Is it hard for Chinese-made motorcycles to get fixed in America? Like brand Lifan Co?

[ssly1]

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Lifan GY200 dirt motor bike (200cc Dual-Sport Motorcycle) for $699 on eBay. Would I have a hard time getting parts and getting the motorcycle with chinese parts fixed? Would getting it fixed cost a whole lot more than a regular American motorcycle? Thanks.

[CB750F]

If you can find parts and a person to do it. A good many bike shops won't touch them with a 10 foot poll.

[BH121869]

Originally Posted by ssly1

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Lifan GY200 dirt motor bike (200cc Dual-Sport Motorcycle) for $699 on eBay. Would I have a hard time getting parts and getting the motorcycle with chinese parts fixed? Would getting it fixed cost a whole lot more than a regular American motorcycle? Thanks.

Don't do it at any price.

[olds_cool63]

I own a Tank 250 2i. Biggest mistake I ever made. Can't get parts or help, answers or support from the manufacturer. I had to MAKE parts for my bike. I'm trying to get rid of it and get a REAL bike! I don't think it's a Chinese thing, tho. Just a crappy company with crappy products. Happens in the US all the time...

[Guy]

You did the right thing -- you did some research. People are getting hit with non-existant parts and no tech support all the time. There's a big issue with 50cc scooters from China, too. It's cheap to start out, but it gets worse when the maintenance needs to get done. If you can find a reliable source of parts and labor near you, then consider it. Otherwise, get an older Japanese dirt bike -- but not too old Vintage parts can be as scarce as Lifan parts.

[olds_cool63]

Update!!!

I finally got a part (a metal mirror bracket...a part I had to make earlier) after 6, yes 6, MONTHS!

I'm speechless...

[ancientmelodies]

I wouldn't ever buy a chinese bike

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by ancientmelodies

I wouldn't ever buy a chinese bike

I think I would again...just not the same brand. We'll see...

[ancientmelodies]

Originally Posted by olds_cool63

I think I would again...just not the same brand. We'll see...

Problem is alot of the different brand names are produced by the same factory and what a lot of these chinese companies do is change names often so they don't have to do warranty claims or parts.

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by ancientmelodies

Problem is alot of the different brand names are produced by the same factory and what a lot of these chinese companies do is change names often so they don't have to do warranty claims or parts.

Yeah...I heard that before. The best thing to do is go with an established brand that's been around for awhile. I've seen Lifan bikes sold as so many other brands, it's ridiculous. I'd just go with a real Lifan.

[Maico Shark]

Well I lost a hundred bucks on a minichopper and felt lucky to get out from under. I put gas in it twice and it ate the chrome off the gas cap. I would only buy a chinese bike that the chinese use themselves I mean these people put serious miles on their bikes but like they've always done what they export is always inferior to what they use themselves. If it was just parts that could be fixed but it's the slip shod engineering that can't be overcome, the micro thin plating that goes to rust from ordinary humidity, paint that rubs off when you wipe it, untempered gears, etc, etc. Do not buy Chinese motorcycles. My advice for what it's worth.

[L2 Motorcycle Rentals]

Super hard - no support whatsoever

It's the same for all the no name atv, go carts, mini bikes, etc. coming from Japan and China

I bought some scooters years ago and when they broke, we used them for spare parts for the others.... then we through'm out when we used'm all up

L2 Lumpy

[0bxbiker]

Mainland China has shown absolutly no control on the ''quality'' of the bikes being exported..

HOWEVER do not confuse the Tiawanese Kymco Venox with the cheap mainland China products,

They are the #1 scooter maker in Tiawan and # 5 worldwide.
For 40 years was a major parts and small engine manufactor for Honda.
The Kymco Venox basicly a Honda Magna 250/VT250C that was overseas in the 90's.
It has new body panels, larger fuel tank and a new high tec engine that has twin carbs, 4 valves per cylinder that generates 28hp @10,500 rpm (stock). Compare that with any other 250cc...

They also this year introduced it in a fuel injected model which is already overseas.

[BH121869]

Originally Posted by ancientmelodies

I wouldn't ever buy a chinese bike

This is exactly what we were saying about the Jap bikes in the 60's. Look out in 20 years. By 1970 or so I had to admit Honda was making some nice bikes for the price. By 80ish the others too. I had a 67 Honda and a 72 and 74 Kaw that were really poor quality bikes. Not up to the normal standards for the time.
But look at them now. They are nice and the price shows it. I stopped in a metric shop today to get the Honda spray polish, the best, and looked at prices. Makes the Harleys look like a good deal to me. On the way to my bike a lady was ogaling over my sporty and her man was not too happy that she liked the bike. As for the chinese and korean bikes wait a few years till one stands out as a good one that you can get parts for.

