V2 head on Lifan 150cc

[Psomniferum]

I was NOT offended in the least! I really appreciate yours and wag's help and advice. THANK YOU! I have learned a tremendous amount about bikes just in the year or so I've owned this little sucker. I just wanted to let you guys know that I DO know my way around a garage, just NOT very handy with bikes is all. I've DEFINITELY caught the bug, lol! I understand now why people LOVE bikes! As I was cruising along at 63mph with my little pony coughing and wheezing, it endeared it's little self to me and I swore I'd beef her up and make a half-ass decent little ride out of her yet!

[Psomniferum]

This is $900 worth of kit from Venom Motorsports. 1x plastics set, 1x fuel tank, 1x nose-cone w/ headlights, 1x new headlight switch and 1x new kill switch (originals were oversprayed and looked terrible) along with a new ignition and fuel tank lock. I'm still waiting on a few items like windscreen and front fender. But this is about 90% of the new "look.' This way, I get to build what I want!

[Psomniferum]

This is what I meant when I stated I wanted to remove the cap for the forks. Now I can remove the handlebars and clean them up right. Even without disassembling the forks. I'm also trying to gain clearance to the fork tubes so I can clean the overspray and get them back to chrome. Then I'll mask it off and respray the shocks and calipers. I've got braided-stainless lines on the way from EBay.

[franque]

That "cap" is called, variously, a top clamp, triple clamp, yoke, or steering yoke. Just make sure it goes on completely straight, and that the fork caps are the same relative to the triple clamp. Assuming those bolts are M8, I would torque them to 20 ft-lbs. Also, this would be a good time to repack the steering head bearings with some good, high quality grease.

[Psomniferum]

Very good advice, franque. I was surprised how much dirt and grime had accumulated underneath. I'll have to find a better way to seal. Definitely want to clean it all out and repack everything! We're on the same page, franque :-)
My next goal is to find out what style pads and calipers this bike uses so I may upgrade them. After that, the springs and shocks.
The 125cc came with a 14t front, 41t rear. The 150cc has a 15t. I purchased a 16, 17, and 18 to see what combo I like best. I also bought a 39t rear because I have yet to meet anybody running as shallow a rear-gear as mine on the street.
PS- I've OWNED the bike for a year, but it was gone for 9x months. I would definitely know a lot more about bikes by now had it not been stolen. After I lost her, I swore off bikes and never wanted to look at another one. After I got her back, I was SO heartbroken by her appearance that it took weeks for me to get the motivation to tear into her and rebuild her.

[Psomniferum]

What is this type of handlebar called? A split-bar? I'd like to know so I can order aftermarket bars. Also, since Im swapping to a kickstart engine with a mikuni carb., I'd like to find a kill-switch w/the headlight dimmer like stock, but without the starter button. No big deal, to be sure. But it would be nice if I can find one. I'm removing the choke-lever from the leftside since the Mikuni's choke is activated on the carb. Would it be practical to swap all the e-start stuff (starter, gears, engine cover, etc...) over to the 150? Or do they offer an e-start kit for the 150?
Jeff at Venom was WAY cool, giving me as many free parts as he could since I spent close to $1k, such as the handlebar controls. THANX JEFF ;-)

[franque]

They're called clip-ons, you can get ones with a rise integrated in them if you think they're too low. To get controls without an e-start button, you'll have to find a machine that didn't come with one; that is kinda difficult for modern stuff, as they're putting starters on everything now, even dirt bikes.

I think you'd need to replace both switches, as normally the right side is only a kill switch, and technically anything imported and road legal (this is federally speaking) can't have a light switch that turns off the light. If you want to keep that, you should keep those switches.

If you don't mind a retro look, I'd look up Honda XL or Yamaha XT controls on eBay. They'll look retro, but if you want to eliminate the e-start button, there's the best way, while getting quality switches. Here's an example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-XL200R...wAAOSwbRFefVkL

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by franque

They're called clip-ons, you can get ones with a rise integrated in them if you think they're too low. To get controls without an e-start button, you'll have to find a machine that didn't come with one; that is kinda difficult for modern stuff, as they're putting starters on everything now, even dirt bikes.

