Help my choose a China-bike in Australia!

Hey everyone,

I thought I would sign up here for some advice on buying a Chinese motorcycle in Aus as many of the dealers are a bit slow to respond or don't seem to give the the answers I am after. I am looking to buy a cheap bike to commute to work (usually sitting on 100km/h, 40km of highway, but its a parking lot during peak hour, I travel at odd hours, ie 3:30am or 11:30pm).

I will be using my tax return to buy a bike, and don't want to stretch too much into my own cash, budgeting maximum Au $5000 on the road, COULD stretch to $6000 if it was spectacular.
My needs;
* Able to sit on 100km/h without lots of aftermarket changes, just stock or BASIC mods that I could get done by the dealer.
* Reliable, enough to last me 2 years use possibly. I am an ex-cycle courier and have always done my own work, except scheduled servicing. Managed to get my old Hyosung 650 to last almost 350 000km before the camchain snapped!
* 'Spirited' riding up to 50km/h or so.

Currently looking at the following but need some help with information!
*Torino Terra 250 (Lifan LF250GY-7 watercooled SM). I asked Torino about Lifans quoted top speed of 100km/h and max power of 13kW. They replied that their version is slightly more powerful? and that the free dirt tyres would gear it higher, can you gear them with easily obtained sprockets enough to sit comfortably on 100?
$3995 on the road (with something about a 5 year warranty???)
http://liveimages.bikesales.com.au/b...7047941563.jpg

*Torino Terra 400 (Xing Yue XY400)
Currently $4999 ride away
Got great reviews from cycle torque.
http://www.cycletorque.com.au/images...400-2010-2.jpg

*Laro SPT350 (Unknown manufacturer, please tell me!)
MASSIVE 28L petrol tank, close to 20kW of power, looks hot, 2YR unlimited KM warranty.
Currently $5999 expensive! I could get a hyosung GT250 with 21kW for that price.
http://www.twowheelgarage.com.au/upl...aro_SPT350.jpg

*Sachs x-road 250
$4999
http://www.sachsbikes.com.au/images/xroad_main.jpg


*Megelli 250 s/r
new liquid cooled model $4999 for naked, $5499 for full body.
http://www.lotkon.com/images/7574/ba...cc-black_4.jpg
http://www.motorsportimporters.com.a..._inner_img.jpg

YES! liquid cooled 24.5 HP engine in the S AND R despite the importer only offering the aircooled naked version... I am wondering if the bike shop just put them in there? I saw pictures, definitely a watercooled engine in one of the nakeds.
Edit: some websites advertise the engine is 27hp??



If prices tip near $6000, I am tempted to just save my money and go back to Hyosung and buy another GT650, they come in white now! 59kW of v-twin rumble.

I would never pay those prices for any of the current Chinese motorcycles in production. Buy a nice second hand Japanese or Korean bike and enjoy it.

Just and example, the SPT350 should cost between $2500-$3500 AUD, you could buy one here in China from Regal Raptor for about $2200 AUD. If I was in Australia and could pick one up new for $2500, maybe worth it, but $5999 :eekers::eekers::eekers: Crikey!

Cheers!
ChinaV

WOW! for those kind of prices I'd be looking at some decent used Japanese bikes, and forget the Chinese bikes which aren't worth that kind of money. At this stage in their development cycle, the majority of Chinese branded motorcycles are still some considerable way from being anywhere near being equivalent to Japanese quality, aftersales & reliability.
I'd say that people buy Chinese branded bikes for their affordability over and above any other reason.

The only time I'd say "I'm stuck in China" is when I remember I can't get a proper bike. Anywhere else, a second hand beatup Japanese bike would beat most China bikes..

I would only consider the Torino Terra 250 at a price of $3k on the road (USD since I live in the US and that is about the max price I would pay for a new Chinese bike), so I would agree with the others about a Japanese used bike, or the 650 Hyosung since you said yours reached 350, 000 km (or was it 35, 000 km which is still fantastic?). The one bike you did not mention, and would be one to consider if it is available in Australia, is the Qingqi GY200 which is available around the world under different brand names. This bike is relatively low cost and is as reliable as the Suzuki DR200 because Qingqi is the OEM for Suzuki's under 250cc engines. If you can find one at a price less than the Lifan 250 mentioned, I would consider it.

http://arqinmotorcycles.150m.com/content/QM200GYBA.html

http://arqinmotorcycles.150m.com/content/QM200GYB.html

http://arqinmotorcycles.150m.com/content/QM200GY90.html

I am not sure if they are still in business, though...

These above are folk that enjoy and appreciate china-bikes telling you this too mate.

The Aus dollar is high and these bikes should be much cheaper but as always the dealers and importers have excuses why prices are so high - yet they rarely respond to emails about anything. I have asked a dozen of them all sorts of questions in last two years in searching for a decent 100 kph bike to replace my Kinlon. Only one response and that didn't answer my question! If any of those dealers has a good parts and spares and options base then all of the bikes will do what you want but not worth the money despite the superficial good looks of some.

I know that some dealers of the jap bikes are also crap for service but at least you can get a lot of parts, information and assistance for them elsewhere if your local blokes are shit. The 200ccchina-bikes for $2000 are worth the dosh simply because they are so cheap, thats the only reason! They work ok and are fixable and improvable to some extent but to get what you want, that extra bit of power and reliability, will never come from a 200 - so you have to go up to the market area you have already looked into above. You are caught in the fashion and learner end of the market there. Save up a bit more, I agree, get a jap bike.

Yes, my new China bike top money is about $2k USD delivered. Anything above that and you might as well buy used Japanese.

http://liveimages.bikesales.com.au/b...7047941563.jpg

I could pay 2500€ of this or the Sachs. I am cheap ass.

Wow, that prices no wonder they prefer offshore market than domestic.
By the way, isn't Sachs European?

http://www.motorcycles-manufacturers...torcycles.html
I read Sachs had engineers present for Madass design but that is about it.
The prices will come down probably when they dump all the leftovers in a year or two, as they did with the Kinlon for $1500!