[Grace]

It seems that i am at the right place, i am working in the Lifan Group, if you need lifan bikes or engines, i will be glad to help. , and if you need i can show the picture of Lifan 150cc engine for dirt bikes. haha.

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by Grace

It seems that i am at the right place, i am working in the Lifan Group, if you need lifan bikes or engines, i will be glad to help. , and if you need i can show the picture of Lifan 150cc engine for dirt bikes. haha.

Hi, Grace. I'm interested in the Lifan LF400. Is it gonna be sold in the US? Is the Lifan factory where you work?

Thanks!

olds_cool63
Custom Cruiser
Custom Sportbike
BOTH metric!

[Grace]

Originally Posted by olds_cool63

Hi, Grace. I'm interested in the Lifan LF400. Is it gonna be sold in the US? Is the Lifan factory where you work?

Thanks!

olds_cool63
Custom Cruiser
Custom Sportbike
BOTH metric!

Hi, I am working in one of Lifan's factories, you know there are almost 11 factories in Lifan Group. LF400 is our new product too, so it is not very mature, we will not export to the foreign countries until we can guarantee the quality. do you have any interest in dirt bikes?

[L2 Motorcycle Rentals]

Check the ip address, I find it very, very hard to believe that someone from China, let alone a factory worker has any access to a computer. The PRC doesn't allow ANY Internet access to its masses... LOL

Grace....

WhoFlungPooh? haha

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by Grace

Hi, I am working in one of Lifan's factories, you know there are almost 11 factories in Lifan Group. LF400 is our new product too, so it is not very mature, we will not export to the foreign countries until we can guarantee the quality. do you have any interest in dirt bikes?

No Grace...I'm not into dirtbikes. I have a Tank 250 2i sport bike and now I'm looking for a cruiser. I really like the Lifan LF400, so please keep us up to date when it comes to the US.


Thanks!

olds_cool63
Custom Cruiser
Custom Sportbike
BOTH metric!

[L2 Motorcycle Rentals]

I should have said, they don't allow INTERNET ACCESS. They're allowed computers... but no Internet

Chop Chop

[CB750F]

I would guess that someone in management would have internet access in China. The company I work for has plants in China and the folks working there in management have email.

Be respectful to others here.

Morning Ssly1,

At this point I'd have to say I doubt if you'd have any more difficulty getting parts for your Chinese (or South Korean) made motorcycle then I've had since getting parts (a lot but not impossible...) for my 'American' made Victory - perhaps even less?! I'd highly recommend checking out a site called alternativecruisers.com that specialize in covering the Lifan and others from that part of the world. Darn nice people! I went in there originally because I was interested (and still am ) in the Hyosung GV650 Cruiser. Only thing that stops me on the bike (besides lack of coin and NO space... ) is I just need a bigger bike (larger engine) these days and I've got this unyielding issue with anything that uses Valve SHIMS to take up the valve lash (@#%@3%#)! I was very impressed that Hyosung had the courtesy to answer my inquires (can't say the same for friggin' Polaris) so who ever makes the effort I think deserves the sale, ya' know?! But as far as getting your machince serviced, I would say Foreign OR Domestic - be prepared to do your OWN work on it! For myself anyways, that's just the way I like it! Nuff' said...

LRG

Originally Posted by ssly1

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Lifan GY200 dirt motor bike (200cc Dual-Sport Motorcycle) for $699 on eBay. Would I have a hard time getting parts and getting the motorcycle with chinese parts fixed? Would getting it fixed cost a whole lot more than a regular American motorcycle? Thanks.

[duncanmoto]

I have to say, any motor vehicle for that cheap on EBAY is a throw away not a "pay to fix it" kind of product.

[BH121869]

I know several people that bought bikes of these brands from China and Korea and wish they hadn't. They are all setting in their garages not running. My son also had me look at a four wheeler his friend bought and it is junk too. You get what you pay for is all I can say. Wait till all the recalls start on them. Right now from China tires are on the list as well as food and toys.

[olds_cool63]

Well, my Tank...or as I like to call it, Stank...is gonna be on Craigslist next week. Time I moved on to a REAL bike. If it doesn't sell, then I'll do some MAJOR mods on it starting with a bigger engine...

