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Owning
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| New Owner Tips
New
Owners Tips:
Welcome
to the world of owning a Chang Jiang 750. We hope that you bought
a legally licensed CJ750 sidecar and have all your documents updated,
such as insurance, road tax, etc. The CJ750 is very old motorcycle
technology that is going to take some special handling and should
be treated as an old antique motorcycle. A CJ750 sidecar does not
ride like a two wheel motorcycle. The text is taken from
www.cj750.net with permission.
Important
tips for new CJ owners:
- Highly
suggest breaking your Chang Jiang 750 sidecar patiently, your patience
will pay off. (Better performance, less problems, more efficient
engine)
- Always
load up on gas. 90, 93, 97, whatever you like as long as it is not
diesel. You get about 300km on a full tank. Reserve is good for
about 20km.
- Nuts
and bolts will come loose for the first few hundred km.
-
Always
carry extra oil in the bike. Leaking a few drops of oil is common.
-
Use
a good quality motor oil, straight 50W or 15/50 is recommended,
(never use synthetic oil, chemicals may harm seals).
-
Back
brakes are used more to stop the bike (like 85%). Keep a safe
distance especially when roads are wet. Heavy load will also cause
increase stopping distance.
- The
Chang Jiang 750 sidecar is a high maintenance machine and not made
to go fast!
-
Check your oil daily, especially before long rides.
-
Driving a sidecar motorcycle takes some getting used to, it is as
wide as a car so beware of the space on the right hand side, especially
when turning and pulling up to curbs.
- It
will probably take more distance to stop a CJ than you expect.
-
Keep a safe distance “buffer” especially in wet roads.
- Be
extra careful of taxis, when they see a potential passenger they
are blinded by $$$$$ and will not see you. Constantly read the road
and the idiots on the side or road.
- When
riding in the bicycle lane beware of people, bikes, dogs and especially
small children jumping out in front of you.
- CJ
750 sway when braking and with a passenger stopping distance is
increased.
- Alloy
wheels have better stopping ability than spoke wheels.
- Spokes
tend to snap and in multiples, check spokes often and replace broken
spokes; spoke wheels have been known to collapse.
-
Slow on right hand turns, especially with someone on the pillion
seat, as the sidecar can lift and bike will loose control and may
flip over.
- CJ
750 engines are air cooled so in the summer it tends to get very
hot, be wary of overheating carbs .
- You
may need to stop every 50km or 45 min of riding and let your engine
rest.
-
Headlights use up more battery than the bike can recharge. If you
frequently ride at night in the city, it is advisable to buy a battery
charger to recharge your battery at home and learn how to kick start
your Chang Jiang 750.
-
Long rides will help recharge the battery.
-
Turn off gas tank’s petcock when not riding.
-
Air pressure should be 3.0 to 3.2 bar.
-
Always lock your bike when you are not riding it.
- Always
carry some tools.
-
Beware of people cutting out in front of you especially making right
or left turns into your right of way.
-
Foreigners most likely will get the shorter end of the stick in
an accident - Avoid them!
-
At night, beware of drunk drivers, especially on weekends.
- Do
not ride with shorts or shoes. The engine may burn your shin, and
hot oil may come off the engine.
- If
you have a back seat passenger, DO NOT swerve your CJ750 or make
extreme sharp turns. Your CJ750 may tip over or you passenger may
get thrown off the back seat.
BEWARE:
Beijing traffic law states: Motorcycles are 100% responsible for accidents
by default, even if you do not cause them. There are opportunists
taking advantage of this law. Make sure you carry your registration
card and your insurance is up to date.
First
200KM:
- Nuts
and bolts will come loose and fall off.
- Valves
will need to be adjusted.
- Brakes
will need to be tightened.
- Cables
will loose some tension.
- Carburetors
will need to be adjusted.
- Spoke
will need to be tightened to straighten wheel.
- Smoke
may come off engine when its hot especially flatheads because there
is wax covering the fins and heads.
- Gears
may slip and will need some adjustment.
- Some
oil leaking may appear.
