New 400cc V-twin For 150,000 Baht

[Richard-BKK]

Just wondering if somebody would be interested in buying a Thai build 400cc V-twin from the Chinese manufacturer Lifan. The product is really manufactured in Thailand, Lifan uses its Thai factory for smoother export to the USA market.

If the Lifan LF400 would become available in Thailand it will cost something like 150,000 Baht. This is an estimated price, so can be higher or lower.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[asdecas]

What are you saying? Do you have one for sale? If so, is this your price? Or are you enquiring into the general prospects of putting these motorcycles on the market in Thailand, and wanting to gauge demand by posting here?

[PeaceBlondie]

Not interested in choppers, in Chinese designs, etc.

[Tigersachsclub]

What are you saying? Do you have one for sale? If so, is this your price? Or are you enquiring into the general prospects of putting these motorcycles on the market in Thailand, and wanting to gauge demand by posting here?

I think it is pretty clear from his post that he doesn't sell one but rather do a bit research of general interest on the Lifan LF400.

Personally , i do think it would be good to have it available here. But i am unlikely to get it for myself. I can't generalise, but with the 400cc choppers that i drove i was not happy about the power/torque vs weight ratio. Seeing that the Honda Phantom had 200 cc and sold well here i can imagine that the LF400 could sell well too...but a lower than 150000 thb should be considered really in order to make it a success in sales too.

Happy trails,

Tiger/Sachs Club - Mbox

[vision]

That bikes styling looks real nice. Small and maneuverable enough for around town traffic but big enough engine to go out of town. Still, it would take an even lower price to get me to consider a Chinese design. Not that I am sure they are all bad just that I haven't had a lot of good experience with any yet. Now if it was from say Honda and had a bit more HP then the Phantom, I would be interested as hel_l even if the price were nearer 200K

[Richard-BKK]

The Lifan LF400 is designed by an American design and development team, and its original intention is to attract American customers. To my knowledge not much comparable 400cc products are available from a Chinese brand name?

The problem with the price is that the Lifan LF400 cannot get much cheaper than the 150k, it has something to do quality of used materials. For example to pass current emission rules in Europe and USA (including California) and Thailand, engines need to be equipped with all sort of technology to keep exhaust emission low. This sort of technology cost remarkably a lot of money, for example platinum costs the same for a Japanese, Thai or Chinese manufacturer.

[BWPattaya]

Well, the looks are awful, it is Chinese owned company..............

Would I buy one? Not a cat in hel_l's chance

[Tigersachsclub]

The Lifan LF400 is designed by an American design and development team, and its original intention is to attract American customers. To my knowledge not much comparable 400cc products are available from a Chinese brand name?

The problem with the price is that the Lifan LF400 cannot get much cheaper than the 150k, it has something to do quality of used materials. For example to pass current emission rules in Europe and USA (including California) and Thailand, engines need to be equipped with all sort of technology to keep exhaust emission low. This sort of technology cost remarkably a lot of money, for example platinum costs the same for a Japanese, Thai or Chinese manufacturer.

Do you have any specs of the LF 400 available?

[CHdiver]

It looks good and I think it would be nice to have them available here. Only the word LIFAN could be written a little bit smaller on the tank

[Tigersachsclub]

It looks good and I think it would be nice to have them available here. Only the word LIFAN could be written a little bit smaller on the tank

yep that name really sucks...take the name off and label it with whatever jap brandname you like ...it looks a bit like the Virago 400 so that would be a good name to choose for "re-branding"

[Tigersachsclub]

It looks good and I think it would be nice to have them available here. Only the word LIFAN could be written a little bit smaller on the tank

double post, please delete

Edited April 28, 2010 by Tigersachsclub

[neverdie]

Aweful looking thing, no thanks. Please post more pictures of that beautiful Ducati of yours Richard.

[keeniau96]

So back to the point. Is this bike for sale in TH? What price?

Are there dealers/service here?

