Yamaha Scorpio or Lifan LF200 GS Sport?

[The Stranger:Me]

Jason from lifan - my old boss.

A bloodey top guy, and he does have the parts in full backing, for the money it is an okay bike.

I will say no more.

I aint putting my foot in it.

So what's the skinny Mark, tell us, do the frames break?
Is the wheel base too short? Are they over powered?

[Badjelly]

If you enjoy doing a little basic maintenance on your own bike its a good option, ... (deleted several paragraphs of things you can do to keep your Lifan running)...

Yeah, but if you enjoy mucking about with bikes so much, wouldn't it make more sense to buy a more expensive, capable bike second-hand?

I dont see why Yamaha couldnt make a scorpio type bike look like a sports bike? Why do they have those ugly looking single round headlight at the front bikes?

Cause it's not a bloody sports bike? And what's wrong with a nice, single, round headlight at the front. Are you trying to tell me this isn't a nice bike? ...

[kazza_nz_05]

Hi there. I say go with the Yamaha Scorpio Z SX-4, They are great little bikes and cheap to run. I have had mine for about a year now, haven't quite done 1000km on it yet, so not fully run in. Haven't been able to get out on it much over the past week or so due to the lovely welly weather we have been having. Still on my learners, but hopefully need to get cracking and get my restricted.

[Tank]

So what's the skinny Mark, tell us, do the frames break?
Is the wheel base too short? Are they over powered?

Do they not have USD suspension?

[toyboy]

Of course looks are far more important.
A bit of welding here and there is nothing, bolts rattling out, hey what the hell and wires? Who needs them anyway.

Just so long as it looks good - oh and has 2 head lights.

Exactly
Just my personal thought i really dont like the look of the single round headlight bike, just makes it look like it was designed in the 1950's
Noticed how not many cars have big round glass headlights anymore? Of course if you like the look of the model-t ford i'm sure you can build a car like that. (then again that bug eyed subby wrx had those sort of lights )
and the lf200 is also a kickstart so yes theres no need for wires during the day
I read somewhere that a new chrome 'plastic' headlight surround for that Yamaha is somewhere around the $250 mark?? are all Yamaha parts that expensive? How much for a metal foot rest, $1000?

[JimO]

the thing is that if you needed one you could get one i know of someone with a lifan 200 trailbike and its a slow dog PLUS it has absolutly no resale value

[toyboy]

yes its no 250cc ninja, but i'm just thinking of learning so no need to be pushing 100+kph and no motorway work required and will probably only ride it to work an back so maybe 10-15k a day at max
someone's even converted the lifan to an electric version http://www.electricmotion.org/
they basically just used to lifan body to bolt on an electric motor + batteries, still pretty cool though.
anyway for $3500 it's not really a big outlay in cost and i never expect to get anything like that back if it gets sold, but then who else out there spends $3500 on a plasma tv or other electronic stuff and expects to get anything like that in 12 months when they sell it? I think of the lifan as a fun expense like buying a computer, not a serious 150kph bike.
I expect to trash it, have fun with it, fall off a couple of times, maybe even bolt a turbo on for some fun weekend welding when i get bored with it (someones tubo'd one already, do a search for lifan turbo on youtube)

[The Stranger:Me]

Exactly
Just my personal thought i really dont like the look of the single round headlight bike, just makes it look like it was designed in the 1950's
Noticed how not many cars have big round glass headlights anymore? Of course if you like the look of the model-t ford i'm sure you can build a car like that. (then again that bug eyed subby wrx had those sort of lights )
and the lf200 is also a kickstart so yes theres no need for wires during the day.. Waffle waffle.

Have you ever thought of a career in sales?

So far you have rubbished your product completely by saying that the welds brake, the wiring is dodgy, the bolts rattle loose and now we find they are kick start too (and you compare the Yamaha to a model T?).

But the headlights look good, so I suppose that more than makes up for the other minor short commings.

[JimO]

yes its no 250cc ninja, but i'm just thinking of learning so no need to be pushing 100+kph and no motorway work required and will probably only ride it to work an back so maybe 10-15k a day at max
someone's even converted the lifan to an electric version http://www.electricmotion.org/
they basically just used to lifan body to bolt on an electric motor + batteries, still pretty cool though.
anyway for $3500 it's not really a big outlay in cost and i never expect to get anything like that back if it gets sold, but then who else out there spends $3500 on a plasma tv or other electronic stuff and expects to get anything like that in 12 months when they sell it? I think of the lifan as a fun expense like buying a computer, not a serious 150kph bike.
I expect to trash it, have fun with it, fall off a couple of times, maybe even bolt a turbo on for some fun weekend welding when i get bored with it (someones tubo'd one already, do a search for lifan turbo on youtube)

$3500 will get a vtr 250 that will still be worth that sort of money in a year but it has a round headlight

[ZK-Awesome]

Dude just get the scorpio, or a 2nd hand VTR etc for that price. The lifan doesn't even compare IMO.

[toyboy]

Have you ever thought of a career in sales?

So far you have rubbished your product completely by saying that the welds brake, the wiring is dodgy, the bolts rattle loose and now we find they are kick start too (and you compare the Yamaha to a model T?).

But the headlights look good, so I suppose that more than makes up for the other minor short commings.

Not trying to sell it, just quoting a few things i've seen over the net that one or two people have had happen to their bike (compared to how many thousand lifan bikes that are out there in the world?), are you 100% sure that no honda, or yamaha or other brand has NEVER had a weld get a small crack? or a wire come out? or any other little thing go wrong at some time in its life?
What if i go buy a second hand honda vtr or yamaha and something goes wrong with it, can i then give that brand shit for the rest of its life?
I've seen lots of positive comments from people about the LF200 lifan, I see more positive comments about it from owners online than complaints and the only complaints are little ones like a rattle from the plastic fairings that can be fixed by putting some rubber stoppers in there.
also most people who buy a cheap bike treat it like a cheap bike and and dont take care of the basics and that doesnt help things either.

oh and i said it is also kickstart, Electric + Kickstart so if the battery ever dies your not without the option of getting moving os its not comparable to a model t

Before you bitch about a bike best you read about it

[Shadows]

I dont see why Yamaha couldnt make a scorpio type bike look like a sports bike? Why do they have those ugly looking single round headlight at the front bikes, why not something sporty looking like the lifan lf200 for the same price as the scorpio?? How much would it cost to put some nice fairings and twin headlights at the front.

Having nice fairings and twin headlights on a learner's bike is not a good idea.

[Rollestonchick]

Stick with the Yamaha m8

[toyboy]

Having nice fairings and twin headlights on a learner's bike is not a good idea.

I always thought twin headlights were a good idea, if one bulb blows you have a spare one still glowing if its dark, good for safety isnt it? or is there something i'm not knowing about bikes and lights?
True big fairings are a bad idea, stop you from seeing everything around the wheel i guess? and also maybe a bit more wind resistance from the sides?

[howdamnhard]

[QUOTE=toyboy;1633165]Exactly
Just my personal thought i really dont like the look of the single round headlight bike, just makes it look like it was designed in the 1950's
Noticed how not many cars have big round glass headlights anymore? Of course if you like the look of the model-t ford i'm sure you can build a car like that.

Actually round reflectors are more efficient.