Zongshen 200GY-2 Gets A Yamaha XT225 Swingarm Conversion

[DesertRider]

I thought you had to take apart the crank case and replace some counter shaft thing ? Isn't that what that other guy had to do that was the first to do this to the Zong ? If that's all that is necessary, then I will definitely be doing this, I just didn't want to have to open the engine up.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by DesertRider

I thought you had to take apart the crank case and replace some counter shaft thing ? Isn't that what that other guy had to do that was the first to do this to the Zong ? If that's all that is necessary, then I will definitely be doing this, I just didn't want to have to open the engine up.

No, Desert, you need to read carefully. I did a Yamaha XT225 swingarm conversion on my Zong. Madbare (Steve) did a Yamaha TW200 swingarm conversion on his motorcycle. My Yamaha XT225 swingarm conversion does not require disassembly of the Zong's engine. The Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 is a faithful copy of the Yamaha TW200 engine; however, it does have one significant difference. The Zong uses the shorter, Yamaha XT225 countershaft instead of the longer, Yamaha TW200 countershaft. Therefore, the sprocket on the Yamaha XT225 rear wheel will align perfectly with the shorter Zongshen countershaft.

Both the Yamaha TW200 and the Yamaha XT225 engines share the same engine block. The Yamaha XT225 engine has a slightly larger cylinder bore to gain the extra 25cc displacement. As noted above, the Yamaha TW200 also has a longer countershaft to accommodate the fat, TW200 rear tire.

Since the Yamaha XT225 uses a rear wheel of conventional width, the XT225 swingarm is a little narrower than the Yamaha TW200 swingarm. However, both swingarms are designed to wrap around the rear of the Yamaha/Zong engine block. Therefore, the Yamaha XT225 swingarm will fit perfectly and securely around the Zong engine. However, since the Zong/TW200 frames are a little wider, you need to add a 1-inch spacer between the Yamaha XT225 swingarm and the countershaft side of the Zong's frame. My friend Andy trimmed one of the Zong's wheel spacers to a 1-inch length. We inserted this spacer over the Zong's swingarm bolt when we bolted the swingarm to the frame. We also used a 1/16-inch washer between the XT225 swingarm and the brake side of the Zong's frame. You can see the 1-inch spacer inside the yellow circle in the photograph below.



As I said, the swingarm mounts perfectly around the rear of the Zong’s engine. Therefore, the 1-inch spacer is more than sufficient to ensure a rigid, secure attachment for the swingarm. Madbare (Steve) has reported that the TW200 swingarm mounts perfectly into the Zong frame, without needing a spacer.

Based upon my research, and Steve’s success with his Yamaha TW200 conversion, I concluded that the Yamaha XT225 swingarm would also mount securely with a spacer on the countershaft side of the frame. I also knew that the Yamaha XT225 rear sprocket would align perfectly with the Zongshen countershaft sprocket. Like you, I did not want to disassemble the Zong’s engine. Also, you will find that the Yamaha XT225 swingarm, shock absorber, lower shock linkage, drum brake, and rear axle are readily available, at reasonable prices, on eBay. I got a second Yamaha XT225 swingarm for $0.99 when I was the only bidder!

I highly encourage you, and everyone else, to make the Yamaha XT225 swingarm conversion. This is why I took the time and effort to document and post my results. I couldn’t be more pleased with this conversion. In effect, I now have a Yamaha XT200 motorcycle. This is why I now fondly refer to my bike as the YamaZong XT200GY-2.

P.S. Do you think you can find the time to post a picture of your midpipe/exhaust header connection on the FMF TurbineCore 2 silencer I recommended?

Spud

[Cal25]

I think the price on them is fixin to go up a bit :roll:

Thanks for the info.

[Welle417]

this will be my first mod! I put a deposit down on the bike over the weekend... its on layaway while i gather my funds :P

But im planning on bringing the bike out to see my brother in the Western Rockies of CO AND i would love to have an XT225 rear and tire for those trails! (not to mention to drop the weight and have a more adjustable shock:P)
but it will be strictly street to start as there are still the lack of kingstones :/ ...


