There was talk years ago of banning two-stroke engines. I would expect that came to nothing.
More info about the new regs here.
Apparently we can ride up to 250cc with our current licenses. Another test and a course are required for 251-600cc, and probably something different for 600+.
I wonder how these bigger bikes will be treated as far as insurance goes. One can only imagine what having larger, faster bikes will do for traffic accidents.
Bigger isn’t necessarily faster. Most scooters could probably beat a lot of the larger “cruisers” from 0-40kph, and I doubt the 250cc 4-stroke Venox posted above is any faster than my current bike.
Inertia, however, would be much greater, and unfamiliarity with the dynamics of larger bikes is probably going to be a problem at first.
Together with inability to pick them up when they fall over. It will be amusing.
Right. Time to reserve some space for an arm chair, a small table and a sun shade beside the DMV test course…
Poagao: Thanks for the link, now things become a little bit clearer. So not only will the test be somehow artistic, also the fees look just a little bit high if you want to go 600+. But its nice they have extended the current “heavy” class to 250…
For anyone interested, Kymco’s going to be holding a little press show Monday, afternoon I believe, downstairs from our office, which is right next to Warner Village, right behind Neo 19, at 90 Songren Rd. They’re going to have the bigger bike shown above as well as larger scooters, along with accesories, etc. Supposedly you will be able to pay a couple thousand and get to tool around a bit on the bikes. Price is still NT$180,000, though (Maybe someone might want to ask the promoters why the same bike, manufactured in Kaohsiung, is only NT$111,000 in the states and NT$130,000 in France). I’d do it, but I’d like to keep my job for a bit longer.
bigger bikes. oooh great. just what the country needs. more air pollution.
A Honda CBR600 produces less atmospheric pollution than a 2-stroke 50cc scooter.
Oh man, Poagao, your company’s doing the ad work for the Venox, right?
PLEASE tell me you’re not involved in the artwork! I saw an ad for the bike for the first time this morning – a red Venox being towed along by a lion on a chain – all very nice, macho and all, but take a look at the guy riding the bike!
Village people comes to Taipei! Orange velvet sports coat with fringes, black plastic trousers tucked into knee-high pointy-toed cowboy boots with studded bootstraps, kind of like the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders meet the cast of Boogie Nights! What an effin’ joke!
Buy one of these bikes! You too can look like a total dweeb!
Looks like this bike is one of the best locally made bikes:
velo sport by hartford
~ Actually, I’m interested in buying a Ducati Mark 3 250cc… or an MV Augusta 125 or 350… But all that involves importing from an individual seller, or a specialty shop… Anyone know how to do this? Are any special documents required before having something shipped here?
ppppoooo
quote:
Originally posted by popo: Looks like this bike is one of the best locally made bikes: [url=http://www.hartford.com.tw/hartford/product/products.cfm]velo sport by hartford[/url]~ Actually, I’m interested in buying a Ducati Mark 3 250cc
That’s the old Hartford. My local bike shop has newer ones with disk brakes front and rear. Don’t know what other improvements it has.
Closest rival is the Kymco Stryker, which costs about NT$5,000 more than the Hartford, is slower, uglier and doesn’t have twin disks.
The Hartford also has a much meatier engine note and just gives the impression of being all-around better.
If you want a Duke – even a “baby” 250 – look to be spending in excess of NT$300,000 and that’s before import duties.
But I don’t care. I picked up a used Yamaha Dragfire at the weekend and am now channeling Dennis Hopper.
I saw one of those Hartford Velo’s up close and they have done a nice job: they are definitely trying to imitate the latest Italian styling and the throttle mechanism is simply amazing: with full counter-weighted pull, very precise and hot. I wonder how much one of these Hartford’s cost here in Taiwan, what is the actual street price, sandman?
As for the Dukes, I have seen a site in Australia where the guys were unloading their Mark 3’s for as little as 1500 u.s., I kid you not… But those were snapped up as soon as they were posted… There are some guys in Germany and the U.K. selling the dukes for about 3550 euros and about 3000 quid… So, you have to shop around to get a bargain. Prices seem higher in the states… Ebay has a couple of nice auctions now on two ducati 250 (search ebay for ducati 250 and you’ll see them…) What ARE the import duties on old used bikes? They couldn’t be more than 5% or so…
Anyway, if you know where I can get one of those Hartfords cheap, please tell me…
ppopooo
Yes, it’s our company. You should know that most of our advertising ideas come from the female perspective, and while this is all well and good for skin-whitening products, it doesn’t do so well for motorcycles. Most women couldn’t care less about the things, and therefore 90% of our management just doesn’t care. They just slapped together a half-ass campaign at the last minute. Believe me, those ads went out over very strong objections by yours truly, but I don’t have much say around here.
I did go down to the press conference today, and they let me ride the Venox around a bit even though no one was supposed to be allowed to do so. The Venox engine sounds exactly like that of two 125cc “Yelang” farmers bikes running simultaneously, which I suppose it is, just in a V-twin form. Nice ‘big bike’ feel, though. Not much punch, and I’ve no doubt the exhaust pipe will scrape pavement if you try to lean into turns too much. I think my current bike is probably faster, but I do like the stability.
I’d wait a few months until Kymco realizes that no one is going to want to spend NT$180,000 on the Venox when they can get an imported, possibly used 400-600cc bike for not too much more. Perhaps then they will drop the price to a more realistic level then.
Popo, there’s a bike shop on the Bei shin Rd. in Hsintien, just before you make the right across the Bitan bridge, which means its about as far from Beitou as it could possibly be while still being part of the Taipei area!
Cost new is either NT$62,000 or NT$65,000 (can’t remember exactly). They do look cool and there are quite a few nice tricks you can add – heavy-duty bars, various other stuff.
An idea of how well they compare: three of the five or so lads working at the shop are riding them.
I was on the point of having one, but the Yamaha came up and was such a steal I couldn’t turn it down.
That isn’t as expensive as I thought… Maybe I will look into one… What is the address of that shop?
I’ll post the number tomorrow.
quote[quote] Believe me, those ads went out over very strong objections by yours truly, but I don't have much say around here. [/quote]They just bought you off with more of Victor’s cakes didn’t they?
Bri
Well, they are good cakes, with little sprinkles on top.
Just found a 1967 Duke 250, in pieces, from a guy in Australia for under 1000 U.S… Simply a matter of boxing it up and putting the warbler on a boat… Should be easy, if the seller’s willing. But it would take some work, plus a good paint shop…
I did see a shop in between Peitou and Tien Mu had one of the Hartfords on display… But it sounds like the shop down south may have more to choose from… Anybody else spotted any Hartford outlets in central Taipei, or along Yenping anywhere?