I just started working as a tech on 'non-japanese, asian imports' and the lifan's seem to be the better made. They are no-where near the quality of the engines that they copy, but they aren't real bad. Replacement parts are available if you know where to look. They are mostly direct copies, too, so a lot of the stuff from the original manufacturer will just bolt on. Just today (yesterday?) I had to replace the cylinder & piston on a 250cc l/c Lifan, and it would have been a direct swap with the Honda Helix (scooter) parts.

The biggest problem, as far as failure, is carburetors. They are basically junk. As long as they are used regularly they seem to be fine, but if you let them sit for more than a month you have to disassemble and clean. After that seems to be cylinder/piston wear. Your not getting a whole bike, so you don't really have to worry about the fucked up wiring, lol. There's some stuff you just can't remove without cutting wires. Job security tho, amirite.

Another bonus is the importer we get parts from can get damn near anything, I should be getting a call back tuesday about the Pazzo lever knockoffs

 

I have a Li Fan 200 I'm currently fucking around with and would be interested in seeing some posts on whatever information you can get. Virtually unknown around here. I'm seeing more and more reference to these incredibly cheap bikes. I imagine that the Japanese bikes got the same shit rep when they hit US shores. I suspect that we'll see more from the Chinese manufacturing powerhouse before we see less.

 

I basicly heard and seen everything xci said. Out of all the copies they are the better brand. Basicly all off the shelf parts are interchangable with the Jap originals so you're fairly safe.

I'm not to familiar with the carbs, but if they're anything like the cheesy Delorto scooter carbs, then deffinatly drop a couple bucks extra and get a real Mukuni.

as for having to clean them, that's all the Ethenol that's in the gas now. After 30 days it's breaking down and varnishing everything. I just pulled the carbs off my Maxium for the 3rd time since June cause I let it sit up for a few weeks with gas in it.

 

as for having to clean them, that's all the Ethenol that's in the gas now. After 30 days it's breaking down and varnishing everything. I just pulled the carbs off my Maxium for the 3rd time since June cause I let it sit up for a few weeks with gas in it.

It also tends to corrode the aluminum on older carbs

I like ethanol, in general, but you do have to make sure you drain the bowls.

 

The ads say they come with a Mikuni, but I'm not sure if it's real, or a copy.

any way to tell what jap motor's they are copies of?

here is an example of one I was looking at ebay link

 

It's a Honda 50 clone with a serious big bore. Probably stroked too. Should be very similar to XR/crf 50, CT70, 90. ATC, etc.

 

bump, any experience?

 

some guy down the street has one from me



LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL


in all seriousness, the chinese can make my toasters, tvs, wtf everything but they are never making my motor vehicles. I do approve a bmw chinese built rotax. the germans and austrians only use them as slave labor, not designers.

taiwan and china are the same in my book, both inferior to their japanese overlords

 

trufe

I worked on a qlink commuter 250 today, which is a Honda Helix clone. Rides nice, good power, comfy seat. Ends there, body panels are made of shittiest plastic ever, poor panel fitment, vibrates like a dildo. It came in because the nylock rear axle nut worked loose & fell off. In the 3 days it sat waiting on the part, the rear brake switch stopped working so it wouldn't start (safety interlock). I thought the body panels were never going back on, they were all off by at least 1/8", the worst was off by 1/2". It is almost like they take the parts that won't pass QA for other companies and build them into complete bikes.

 

my shop carries them and the only thing wrong with them is the electrical components and the wiring and the suspension.... tho they tick way too loud for my liking but thats how they all sound like...theys good for engines

 

I know a lot of guys who run Lifan motors and haven't heard anything really bad about them.
Good thing is they are cheap and if you want to go after serious HP output it doesn't matter if it breaks, just go get a new one and start all over again.

I personally prefer Jialing as they are the Chinese Honda daughter and they only make like the cases in China while the piston, conrod and rings are supplied by Honda Japan. But it is only to stimulate my ego to feel better about buying chinese stuff.