If
bike does not start:
-
Make
sure gas valve is open and you have gasoline
-
Check
the red light on left side of key slot. If light is on, power
is good.
-
Check
the distributor to see if rotor is turning.
-
Check
your spark plug cables to make sure they are firmly attached
-
Manually
pump some gas into the bike by tickling on the button on top of
the carburetors before starting kick bike.
-
Some
riders choke by closing off some air, with the choke lever between
the carburetor and the air cleaner to help the bike start.
-
If engine starts and red light does not go off when throttle is
turned, the battery charging system is not working properly.
-
Check
battery cable, power switch (black box under seat), ground cable,
battery connectors.
If you hear abnormal engine noise when riding:
-
Engine might be overheating, rest till it cools a bit. Never throw
water on the engine.
-
Valves
might be leaking.
-
Timing
might be off.
-
Piston
or piston rings may be bad.
If you hear engine hissing:
-
Gasket seal might be leaking.
- Exhaust
might be leaking.
- Carburetor
may be leaking.
If the engine gets very hot:
- A
very common problem for 24hp engines when riding for long distances
at high speeds and or going up long up hills.
-
Sometimes the carbs become hot enough to boil the gasoline in them.
A clear gas filter placed above the carbs helps, as it will readily
show this. If this occurs, stop & let bike cool off for about
20 minutes.
-
Sidevalve CJ 750 engines (24 HP) should rest every so often, normally
50km or every 45 minutes .
-
If you hear your valves to start making a clicking noise when engine
is hot, stop and let the engine rest.
-
Never throw water on a hot engine.
-
Check your oil again.
Cooling
down technique:
- Sidevalve
CJ 750 engines, and OHV, seldom but occassionally, the engines may
overheat. When you stop your CJ750, and the engine is off, you may
aid in the cooling of the engine by unscrewing the oil dip stick.
Put your engine into neutral and make sure the ignition is switched
off, then kick over manually the engine to circulate the oil. This
will help the engine to cool down quicker.
If
your gears slip:
- This
is a very common CJ 750 problem.
- In
most cases it's an adjustment problem that may be fixed easily by
a professional.
- Have
it adjusted before your transmission is taken apart.
- Up
shift if it slips into neutral and your bike is moving.
- Try
not to grind your gears when shifting.
Finding
neutral:
This is very important to learn!! (two techniques)
Ankle
technique:
When down shift to first with your left foot, place your right ankle
to feel the movement of the hand shift going back towards the rear
wheel. Push slightly forward with your left ankle and you should be
in neutral. The movement of the hand shifter is about an inch between
gears so it should be easy to find. This takes a bit practice and
once you get the hang of it, finding neutral will be a breeze.
Tapping
technique:
Works when you are standing next to your bike. Put bike into high
gear, and tap the front to lower the gear. Use light taps. Each tap
should move the gear down one shift. After second the gear will go
into neutral. Again it is just tapping on it to shift, not stomping
on it or pressing on it. You can also do it the other way by putting
it into first gear than tap it softly and it should shift into neutral.
If you push too hard it will go right into second gear.
Winter riding:
- Use
lighter weight motor oil, and pump the kick-start in neutral to
get some oil flowing into engine before kick starting it.
- Carburetors
can freeze (water in the gas).
- Transmissions
also get frozen.
- Use
knee guards and keep warm.
- Use
hand guards, and hand warmers.
- The
Workers Stadium and Olympic Stadium is a great place to do some
donuts. CJs handle very well in the snow. With their third balance
point and low center of gravity, have excellent traction. So put
on your ski gear, and get out there for some winter CJ fun !!
- Be
extremely careful when going down hills and driveways.
Wet weather riding:
- CJ
750s may slide on turns and on braking... ride slowly!!!
-
Stopping will definitely be impaired by the wet.
-
Old cloth spark plug cables will short out.
- If
you are using cloth cables it is advisable to put some black electrical
tape on the rubber spark plug covers.
-
Keep the wire and spark plugs dry.
- The
coil may get wet and short out the spark plugs.
-
Water may get into transmission from speedometer cable, this can
be sealed with a little bit of silicone rubber cement. If not sealed
& water enters, the transmission fluid will foam up causing
it to leak out, check your transmission fluid.
