Sachs Madass 125 ?

[Joris]

A friend of mine had one. The electrics weren't that good, lots of problems with the digital speedometer. The engine is a chinese brand, like Lifan.. And if I remember the frame was aluminium, so not easy to modify like a Honda Cub. I would chose a Honda (Cub/ct/st) over a Madass

[PeterS]

ThanksGil ... I have been warned off !

[woodsrat]

I bought a semi-automatic 125 Lifan motor off of eBay a few years ago and put it into my Honda Passport for use as transport at the races. The next thing I knew I found myself riding it more and more including trips from Indy to Chicago and Mammoth Cave. These little motors are very powerful and stone reliable to boot.

For someone considering the construction of a high MPG bike from a Honda step-through chassis I highly recommend these motors. Mine is jetted "fat" with a $31 Mikuni from eBay for best performance and I only get 80 MPG out of it. With tall gearing I've seen 63 MPH on the GPS and with the current gearing (17/37) it will cruise all day long at near 50 MPH with a top speed of almost 60. Other than oil changes and valve checks it has required no other repairs and continues to perform flawlessly.

For best MPG I would think a manual clutch would be superior but the semi-auto clutch may not be that much of a detriment and defintely makes it easy to ride.

At least in the U. S. step-through chassis for CT-90/110's are common and cheap. The rest of the bike can be built from parts bought on eBay or Craigslist.

The best thing about the Lifan 125 semi-auto motors? In the U. S. you can have one on your doorstep for $280!!!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by woodsrat

For best MPG I would think a manual clutch would be superior but the semi-auto clutch may not be that much of a detriment and defintely makes it easy to ride.

I guess this engine is fitted with a 4-speed transmission. A 5-speed one could likely be more of an improvement regarding fuel-efficiency than a manual clutch...

[woodsrat]

Agreed. Sadly the only five-speed available for this type of motor is a very high end Japanese aftermarket unit, if it's still available. I think it was offered by Takegawa, a manufacturer of high performance parts for these little motors.

The best part about the Lifan is that it has plenty of power to overcome any gaps in the ratios and has a wide RPM operating band. I can't say enough good about them especially for the money. One of the biggest advantages over a stock Honda is that they're set up for 12v.--only the last two years of the Passport in the U. S. had a 12v. system. The rest used that pathetic 6v. system that was marginally reliable at best. My Passport has excellent light output and I think I read somewhere that the stator puts out around 90 watts. I wired mine up to use an electric vest and with the lights off it gets HOT!! Obviously running without lights is marginally legal and won't do you any good at night but it's still nice to feel the heat put out by this little motor's stator.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Too bad that dual-range system which was fitted to the Australian Post Honda CT-110 was not avaliable in any other motorcycle fitted with the Cub engine. One can easily guess 8 gears could be a bigger improvement to efficiency than 5

[PeterS]

Woodsrat, is the output all dc or split ac/ dc like the CT 110 ?

[woodsrat]

It's AC and I use a $15 generic voltage regulator I get from Tucker Rocky to keep from overpowering the lights. I made my own simplified wiring harness and don't run a battery. I'm using an $8 Harbor Freight rubber tractor light on the front and a $10 LED tail light from eBay. The lights dim a tiny bit at an idle but as soon as I give it any throttle at all they get nice and bright. I work the second shift and come home through the country where it's really dark but the tractor light gives me plenty of light. A friend has the same setup on his step-though but runs two of them side-by-side for a "Baja" look and they work great.

I've used this setup for two years and it's been stone reliable with absolutely no failures.

[PeterS]

Thanks Woodrat, I've heard lots of negative stories about the life of Lifan engine so this is good, the all dc charging is especially good news .

[BobS]

Quoting Sheepdog 44 - "But taking a low speed bike beyond it's limits awakened a self preservation instinct in me."
It does in me, too. When you are going into a knife fight, carrying your best 2" blade is not going to get the job done. Any decent road with a 55 mph speed limit will be crowded with SUV's. all doing 70 and only a few angry enough at the world to want to see how close they can come to your rear bumper without hitting you and, oops, they wish they could get a DoOver as you disappear under their front end.
So let me help you stay around. My suggestion for a low seat, strong machine that is available in the $500-$1500 dollar range would be the Suzuki S40, known as the Savage or Boulevard. A single cylinder 650cc bike with mpg in the low 50's AND A TOP SPEED OF 85 STOCK with a disc/drum brake system. Comes with an unmodified seat height of 28 inches AND a length sufficient for a reclined rider. With streamlining, it should give both a higher top speed and at least 80 mpg, probably much better.
And, even better than that, it will let you meet your grandchildren.
I wish you success, and good fortune, with your enterprise.
Bob