So here it it guys, I bought a LIFAN (gawd elp me!)
After trying to pick up a cheap run around I finally gave in after a fruitless search. I had looked at Lifan before but was always put off by negative things I have read on forums like this. I have read a couple of positive reviews and thought ' what the hell' At the end of the day it's not exactly a fortune if it all goes pear shape.
So off I trot to the nearest dealer near the Bus station and asked for a test ride, to which I got a resounding 'no can do'. I didn't even wait around to ask why and hot footed it over to the dealer just past the train station only to be told the same thing. 'Dealer no give me a test bike' I think that they are missing a lot of potential business by not letting people try one first but this is Thailand I suppose. So I asked the lady with the big smile, who turned out to be the owners wife if she would throw in a back rack and to my surprise she agreed. One up for the Farang!. I looked the bike over on the front and noticed it had a few scratches on it and was told by the lady that she had a new one in the back and I would get that one. ' No scratches, 100 per cent' she shouted. So even though I wasn't happy about a test ride I agreed to come back the next day with the cash.
Next day after fighting to get my cash out of the bank because their ATM's wouldn't give me more than 20k of my own money I high tailed it off to the dealer expectantly. I'm met by smiling lady again and she shows me to the ' new bike' at the back of the workshop. Straight away I could see more scratches on this one than the first. It was at this point the nice smile disappeared from my 'pleasant lady' and she then turned to pushy salesperson with all sorts of excuses and an even bigger frown.The Husband stepped in to rescue the situation and it was soon apparent that If I wanted a bike that I would have to take it warts and all. My hackles where up but I had already taken my hired bike back in anticipation and I had to get back to work and so I agreed against my better judgment to take the bike. New panels are inexpensive and I am going to cover it with decals later anyway.
After reliving me of my hard earned pennies, a young man came and wheeled the bike around the back and about 20 minutes later I saw the same chap scream out the workshop and thrashed the life out my ' new bike' down the road. I inquired why he is thrashing the poor thing 'test for you' was the reply.. OMG..... Eventually he came back pulled up and stopped. ' Bike OK" good" and off he trots. I am now smiling to my self Thai style and wondering about my mental state at this point ha ha ha.
On I get for the first time and start her up and off down the road I pop. Fist impression is that she isn't a speed machine but the engine note was quite pleasant. I noticed straight away that the gear box was tight and put this down to being new. I got home and pulled up and found it very, very difficult to find neural. I put her on the stand after eventually finding neutral and was looking over her and adjusting the clutch play and the Idle screw as she was revving like a banshee . A friend came by and asked to hear the engine. I started her on the stand and to my surprise she leaps forward and I nearly lost her. Even though the gear indicator showed neutral she had jumped into gear and taken off by herself. So off I go back to the dealer, now I'm only dealing with MR as Mrs looks like she is chewing a wasp when she see's me pulling up. I show him that even after selecting neutral the bike was still in gear.Out comes our young man again and wheels the bike away. Ten minutes later said young man comes screaming past me at full throttle on my' NEW BIKE' AGAIN!! and disappears down the road ...AGGHHHHHHH!!! He returns and jumps off bike 'Bike good now' and disappears.
I think you can already guess that nothing had changed and after another test ride I returned and hold my hand up in frustration. I also noticed a lot of what appeared to be tappet noise and asked the dealer to check that as well. Out comes our young man and wheels the bike away for third time but after a few minutes owner asks me to come back next morning with the bike which I did.
Next morning after about 30 minutes sitting around I took a walk around the back and my bike is now in a million bits. I notice that they are adjusting the valve clearances and I ask where the feeler gauges are? 'No need, we do not need.. EEKKKK......2 hours later and a lot of screaming revving from the workshop the bike is ready. I ask if it is properly done now and I get 'Yes 100 per cent; On I get ride home, NO DIFFRENCE, EVEN WORSE!!!...Now starting to get Miffed! Back I go for the fourth time and too his credit the owner said he will get another bike ready. I said I will come back late afternoon to make sure they take their time and also asked them not to rev the what's name out of the next bike. Just before I leave I asked one of the assistants if they would change my Owners manual as they had given me a manual for the cross version of the bike. She goes into the office and comes back with Mrs cheerful. She then proceeded to bark at me ' Only book we got; Manufacture don't do book for this bike' and walks back into office..Charming!
Come back 5 hours later. New bike in bits???????? ... they had removed the clocks and swapped them to the replacement bike and put the zero clocks on the faulty bike...MMMMM I wonder why??? Is it going to be put back on sale???? Has this bike already done the rounds I wonder?
Anyway, eventually they had the bike ready and the lad took it down the road without screaming it this time...HOORAY! I had to finish up last bits of paper work for the changed bike and the assistant gives me the owners manual for the bike...low and behold it is the correct manual!! HO HO HO. so much for the Factory not producing one...Just bare face lies!!!
The changed bike so far is operating OK and I will report on how it goes over the coming months. I am hoping that I was just unlucky with the faulty bike but it is such a shame about the crappy service. Does anyone know a decent mechanic that can give the bike a once over . I want to make sure its OK and adjust things to get it running sweet? I just cant trust the dealer mechanic to do anything.