Connecticut - GREY BIKE REG ISSUE RESOLVED
 

I should have seen this coming... The bike was too good to be true for the price... I know a couple other guys in the area that had reg issues but my bike was already on the way when I found out. Looks like "American Lifan" or " Lifan" is non registrable in CT. It is not "on their approved list" of name brands. I went today and trailered it into the inspection station, they told me its a no go. They told me the bike passed but that was irrelevant to reg. They told me they checked both my vin and then the American Lifan name brand and neither came back approved. They said my Certificate of Origin was not worth the paper it was printed on because its not in their list. They said if it were a Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki or KTM it would be fine. I am very irate and I have no idea what to do. It's a GY5 so I thought it would be EPA and DOT approved in all states except CA.

If anyone could help it would mean a lot, I really don't want to get rid of my baby, its not even broken in yet!! :cry: From what I understand other riders in my area where told the same thing even after going to other DMV branches. I am very let down to say the least...
:x

I would contact American Lifan and see if it is dot approved where You are...They might be able to get it handled.

Where did you buy from?

Allen

Here is the paper that the head DMV Inspector gave me.. He also put his phone number because I asked for it so I could call him if I found proof that they are legal in CT.

I called Brian and motoxtreme and he also told me to contact AL as I am trying to do now.

http://img33.picoodle.com/img/img33/...Nm_4e89744.jpg

I found this thread.It seems that some have registerd Lifans in Conn.

http://www.chinariders.net/modules.p...ewtopic&t=1563

I have been trying to contact Frontier Imports (where I ordered the bike from) to see if they will help me but I haven't been able to get in touch with them since the sale as I had a few other issues that needed to be addressed re the bike. I think their voice mail may not be working in the service department as they never return any of my calls even from last week. I did get a chance to speak with AL and they told me that they can not help because it looks like F.I is not an authorized dealer for AL and this happens all the time. They were nice but rude at the same time. They told me that I can only use the bike to "ride down to my mailbox and back" and he was laughing hysterically about it. He then said he is sorry that its not funny but it's the truth as its not from an authorized dealer so it will never see a plate even though the dealer said it was road legal in all states except CA. He also suggested I hook a mower on the back of it to make use of the bike since I would not be able to leave my house with it. I did not really like his humor at my expense 8O I then spoke with "Chaunl motorcycle USA" They are also listed on my MSO. They were really nice and sent me this email followed by a fax with their letterhead and signature in hope this might help at the DMV but that was all they could do.

Here is the email:


State of Connecticut

Department of Motor Vehicles

May 8, 2008


To whom it may concern:

Chuanl Motorcycle USA Co Ltd, located in Garland, TX, is a U.S. distributor for Chuanl Motorcycle Manufacturing Co Ltd which has manufacturing facilities in Taizhou, Huangyan District, Zhejiang Province, China. Chuanl Motorcycle Manufacturing Co Ltd manufactures motorcycles and scooters for us as well as for other distributors worldwide. One of the distributors of Chuanl Motorcycles in the U.S. is American Lifan. Chuanl products distributed by Chuanl Motorcycle USA Co Ltd are sold under the product name “Longbo”. Chuanl products distributed by American Lifan are sold under their name, “Lifan”.

Steve Coter's motorcycle was purchased through one of American Lifan’s licensed dealers in Texas. Both Chuanl and American Lifan are licensed distributors in the state of Texas, as well as many other states in the U.S.

Did you get a name of the person you talked to at American Lifan?That is totaly not right.

I did not get his name but I spoke with 2 guys there. They both said more of less the same thing that with it not being an authorized dealer that I was out of luck the first guy told me that I should contact the district attorney so that they could go after Frontier Imports so they could not sell any more bikes and the other guy had more of a southern voice and he was the one cracking all the jokes about using it as a mower or to get my mail. The second guy also told me to "sell it for parts" to a authorized dealer "if they would even take it" in exchange for a few hundred off of my new GY5 that I would have to buy from them if I wanted to have a bike to ride other then in my yard.

He said I had 3 choices

#1 Ride my bike around my yard and be happy with it
#2 Sell my bike for parts to a dealer in exchange for a discount on a legit MSO Lifan.
#3. Sue F.I for selling a bike without a license and try to get some money back.

I really don't like any of my choices very much. Seeing that there is no difference between the bike I have now and a new one except the person selling it and the price. How does this make my bike "worthless"?

Do you have a friend that you could sell it to in another state. It might be easier to plate, if it was already plated somewhere else.

Try another office?

Sell it here in the wanted section.

I'm sorry brother, I'm canadian and can't help much. N2r.

Re: #2 -

Did you ask him exactly how that would help? If A.L. or even Lifan isn't listed as approved for the state, it wouldn't matter if it was grey, black, blue or purple.

The agent at the DMV told you, according to the note, that Lifan is not a licensed manu. in your state, so buying a new bike is NOT an acceptable solution.


My advice is to call back and try to get that same guy on the phone (sounds like you'd recognize the voice) and get his name. I don't expect they'll help or say anything different, but they need to be aware of employees who treat customers so rudely.

I could venture my own guess as to who it was, but I won't.




As for getting plates, I wish I could help. The idea to have it plated in another state first might work.

Best of luck.
(and tell the rude fork on the phone that he has two choices: Either give up his efforts at customer service, or learn some damn manners. :evil: )

Can you not modify a dirt bike for the street over there....Im pretty sure they made that illegal here in Ontario CANADA awhile back, but it used to be legal to do that I think!
Cant you register as an off-road and then change the vehicle class after by saying its been modified or something?

let me know if you ever get hold of Frontier imports......I did an on line search and cant find anything on them, do they have a website, its strange they dont answer the phone.is it possible the bike is illegal and that is why the dmv cant recognize it...I imported a China bike into CANADA, as soon as that bike became legal for me to have or sell, the bikes VIN# became recognized to the Canadian vehicle registry, I can see it being similar in the States?

I will say this.I would never buy a AL if it was the only mortorized vehical left on the face of this earth.I have read enough to see the arrogance of that company. :evil:

good info. I can't really think of anyone I know in a different state. I will keep trying new offices; that looks like my only slim possibility. I don't think I can sell a bike to someone on here because they may have the same problem reg it. AL said its illegal for me to sell it other then for parts and if I knowingly try and find an office to reg it I will be doing so knowing it is illegal and I can be held responsible somehow. I guess because its "not authorized" according to them the bike has 0 value except as a parts bike. I just think that if they wanted to they could do more for me but it really seems like they want me to just "buy another bike". Good for them very bad for me.

When searching on the net for more contact numbers for Frontier Imports I dug something interesting up. From the looks of it the company has other aliases and stores all in the same area. It looks like they are all run by the same people using different store fronts perhaps to confuse customers to thinking they are dealing with different competitors almost like a secret monopoly?

PLEASE LOOK AT THIS AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.. IT GIVES 2 OTHER STORES THAT SEEM TO BE CONNECTED WITH FRONTIER IMPORTS. If that link don't work google Frontier Imports and it should be the 5th link down.

http://images.atvdiscounter.net/ATVD...ppingRates.pdf

I think I will call them on monday and see if they know anything.

I dont see why you cant sell the bike except for parts, why is that???