I'm a COMPLETE newcomer when the subject is today's crop of China bikes, although I was vaguely aware in years past of rather harsh criticisms leveled at Chinese motorcycle technology imported and marketed here in the U.S. This is not to say I'm a complete stranger to motorcycling, only that up until very recently I've never thought seriously about Chinese manufactured bikes as being worthy of serious consideration.

I thought for a long time that my motorcycling days were undoubtedly behind me, but with the intrusion of world wide economic realities I've developed a real interest in purchasing a new bike, something that would serve for local in town transportation as well as riding in the desert that surrounds us or up north on cool pine country back roads and forest trails.

I started my investigating on ChinaRiders a number of weeks ago, and found that American Lifan (the Lifan factory's authorized distributor for the U.S.) and its dealer network was easily the top choice amongst those posting. I was quickly caught up in that excitement and contacted Brian Mays of MOTO Xtreme arranging for a new LF200GY-5 to be shipped to me, paying through PayPal. Some three days later Brian informed me that American Lifan in Dallas was out of bikes to ship, and refunded my payment.

It appears, according to what I've been able to learn, that new Lifan product may take another month or longer to arrive at AL. While some are rather disappointed in that time table I on the other hand will gladly use the time to my advantage as I continue to research the China bike market.

A few days ago I first logged into My China Moto and began to see a new perspective on Chinese bikes and the technology that's driving this world impacting industry. CC's first person reporting, along with any number of others who actually live and ride in China, has began to broaden my horizons in more ways than one, and MCM has become my China bike site of choice.

I am particularly interested in comparisons of 200, 230 and 250cc dual sport bikes when it comes to the American market, and along those lines I have a number of questions and concerns. I'm still drawn to American Lifan simply because their organization and dealer network, while nowhere near Japanese bike standards, is apparently about as good as it gets when it comes to the Chinese bike market. Once product begins to flow freely again AL dealers should be able to supply and service what they sell with minimal down time just as they were doing previously.

Price being a factor (which for most of us it always is) the AL supplied Lifans are tough to beat. I can for example get into the LF200GY for about $1200 less than what it would cost to purchase, title and plate a similar Qlink 200cc dual sport.

However the Qlink 200cc dual sport is available at two different local dealers for purchase right now, service included, while the LF200GY is still many weeks away and will arrive crated and requiring assembly!

I'm fully capable of assembling a crated bike and doing it correctly, and some weeks from now our desert heat will begin to dissipate a bit, so for the dollar savings alone it may be well worth the wait. However after reading CC's glowing reports on Qlink bikes in China, how well made and durable they are, and seeing his photos of the factory manufacturing and assembly processes, I'm wondering if possibly going with that brand might prove to be worth the extra money it would set me back for the convenience of having a local dealership available for any major service that my machine may require?

Who knew that contemplating a jump into the China bike small displacement dual sport market would be such a chore here in the U.S.!!

I may drive over today and look again at the Qlink XP 200 available at the dealer east of me, or go further west and look at the Qlink XF 200 available at the dealer on the far west side of town. ..Or I may simply wait until American Lifan is again supplying product to their dealers so I can order a new LF200GY-5B shipped to my front door!