Cheap Chinese Parts!!

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Druncle_Kev

New Member
I bought a cruiser. I bought my kit, and had dreams of running it that day. 40 bucks in extra parts and a week in later I'm thinking of personally pulling a John McClain on China. Y'all have been a great help with this forum. I've had to fight this thing ever step of the way, and I had such high hopes. I finally got the engine to fire up (spark plug/CNS carb problem) and my chain tensioner blows up rapping my chain around my sprocket locking my rear wheel up. My next step is to get #41 chain (the chinese chain also imploded upon impact) from tractor supply co., and I'm looking at the aluminum t-shirt shim method (motorbikemike?) for chain tension. I only have tin snips for cutting metal would it be smarter to go for half link chain instead?

Also, what other poorly made Chinese parts should I expect to have a catastrophic failure while riding around my apartment complex. Which, I haven't left because I can't make it more then four feet without something falling off.

On a bright note I am happy to report that if we ever go to war with China I'm not worried because half of their tanks and planes will fall apart upon leaving the factory.
 
These engines are concentrated frustration, but I love the "idea" of a modern ultra-light motorcycle, that's what keeps me going.
 
I love the idea too, and I know it will work eventually. I just dont know if I have the patience but, I have already sank most of my extra cash into this bike. I'm a poor college kid. This bike has to work.
 
Well the good news is that patience is the only thing that's really expensive. Carbs cost $10 brand new, I completely rebuilt the upper on an engine yesterday (talking piston replacement, rings etc..) took me all of 1 hour to do, cost me $40 in parts. So there is a silver lining.
 
In my experience, although the tensioner is admittedly crappy, it should stay in place given that the rear sprocket and the sprocket on the engine are aligned correctly and the chain is as tense as possible. Once I got everything aligned and tightened properly, my tensioner has always stayed in place.

Also make sure the chain is well greased. The chain I got in my kit was a heavy-duty chain, but it wasn't greased very well. Buy some moly grease and smear a bit of that stuff on the chain. There's no good reason for it to bunch up and derail like that.

Here are the parts I've ended up fixing or replacing:

- Throttle: The throttle worked fine, but after a few weeks that cheesy plastic peg that keeps it in place on the handlebar snapped right off. I simply drilled a hole through the edge of the throttle where the peg was and fit a bolt through it that fits the hole and the hole that's drilled into the handlebar. Works like a charm and makes it very easy to take off! I don't know why they don't just come like that. It mays seem fine the way it is now, but save yourself the hassle and just drill the hole. It's more sturdy that way anyhow.

- Fuel line: Throw that thing away! Granted it will work, for a while anyway. Mine became extremely rigid and oily and brown. I imagine it would just fall apart after a while. So I went down to my local auto shop and spent $6 on a few feet of quality fuel line. It's worked great ever since.

- Bolts and studs: Replace them all if possible. Get ones that are philips head or combo.
 
I've heard about the bad fuel lines but I hadn't heard about the throttle. Thanks!
How can I buy American parts from you Lance?
 
Druncle_Kev said:
I've heard about the bad fuel lines but I hadn't heard about the throttle. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I hadn't heard about the throttle either until I experienced it. The peg snapped while I was riding and since I couldn't reach the kill switch immediately I lost control and almost ran into a wood fence(better that than a car, though). It may seem a little excessive, but because I almost got hurt from it I suggest other people do it.

I attached a photo of what I did. The bolt doesn't even have to go all the way through the handlebar either, although you could certainly do that. I just found a bolt that fit snugly in the hole that was already drilled into the handlebar, drilled a hole through the throttle, and then I screwed the bolt in. It's worked great since.
 

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Yeah the throttle seems much safer hard-lined into the bars like that.

Do any of y'all have experience with the half links with the cotter pins?
I've seen guys say put the pin facing the motor or put the pin facing the world. Also, to just plain throw it out.
 
The petcock and the air filter are caca.

The clutch lever sucks.

Did you check the gas tank for rust?

The muffler cap screw will vibrate off and puke the cap on the street. Use red locktite on that screw. Or just braze the cap on like I did.
 
Mike B said:
The petcock and the air filter are caca.

The clutch lever sucks.

Did you check the gas tank for rust?

The muffler cap screw will vibrate off and puke the cap on the street. Use red locktite on that screw. Or just braze the cap on like I did.
Click to expand...

Agree petcock is dump

I don't check my gas tank for rust! Now I'm worried. I did put a fuel filter on it.

What is the muffler cap screw?
 
Some of the new " EPA" mufflers have a stud thru the end cap with a 10mm wrench size nut, this will fall off! By now I feel like I own stock in loctite.
 
Oh gotcha. I'm with y'all on the locktite. I've put locktite on almost everything and turned right around to take it off. I feel like I should wait to locktite everything until my MB is actually running, but I know as soon as it is I'll be like a kid on Christmas.
 
I've never used loctite on anything on my bike. My muffler cap did fall off once, but I think this was due to it being kind of loose anyway. A spring nut helped to keep it on.
 
My throttle came with an aluminum pin. I didn't drill the hole, I ground down the pin almost all the way, left enough sticking out to make a tight fit when the screws are tightened. I just didn't like the idea of drilling a hole in aluminum handlebars.

My muffler was on just long enough to spit the screw that held the interior pieces in place. About that same time the sick bike parts expansion chamber arrived :)

I would also recommend the SBP's bolt replacement set and head stud sets. To go along with those the holes really need to be tapped to the bottom, The Chinee have gotten into a bad habit of not doing this. This can cause threads to pull out of the block. Useing a torque wrench would go a long way to preventing over-tightening the bolts and nuts.
 
Our frames are made in the USA, we use as many parts possible that are made in the USA, seatposts and stems from thompson, transmissions and rear hubs from staton, we stay far away from cheap chinezzze crap. but using the best is not the cheapest, a cheep seatpost or stem is $30 a thompson part is $100 so not every biker has that kind of $$$$ engines are honda or subaru 4 stroke
 
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