A few LF200GY-5 questions

[tdale4]

I am wanting to buy a LF200GY-5 style dual sport bike and I have a few questions I hope you can help with.

I have found many people selling the LF200GY-5 and the price varies a lot. the cheapest I find is $795 like this one here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LIFAN-200CC-DUAL-PURPOSE-MOTORCYCLE-TRAIL-DIRT-BIKE-200_W0QQitemZ160202743938QQihZ006QQcategoryZ6719QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

some are about $1100 like this one http://www.lifan-motorcycles-wholesale.com/Lifan-GY200/ and claim to have a newer stronger frame, better balanced engine

And some are $1499 like this one http://www.awesomeoffroaders.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=57

My main qustion is are all these bikes the same? they look the same. Do any of you have experiance with any of these models and or companies?

any sugestions would be appriciated

Thanks,
Tim

[chrism1]

i purchased the 795deal,but paid much less by contacting them directly,not sure of any benefit to the "new better balanced engine"Very happy with mine.Bruce @ EJ Cycles has helped tremendously in modding mine.

[srreynolds2003]

it's a few dollars cheapier here than on ebay...by the time you add shipping..
http://www.t-motorsports.com/li20enlfepad.html

[tdale4]

it's a few dollars cheapier here than on ebay...by the time you add shipping..
http://www.t-motorsports.com/li20enlfepad.html

Any idea if this bike uses the new better balanced engine?

[liverchip]

To my knowledge, T-Motorsports still has the older motor design.

[srreynolds2003]

I don't know about the engine, I just googled t-motorsports and it came up with the website. Sorry.

[katoranger]

T-motorsport has the older model in the pic. The balance shaft adds a lump on the lower front of the motor case.

Allen

[tdale4]

Allen,

Thank you

Do you know if the balanced shaft engine is a lot better?

Thanks,
Tim

T-motorsport has the older model in the pic. The balance shaft adds a lump on the lower front of the motor case.

Allen

[MATT]

I recently purchased gy5 with the counter balanced engine and while I haven't riden the non counterbalanced bikes I can say that I don't notice any significant engine vibration that some of the other members have complained of (of course keep in mind that the bike is a single cylinder thumper and not a honda gold wing). I also can say that in 1300km i have yet to have any bolts rattle loose or break(you know i just cursed myself) i did do some locktiting to vunerable fasteners (exhaust and body type stuff). I couldn't be happier with the bang for the buck ratio on these bikes just wish they made them a little bigger

[katoranger]

I don't know. I haven't seen one in person.

Allen

[walkingdude]

I too am looking at purchasing a Lifan gy5 enduro. I was under the impression that all 163fml-2 engines are counter balanced and that the unbalanced engine was the 163fml. Is that accurate?

[walkingdude]

After researching the China Lifan site I've learned that the 163fml-2M is the counterbalanced version of the 163fml and 163fml-2 200cc engine.

[dieselhead]

Hi,
don't be misled by the photos in the lifan-motorcycles-wholesale.com page for $1099. I bought one expecting the new engine with the air cooling fins on the front crank case as the close up pictures show, thinking this was what I would get. But I recieved the "older" style engine of the regular GY5. That new engine is what is in the Canadian GY-6 bike. After E mailing my complaint, reply was that the "old style" engine I had recieved was indeed a counter balanced shaft engine! It is a 163FML-2, NOT with an M. My guess is its not the counter balanced engine. I told this guy, Gordon, he should get at least get his photos straight but I see he still has the GY-6 engine pictured. I havent put the bike together yet but it does have the rear disk. At least That picture was right. Any way, I think the addition of the "counter" balanced shaft might actualy slow the bikes acceleration. Its like adding an extra flywheel the engine has to bring up to revs. Thats just my guess. Gordon, was decent to deal with so far and he did give me this web sight after I asked about a good forum for these bikes. My bikes were shipped from T-Motorsports (that was on the crate box). Also, I bought one of his Coolster max pro 200 bikes. That one looks pretty good. Im in the thick of winter here so Im not in a hurry to get these bikes up and running yet.

[Jim]

It all depends who the bike comes from and which shipment, I have a gy5 from the same distributor I got my gy6 from, and the 5 has the older motor, however, now if I were to buy a gy5 from the same dealer they too have the counter balanced motor... I believe any of the new gy5's from american lifan also would be counter balanced. When your dealing with other companies though, I really wouldn't know. I can tell you not to believe the pictures, a lot of them will just scour the web and find pictures to use in their ad. It's also not really surprising that you would get the old motor when you were told it had the newer one, I've heard stories of people receiving bikes of different colors, or even different branding then ordered... That said, my gy5 isn't counter balanced, and the motor was great, it did vibrate but it never really bothered me.

[mrhyak]

I don't know about these engines, but back in the mid 80's Kawasaki was putting non-balanced engines in some of their racing bikes instead of the balanced engines everyone else was using. The Kawasaki had more vibration, but it kicked serious a$$ and no other bike in its cc range could come close.

I was told at that time, the use of non-balanced engines gave more power. There are trade offs with the balanced engine. It would make sense that adding an extra weight to the cam shaft for balance would cause more resistance and slight power difference as mentioned a couple messages back.

FWIW.....

[ejcycles]

FYI: Yes, American Lifan has been using the counter balanced engine in The LF200GY-5 since the start of 2007.
.....I know for a fact that what Jim says is correct about these internet sellers stealing pics from other sites and putting them on their site and you end up with something else... It's called Bait & Switch..... Illegal!
.....The Lifan counter balanced engine Does Have a bulge {as I'll put it} on the front of the engine directly in front of the crankshaft where the balance shaft sits inside of the engine. The outer cases look as they are Finned for extra cooling.
I hope that this helps.

[MATT]

Thats wierd because I bought my bike from lifan motorcycles wholesale and I just this november and I got the counterbalanced engine. Interesting though because shipping reciept that was emailed said rabbit scooters and the packaging had galata motorsports all over it. It seems lifan motorcycles wholesale must just buy bulk shippments from whomever is overstocked at the time.

[dieselhead]

Thats wierd because I bought my bike from lifan motorcycles wholesale and I just this november and I got the counterbalanced engine. Interesting though because shipping reciept that was emailed said rabbit scooters and the packaging had galata motorsports all over it. It seems lifan motorcycles wholesale must just buy bulk shippments from whomever is overstocked at the time.

My bikes (older GY5) were bought from the same place, the crate invoice was from rabbit scooters also, but the cardboard box was T motorsports marked! This is just 3 weeks ago. I guess buying a Lifan from Gordon is like a box of chocolates!!!!!!!!! (engine wise):roll:

[Jim]

I don't understand why a legitimate company would need to operate with so many different names?