Dong Fang DF 250 RTB Bobber Information

[skullworkz]

Bobthebobber: Congrats on the new paint job Bob, that’s the beauty of the flat paint I guess. Post a pict.

Freezerboy: bummer on the shift rod but better to get that fix out of the way now as it will make your bike more dependable for sure. If mine breaks I will machine a heavy duty one out of good quality solid stainless rod hard to believe the skimped on such a simple part.

Skullworkz: I worry on what happening with your hard shifting is a symptom of your motor running a little too hot. As you say it shifts great when not fully warm. When your engine is hot a number of things occur that could cause the problem.
Your engine oil is thinning too much and parts in the transmission are expanding a bit too much also.
-You maybe still running a bit lean causing temps to get a little too high. Check your plug.
- Also your engine is new and tight thus more friction.
- I would drive it a little bit more gentle possibly until broken in more.
you may want to change your oils ASAP and check for abnormal high amount of silver swarf in the oil just to be sure and safe.
Your pipe wrap may be adding to the higher temps also! This wrap can insulate it so your are just a bit over temp.
-I would also change wet clutch oil brands?
-You may even want to try a 20w 50w Mobil one synthetic 20-50 , after 500 miles get on your bike ( can be hard to find)
-This is a similar engine to the Honda rebel and those can on occasion shift a bit hard when they get hot. Anyhow it should get better as it breaks in. Hope this helps a little bit.
Too hot is not good and this shifting problem is likely telling you something if all other adjustments are good and your clutch is fully disengaging.
I am going to add a 1972 rebel heat sink to my exhaust to help keep the temp down a degree or two.
These little bikes can be tempting ( even by me) to over rev and drive aggressive especially due to the aggressive sound ...but they really are a small little engines and need to be treated gentle at least for the first 1000 miles as such. Hope all are enjoying the little warm up were having.

Thanks for the insight Goodbar, Once I stopped trying to shift into neutral at a stop and shifted there on the way into the light, I haven't had an issue. But, on occassion I find neutral on the way back up from first on accident. I just rolled over to 300 miles and am kinda curious what the oil looks like. I will not be switching to syn as I have read in this forum that it has not made a noticeable improvement for the cost. Also, kinda curious to see whats stuck to that magnetic oil plug. I am using Valvoline brand, what brands are you guys using with success? Not sure if I will switch brands unless one of you has had better luck with a different brand. When I do the oil I am also going to check the valve clearance and see if it has changed any. Also, Goodbar, as far as it shifting better when its cold than when its warm. For some reason it will shift into neutral when its at a stop when its cold but as the engine warms up it will not allow me to do so. But, the trans was not meant to shift from first to neutral at a dead stop. So, it may be just as you said with the metal expanding when it gets warm and not allowing for the bit of clearance.

[chruk bashre]

[Goodbar]

Chruk: Yes to any one new to bikes or this forum, oil must be wet clutch type motorcycle specific.

My brother was over yesterday (a major Harley guy who is a Coat of Arms in a Motorcycle chapter) A real 1 percenter guy for sure and I had no prediction on his reaction. Anyhow he saw the Fanger for the first time and man did his eyes light up when he saw the bobber. He even took a photo of it with his cell phone, raved about its looks and just thought it was a cool custom bobber and offered to buy it if I ever get rid of it. hmmmmmm. There ya all go, another priceless Bobber experience.

Ride safe

[Bob form NV]

ghost1133

Where did you get your saddle bags?

[DanDaMan]

votage regulator and turn signal relay from http://www.scooterparts4less.com/


Found replacement rear sprocket studs.



Honda Part number 90128-382-670 made in Japan.
Source - Ebay

bent your shift rod ? http://www.gravesport.com/Graves-Mot...Shift-Rod.html

horn bracket as well as a reflector bracket broke for seemingly no reason (rewelded reflector , replaced horn with 1 from Oreilies autoparts (car horn))

sprocket - http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Motorcycl...?search=JTR279 - 520 chain - most seem to go for 36 tooth 38 if your heavy or riding in really hilly conditions , myself (175 lbs) I use a 428 chain 17/36 (17 front wont fit with 520 chain) (15/30 16/33 520 equivalant) (80+ mph indicated perfect conditions) but you MUST HAVE jetting and air ram and keep valve adjustments very close and keep flapping clothing (drag) to a minimum or you will never see the top of 5th
- and remember max horsepower (between 10-15) is produced @ 2/3rds max RPM's unlike overhead cam motors and then it drops off SHARPLY , gear accordingly , you need not reach max rpm's in 5th if you can hold your desired cruise speed at 1/2-2/3 rpm's , which also increases fuel economy and manages heat better

air injector delete

dimming headlight problem, really easy to unplug the blue and white wire from the dark green wire and plug it into the other blue and white wire like it should have been been in the first place. now my light switch works and my lights don't dim

upjet http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...ll=1#post41593

magnetic drain plug - http://www.oldbikebarn.com/BikeMaste...AG-12MM-ALU-BM

LED tail light ( buy and install new socket/bulb )

