Re: New Scoot
 

What do you need powerful and lightweight for in congested traffic? It's got a side car, it's not like you can lane split. That bike is more about style than power anyway. And they're cheep restored, $3500-4500 fully restored.

Re: New Scoot
 

What make is that bike, and approximately how old is it?

Re: New Scoot
 

It's a Chinese manufacturer, Chang Jiang. Most surviving are from the late 60's. It's a copy of a Soviet bike which was a copy of a 1938 BMW bike. Yes a copy of a copy.

But they are quite simple bikes and are easy to maintain and work on, they're also plentiful and cheep.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang_Jiang_(motorcycle)

Re: New Scoot
 

I thought it looked like a URAL which is a Russian copy of a pre-WWII BMW bike. According to the wiki, the displacement is about 750cc, which shouldn't be too underpowered.

Re: New Scoot
 

Likelyhood of frequent maintenance required... very frequent.

Compared to my 250cc Ninja (34 hp/340 lb.) it is under powered and overweight.

Re: New Scoot
 

Yeah, URAL's don't go over 55/60 MPH with the sidecar attached, but I'd imagine for mostly urban riding, where its rare to go over 40 MPH it shouldn't be too bad.

Re: New Scoot
 

No so good in busy, congested traffic in China though:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Utkbm3NKA-...+traffic-6.jpg

Re: New Scoot
 

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or are both those cars VW's?

Re: New Scoot
 

I live in that traffic, believe me they are plenty fast. Traffic in the city doesn't ever get above 40mph. And if I remember correctly it is illegal to ride ANY motorcycle on the downtown highways, which are also congested and rarely go above 60mph. The issue with these bikes is you can't lane split as it has a side car.

I would actually prefer something like a 250cc ninja to zip in and out of traffic, but the plates are tough to come by for those. They make an exception for these historic bikes though.

Re: New Scoot
 

Yes the one in the front is a Passat and the other behind it is a Santana. I believe the Santana is the first generation Passat, they just still produce them here. About 85% of the cabs are the Santanas. About 5% the newer Passat, 5% some newer VW minivan and the last 5% are some Hyundai sedan.

Whats interesting to me is seeing all the Chinese made BMW's running around. The import tax on cars is 100+% making most people buy the Chinese made ones over German made.