Time to get serious: Lifan X-Pect vs CSC TT250

[olds_cool63]

Hey, y'all.

It's been a loooooong time since I posted. I still have the Suzuki Bandit 1200 S and the Kymco Vitality scooter!

I'm thinking of getting either the Lifan X-Pect 200 or the CSC TT250 (never had a dual sport before).

I like the Lifan because of the looks and the EFI. I like the CSC because of the larger engine and rear disc breaks. There's more, but those are the main points. Both Lifan and Zongshen (who makes the bikes for CSC) are tops in quality as far as Chinese bikes go.

Either bike will see more road than dirt (possible tire change).

Ok..now time get down to the nitty gritty. I plan to commute on the highway some days. I need the bike to be able to reach 75+ miles per hour so I can ride comfortably between 67 - 70 mph with out over stressing the engine. So, here are my questions:

1) What front sprocket would be recommended for either bike for higher speed without losing too much off the line or passing grunt?

2) Anyone know of a hotter/bigger cam and less restrictive exhaust for the CSC? Any other power-building mods?

3) Big-bore kit for the Lifan? Or at the least the same as question 2?

This would only be the beginning of mods because EVERY bike is a project waiting to happen! hahahaha!

Obviously, I'm not looking to build a racer. I just want something that can keep up with and pass traffic. I don't want a new Japanese bike because I prefer to put the money into making a "unique" bike, I guess. Not interested in a used bike, either.

So, anything y'all care to share (reviews, thoughts, ideas, etc..) would be greatly appreciated.

[Megadan]

Just my 2 cents, having one of the most heavily modified cg powered bikes here. Those speeds you want to reach...

Look at different bikes. Dual sports and top speeds are a water and oil thing to start with. Aerodynamics are less than ideal, and they have a bigger frontal area working against them thanks to their tall nature. Large diameter wheels don't help the situation either.

My bike can hit 75mph, at 8000rpm the way it is geared, but it is happiest at 65. Throw in any sort of cross or head wind and it drops drastically or the throttle is wide open the whole time at 65.

The efi bikes can't be tuned AFAIK, so mods are limited. A carbed bike is much better in that regard.

I am sure somebody will bring up how their bike can do it, etc. I am just giving you my honest opinion. As much as I love these cg powered enduros, 70mph is their realistic absolute limit, These are 60 to 65mph bikes.

If I were wanting small air cooled bike to commute that has a better chance of reaching those speeds, something like the X22R from Venom would be more on my Radar.

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by Megadan

Just my 2 cents, having one of the most heavily modified cg powered bikes here. Those speeds you want to reach...

Look at different bikes. Dual sports and top speeds are a water and oil thing to start with. Aerodynamics are less than ideal, and they have a bigger frontal area working against them thanks to their tall nature. Large diameter wheels don't help the situation either.

My bike can hit 75mph, at 8000rpm the way it is geared, but it is happiest at 65. Throw in any sort of cross or head wind and it drops drastically or the throttle is wide open the whole time at 65.

The efi bikes can't be tuned AFAIK, so mods are limited. A carbed bike is much better in that regard.

I am sure somebody will bring up how their bike can do it, etc. I am just giving you my honest opinion. As much as I love these cg powered enduros, 70mph is their realistic absolute limit, These are 60 to 65mph bikes.

If I were wanting small air cooled bike to commute that has a better chance of reaching those speeds, something like the X22R from Venom would be more on my Radar.

Appreciate the feedback, man. I know it won't be easy! Just hoping someone has had some success they can share. Still have some other bikes and scooters in the back of my mind, tho. Would be nice to have a dual sport, tho. Lifan has the KPX 250 coming here next year, but don't wanna wait. I may have to look in the 300 - 400 cc range.

[XLsior]

I'd say you be better off looking at 400cc and over for regular highway commuter usage.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by olds_cool63

Appreciate the feedback, man. I know it won't be easy! Just hoping someone has had some success they can share. Still have some other bikes and scooters in the back of my mind, tho. Would be nice to have a dual sport, tho. Lifan has the KPX 250 coming here next year, but don't wanna wait. I may have to look in the 300 - 400 cc range.

I am more than happy to share my experiences with my Hawk. Closest equivalent to the TT250 in this instance.

My first Hawk I did the ebay crf230 exhaust, VM26 30mm clone carburetor (basically same as stock, just better adjustability), airbox mod (later a pod filter, but difference was minimal to nothing), a 17 front sprocket with a 45 rear sprocket on the stock knobby110/100-18 tire, and later a 43 rear sprocket with a 120/80-18 Shinko 705 tire - the 2 less teeth compensated for the loss in tire diameter to keep the overall final drive ratio the same. This bike could cruise at 60mph all day long and top out at 65mph (actual GPS speed) on a consistent basis, and 68 on random occasion on flat ground. One time I managed to hit 71, but that was an exception.

My current Hawk basically has all of the same things as above, plus a ported and polished head with 1mm decked from the head and a worked combustion chamber - also polished. A TT250 headgasket (thinner than stock) Giving me a total static compression ratio of 10.3:1. I also have a 4 degree timing advance key, a WGK camshaft with 292 degrees of total duration but with stock lift, and with a PZ30B (accelerator pump version of the stock style carb).

So, with all of that extra pepper in the sauce, I can now hit 70mph fairly consistently. Yep, all that work for 3-5mph more speed.