SPUD- youre my HERO

[FastDoc]

Both the Yamaha TW200 and the Yamaha XT225 engines share the same engine block. The Yamaha XT225 engine has a slightly larger cylinder bore to gain the extra 25cc displacement. As noted above, the Yamaha TW200 also has a longer countershaft to accommodate the fat, TW200 rear tire.

I'd be thinking bore kit! :idea:

[DesertRider]

Thanks Spud, I guess I just assumed you did the same thing not reading carefully enough . I will probably have to wait to do this over the winter though, wife has been griping lately about all the projects :roll: .

And madbare posted pic's for you, it should be what you need to see the midpipe/exhaust header connection, it looks exactly like how I did mine.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by DesertRider

Thanks Spud, I guess I just assumed you did the same thing not reading carefully enough . I will probably have to wait to do this over the winter though, wife has been griping lately about all the projects :roll: .

And madbare posted pic's for you, it should be what you need to see the midpipe/exhaust header connection, it looks exactly like how I did mine.

Thank you for verifying the exhaust installation, Rider. I am now ready to order my TurbineCore 2 silencer. I think the TurbineCore 2 will look very good with my Yamaha XT225 stainless steel exhaust header.

I think I might also order one of those ATV exhaust clamps you used with your TurbineCore 2 installation. How much do they cost, and where did you get them?

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Welle417

this will be my first mod! I put a deposit down on the bike over the weekend... its on layaway while i gather my funds :P

But im planning on bringing the bike out to see my brother in the Western Rockies of CO AND i would love to have an XT225 rear and tire for those trails! (not to mention to drop the weight and have a more adjustable shock:P)
but it will be strictly street to start as there are still the lack of kingstones :/ ...


SPUD- youre my HERO

Good for you, Welle! The Zong is a great little bike, right out of the crate! However, I love my Zong even more with the Yamaha XT225 swingarm and rear wheel! The improvement in handling is remarkable. The Zong lost a lot of weight when I switched to the lighter Yamaha rear hub, alloy rim, and shock absorber! My Zong is now very noticeably lighter.

The Yamaha XT225 hub I purchased came with a well worn, but very usable, Dunlop D752 tire. It has a very aggressive tread, yet it rides surprisingly well on the street! Several days ago I took the Zong into some mud where I would never have rode the Kingstone 130/90-15 tire.



P.S. If anyone is interested, my friend Andy said he would build and sell the lower shock mounting bracket he fabricated for $20, plus actual shipping costs.

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Both the Yamaha TW200 and the Yamaha XT225 engines share the same engine block. The Yamaha XT225 engine has a slightly larger cylinder bore to gain the extra 25cc displacement. As noted above, the Yamaha TW200 also has a longer countershaft to accommodate the fat, TW200 rear tire.

I'd be thinking bore kit! :idea:

It's funny you should mention that, Doc. The thought had crossed my mind. However, my Zong is running great after 11,000 miles, and I don't want to mess around with an engine disassembly. However, if someone needs to remove the cylinder head for repairs, I am sure he could find the Yamaha XT225/TT-R225 parts needed for the job!

I really love the fact that the Zong is closely patterned after a currently produced motorcycle, the Yamaha TW200. After 22 years of production, the TW200 is still going strong. Also, the Yamaha XT225/TT-R225 was produced for many years, and a great many of it's parts will bolt right onto the Zong; this swingarm conversion corroborates that fact.

The Zong is a great little bike in stock form, right out of the crate. However, I have come to realize that the Zong is an even better value when you consider the ability to maintain, upgrade, and modify it with easily available Yamaha parts. Even better, many of these Yamaha parts are from a currently produced motorcycle, the Yamaha TW200, which has been in production continuously since 1987.