Thanks!

olds_cool63
Custom Sportbike
Custom Cruiser
BOTH metric!

DON'T be a SQUIDIOT!

[Roadslayer]

Wow! This thread is getting complicated. I don't know about mainland Chinese bikes so I'll stay out of that. However, Japanese bikes throughout the '60s were little gems. Got all us punks riding. And they worked. Unlike some other foreign brands I had experience with. And yes. There was plenty of skepticism at the time. I grew up in a small town and there were at least four dealers. Honda,Yamaha,Suzuki and by '67, Kawasaki. In that order. Throw in Yamaguchi,Ducati,Hodaka and many others and the gammit was pretty well covered.

The blanket statement that China doesn't have internet is just not accurate. I'm on an anything goes bike forum out of Shanghia and it sure looks like internet to me.


'Cheers' Roadslayer

It doesn't seem like there are too many successes when it comes to large ticket items in the US from China period. The hassle of getting service and parts makes it worse than the hardest to find pats for european sports cars. To avoid problems I would go with a more common bike for the region.

[shuopumoto]

Not all chinese dirt bikes are of bad quality, so it deponds.

If you buy one from Ebay, then you'd better to consider maintainance issue. There are also some fake ones too.

I suggest you buy one sold near you. at least you will get warranty period.

[olds_cool63]

Turns out nobody wants my Tank 250 2i. Surprise,surprise.

So, I ordered new tires and straight pipes for it. Gonna get some bigger jets next week. Put in some iridium plugs. Gotta pick up 2 cone filters. Gonna use truck bed liner on all the plastic and tank.

Since nobody wants it, I'm gonna turn it into a REAL bike. Eventually, I'll find a bigger engine for it...maybe a thumper.

Thanks!

olds_cool63
Custom Sportbike
Custom Cruiser
BOTH metric!

DON'T be a SQUIDIOT!

[olds_cool63]

So, anybody else out there with a Chinese bike having fun trying to keep it together?

Nuff said.

olds_cool63
Custom Sportbike
Custom Cruiser
BOTH metric!

DON'T be a SQUIDIOT!

[whfabr]

I'm new. This is my first post. Also fairly new as a road rider (but not off-road). I hadn't ridden in 20 years, so for a few hundred dollars I got a 2003 UM DT 200 (off road only), to learn ride a modern bike (previously rode vintage only, back in the eighties). I expected to treat it rough, on the forest roads and trails, go down as much as necessary to practice swerving and emergency stops for street licensing. Although a 16 year old previously used it to learn to ride and it shows a lot of wear (such as subtly 1/2 length levers that didn't come that way etc.) it starts on the first kick once warm (I eventually got a battery to use the electric start, which works fine). And this is after my own mishaps, which include: trying to ride it up a ramp into my van (don't ask why), getting the front tire on the roof owing to a big wheelie from a slipping then catching rear tire, and dropping it from about five or six feet; also landing it in ditches several times, no damage apparent; also riding into a puddle that I didn't think hard enough about, a puddle that turned out to be several feet deep at the end of an eight inch plateau, which I rode into with the engine running and submerged as I hit the kill switch. It was underwater a while before I could get enough grip in the slippery clay to pull it out. I drained the airbox, checked the carb intake for water, let everything drip, and it started right up. No subsequent problems after some basic work to dry it out at home. No water in the oil. It's simple to work on and tough. Can't beat the price.

To start road riding I got (again at a very very low price) a nearly new Diamo LS 200 enduro model. My purchase price for an unused '06 doesn't predict a good resale value. But again, I can't complain. Nothing has fallen off. It has front and rear disk brakes that work great, it's geared appropriately for a dual-purpose bike, goes about 75 with it's comfort level at 60, and has used a gallon of gas every 90-95 miles so far. The parts are available on order locally, and many Honda parts fit if modified, as do aftermarket parts I've tried. I've not been as hard on this one (went onto the margin for a car coming around a one-lane blind corner resulting in a 40 mph wipeout on a new gravel road on six inch deep gravel going downhill into a left hand turn with a sheer drop on the right -- I just couldn't slow down or steer onto the better part of the road without losing control -- only damage was bent up gearshift, still usable, which bent back into shape). So far, no problems at all in 1000 + miles. I ride in rain and off-road as well as on the street. I've put about 70 pounds of gear on it with little change in its riding character. I've ridden it about five days a week. No problems.

