Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001
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A friend just bought three of these for his kids. Two are the air cooled rec. models. The one for his son is an X3...water cooled bike. Very cool mini's.

 

My question is this. Have any of you folks owned these? Is there anything specific I should tell him to watch out for?

 

Thanks in advance for ANY help you might be able to offer!
 

Jasle

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Nov 27, 2001
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Well an X3 is actually a Polini...The LEM is a R3. Very different beasts. Lem uses Morini built motors both air cooled and water cooled. The water cooled R3 uses the S6C motor that is the same motor used in the Cobra PW3 and CH2 models.

Polini makes their own motors...The x3 liquid bike is weird in that the water pump is driven off the counter shaft, so if the bike is not moving neither is the water pump. This has led to many overheating problems. Also their gearbox tends to be weak and breaks under severe race conditions.

if for sure he has a LEM then he should visit www.peeweepower.com and see the lem forum. If he has a Polini then he should visit www.50ccperformance.com and see mitch's polini forum.

What I highly reccomend is that he sell them all and buy a Cobra...They dominate the nationals...8*)
 

phirechick

Sponsoring Member
Jul 3, 2001
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We run a Polini X-1 works bike and haven't had any of the problems stated above.  Motul coolant helps any bike from overheating.  The bike is raced hard,  WORCS, Hare Scrambles and even the World Mini Grand Prix.

I'm sure the LEM will be a fine bike, maintenance on these goes a long ways.

As far as the Cobra go, they dominate the Nationals only due to the fact that they have the best riders, Adam Cianciarulo, Bradley Taft, etc.  Put these kids on anything (including a LEM, Endicott comes to mind)) and they would win.

Cobras at our local track, can't keep them running.  Friend, who now has factory support from LEM, first 3 minutes on in new Cobra destroyed the clutch when the shaft gave way.  Three frames and three complete rear suspensions later the Cobra sits for sale.  They all have these stories.

Either way, the kids get to ride and that's a good thing :thumb:
 

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001
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The bikes really are Lem's. I looked at so many different ones, the numbers got mixed up. I appreciate the info!

I hear that oem parts are major $$$$$$

Has anyone tried the Weisco piston in these bikes?
 

Jasle

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Nov 27, 2001
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I'd disagree on the best riders theory. KTM and LEM teams are literally buying our riders out from under us. Giving multiple bikes just to sway riders. I personally had a rider of mine given 3 bikes to make the switch. Cobra factory riders still have to pay for bikes. They just get a discount and parts allowance and yet many of the top riders stay with Cobra. So yes they do have the best riders but there is a reason for that.


It has been a 10 year domination too BTW. 80*% of the top riders at loretta's were on Cobra's. My comment had a smiley behind it as I am a Cobra dealer and It was supposed to be funny but since you mention it.

I'd suspect the Cobra you are talking about is the CM. The problems Cobra had with the CM are totally true. This is the first time since its inception Cobra did a complete model change right before the season because they bought the Husqvarna mini's line and dropped a Cobra motor in the little bike. In hindsigth it was a huge mistake. But before years end they had the problem sorted and gave away many frame and shock. Also the bike's problems were changed for the next model year. How long did LEM suffer with a clutch problem before getting it changed? 2 Full years and it wasn't until someone stateside took a Cobra clutch and mated it to a LEM arbor that the problem was solved in the Hicks clutch desing.
Also Polini dropped the ball this year and "forgot" to get their paperwork in for the first AMA national this year so all the 03 Polini's were turned away. They could not compete in Texas. How can a race company "forget" to turn in paperwork that allows your bike to compete in the largest racing body in the US at the first amature national of the year? And the 02 Polini X1 does have a counter shaft driven pump. Also did you notice at the Mini's when you walk by the Polini tent it was full of bikes? The Cobra Rig had 2 or 3 bikes there.

OK so you do in fact have the LEM's. You'll need to find out which motor's you have but for the s6c Wiseco does not make a piston for the water cooled motor. For the air cooled motor I'd suspect that its the "Franco" morini motor and Wiseco does make a piston and it works fine.

The S6C motor is beefy and with GREAT preventative maintenance will last. OIL changes are a must!!! Also don't turn the clutch up more than 8 clikcks over stock. And just change to the hicks clutch as soon as the kid can handle it.
 

phirechick

Sponsoring Member
Jul 3, 2001
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Jasle,

Thanks for the input and by the way you were right about giving the LEM's away. That's how they got away from Cobra. Funny thing is that with all the problems the Cobra had, they still loved the bike, when it ran it ran fast.
I see ya over on Mitches site, any word on the location of World Mini's yet.
Hope it stays in Vegas. See ya there!
 

Jasle

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Nov 27, 2001
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I'm actually hoping for Phoenix...but nothing official. My wife and I used to work at the place thats being considered in Phoenix and it is a great facility. I'd hate to have to drive all the way to Cali. But Glen Helen makes sense because they have that big one after christmas there. I like Vegas too but there have been complaints about the wind. Personally I'd rather see Ponca moved because every time we have been there the rain sucked much worse than any wind. Besides Vegas is fun.
Either way we need more west coast nationals not just east stuff. Racing is just bigger out there I guess.

The LEM water cooled bike is a darn good bike. They have come a long way since Cobra knocked them off the podium in 94. If we weren't on Cobra's then we would be on them. I actually looked at picking up their dealership as well but right now its not cost effective. Not enough of them running to justify spending the dough when I could just reinvest it on Cobra stuff.
 

gxdragon

Member
Nov 13, 2002
268
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Originally posted by phirechick
Motul coolant helps any bike from overheating.  The bike is raced hard,  WORCS, Hare Scrambles and even the World Mini Grand Prix.
Sorry to change the subject but does the Motul coolant really work? Is it any better than water wetter or cycle logic engine ice or are they all about the same?
 

phirechick

Sponsoring Member
Jul 3, 2001
87
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They are probably all same, we just started to use Motul and it works for us. I also here good things about Engine Ice as well.
 

nephron

Dr. Feel Good
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 15, 2001
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Jasle--did the 03 (or will the 04) get the new clutch (R2/R3)?

We've got an R2. Good bike. As Jasle said, the clutch fades when hot... Fragile plastics. Piss poor throttle cable/mechanism. Great suspension. Not as fast as the ProSenior KTM (which we have) but an R3 might be.

I can't think of anything else that breaks. As Jasle said, change the oil AT LEAST every other ride.
 

Jasle

Sponsoring Member
Nov 27, 2001
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The 04's should come with them and the paperwork has been done to make them a legal upgrade for the older bikes for AMA rules.

If you want the R2 to be as fast as the KTM take the 14mm restrictor out of the carb, or if you have the 14mm upgrade to the 19mm carb. I'm not sure if LEM uses the 19 with a restrictor or just the 14mm carb outright. But that is the only difference in motors between the R2 and R3
 

badjam

Member
Nov 30, 2003
4
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Weisco does make a piston for the bike cause I had one put in and the LEM are one of the most durable bikes out there. There is not a cobra/polini that has been able to keep up with his bike on the dirt.

Parts are easy and no more expensive then any other 50cc make.
 

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