I went to auto parts store and bought a radiator hose (used the air filter for sizing) with a 180 degree bend in it cut it to only have the U shape bolted it to the carb the other end to the air filter , now I have a forward facing air intake out in the air stream - aka poormans air ram ( no real effect untill past 50 indicated )

new battery (have to chop into steel battery box to get new 1 to fit) from autozone

HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM!!!!!!
Filled up the tank and started. Holy s--t full RPM, couldn't get to the kill switch fast enough.
pulled the needle seat didnt ya :P
wide open throttle is caused by re-inserting the carb tube (with needle in it) so dont seat fully . I did that myself
look at it the cutout has to be facing the rear wheel , and it will let it seat deeper , stopping that WOT on start

valve adjust - https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...wZDM3&hl=en_US = compression stroke = both valves fully raised

chain roller - http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATV-CHAIN-RO...009836&vxp=mtr

55/65 watt sealed beam headlight that fits - its a , Sylvania H5006 , and the Wiring harness to go with it , fit inside the existing headlamp shell

all right I believe thats everything fairly relivant to the DF's for the most part (just thought I would mash all upgrade repairs together into 1 compact area) - most are from what others have found im just jamming em into 1 post

[skullworkz]

i am just wondering if any bikes that run bad have had a chance to try the original plug to see if that is why, as a troubleshoot. when things run worse after mods, its time to change back and see what happened. if a gap says-25-29. set it at 25. the rest allows for the plug to wear and still run ok. a 26 setting might show difference, but i dont think so. and if someone can hear and feel that difference, good for them. i may be wrr,wrr, wrrr,wrong.

i did not know valvoline makes a 'motorcycle specific' oil. make sure oil is for motorcycle wet clutch and should specify 'motorcycle specific' on the label. on this i am .right.

I have the correct oil installed, just curious what everyone else is using with success.

[freezerboy]

Shift linkage fixed already ^_^ !
I cut it off at the break point, drilled out the rod and then tapped it. I used the red strong locktite on the insert threads when i put it together. From the side its hard to tell but you can see the allen head on the insert. i don't know if putting nuts on the thread would beef it up more or not. Anyway i feel like the insert is better steel than what it had before so im happy.

[ghost1133]

ghost1133

Where did you get your saddle bags?

Here's a link,

http://www.devillecycles.com/online_store.htm

[skullworkz]

Shift linkage fixed already ^_^ !
I cut it off at the break point, drilled out the rod and then tapped it. I used the red strong locktite on the insert threads when i put it together. From the side its hard to tell but you can see the allen head on the insert. i don't know if putting nuts on the thread would beef it up more or not. Anyway i feel like the insert is better steel than what it had before so im happy.

Thats some fancy work there!!! I will have to steal that idea if the problem arises. There are some local guys making some really cool custom CNC shift rods for around $100 to $200, I think is what I read here lately on a CL motorcycle post. They do not have a website that I can find, but I did find their Facebook page. If your looking for that SUPER BADASS SHIFTROD GET IT FROM THESES GUYS!! In no way do I know them or have done business with them, but have seen some badaaassss things come outta their shop! I WILL be ordering a shiftrod from them, and I WILL NOT be telling them what kind of bike I will be installing it on. I will just give them the dimentions I want and have 'em make it. Look up some of their stuff, I promise you will not be disappointed. https://www.facebook.com/pages/D-B-Cycles/443820970650

[freezerboy]

I WILL be ordering a shiftrod from them, and I WILL NOT be telling them what kind of bike I will be installing it on. I will just give them the dimentions I want and have 'em make it. Look up some of their stuff, I promise you will not be disappointed. https://www.facebook.com/pages/D-B-Cycles/443820970650

Be sure to post some pics for us when you get it, and also make note that each end on your current rod is threaded opposite of each other.