You might say, "this guy doesn't know what a good bike feels like." But I do know when there are problems. So for less than $2000 I have a decent dual purpose bike and a spare for parts. The bikes are nearly identical as far as I can tell. They came with the same manual. I stripped the same plastic off both (this is one area in which they are deficient -- the plastic seems brittle -- for example, handguards that crack so easily that I can't say they were guarding anything. Replaced necessary plastic on both bikes (front fender, handguards).

I don't know how easy they are to get fixed in most of the US -- I have a dealer who sells chinese bikes nearby. My impression is that dealers of the big four Japanese brands wouldn't work on them. I haven't had to ask, but maybe it's a pride thing, or a preconceived notion that they are just toys (the "you get what you pay for" thing). I'm okay with them. The 200's, though, all seem to be the same bike with occasional variations. The Diamo manufacturer is listed as 'Zongshen', and United Motors as itself. But their parts are interchangeable. That's weird to most people, but if you think of a post-communist industrial system trying to get a grip on "brands" for the western market, and missing the point, with 39 factories producing basically the same bike with standard parts, the variety of cosmetic treatments, names, and slight differences in configuration make sense. I figure that they've been making these for a long time, and it doesn't make sense to me that they would export worse bikes than they sell domestically.

Anyway, I've gone on too long -- but I think service should be widely available soon, if not now. I don't see these a lot, but they show up on CraigsList, for example, about as often as Ducatis, just to pick a brand. I am suspicious of the ones "right off the boat in original crate" for a price that must be far below the dealer's price. Does anyone know about those?

[olds_cool63]

Cool dude. Good write up.

As far as those bikes right out of the crate, DON'T touch 'em!

Nuff said!

olds_cool63
Custom Sportbike
Custom Cruiser
BOTH metric!

DON'T be a SQUIDIOT!

[Israel_SP]

Well,

The chinese are making an effort to get into brazilian motorcycle market, from 4, 5 years ago.

But, with all the sure, I can tell you. It´s not the best choice. The Lifan group is makking an attempt to sell here too.

The chinese motorcycles, can´t be compared to japanese, german or italians bykes. No way. They insist in spending more time at your mechanic than ridding aroud with you, lol.

[olds_cool63]

Originally Posted by Israel_SP

Well,

The chinese are making an effort to get into brazilian motorcycle market, from 4, 5 years ago.

But, with all the sure, I can tell you. It´s not the best choice. The Lifan group is makking an attempt to sell here too.

The chinese motorcycles, can´t be compared to japanese, german or italians bykes. No way. They insist in spending more time at your mechanic than ridding aroud with you, lol.

Don't I know it, dude...don't I know it.

Nuff said!

olds_cool63
Custom Sportbike
Custom Cruiser
BOTH metric!

[B]DON'T be a SQUIDIOT![/B

[Israel_SP]

If anyone here can read in portuguese, could know what the brazilians think about this f*cking plastic chinese bykes, lol..

http://www.debatemotos.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3731

[duncanmoto]

Originally Posted by Israel_SP

If anyone here can read in portuguese, could know what the brazilians think about this f*cking plastic chinese bykes, lol..

http://www.debatemotos.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3731

If you guys go to www.babelfish.yahoo.com you can translate that page pretty well. It's a little broken, but I got the jist that these bikes are really poor quality in parts and craftsmanship.

[Israel_SP]

You bet they are.

I will continue on relying on my italian Cagiva! lol.

[crazydave]

Originally Posted by olds_cool63

I own a Tank 250 2i. Biggest mistake I ever made. Can't get parts or help, answers or support from the manufacturer. I had to MAKE parts for my bike. I'm trying to get rid of it and get a REAL bike! I don't think it's a Chinese thing, tho. Just a crappy company with crappy products. Happens in the US all the time...

Maybe with products made in China. I can't remember any US product that is not required by most state laws to have repairability for a minimum of 7 years

[crazydave]

Originally Posted by ancientmelodies

I wouldn't ever buy a chinese bike

I personally wouldn't buy anything that has the ability to cause injury from China. If you want proof go to YouTube and do a search for Chinese vehicle crash tests. The red truck is especially entertaining.

[duncanmoto]

Originally Posted by crazydave

Maybe with products made in China. I can't remember any US product that is not required by most state laws to have repairability for a minimum of 7 years

I know that applies to cars, but I don't know about bikes.