I need a service manual.

[Boatguy]

A lot of questions I’ve asked on here is stuff usually covered in service manuals.


Like one of these.



It would contain:

*chain dimensions
*sprocket dimensions
*torque settings for everything
*spark plug gap
*spoke torque settings
*instructions on how to do every single repair
*tips and tricks for completing repairs

Etc etc

I take it there are none for our bikes? Even a general one that covers them all would be pretty good.

[ExMxer]

My understanding is you can acquire a service manual from American Lifan for their little bikes. Paperback, or PDF, I’m not sure. But, to my understanding they are available. Torque specs, part numbers, everything. I should probably invest myself…..

[KSSK]

I have emailed American Lifan to ask if I could buy a factory service manual and they told me no.

They claimed they would provide specific information, but when I asked about torque specs for the triple tree clamps they never responded.

[ExMxer]

Originally Posted by KSSK

I have emailed American Lifan to ask if I could buy a factory service manual and they told me no.

They claimed they would provide specific information, but when I asked about torque specs for the triple tree clamps they never responded.

Damn! I stand corrected….. My local dealer told me that they were available. There goes that idea…….

[Boatguy]

OK, this is definitely a glaring weakness in our purchases. Until I decided to dig deeply into this bike for this service interval that is coming, I hadn’t given it a second thought.

I know BMW bikes Design everything so you have to take it into get serviced. I’m not interested in owning a bike like that. I hope these don’t become the same thing. Or just a wild guess on doing the servicing.

Is it possible that maybe we can just use Honda manuals? I mean, how close are the specs? An older Honda might have similar specs? I don’t know how exactly they copied them.

[Boatguy]

It came to mind the other day when I was watching a YouTube video about tightening spokes during a service interval. It kept saying refer to your service manual. And I was thinking to myself, I don’t have one of those. Because the bike is so new, I wasn’t really thinking along these lines.

I wonder what people in other countries do about this? These are apparently pretty common bikes around the world.

[Ol,fart]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

OK, this is definitely a glaring weakness in our purchases. Until I decided to dig deeply into this bike for this service interval that is coming, I hadn’t given it a second thought.

I know BMW bikes Design everything so you have to take it into get serviced. I’m not interested in owning a bike like that. I hope these don’t become the same thing. Or just a wild guess on doing the servicing.

Is it possible that maybe we can just use Honda manuals? I mean, how close are the specs? An older Honda might have similar specs? I don’t know how exactly they copied them.

I would think just about everything about them would be almost identical to Honda CG125 except possibly wiring. If a manual is available for them ? If I understand correctly they were sold everywhere but the United States.
That said , these little bikes are simple. I bet someone on here knows the answer to just about any question.
A big question in the United States is, how many of these bikes are in there stock form? I started ordering aftermarket parts for mine at 12 miles.

[ExMxer]

I’m gonna call my dealer this afternoon, see if possibly he’d sell me a dealer service manual. Surely to God there a manuals for the dealers, there would have to be. Lifan will sell me a code reader for their bikes, but no book to define the codes??!!?? I bet a dealer has some info we could use………. He’s really cool, I bet he’d do it. If he does, I’ll figure a way to get it here for all of us.

[Dusman]

Sadly, to my knowledge, there are no publicly available service manuals except for the SSR XF250. The CG125 service manual is readily available online as a free .pdf file and the torque specs for that engine work fine for our CG229 motors (Hawk, TBR7, Bashan Brozz, etc.).

Frankly, this is why I was reluctant to purchase one of these bikes (excepting the TT250, whose service and information is readily available via online .pdf files and/or a simple phone call to CSC's shop).

Here's the CG125 .pdf file: http://die-kleinkraftrad-ig.de/wisse...itungcg125.pdf

The good news is that, if you know the size of the bolt/nut, you can determine the torque value. See here: http://www.dansmc.com/torque_chart.htm

I hope all of that helps!

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by ExMxer

I’m gonna call my dealer this afternoon, see if possibly he’d sell me a dealer service manual. Surely to God there a manuals for the dealers, there would have to be. Lifan will sell me a code reader for their bikes, but no book to define the codes??!!?? I bet a dealer has some info we could use………. He’s really cool, I bet he’d do it. If he does, I’ll figure a way to get it here for all of us.

Thanks for the effort!!!

Wishing you good luck

[Megadan]

I know it's not a Lifan specifically, but most things like bolt torque specs are similar across most bikes. I have found CSC to be an invaluable source of specs that I have used on my Hawk that have been working great for years.

Example would be the triple tree related torque specs.

Top triple nut torque? 50ft-lbs.

Triple clamp pinch bolt torque? 10ft-lbs.

Plus, in some instances many other bikes use the same or similar specs. The triple clamp pinch bolt torque spec, for example, is fairly universal. My big fat VFR's pinch bolt specs are 9-12 ft-lbs. There are some out there heavier than that, but they also tend to be older or much bigger bikes that use larger bolts for the pinch bolts.

