I’ve come to accept and prize that scooters are a part of life here in Taiwan, particularly in Taipei life. But all these plastic fantastic setups have no character! Coming from a Ducati Monster as a “big-bike”, I really like that “naked bike” look.
I am wondering how far will they let you take a scooter here and still be able to register it?
What I am thinking is basically starting with something like a BWS or Cygnus and stripping all of the plastic off it until it is totally naked. Then adding back a minimum splash-guard/floorboard and fenders, some really minimal projector lights and markers, some minimal mirrors and calling it good. Maybe do the minimal bits in carbon to add a little flair. The more it looks and feels like a bicycle with a motor, the better.
Will they let you do that here A) without getting blurped by every cop you pass B) while still able to register the bike?
Something like a modern rendition of a vintage Lambretta (but even more minimal):
As long as it is already registered in your name than you can pretty much do what you want with it. The chances of you getting pulled over would be slim to none. Even if you got pulled over the police woudn’t do anything. I have a friend that turned a Yamaha SR into a custom cruiser (like a Harley.) Everything is custom, even the frame, but the plate and engine are the same. He has never been pulled over. It looks like a Harley, but it is only a 150cc. He is also Taiwanese. If he gets pulled over, well maybe the cops would give him a small ticket, but they cant take his motorcycle.
If you ever want to sell the scooter, you will have to put it back to stock, or swap the engine into another frame. Good luck!!
Yeah, I’d swing by a scooter shop and take a look at a few stripped down modern scoots and their frames. Aesthetically pleasing they ain’t. Then again ‘eye of the beholder’ and all that, YMMV.
Our Man of the Widowmaker Triple frequently rides “scoots in rehab” around Xindian and Bitan and, when I’ve been pillion, draws no end of thumbs up and positive traffic light comments on his scoot’s naked frame. I think this reaction is because the look is so different, so … outlaw, as opposed to déclassé. It may be the only time the other scooter pilots have seen a scoot without bodywork on the road.
If your scooter will resemble the one in the picture then the cops will just pass it off as a new type of custom scooter. If it just look stripped and unsafe then you may get hassled, but still if everything on the scooter works you won’t have to worry about a ticket. My experience with bikes are limited(I’m a car guy) but I would suggest that you make sure that the scooter looks ok underneath the shell. Manufacturers of anything usually don’t care about the way their products look where people can’t see them so if the assembly isn’t as artistically pleasing as you would like you can abort the mission before getting to far.Sounds like a cool idea. I wish you luck.
He is also Taiwanese. If he gets pulled over, well maybe the cops would give him a small ticket, but they cant take his motorcycle.