What it really comes down to is that peak HP on a more or less stock CG250 is right about 7000rpm. 65mph on the first Hawk put the tach need right around... 7000RPM

The second Hawk's cam profile helps extend the power curve out a little wider at peak power, so it is able to stretch its legs a couple more hundred RPM, so now I can hit 70mph at about 7300ish rpm. 75mph has occoured more than a couple of times, but the engine is basically screaming at 8000rpm, but even with the cam it is already fallen back out of the power curve by this point, so the heavens have to align right to make that happen.

What my second Hawk is more than happy to do is cruise along at 65mph all day long, and that was my intent from the start. The RPM's at 65mph are just under 7000, which is something this little engine can turn all day long. I have ridden for a few hours at 60-65mph without issue.

At the end of the day, with said cam, head porting, and other bolt ons, a CG250 is, at best, sitting around 19-20hp at the crank. That's 4ish hp more than a stock Hawk engine, but at the end of the day, still not a whole lot of power trying to push a big man on a bike with the areo of a brick through the air.

[TxTaoRider]

Personally, I don't see either bike as being capable of cruising at 75mph except under ideal circumstances... flat or downhill road, no head wind,etc. And I'm a fan of more displacement on engines when practical.

Soooo having said that, and knowing that the carbureted engine is simpler to modify (a couple jet changes and screw turns) it should be the better choice. However, if you're going to be making allot of elevation changes on your ride, the f.i. bike may have some merits.

[olds_cool63]

Thanks for the input, guys...some really good info. Man..I really miss my Hyosung GT250 right about now. That little V-Twin had the power for "highway ability" plus GREAT gas mileage. Like I said, there are other bikes and scooters rolling around in my head. At first, I just wanted the dual sport for a "play" bike. But with soaring gas prices, it would be great to have an economical 2-wheeler....which the Bandit is NOT.

[Boatguy]

I have the xpect and it’s not going to happen.

Yes, you can gear it up, and it does have more room for top end. But... just like Dan said. 65 is going to be it. 55 is what it has stock and that’s a little hair over 7000rpm.

Your weight and size is going to have a lot to do with it also. Maybe you could post that.

with all the road riding, I’m not sure why do you want a dual sport? But I guess you do.

[culcune]

For those speeds, Olds, you are going to want a street bike like the KP/KPR/KPM 200. I think those will top out at 75 to 80 and easily cruise in the upper 60 MPH range. BUT, they are not dual-sports. I am biased towards dual-sports myself, but if I go back to a bike, the top posted speeds on my commute to work are either 50 or 55 (depending on which route I take), although I would comfortably need about 60 to 65 max to appease the speeders due to the lack of cops at that time of morning. Boom is about to release its dual-sport(s) soon according to Pete from Kronik Racing, and they will use the same 223cc EFI engine found in Venom's Superbike, Venom's Cruiser, and Venom's Z250 (the Superbike and Z250 are also found at Powersportsmax but they call them something else). But that KPX 250 is tempting but the wait...

[Dusman]

I have a Hawk 250 (the closest equivalent to the TT250) with 17/40 sprockets, a ported, polished, and decked head, a UNI two-stage pod filter, a Mikuni VM26 and a straight exhaust (decatted) with Shinko 705 tires. She will run 65-70 mph all day long on the highway on a calm, non-windy day (that is 6500 RPM), and sometimes I can hit 75 mph, but I cannot sustain that. These bikes are, with all the mods, maxed out at @ 70 mph as Dan noted.

I would encourage you to look at the CSC RX3 if you want a 250 that can do 75 mph. That bike runs an NC 250 motor that is 30 hp stock and has a 6 speed gearbox. Her bigger "brother", the CSC RX4 has an NC 450 motor with a 6 speed gearbox and can run 80 mph comfortably on the highway all day long and also do some off-road without any problems as it's more of a lighter to mid-weight ADV bike. I'd check those out.

[ExMxer]

You need a DRZ 400. Period. The CSC, or Lifan running 75 daily is a pipe dream……. Getting one to do it is possible, but it’ll scream it’s guts out to an early, undeserving grave. Don’t try it. I wouldn’t even consider it on anything under 400cc…..unless you enjoy replacing engines

[Thumper]

GPX also has the FSE 450. Also a FSE300.

[Boatguy]

While we are on this topic, What does everyone think about running continuously at like 7200 RPM? Early grave also?

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

While we are on this topic, What does everyone think about running continuously at like 7200 RPM? Early grave also?

I do it all the time on my Hawk, did it on the last one. The piston acceleration at those RPM's with such a small stroke is well within safe limits. As long as the fueling is dialed in and not too lean, you could run all day without much issue. Even if it may cause an "early grave" you would be looking at a new top end, which is just a couple hundred bucks and can be done in a few hours. Thousands of miles with no issue to report so far though, and I am far from the only one. Patrick Choi did a huge tour of the US on a Hawk, mostly highway for several weeks and several thousand miles with no trouble whatsoever.

[olds_cool63]

All good points...thanks, y’all. Yeah..the KPM 200 is one of the bikes I really like. Moreso than the CSC SG250. I don’t mind doing the work on a bike, it's kind of my thing. But, yeah...it will need to sustain at least 70 mph. I could always get the dual sport for play....and something bigger/better for occasional commuting. I'll just get rid of the Bandit and the Kymco, if necessary. Trying to keep the 2 wheelers just to 2 vehicles due to garage space. I'm 5'11", 215 btw. Adventure bikes are on my list, too. So, we'll see....