If all else fails simply use a bolt torque guide for a good range to not exceed. These list the bolt grade, diameter and sometimes even thread pitch and acceptable torque ranges for that style of bolt. You would probably not be surprised just how many OEM fastener torque specs fall within the ranges listed for those fasteners.

[Ol,fart]

Originally Posted by ExMxer

I’m gonna call my dealer this afternoon, see if possibly he’d sell me a dealer service manual. Surely to God there a manuals for the dealers, there would have to be. Lifan will sell me a code reader for their bikes, but no book to define the codes??!!?? I bet a dealer has some info we could use………. He’s really cool, I bet he’d do it. If he does, I’ll figure a way to get it here for all of us.

I dont know about Lifan but all of the codes I have seen on here for the DXL Hawks have been generic OBD2.

[ExMxer]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I know it's not a Lifan specifically, but most things like bolt torque specs are similar across most bikes. I have found CSC to be an invaluable source of specs that I have used on my Hawk that have been working great for years.

Example would be the triple tree related torque specs.

Top triple nut torque? 50ft-lbs.

Triple clamp pinch bolt torque? 10ft-lbs.

Plus, in some instances many other bikes use the same or similar specs. The triple clamp pinch bolt torque spec, for example, is fairly universal. My big fat VFR's pinch bolt specs are 9-12 ft-lbs. There are some out there heavier than that, but they also tend to be older or much bigger bikes that use larger bolts for the pinch bolts.

If all else fails simply use a bolt torque guide for a good range to not exceed. These list the bolt grade, diameter and sometimes even thread pitch and acceptable torque ranges for that style of bolt. You would probably not be surprised just how many OEM fastener torque specs fall within the ranges listed for those fasteners.

Good info from ya as always Mega, thanks a ton!

[zero_dgz]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I know it's not a Lifan specifically, but most things like bolt torque specs are similar across most bikes.


...


If all else fails simply use a bolt torque guide for a good range to not exceed. These list the bolt grade, diameter and sometimes even thread pitch and acceptable torque ranges for that style of bolt. You would probably not be surprised just how many OEM fastener torque specs fall within the ranges listed for those fasteners.

This is all correct. I have a large stable of bikes from many manufacturers ranging from large to small, and the torque specs for the same types of things for all of the ones I have shop manuals for are pretty much the same across the board. Usually within 10%, sometimes often less.


The old factory service for my KLR even has a chart for generic torque specs by bolt size just like you said, and straight up says for anything not in the main torque spec guide just go off of the torque-by-size chart.


In reality what matters most with your fastener torque is that all of the bolts or screws doing the same job (holding on a side cover, pinching both sides of a fork tube, etc.) are all at the same torque as each other. That ensures that the part in question is not being warped by uneven stresses from its various bolts. What that torque value actually is can fall anywhere within quite a wide range that sits between "so loose it will vibrate out" and "threads are now stripped or bolt is snapped."


Confession: I have never in my entire life actually bothered to get out a torque wrench for any bolt on any Chinese bike... including "torque critical" things like side covers and axles and valve covers. None of mine have ever fallen apart. If you are not an ape it's not hard to refrain from cranking on things so hard that they break.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by zero_dgz

This is all correct. I have a large stable of bikes from many manufacturers ranging from large to small, and the torque specs for the same types of things for all of the ones I have shop manuals for are pretty much the same across the board. Usually within 10%, sometimes often less.


The old factory service for my KLR even has a chart for generic torque specs by bolt size just like you said, and straight up says for anything not in the main torque spec guide just go off of the torque-by-size chart.


In reality what matters most with your fastener torque is that all of the bolts or screws doing the same job (holding on a side cover, pinching both sides of a fork tube, etc.) are all at the same torque as each other. That ensures that the part in question is not being warped by uneven stresses from its various bolts. What that torque value actually is can fall anywhere within quite a wide range that sits between "so loose it will vibrate out" and "threads are now stripped or bolt is snapped."


Confession: I have never in my entire life actually bothered to get out a torque wrench for any bolt on any Chinese bike... including "torque critical" things like side covers and axles and valve covers. None of mine have ever fallen apart. If you are not an ape it's not hard to refrain from cranking on things so hard that they break.

Same here. I have a pretty good feeling for these things. A lot of mechanics would not agree that that’s the way to go. But that’s what I do.

However, I still like a service manual for something I own that’s as complicated as a motorcycle. I like to read it actually. So I know the bike inside and out before I ever touch it. It could also help me a little bit with some of the general motorcycle maintenance. I’m never quite sure what I should be doing or not doing. This time around, because I am enjoying the bike, I think I’m going to tear into it pretty hard. Kind of closer to the Backroad Development thread. I may not take everything apart at that level, but I’m going to check bearings by seeing if I can get them to move in ways they shouldn’t, I’m changing tires, changing tubes, chain, would love to change sprockets, but I can’t find the right ratio right now for sale. I want to go through all of the wiring and double check for chafing. I’m not sure if I should do the valves or not. It runs fine. But I guess I will take a little feel of them and adjust them I guess.

I just like to have a service manual to follow along for these things on something as complicated as a motorcycle. Makes me feel good that I didn’t miss anything.