but now, that I've understood the "roll-your-own" philoshophy, I'm so excited because I feel kinda freedom at the moment of touch the bike mechanics and this could be a very funny project.

In the other hand I am a little bit scared because this is my second restoration and the first one of a 4 strokes bike, so I'm still amateur in this stuff and I'm afraid about do something badly and compromise my own security but still I have confidence because, as you said and someone said before, I'm taking the valve clearance guide for the CG125 engine and looks pretty similar, no the same, but almost so I think I'll deal with anything. I have your message printed and carried on the bikes docs to carry some "basics" anywhere and dont be 100% lost.

By now I've changed the rear tyre, I've done a liquids replacement, also an replacement of air filter and chain, and I've changed the front mudguard and lights (looks a little horrible but with a little bit of dirt, it will improve for sure).

So that, thanks a lot to everyone who tried to help me and if anyone have some aditional tips or clues that could be useful for me I'll be glad to hear and learn from it.