Hooper Imports LLC Speaks......

[mrhyak]

I just saw this on his website, but I guess he posted it Wed. Interesting....

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February 13, 2008

To Our Valued Customers,

As we are all aware there are many issues regarding Chinese made goods and factories.

It has been brought to our attention that American Lifan is claiming that they are the only authorized seller of Lifan products. Hooper Imports LLC has been importing motorcycles, parts and engines from Chongqing Lifan Industry Group since 2002. We have personally been a hosted visitor to their facility in China and traveled with them to the Canton Fair in Guangzhou China. We have even hosted a visit from their factory representative who visited us in the United States, Seattle.

A telephone call was made to American Lifan today attempting to remedy the false claims made on their websites. A woman claiming to be their Chief Financial Officer answered the phone, after a short discussion told me that they were one and the same company, and then hung up on me.

Fact: Hooper Imports LLC sells motorcycles and parts purchased from Chongqing Lifan Industry Group. Please follow the links to the following exhibits and judge for yourselves the legitimacy of my products and who is telling the truth. It appears that we may be headed into litigation for defamation of character, liable and slander for the way Lifan is conducting its business. If they wish to do business in the United States they must learn to play fair.


Sincerely,

Larry Hooper

Performa Invoice:
https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp...ma_Invoice.JPG

MSO:
https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp..._MSO_LF150.JPG
https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp...Lifan_MSOr.JPG

Factory representative:
https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp...n_frt_sign.JPG

https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp...t_entry_in.JPG
https://st12.flashecom.com/hooperimp..._entry_out.JPG

[culcune]

Well, I do remember the infamous letter from Lifan, but Hooper was not mentioned in it. I think Mr. Hooper has a point, but I guess he has to stress the "Skygo" part of the Lifan business he is into and he should not have any problems.

[MATT]

I just noticed on lifan wholesalers website that alot of there products are now out of stock. The gy200 is one of those out of stock, wondering if they have been cut off. They were one of the dealers named in the letter.

[AZ200cc]

Might be getting in the next years models, The gy Lifan has an all new model. Could explain being out of stock.

[almonpoole]

We all know Larry is a great guy. None of the other vendors such as Rabbit have been cut off at all. I know this because I talk to Brian from time to time (he is our sites sponsor)

I am still unclear if American Lifan is owned by China Lifan, I thought they were just another importer who had a dealer network in the States but I could be wrong.

There are a lot of really angry dealers who are not affiliated with American Lifan who buy direct from China Lifan day in and day out, in fact I have heard that some of these dealers have stopped buying from China Lifan until they clarify their position.

I personally think every U.S. importer should stop buying from China Lifan and let's see if American Lifan can make up the revenue lost. I bet they either really grow or they go away, which I personally wish they would, go away that is. Or at least there could be some new people brought in to replace them who are reputable in the communication that they supply the public who buys from them.

You cannot play moral superiority in the China bike business telling everyone on your website home page that anyone who sells online is a fraud and then have a few dealers who you are spotlighting that sell online!

I feel bad for the good American Lifan dealers out there who are being embarrassed by this position that American Lifan is taking (and there are a lot of really good American Lifan dealers out there).

I always have said that there is a market for both types of vendors (Online and Dealer network) depending on the technical know how of the customer. I think American Lifan wants it their way or no way.

American Lifan has not been telling the truth about these other companies and it is about to get really ugly for them......

Almon

[culcune]

The fact that Hooper was not mentioned in the letter on China Lifan's site, and the fact that he has been selling lifan's bikes since '02 tells us all how fragmented the manufacturers really are.

[ejcycles]

To all this concerns:

The web link below goes to The Chinese *Chongqing Lifan* web site. This is the letter that culcune is talking about for those who have not read it.

http://www.lifan.com/en//corpnews_li...5&parentid=358
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This is somewhat the same copyright infringement that *Yamaha* had with a company in the mid-late 60's named *Maverick Motorcycles*. {*Maverick Motorcycles* made Mini-Cycles until 1968 when they became *Gemini Motorcycles*}. As the facts go: Maverick was buying/using Yamaha's 50cc & 55cc horizontal rotary valve engines in bikes they where making. Maverick was supposed to change so much of the engine Not to infringe upon Yamaha copyrights. In 1968 *Maverick Motorcycles* was sold/changed to *Gemini Motorcycles*. Gemini was buying/using the 55cc, 80cc & 125cc Yamaha engines in their bikes. At this time this put the copyright part upon Gemini Motorcycles.

