Lifan 200 - I'm getting desperate

[Armi]

I'm seriously considering buying a Lifan GS Sport... It's done <3000km and is a 2010 model for $1500.

I've had my learners for 6 months now and I still don't have a bike. I won an auction for a Bandit a while ago but the seller sold to someone else. So unless I can find something decent for not much over $2000 then I may buy this Lifan :mellow:

[Katman]

So unless I can find something decent for not much over $2000 then I may buy this Lifan :mellow:

Desperation is not an attractive look.

[Armi]

Desperation is not an attractive look.

I want a bike though. And I want it now

[JimO]

dont buy a lifan

[Spearfish]

If it has a warranty and the best you can find at the time, go for it.
At that price you gamble high mileage or low enthusiasm for quality (probably a bit unfair). Its just got to get you past the licence stages.

[Ender EnZed]

Hitch hike (seriously, it's not hard) to Te Puke with $1500 in your pocket. Buy this (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/sports/auction-380128086.htm). Thank me later.

[Katman]

Listen to this man. ^

Thank him later.

[Armi]

Hitch hike (seriously, it's not hard) to Te Puke with $1500 in your pocket. Buy this (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/sports/auction-380128086.htm). Thank me later.

It's tempting...

[sil3nt]

Or if you are lazy and CBF travelling far
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/sports/auction-376833588.htm

[baptist]

Listen to this man. ^

Thank him later.

+1, get it checked out might be a good buy. Be easier to on sell in a year or two than the Lifan as well.

[jaffaonajappa]

Lifan is sooooo bad, a GN250 is better. Thats how bad the lifan is :)

Check out the 225 yamahas......pretty nice wee bikes them scorpios. And cheapish.

[ducatilover]

That VT250 is a great deal :yes: Push the Lifan over.

[EJK]

If you actually somehow buy one of those lemon made by Lifan, you deserve everything you get.

[Icemaestro]

or this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=380419272
or
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=382140740
Have you been looking on trademe..properly?? There are quite a few sub 2000$ bikes at the moment!

[Edbear]

If you actually somehow buy one of those lemon made by Lifan, you deserve everything you get.

Sorry mate but I have to agree with this. A mate of mine bought one brand new due to the price and he very quickly regretted it. If it lasts at all, it'll only be worth scrap and you will use up a lot of your more colourful vocabulary on it by then as well. The other suggestions here are well worth looking at.

[Beren]

Would love to hear some first hand stories on the build quality of those Lifans... I looked at getting one for all of 2 minutes before getting a bandit instead. The price made it a very tempting idea for a while though.

[awayatc]

I am confused.....

You say you want a bike?

and you say you want to buy a "lifan"

Which is it?

[Spearfish]

Double Happy, Hollywood, you so big, lucky fun time, Lifan make so many...they must be good, right?
Pretty much the only claim to fame they have.

They have also discovered the secret of jetting carbs with anything resembling a brass screw with a hole in it..why use a 105 when they have plenty of 95's left over from the the production run of smaler bikes..see no waste...but they are cheap.

[Swoop]

Post #6 has all the information you require.

[nudemetalz]

VT250F's are excellent wee bikes, had 2 in the family.
Just make sure it has healthy oil.

Agree with NO LIFAN !!
YES VT !!

[Insanity_rules]

Dude, seriously do the VT.

[imdying]

Definitely get the VT, we loved those when I was a teen. Everyone needs to learn how to do a cam chain or replace what's left of the motor when is destroys itself. On a budget, the FXR beats it hands down.

[ducatilover]

Definitely get the VT, we loved those when I was a teen. Everyone needs to learn how to do a cam chain or replace what's left of the motor when is destroys itself. On a budget, the FXR beats it hands down.

My brother emailed me about that VT the other day, he's wanting to get a bike obviously, I told him to check it very carefully.
They're good bikes, 'till the tensioners full apart and it explodes....:facepalm:

[imdying]

They sound neat too on an open pipe.

[ducatilover]

You certainly can make some interesting noises with them :innocent:

[rickstv]

About 3 years ago I bought an LF250 ( verago knock off). It didn't give me a moments trouble over 20000K's. It would splutter a bit while idling in temps below 5 degrees C though, but that wasn't much of a problem.