Spud

[FastDoc]

If I knew then what I know now I might have gone with the Zong over my Lifanoid. I think the Zong's a better bike BUT my mission is almost all off road and I think that out of the box the Lifanoid is a better dirt bike. I'm also pretty tall so the height it not a problem.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

If I knew then what I know now I might have gone with the Zong over my Lifanoid. I think the Zong's a better bike BUT my mission is almost all off road and I think that out of the box the Lifanoid is a better dirt bike. I'm also pretty tall so the height it not a problem.

The Lifan is a good motorcycle, Doc. Both of these motorcycles are good bikes. I agree; out of the crate, the Lifan is a better dirt bike. Out of the crate, I believe the Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 is a better street bike.

However, you can find some great deals on a new Zong. With a little money, plus some “sweat equity,” you can turn the Zong into a pretty good dirt bike.

Almost without exception, the Chinese motorcycles have good engines and carburetors. The frame on my Zong might not be completely straight and pretty, but it is solid. The Zong’s electrical system is very close to that of the Yamaha TW200. The real weakness on most Chinese motorcycles is the swingarm and the suspension. I am pleased to say that the Zong has very nice, large, robust inverted forks. The weakest parts of my Zong were the swingarm bushings, shock absorber, and the heavy, 15-inch rear wheel.

The Yamaha XT225 swingarm is excellent. It has quality bearings and numerous grease zerks. The Yamaha XT225 shock absorber is also excellent. It has numerous settings for spring preload and dampening. The Yamaha XT225 rear hub is very light and strong, with an excellent drum brake and 18-inch, alloy wheel. The Yamaha XT225 rear sprocket is available in a large variety of sizes. By replacing my Zong’s swingarm, shock absorber, and rear wheel with Yamaha XT225 parts, I have come very close to achieving Japanese quality with this Chinese motorcycle. Honestly, I could not be more pleased with the results.

Here is the breakdown on my costs for the conversion. All of the items were purchased on eBay.

Yamaha XT225 Swingarm with complete shock linkage, lower chain guard and chain slider: $40.00

Yamaha XT225 Rear Hub, Spokes, Rim, Sprocket and Tire: $61.00

Yamaha XT225 Shock Absorber with complete shock linkage: $66.00

Yamaha XT225 Rear Brake Drum with Brake Pedal and Link Bar: $19.99

Yamaha XT225 Rear Axle with spacers and Snail Adjusters: $4.26

The total shipping charges were about $50.00. Granted, I was blessed to find some great deals; therefore, the total cost for this conversion was about $241. The help and Christian fellowship from my good friend Andy was priceless, but free of charge.

I paid $1,188 for my new Zong, delivered. The extra $241 I spent on the Yamaha XT225 swingarm conversion was worth every penny. Without a doubt, this is the best money I could ever spend to improve this motorcycle. Out of the crate, my Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 was an exceptional value. After this conversion, my Zong got even better.

As a motorcycle rider safety instructor, I get to ride small displacement Japanese motorcycles on a regular basis. In particular, I frequently ride the Kawasaki Eliminator 125, Suzuki GZ250, Suzuki DR200SE, Yamaha TW200 and Yamaha XT225 motorcycles. My Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 now handles better than the Japanese cruisers, and almost as well as the Japanese dual sport motorcycles listed above. My Zong is still heavy, but substituting the Yamaha XT225 rear hub, wheel, and shock absorber really made the Zong lose a lot of weight. I can lighten my Zong some more by replacing the heavy muffler, and putting an alloy rim on the front wheel.

I have enjoyed riding my Zong for 11,000 miles; I now enjoy riding it even more than before. I intend to keep it for a long time.

Spud

[Staticworth]

Hmm this makes me wonder, does anyone happen to know what the roketa DB-07a's are modeled after? id really love to do this to my bike

[FastDoc]

I believe the Roketa is a Lifanoid so it does not apply to us.

[Staticworth]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I believe the Roketa is a Lifanoid so it does not apply to us.

So then would there be no way to do this? or is it just that the TW225 will not help us?

[FastDoc]

Simple way to tell. What is your rear wheel/tire size?