I think you'd need to replace both switches, as normally the right side is only a kill switch, and technically anything imported and road legal (this is federally speaking) can't have a light switch that turns off the light. If you want to keep that, you should keep those switches.

If you don't mind a retro look, I'd look up Honda XL or Yamaha XT controls on eBay. They'll look retro, but if you want to eliminate the e-start button, there's the best way, while getting quality switches. Here's an example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-XL200R...wAAOSwbRFefVkL

A more modern option would be the controls from a Yamaha SR400. It is kick start only. The right switch gear is literally just the ignition kill siwtch, left switch gear is lights and horn. Modern retro bike controls = retro bike controls.

Here is the right switch. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Yamaha....c100677.m4598

and Left: https://www.ebay.com/itm/15-Yamaha-S....c100677.m4598

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by franque

I'd just tape it off real well, and repaint in situ, or just sand the paint off.

You might be able to just remove the spray paint with a little laquer thinner and a rag. Worth a try before tearing anything apart or masking everything for paint.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by Psomniferum

If you ever want to know anything about boxer engines, hit me up!

I'll remember that. If I ever find a decent Karmann Ghia rolling chassis, I'd love to drop a Subaru motor in it.

[Psomniferum]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

I'll remember that. If I ever find a decent Karmann Ghia rolling chassis, I'd love to drop a Subaru motor in it.

I'm a Ghia-man myself, lol! To me, the bugs were too common. And everyone knew what one was. The Ghia was atill mysterious. When I waa 19, my buddy blew the head gasket on his '98 Outback. He bugged me for weeks to look at it for him. I told him I had never worked on a Subaru before. Finally, I looked at it for him. Knew EXACTLY what I was lokking at, only backwards. Lol. They even use a 200mm flywheel and the bolts are practically in the same position as the old VW air-cooleds. V-Dubs with Soobies rock!

[Psomniferum]

Thanx, megadan! That definitely gives me ideas of where to look now.

[Psomniferum]

Thought this was interesting. In order, they are; Honda replacement CBR250 shifter, stock Venom X22 shifter, Honda replacement Grom shifter w/linkage, EBay "Chinese" CBR250 shifter w/knuckle. The Venom shifter is near identical to the stock 250 shifter. The EBay shifter more closely resembles a Grom, I don't think it will even fit a 250, as the hole for the spindle is larger then the Honda unit.

[Psomniferum]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

You might be able to just remove the spray paint with a little laquer thinner and a rag. Worth a try before tearing anything apart or masking everything for paint.

That is the plan, I just wanted to open the forks up so I had a clean approach to try to scrub the overspray off. I'm talking about areas of the frame I can't remove. Thus far, I've been able to remove apx. 95% of the spray paint and I'm scuffing up what's left to act as a surface for the new paint. If it's metal and can be removed, I do a more thorough job of removing the spray. I've replaced ALL of the plastic, other than the quages. Luckily, they were sprayed very lightly. I'm either going to "thin" them clean, or sand gently with paper. The more I do, the more I WANT to do! Already, I'm getting more thorough than I thought I would. I just want my pretty, black bike back. EVERYONE thought it was a gorgeous ride after I pealed all the decals and left it "Mad Max" black. No bikes allowed in the gated community and there is a waiting list for a spot to park my bike by the main gate. I used to load my bike into a 2008 Duramax and would drive it up to the gate, parking in the front lot and motoring off to where I needed to go! The truck only gives me 17mpg.

[Psomniferum]

This is the stock throttle-tube incorporated into the kill switch. Both pieces feel very weak and I broke the positive-stop inside the throttle-tube mount only a few days after I bought it. I had intended on upgrading to a stronger unit even before it was stolen. I bought a Honda replacement tube from TBOLT Parts. According to the ad, it is for the cbr150/250r, so I was HOPING it might be close to the original. No dice! While it feels much sturdier, I'm not sure if I bought the correct unit to try to adapt to my bike. Any ideas on incorporating an aftermarket throttle-tube and keeping or replacing the stock kill switch? Also, is it SUPPOSED to have a gap between the grip and the mount? Or is something supposed to go there?