Pitbikes in Russia

[A_Vasiliev]

Hey dudes,

Guy from Russia here. I've been debating purchasing a pitbike from a company here, and I wanted to run a couple photos and some info past you, maybe you'll tell me something important.

Basically the model I'm interested in seems to be fairly standard Chinese pitbike fare: Zongshen 125cc engine, 26mm Mikuni carb, aluminum frame and swingarm, inverted forks and 14/12 wheel size. There's also a model with a 155 engine, and possibly 155 engines available as "hop-up" turnkey items.

Here's some photos to get you started (sorry in advance for the cheesy sticker kit, the Chinese still haven't figured out that it doesn't really look cool to have "extreme" and "racing" and "performance" and "power" plastered all over your bike like you're freaking Racer X or some shiz):

Any visible bad designs? Any suggestions as to how best to take care of the engine and components? Does it resemble anything you guys have seen before?

Obviously I will be tearing it down to a bare frame and changing all the fluids, lock-titing bolts, properly torquing everything down when I first get it, but after that, what sort of maintenance intervals are we looking at and what sort of oil should I put in it? What else to look out for on the Chinese engines?

[eavery]

if u change the oil regularly them china engines last longer i change my oil every 3 or 4 tanks of gas

the frame looks rigid and it looks like it might even have a cradle mount honestly aslong as u can get parts for it it should be a good start

[MX_Peter]

This pitbike is similar as Apollo or Orion brand, just different stickers...how much would you pay for it???

[eavery]

i have a orion 21b 70cc and the frame isn't square or have a cradle mount has steel swinger instead of alum i payed $550usd new for it 2 years ago

that kinda looks like a crf klx cross breed looks like klx plastics and seat

my orion 21 has crf style seat and plastics

Edited March 24, 2010 by eavery
miss spelling

[SRAD97750]

I really like that frame. Looks cool. Parts Parts Parts!!! Find the PARTS SOURCE before you buy... -BIG DAN:thumbsup:

HI ABILITY!!!!

[brentn]

The zongshen motors are really quite bulletproof.

[scooterpimp]

Only Buy A Bike That Was Endorsed By The D.L.C.F. (Donkey Legged Chicken Farmers) That Bike Looks Better & Tougher Than What We Get Over Here... Go4It

[iluvmotocross]

From the looks of it, it looks like the frame and swinger are steel but the rest of the bike looks good. It looks alot like an Orion also.

[A_Vasiliev]

To the guy from Slovenia, the price is about 1200 usd. I'm pretty sure the frame swinger are alu, but I may be mistaken. Looks like alu though. Parts are, as far as I know, available through the shop where I found the bikes. They have their own contract with the chinese factory, the site even lists a phone number, so... I'm more worried about the longevity of the frame and components, engines I can buy or fix... Guess I'll go for it...

[MX_Peter]

If I was in your place I would go with some more recognisable brand...try to search Stomp, Dream, PitsterPro, Piranha, Demon X, WPB,...etc

[SRAD97750]

A. Parts are available through the shop where I found the bikes.

B. about the longevity of the frame and components, engines I can buy or fix...

A. CALL and make sure because, levers, chain tensioners, axles and bushings are what you are looking for. The dealerships in my local area DO NOT have any access to parts or even do ANY maintenance. So, CALL and save some piece of mind.

B. The frame and Engine will last if you take care of them. Change the oil frequently and inspect the frame for cracks after a big crash. Crashes can cause some gnarly damage to these frames that are made to take a load in one or two directions. A crash will give a extreme load in many directions causeing some unwanted damage, Primarily evident in chinese or knock off pitbikes. -BIG DAN:thumbsup:

[davidl9999]

+1 on locating parts before buying a Chinese bike. If the shop doesn't service them (speedily), then expect to do your own wrenching. Buy some basic parts in advance (levers, gaskets, and such) so you'll have them in case the shop winds up with them on "backorder" (?) when you need them.

[brentn]

The shop here in my city that sells some GIO's does not service the forks, I couldn't believe it when he told me that they actually cannot order parts for the forks, just a set as a whole!!!!!

I told him that the seals on my old one went out after one season, and he kinda shrugged like this has never happened to him or his customers bikes... They could get any other part, engine parts etc, but no fork seals.

I tried to take my Orion forks apart once to see if I could do a seal job, but the retaining clip was non-removable on these forks, thus maybe the reason why parts cannot be ordered? However I did see a fork seal kit, I thought, on orionpitbikesales.com but ?

New forks were 250$CDN

Just be prepared for setbacks like this, do your homework and make sure that they can supply parts.

[scooterpimp]

Expect To Do Your Own Wrenching On Anything Chinese, Cause Most Shops Wont Get Near Em... Im Not Proud ILL Work On Anything!!!

