new 09 linhai 400-b efi scooter

Well since the Linhai has just been released and the suzuki has been around awhile. If I needed a 400 cc scoot TODAY it will be the suzuki. Parts and service may be easier on a suzuki as well.
If I didn't need a 400cc scoot right away, I will try to get as much info on the Linhai before any decisions is made. Comfort will also play a big role in the decision.
With the gas prices going waay down and world's economy is hurting, it may be awhile before we see anything "new being manufactured".

The pricing would seem a bit odd given that their other models are well under other "mainstream" scooter brands, so I would have to guess that Harrywr is likely correct and that we will see the price reduced soon. Even so, I would much rather have the Suzuki.

I went to look at Scootertronics site out of curiousity. Noticed it is only advertised at 22HP. My SYM 250 has a hair over 20HP. Maybe mistaken but the Suzuki and Yamaha 400's are well into the 30's almost 40hp if not mistaken. I am thinking or hoping this a mistake on the manufacturer's part of the specs, a 400cc scooter for almost 6 grand with a puny 22 hp to me is a waste. HP isnt everything but that seems really low for that displacement with EFI.

Gotta agree with the others - the pricing seems nutty. At $6K, why go with the Linhai when you can go with a proven high quality Suzuki? If the price was in the $4K to $4.5K range, there would be something to think about; otherwise, its a no brainer.

From the write up and specs on Scootertronic's website, the 400 does not seem like much more than a 300 with restyled body, slightly more displacement as well as the fuel injection. Keeping the 12" rear wheel and a slight bump in front wheel size to 13" is a real surprise and disappointment. I expected something like 14" for the wheels. Wheelbase is listed the same as the 260/300 causing me to suspect the frame is basically the same. The HP rating given is suspect as the 275 cc version has been variously listed as 18-22 HP. Also, the compression ratio is even lower than the 275 cc engine. Suspicious!

I was told this scooter wouldn't see daylight until the show at the earliest, with release later in the Spring/Summer. I hope this thing is more than what we see here! The price is truly ridiculous - at least $1-1.5K more than it should be. Wouldn't mind having the engine and it's electronics in my 300 but if the rest of the bike as is described, forget it. If this scooter has been designed for the Euro. and U.S. market, IMHO, they missed the boat. They must think the Japanese competition is going to double their prices for their 400 cc class bikes. My $2,600 '06 Linhai 300 is looking even better than it did last Spring when the price for the '08s was bumped up to around $3,500!!

Only a whacko would buy that over one of the 400cc Japanese models

For $300 more, you could go with the Kymco Xciting 500cc.
strmotorsports.com/showroom/scooters/xciting500ri/index.html
The new linhai "400" is actually only a 350cc scooter. Better quality, larger tires, and warranty on the Kymco.

~IFLY~

agreed.....way over-priced. until the chinese can offer parts support COMPARABLE to the japanese [in other words, anything you need,...even next-day air if necessary] they are only worth 50% at best.
I'm still waiting for parts from goldenvale and evo ordered in july.

I work at a Honda Car dealer,...we can literally get almost any part # in the books next-day..we have gotten parts from Honda Motor Co. in Japan in less than 24 hrs.......thats service!!

Steve

FYI, Sunright (The Importer of Linhai) sells directly to the public, and I have had parts from them in 2-3 days. My CDI, My Coil, and my chrome exhaust shield each arrived 2-3 days after I placed the order. They are very good about getting parts and shipping them out in a timely manner. I would think that they would be able to get parts for the 400, but it's still waaaay overpriced at the price scootertronics.com has it listed at. I'm not looking for another scooter right now, but the Hyosung is looking better and better.

One further question for us potential CA buyers is whether or not the scoot will be CARB certified. If I'm not mistaken none of the Linhai scoots currently carry CARB which rules them out for CA. This is a shame as they are very nice scoots.

Linhai/Sunright has not even mentioned price. I put that scooter on my site scootertronics this week. The scooter is on the site because I sell Linhai products at Scootertronics which is a brick and mortor store in MD with an online store also. We also sell stock parts and high performance parts for Linhai scooters as well as repair them and prep every single scooter we sell no matter where customer is located and its hard work and over looked by all other online sites selling the same products. They simply ship a box from a warehouse.

As far as the price I am not sure what we will sell it for because I do not know how much it will cost. I took it off since everyone had so much problem with the price. I just did not want to low ball it. I have not even seen the scooter and hope to in Feb. and I am sure it will be a thousand more than the 300 which puts it at 4399 at this point if you need a figure but do not hold me to that.

The Linhai 400 has not been released.
Price has not been mentioned.
One picture thats it.
Specs, you know how hard it is to get these correct for any low cost scooter.




scootermike

Hmmm....If I were to purchase a chinese scooter online your place would be on the short list due to what I have read on this forum. You're just digging yourself a hole now, but there is still time to recover!

I think the term "trial balloon" may be in order here. Someone wanted to know if a 6k figure would "stick". I think they found out.

I agree with the previous posts. Mike, you made a mistake listing the scoot that way when you didn't have any concrete info. Our negative comments were not directed towards Scootertronics. You get largely favorable reviews here on ScootDawg and, IMHO, try to satisfy your customers. For those of us who think highly of the Linhai line, your listing caused more confusion and consternation than clarification. Glad you removed it from your website until the facts are in. A price in the mid $4K range and a little more improvement on things like tire size would satisfy most of us critics!!