How would i know? Well...i sell them. I own a 70cc Pitbull too. I am a seller for Hooper Imports (google it). I picked the pitbull and trail rider because they are copys of something that parts would be no problem getting. I will be totally honest here. The quality isnt honda , yet. what you do get is a good start especially if you plan on using and abusing your machine. The old Hondas are starting to be collected by boomers too so.....If you would want either one of these in a honda youd be paying at least twice to three times as much if you want a really nice example. If there is anybody that wants any motorcycle or scooter Hooper Imports sells and lives around central minnesota (or willing to drive) i will sell it completely assembled with a 6 month parts and labor warrantee for the same price. Long Beach Cycle, Glenwood MN 56334. 320-634-3022. Im a stay at home dad so call at anytime.
Now the showdown.
The 70cc Pitbull is a vast improvement over a Z50 in the power department. In my humble opinion a four stroke 50cc is dangerous on the street. The get up and go just isnt there. The pitbull also has an electric start....very nice. For tough trail riding the pitbull is great. The height and width is an advantage. Fewer branches in the face is good. Would be perfect transportation on a deer path. It has a super low first gear and can crawl up a very steep hill. It will climb as long as there is traction and forward weight distribution. Im 5'10" 165 lbs. I fit great. plenty of room to move, surprisingly. They have a big, if kinda ugly seat that is more comfortable than most large street bikes ive owned. The brakes, for drums, are pretty good. Hard to be great in this department for me since ive owned a few sportbikes with BRAKES! The handling is quick on the street and good on the open road. (40-45 mph comfotably. 50+ in full tuck.) Just keep you hands on both grips when your going good. No waving at pretty girls. The spedo is in mph and the odometer is in kilometers. Why? Dont know. Mileage is around 120 mpg in adverage driving. In sustained speeds on the highway i would think it would get around 150 mpg. You will have to convert kpg to mpg. Take your kgp and multiply it by .64 to get mph.
Improvements: Hooper Imports sells a honda like headlight bucket that is red (not chrome), shorter than the pitbull bucket, and with only one idiot light hole. Very honda looking and big improvement. Ask for it specificly! Dont mess with sprockets. They are about pefect. Bigger engines are a great improvement to up to a 110cc auto clutch is straight forward with only minor changes to the exhaust. (I expain on this forum how to put a big engine in a pitbull. Do a search if your interested). I have an ebay bought front end on mine. $365! it came with the forks, tripple clamp, top clamp, front disk, caliper, master cylinder, brake line berings and races. Eazy to instal. I did it mostly for the cool factor. I also mounted a set of original honda fenders. The fenders are a great look. BIG improvement.
The 110cc Trail Rider. Ive had an eazier time selling these do to the engine size and being a little taller. The 110cc electric start is better than the hondas 70cc engine as far as power goes. My opinion is that they handle a little goofy on the street. they fall going into sharp corners (not to the ground). for riding on a trail they are fine. The speedo like the Pitbull is in mph and the odometer is in kilometers too. Ive had problems with the pressed rims having unacceptable (to me) runout to the point of me having to take them apart and clock the rims to make the rims wobble a little rather than bounce. Every one ive sold has had this problem to some degree. (the pitbulls rims are perfect) I told Larry from Hooper Imports and he half didnt belive me or thought i was exagerating. He said that he never had any complaints before. Maybe my customers and I expect better? there is a fix though...buy a set of used honda rims on ebay. The brakes work fine considering that they are the same brakes that are on a Pitbull. The trail rider is not really pretty in my opinion. It wasnt pretty as a honda either. The only advantages it has over the pitbull is like i said in the begining; height and engine size.
Improvements: Honda rims if yours arent true. Honda fenders are much better quality. lock tight nuts and bolts on this one. Its not a bad motorcycle for the money. If you dont mind commiting a sin you can pull off the ugly graphics that come with the bike an put on honda stickers or leave it plain.
Verdict. the Pitbull unless you just dont fit on one. You can go on a diet if your fat but i dont recommend cutting your legs off at the knee if your too tall.
If i were Lifan......
I would start with a Pitbull. Drop a 110cc, 125cc or 138cc hand clutch electric start engine. Put on a shorter painted (not chrome) headlight bucket with only one quality looking idiot light (neutral light). The stock idiot lights look crappy. get rid of the annoying blinker beeper. QUALITY steel fenders. They wouldnt have be chromed. Get rid of the silly graphic on the side of the tank that are clear coated over (grrrrrr). Regular fork front with front hydraulic disk break (which they apparently already make). Find a better looking (Stanley style) tail light.
Options: Two paint options; red or in primer. Street tires. Aluminum rim halves. billet Engine dress up trinkets, etc.
I would spend more money in the fit and finish department and sell the motorcycle for around $1600.