The infringement part goes as follows: Yamaha sold Maverick & Gemini engines. Both companies where supposed to change the engines so not to infringe upon Yamaha's copyrights here in The USA. This part didn't ever completely happened. Gemini changed a couple of the parts on the engines, but not enough parts so they where not infringing upon Yamaha copyrights. In 1972 Yamaha finally stepped in and shut Gemini down (stopping sales of engines) because of copyright infringements (Gemini not changing enough of the engines).
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Chongqing Lifan, Does Own American Lifan. Chongqing Lifan being who they are in The USA has and is claiming copyrights on their vehicles and trademark.
Hooper Imports is selling a motorcycle named Skygo. As far as The Copyright laws go he can legally do this as long as he changes so much of each & every vehicle that he sells, or sell different vehicles than Chongqing Lifan so he is not infringing upon Chongqing Lifan's copyrights here in The USA. Hooper Imports can't say or advertise they are Lifan vehicles or use the Lifan trademark in any way shape or form, because Chongqing Lifan has and is claiming copyrights on their current products and trademark. {Just as Gemini was not allowed to say or advertise that they where using Yamaha engines.} Hooper Imports can sell Lifan products under The Skygo name, but again can't use The Lifan name or trademark. He (Hooper) can sell the products that Chongqing Lifan decides not to sell any longer, or considers discontinued in their line-up. The only bike I know of right now that will look the same, but is different is The LF110GY-3 which is a ???copy??? of a H. *C*T*7*0* motorcycle. Hooper is calling it {The Trail Ryder SG110cc}, Chongqing Lifan is calling it {The LF110GY-3}. There are differences between the two bikes and just may be enough so there are no copyright infringements.
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Example of a letter from Honda: Honda was sending out letters to cease & desist of the sale of this motorcycle {Trail/CT70 Copies} and may still be. The letter said (partially) that these copies where confusing the American Public, and this is not copyright infringement. Honda copyrights have expired on this bike, as the last time they sold it here in The USA was 1994, so they either expired in 1994 or for the most part three years after this. Copyrights only last Seven years and they need to be re-newed after Seven years and every 7 thereafter. I personally know Dealers that received the letter, along with the old Redcat Motors & American Lifan. Honda stopped selling the CT70 first in 1984, they re-introduced it in 1990 and sold it till the end of 1994.
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Don't blame me, because I'm up in the air on some of this as all of you are. I'm going by what I know as fact about our (USA Copyright Laws) and I may not be 100% correct.
For a matter of fact... Do you all think that Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki & Yamaha make 100% of their vehicles in Japan? Well I got news for ya! :roll:

[TeamCheap]

Dont go telling me my wifes raptor 350 wasnt made by japanese hands, I wont hear of it la la la la la la la la

[mrhyak]

I think what Larry is getting at is the fact that his company has been selling Lifan products in the USA longer then American Lifan and Lifan China made a deal with him to sell their products, then they open their own distribution network called American Lifan and now online somewhat smear other companies that claim to sell Lifan products and he feels that is unfair.

He already went through the whole "Skygo" labeling, but his products are all Lifan as he stated, from Lifan China with a Skygo sticker and when someone buys from him the certificate says LIFAN. His site says Skygo Lifan and I see no reason why he can't let people know his bikes and parts are REAL Lifan. Same with the other companies out there in the US that made similar deals.

[almonpoole]

Thanks Bruce,

It seems Hooper is mad because of the way China Lifan is dealing with this. The big three direct importers, Rabbit, Hooper and TMS should not be alienated by the company they are giving tons of money to.

I don't care anymore who sells Lifan bikes in the end, I just want some clarification.

The big direct importers will start selling other bikes leaving Lifan in the cold. I'm not sure if this helps American Lifan or hurts them but China Lifan will feel this, when you take away 120k every 30 days anyone can feel that no matter how big you are.

Hopefully this will all work out so that we, the consumer, don't have to pay 3k for a 200cc bike. I think that hurts Lifan as I know I would just buy a Japanese bike at that point.......

Also this hurts good Lifan dealers, some of which are just hanging on.

Almon