Hello from Florida!

[JWarren]

Hello everyone,

I thought I would post a little bit about my bike and start a thread here to hopefully get some answers to some questions I have.

I bought this bike used with approx. 900 miles on it, for $900.00. It's got a few issues but it is drivable and fires up every time. I had been looking at scooters for quite a while and even drove a few, so over the course of a few months of investigating this and that, I had come across the Lifan Brand more than a few times and wasn't totally unfamiliar with the name and quality. I work 5 miles from where I live and was looking for something easy on gas to get me back and forth.

It was a good thing that I had already been looking around for a cheaper ride, as the motor in my 87 ford pick-up finally told me it needed an overhaul. When the crank shaft slides back far enough that the starter gear won't engage the fly wheel anymore, you know it's time for an overhaul!

Anyway, I was cruising around Craig's list one evening and happened across this LF200. I got in touch with the guy and setup a time to give it a ride. The stock battery was shot, but it fired right up on the first kick. I ran around the block a few times and I was hooked! What a nice ride! I was impressed and was totally blown away, remembering all the negative crap I have read on the Internet about Chinese bikes. After buying the bike and riding it now for a few weeks, I can safely say that this bike is way out of that stereotypical category. This is one sweet ride for it's size and power rating.

The bike suites every purpose that I needed, which was not a lot, since I only need it to get back and forth to work. It's got a few rattles and has needed some attention in these areas, but I think I got them just about all tightened up.

Is the bike worth $900.00 bucks? To me it is! I would even pay $1700.00 or what ever they are selling for, for a brand new one, although I do have my eye on the 400.

The bike needs a few things. The guy that I bought it from layed it down and the front left blinker was damaged, so he removed both of them; don't ask me why. The tack dose not work and there is no speedo cable. So as far as the actual mileage on the bike goes, I could only take his word that the cable snapped two weeks before I bought it. The speedo says 679 miles right now so I figure the 900 mile guestamate is close to being in the ball park, but who knows. The lay down caused very minimal damage and most all cosmetic, which is not that bad at all. Other than the broken turn signal in the front the clutch lever and shift lever got a little bent. Other than that, the bike looks like a 2 year old bike that rides nicely down the road.

I had posted a thread on the American Lifan site and was informed that this is a black market bike. You say grey market, I say black market and I am black listed by American Lifan, as I cannot get parts for it, at least not form AL. I am going to try and hook up with anyone here that may know where I get pick up a few parts or mod the parts out to keep the bike on the road.

The bike I have is pretty solid other than a few rattles and the broken stuff I like it very much. Here is a link to the thread that I started at the AL forum:

http://www.americanlifan.com/lifan3/...pic.php?t=1159

Thanks for looking!