Are parts available?

Any reviews by reputable sources?

[barrybike]

very same to look at as a virago

[Tigersachsclub]

very same to look at as a virago

very much my thought.

Here the virago 400:

and here the lifan 400

[Richard-BKK]

So back to the point. Is this bike for sale in TH? What price?

Are there dealers/service here?

Are parts available?

Any reviews by reputable sources?

No the Lifan LF400 is currently not for sale in Thailand. The price, if it would become available, will be around 150,000 Bht. Lifan Thailand has currently about 150 dealers nationwide, most of this dealers are also able to offer service. As the LF400 is currently not available its spare parts are also not available, but as the LF400 is completely produced in Thailand spare parts will not be that far away.

Lifan is an international motorcycle manufacturer, it sells its products under the Lifan brand name in all parts of the world. From the USA, Japan, Europe, Africa and Russia. The Lifan LF400 is a new product, so likely you will not find much reviews... But I'm sure you will find enough reviews about other Lifan products... Google is in this your best friend...

[soundman]

Fraction on the expensive side IMO.

Honda Phantom was going for 76,000B ?? & this bike you would be paying nearly double for an extra can and pipe, with everything else roughly the same, from a company that doesn't have anywhere near the cred. Honda does???

Looks nice enough for a town run-about - If the price was on the low side of 100k - I'd bite.

[Richard-BKK]

The problem with making a motorcycle which is capable of getting approved for road use in Thailand is that it comes with extra cost. Comparing the Honda Phantom TA200 to the Lifan is a good example, the extra cost to make the Phantom TA200 pass Thai exhaust emission tests made Honda decide to cancel the whole model.

Second costly accept is manufacturers responsibility. A few years back, manufacturers around the world could make products and get away with whatever what happened to the product. Now-a-day, if something wrong with the motorcycle the manufacturer is end responsible. Therefore you see the better Chinese manufacturers move from make-it-themselves to using brakes, exhaust and suspension systems from well known international manufacturers.

“An example is the Zongshen Ryuka Fly 150, which uses front and rear suspension from Showa if you compare this suspension to a Kawasaki D-Tracker 125 (bike in the same style and price class) you will find that the suspension used for the Zongshen is better. On the other side comparing the Zongshen Ryuka Fly 150 to a platinum PX175 you will find its about 30,000 Bht more expensive than the Platinum PX175...”

In short quality has its price, and it doesn't really matter where it's produced...

Edited April 28, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[nikster]

Pass.

How will they ever pass the strictest/most convoluted emissions regulations in the world?

[Familyonthemove]

I'd take a serious look at it ... but only if it was priced as a Thai made bike. I'm in the market for a bigger bike and have been looking at a Bonnie .... but this would be much, much cheaper, although clearly not in the same league. And yes - it looks just like a Virago - which was a nice little custom, so that's no bad thing.

[Richard-BKK]

Lifan works in Thailand closely with the Pollution Control Department (the department that does the actual exhaust emission testing in Thailand), also Pollution Control Department already approved 10 different Lifan engines for the use in Thailand, so I have the idea that Lifan knows what is required to pass the Thai exhaust emission tests.

[Richard-BKK]

I'd take a serious look at it ... but only if it was priced as a Thai made bike. I'm in the market for a bigger bike and have been looking at a Bonnie .... but this would be much, much cheaper, although clearly not in the same league. And yes - it looks just like a Virago - which was a nice little custom, so that's no bad thing.

I'm pretty sure that nobody at Lifan will be offended by the idea that you not see the Triumph Bonneville in the same class as the LF400. The Triumph Bonneville comes also with another price tag of 510,000 Baht.

Still I have the idea that Lifan can find a market for the 400cc V-twin. But we need be realistic, Yamaha is working hard to start the production of the V-Star 250 in Malaysia, which likely will be positioned in the same price class...