[brentn]

I agree, I think whenever I needed to have something done on my bike, shops wouldn't touch it. Some of them were so blatantly obvious that they just didn't like the whole china bike that they would start cussing out my bike on the phone!!! lol, I couldn't believe it, it was like the 1950's all over again and my bike was African-American!

Bikes are pretty simple IMO, take the time to maintain things like bearings, filter, oil changes and do it frequently and you'll probably never have to open it up to replace crap for a long long time.

[A_Vasiliev]

Hey guys.

+1 on doing your homework, I work a pretty crap job and will be saving up most of the summer to buy this thing, so I want something that will last a while and be reliable (here come the flames, I can feel them with my butt). I've been writing to the dealership, lately they haven't replied with anything, but maybe they will today. Who knows.

[A_Vasiliev]

If I was in your place I would go with some more recognisable brand...try to search Stomp, Dream, PitsterPro, Piranha, Demon X, WPB,...etc

Sorry bro, no dealers in Russia that I know of. If you find something, let me know.

A. CALL and make sure because, levers, chain tensioners, axles and bushings are what you are looking for. The dealerships in my local area DO NOT have any access to parts or even do ANY maintenance. So, CALL and save some piece of mind.

B. The frame and Engine will last if you take care of them. Change the oil frequently and inspect the frame for cracks after a big crash. Crashes can cause some gnarly damage to these frames that are made to take a load in one or two directions. A crash will give a extreme load in many directions causeing some unwanted damage, Primarily evident in chinese or knock off pitbikes. -BIG DAN:thumbsup:

I sent them an email a few days ago, and an email today, no reply. I will call as soon as I can, but because I have to be at work at 9 45 and they open at 9-ish, I don't have much time to talk on the phone. By the time I'm off work, they're closed. Gahh.

If the frame is steel and not aluminum, I will be able to weld up gussets and reinforcing struts, but I doubt I'll need them. How often is "frequently" as far as oil changes? Every 3 tanks of gas? How reliable are these motors when you're bumping them off the rev limiter running aggressive minicross type tracks, and long periods of time at cruising speed? I'll probably be riding it to work and out of town to the local track as well as at the track and in the woods...

HI ABILITY!!!!

Bahahah, yes, I laughed too. POWER!

[davidl9999]

If the frame is steel and not aluminum, I will be able to weld up gussets and reinforcing struts, but I doubt I'll need them. How often is "frequently" as far as oil changes?

Every 10 hours or so. Use an hour meter. Use a quality synthetic.

How reliable are these motors when you're bumping them off the rev limiter running aggressive minicross type tracks, and long periods of time at cruising speed?

They're not, but they're not *that* bad, Zongshen engines seem to take a fair share of abuse but they're not bullet-proof. People have good luck with them, others post horror stories. Mostly from not being able to get parts for the rest of the bike.

[A_Vasiliev]

Every 10 hours or so. Use an hour meter. Use a quality synthetic.

They're not [reliable], but they're not *that* bad, Zongshen engines seem to take a fair share of abuse but they're not bullet-proof. People have good luck with them, others post horror stories. Mostly from not being able to get parts for the rest of the bike.

I'm about 5'10", weigh not much over 140 lbs. I shouldn't be that hard on it.

I've never blown up an engine in my life, and I've had probably 10 bikes/sleds/atv's. I like to think of myself as a person who takes care of their machine or at least knows its limits, but I'm honestly clueless about the Chinese motors. I had a Honda ATC 110 way back in the day that was clapped out, never had a tune-up in its life, and I rode it hard for a year, changed the oil maybe once, rode it on and off-road, often times while on the road I would just keep it pinned in 4th for 10 - 15 minutes at a time. Never had a problem and the engine was still running when the thing got stolen and the thieves broke the frame and left it in two pieces a few miles from my house.

I've also managed to ride a YZ85 with a seven-year-old piston (factory stock, never changed or checked) for almost a year with no problems, and I'm not known for being "easy" on the throttle. As soon as I sold it to a friend, he managed to blow it up.

Japanese quality, certainly, but I'd like to think I'm also doing my part ?

Oil changes every 10 hours seems excessive, but if it'll keep the engine from grenading, why not. It's just that, jeez, even high-strung 250F's don't need maintenance that often.

[SRAD97750]

Oil changes every 10 hours seems excessive, but if it'll keep the engine from grenading, why not. It's just that, jeez, even high-strung 250F's don't need maintenance that often.

With no oil filter, this just covers all your bases. It's not excessive if you account for 10 hours of riding. That was a fun 10 hours. Costs $2USD a quart here in California which is like two oil changes. Not that detrimental to your wallet. -BIG DAN:thumbsup: