Buying a Chinese Bike in Haiti

**benjamin550** · 02-12-2012, 01:15 PM

Ok, based on these photos, it is definitely the top bike, the LF 200 GY-5A. I google searched that model and it indeed came up with many more of the same bike. I don't have the bike yet, so i cant check how the engine is stamped, but it is definitely the GY-5A.

Comparing these two bikes, the front wheel on mine looks massive. It looks the same in person too. I havent seen any other models around town that use such a large front wheel. Any benefits/ drawbacks to that?

Either way, excited to finally have my own set of wheels here in Haiti.

**euphonius** · 02-12-2012, 03:31 PM

Dear Benjamin,

Congratulations on the new bike. We'll be expecting tons of ride reports and pix from you as you explore that amazing place.

Do get a good lock, and then never let the bike out of your sight, even when it's locked, or this will be a short-lived adventure. Take it into your apartment at night, or at least into your compound if you are in one. You might also go for one of those GSM motion sensors that sends you an SMS any time your bike so much as moves. Wire it to the battery and hide it down inside the wiring. That Lifan 200 is going to be an excellent bike for what you are doing. You'll probably want to think about some kind of soft panniers for your overnight rides, though you'll have to be careful about heat coming off the can.

Oh, and be sure to install a set of strong handguards; you'll be dropping that bike all the time, and you don't want to be out the middle of nowhere with a broken clutch lever or front brake lever.

Start thinking about writing a long self-illustrated feature about reporting Haiti from the saddle of a Chinabike. You'll be going places no one else can reach in their SUVs. Is Paul Farmer still up there on the other side of the mountain?

Stay safe!

**MJH** · 02-12-2012, 05:11 PM

Thats the standard size front wheel for a dual sport 21”, the image is terrible it distorts the wheel size.

**MJH** · 02-13-2012, 04:43 AM

Here are some better images of the Lifan and Lifan Mexico has parts diagrams online for that model.

**benjamin550** · 02-13-2012, 05:14 PM

Thanks for the pics. It certainly is a good looking bike IMO, I hope it holds up well. This will be my first Chinese motorcycle.

**motomech** · 02-16-2012, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by MJH

Are you sure that is the model name?

LF200GY-5A

LF150GY-3B

Which one does it look like, the engine is what matters and it should have 163FML stamped on it, then it is the 200cc. I believe that American Lifan has the image and name mixed up.

When I was bike shopping here in Nicaragua, i checked out a G5 in person a couple times and liked it a lot. It's a quality machine.
The frt. whl. is a 19", BTW

**Maux** · 02-17-2012, 02:28 PM

"I havent seen any other models around town that use such a large front wheel. Any benefits/ drawbacks to that?"

I could only think that spare tires and tubes (if it's tubed, I guess it is) might be hard to get.

You could ask around at a shop or two and see what they have as far as tires and that could give you a target wheel size.

**culcune** · 02-20-2012, 04:25 AM

The Sphinx is a slighty updated GY-5 200cc bike that American Lifan carried in the states since the mid-2000's. On chinariders.net, many, many people bought them, and all had good experiences with them. Consider the fact that many people mail-ordered their bikes but were mechanically inclined; however your situation in Haiti is like someone from the States who buys a Honda or Suzuki from the dealership--they, and you, can take it in for servicing/repair. My guess is that these being simple bikes, and the economy of scale, you should be able to get any necessary repairs or services for reasonable costs.

The Sphinx had shown up on the American Lifan site along with a naked 250 street bike, a water-cooled enduro, and 50cc 2-stroke scooter, as well as the custom chopper they have. However, the only bike that showed up, or will be able to soon show up is the Sphinx which is a cosmetically updated GY-5--my guess is that they updated the body a bit, but kept everything else the same. However, that is a good thing as the GY-5 was/is a stout bike. (the other bikes cannot pass EPA certification while the GY-5 already had) Congrats on the bike, and even though it wasn't one of the ones you had inquired about, it happened to end up being a well documented and proven machine (check out the multitude of threads of the GY-5 on www.chinariders.net) at least among Chinese bikes