[submaniac]

Well the more the merrier for the Thailand market...BUT I would not buy one. 400cc is still not that much of an improvement (it's not like a 400cc sportbike). Good to have more competition. However, I still don't trust Chinese manufacturer.

[bprinceuk]

It looks nice now, but what will it look like in one years time, normally the Chinese built bikes have very poor quality chrome and after a while end up looking very shabby

Brian

[noahvail]

I don't want to get done for libel, so I'll just say I looked at their 250 some years ago in NZ, and bought the Virago instead for more money. Fit and finish on the Lifan needed some work, shall we say, as did the quality of the welds.

So, nah - not for me - at any price.

[powderpuff]

Not sure the point of the exercise but Thai people would buy them.

Post 24. The motorcycle is made in Thailand not China.

[Tigersachsclub]

I think it is often forgotten that manufacturers do learn(specially when they new and enter markets they have a learning curve to master) and what may have been bad quality in the past could be a decent product now (or in future) the thing is i can't say it is good nor bad about lifan, i simply don't know them. First thing i would change is firing the person who decided the name "lifan" sounds like some kind of washing powder... I believe an effort in having dealerships is in progress plus spares should really not be an issue if they build in thailand. Having had a look on the ryuka offroad bikes which is a new Company ( to me ) , it seemed pretty well done . Sure it will need to stand the test of time to be sure. Sometimes it helps to open up our minds to new things ...we may get some positive surprise there.

It can't be a bad thing to have a bigger variety available and if the LF 400 comes available here, Lifan might as well bring something else that also has the 400 cc engine ...perhaps an adventure bike , naked bike, perhaps a little sportstourer or what have you...and that would be very interesting again.

[visions]

Those that rubbish "Chinese Made" products must have a very short memory.

I am old enough to remember when no one would touch a "Japanese Made" "copy motor"

Welll the wheel turned and they became the un-disputed world leaders in motorised transport.

Well the wheel is still turning and "Chinese made" are fast becoming the world leaders now.

After all BMW's are built there now...amongst many other top brands...anyone rubbish them?

I'm not saying the Lifan 400 is good or bad...I havent seen one....besides, its not my style of bike, but you can be sure of one thing....

It will not be long, if not already, before you will buy choose Chinese Made because of top quality. (Depending on the price you are prepared to pay of course)

More compitition is always good for the consumer...go for it Lifan.

[vision]

Those that rubbish "Chinese Made" products must have a very short memory.

I am old enough to remember when no one would touch a "Japanese Made" "copy motor"

Welll the wheel turned and they became the un-disputed world leaders in motorised transport.

Well the wheel is still turning and "Chinese made" are fast becoming the world leaders now.

After all BMW's are built there now...amongst many other top brands...anyone rubbish them?

I'm not saying the Lifan 400 is good or bad...I havent seen one....besides, its not my style of bike, but you can be sure of one thing....

It will not be long, if not already, before you will buy choose Chinese Made because of top quality. (Depending on the price you are prepared to pay of course)

More compitition is always good for the consumer...go for it Lifan.

Couldn't agree more. Right now I dont buy Chinese but I too remember when everything from Japan was crap. The first omen of a change is when you start seeing the majority of Chinese goods displaying a brand name. When you are cranking out trash you don't tend to worry much about displaying your brand. The companies that create a strong brand have a vested interest in raising their quality so that as that brand becomes associated with higher quality they can charge a premium. It happened with Japan and I think it will happen with China faster then most of us expect.

[JohnLeech]

I'd take a serious look at it ... but only if it was priced as a Thai made bike. I'm in the market for a bigger bike and have been looking at a Bonnie .... but this would be much, much cheaper, although clearly not in the same league. And yes - it looks just like a Virago - which was a nice little custom, so that's no bad thing.

If you aren't that worried about originality, but want looks and reliability, why not go for a Kawa W 650? Obviously designed as a Bonnie replica (although Kawa wouldn't admit that!) I have seen two in good condition for sale recently for 150,000 baht each, with books.