I now have a GSX600F, would I recommend a Lifan? I don't know.
You have to weigh up the advantage of a cheap bike against the probability that no one will buy it off you when it comes time to trade up.

Everyone has an opinion based on what they have heard from a friend of a friend who heard from someone else.
These opinions make the bike worthless in the end.

Rick.

[Katman]

Just been reading up on Lifan's factory warranty.


2a. Private use; The warranty runs for the term of 12 months from the date of purchase.

But.....


4. The warranty ceases if:
a) The Lifan product is damaged by:
- normal wear and tear;
- accident;
- misuse;
- failure to properly maintain and service;
- infestation by insects and vermin;
- incorrect operation;
- excessive use;
- use of which is not designed;

It appears that the 12 month warranty is certainly not an unlimited kilometres one.

[Banditbandit]

And Lifan could always argue it was built as an ornament and never meant to be actually ridden .. so there's an "out" in the "use of which is not designed" clause ...

Buy the VT250 in Te Puke ... nice ride home to get used to it ..

[Armi]

Buy the VT250 in Te Puke ... nice ride home to get used to it ..
Gotta get myself some gear first

[jaffaonajappa]

Just been reading up on Lifan's factory warranty.



But.....



It appears that the 12 month warranty is certainly not an unlimited kilometres one.



Adds a whole new meaning to Lifans other less well known slogan..... "Five dolla short time"

[caseye]

Have to say having owned a near new ( Got it as a 2008 in early 2009) TLC 250 LF for the past three years , that it has never missed a beat. Been down three times, twice without a scratch. came through a very hard meeting with the road needing only a new headlight and other minor bits and pieces.Tracks perfectly rides nice and maintains a good 110- or more if required.
Been a brilliant learning bike for the wife.
Not for sale yet as it's my current ride until the coal burner rises from the ashes, but she will be for sale in the not to distant future.
Don't hesitate to buy one of these if it looks OK and rides OK it probably is OK.

[jafar]

Interesting that most who have said not to buy the lifan have probably never owned or even ridden one.:facepalm:

I had a Zonshen gy200 & it performed faultlessly, right up until it was written off in an oops. The price was a consideration in the deal & @ half the price of the equivilent japanese bike was good value for money.:niceone:

[CRF119]

I have never even heard of a lifan so it must be a waste of space in the motorcycle world.

[caseye]

Wait a minute, so you're saying that because you've never heard of one , they're nothing,no good, useless pieces of shiete?
Nice, cheers mate.
As Martin, Jafar for those who may not know, said above.The opinions of most arseholes seem to be coming from those who've never owned or operated said bikes. I posted because I have and to date it's been a bloody beautiful little piece of kit.

[Katman]

The opinions of most arseholes seem to be coming from those who've never owned or operated said bikes.

Some of us arseholes speak from knowledge gained from 'operating' in a literal sense. :msn-wink:

[caseye]

If i want sh.. outa you, I'll .Ah shucks you know I didn't mean ewe and I bow to your far superior knowledge of all things motorcycle.
Butt I too have an opinion and I am allowed to take an exception to uninformed unfounded slandering.

[blackdog]

I have never even heard of a lifan so it must be a waste of space in the motorcycle world.

who made yer pitbike?

if you could only have a lifan or walk, what would it be?

[Katman]

if you could only have a lifan or walk, what would it be?

A pair of Adidas.

[blackdog]

A pair of Adidas.

To wear the toes out of when hard cornering?

[Katman]

To wear the toes out of when hard cornering?

I'm not that unsteady on my feet.

[short-circuit]

Gotta get myself some gear first

Bargains....
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/138728-Jackets-pants-boots-gloves-etc

[CRF119]

who made yer pitbike?

if you could only have a lifan or walk, what would it be?

Pit bike well i didn't even pay for it. So far ive had to replace every bearing make better shock bushes Match the intake to the head because it was 5mm out and rewire it. the list goes on and on Good thing i payed nothing for the pice of china shit. BTW the RRP on said pit bike is around 2.5g

When your wonder full lifan's can clock up over 120,000 km and not have any issues then ill have some respect for them. Until then ill take the foot path.