-
Make sure water does not get into your key slot or it will short
out the switch.
-
Throttle and light switch may tighten up afterwards, loosen with
some oil.
-
Shocks may also become squeaky.
-
Keep some electrical tape handy.
- Keep
some duct tape and plastic bags for protecting your shoes and taping
up sleeves.
- If
the weather looks bad, take your bike cover with you in case you
need to stop and cover the bike.
Long distance riding in China:
- It
is best to ride long distance trips in a group.
- Plan
ahead so you will get to the next town before sunset.
- Carry
some plastic bags and also duct tape. We have encountered some very
cold nights and rain which has made the plastic bags invaluable
for keeping the shoes dry and also as insulation.
- Carry
rain gear.
- Lead
rider slowing down and accelerating will keep the riders behind
senses up especially at night.
- When
tired, take a rest, people have fallen asleep on their bikes.
- No
matter how tired you get or dark it is, check your oil frequently.
- Be
extra careful when riding at night especially with China's road
conditions.
- Be
aware of large rocks on the road.
- Also,
farm animals are known to be in the road or may get startled and
run in front of you.
- When
passing in a group, rider in the back should set a pick to block
drivers from coming up and blocking you from passing.
- Carry
extra oil, points, condenser, and electric wire.
- If
you are going for very long distance rides carry extra parts such
as transmissions and rear drives as whole unit. You do not want
to waste time taking the CJ 750 apart for repairs on the road. Do
your repair work at night.
- Slow
down on rough roads, it is better to arrive a little late than to
break parts .
- Always
carry some extra bottles of water and toilet paper.
- Do
not create a scene and avoid trouble.
Rules for riding in groups:
- Gas
up and check your oil and tire pressure before you get to meeting
point.
-
Most of the leaders on group rides in Beijing have many years of
experience. If you are a new rider let the leader know and he will
put you in the front of the group.
-
Always load up with gas before arriving at meeting point, 24hp engines
use up more gas than 32hp engines.
- Carry
extra motor oil with you.
- 24hp
engine bikes ride up in front of the group.
-
32hp engine bikes and CJs w/ straights pipes ride in the back of
the group.
-
Do not swerve from side to side, riders in front, looking in rear
view mirror, may think that you are trying to signal them and that
there is an accident or adverse road condition.
-
Never pull up along side of someone unless you need them to pull
over.
-
Never pass a vehicle on both sides. If someone is passing on the
right or left side of the vehicle do not paralle pass on the opposite
side at the same time.
-
No over taking when riding in a group.
- Never
ride in bicycle lane.
-
If a rider in front of you pulls over, do not over take, pull over
and stay with him.
- Bring
extra water and some snacks.
- Follow
the front bike carefully and do not fall behind too far, if the
riders following you have fallen behind, wait for them at turn or
locations where they may lose the group.
- If
you borrow another biker’s spare part please replace them.
-
When going up hills or on rough roads keep your distance.
-
Respect other riders even if they are idiots.
- For
long distance rides, make sure that your group ride is covered with
insurance.
Other info:
-
The CJ 750 cover may damage the paint job especially when the wind
causes it to flap. Areas most affected are the corners of the CJ
750, front of sidecar, and side fender.
-
Things have been known to fly out of the sidecar, especially small
dogs.
- Keep
the fork lock rod off the fork when riding, because it will rub
and rattle.
- Keep
little kids away from the CJ 750, the engine gets real hot and can
give a nasty burn.
- It
is suggested to not wear shorts or slippers when riding, you can
easily get burned.
-
In accidents, the right foot may get caught under the right cylinder
especially on OHV engines.
-
Do not turn too fast going right or left, we have seen bikes go
out of control flip over.
-
Carry some extra rags or old towels.
-
Nuts and bolts come loose and wires fray from the vibrations, always
take some time to look over your CJ 750 and carry some extra nuts
and bolts.
-
Never pick up strangers.
-
Do not drink alcohol and ride.
- Obey
traffic laws.
- Make
sure your documentation is up to date.
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