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Xiaoxing Motouche
Some less skilled riders out here use training wheels -- adding two spare wheels to the rear of the bike. This makes the scooter ride like either a motorized wheel chair or an old Honda Gyro three-wheeled scooter. The turning radius is wide. There is a tribe of Taiwanese who need crutches to walk that ride around on the bulky scooter beasts with their medical gear strapped to the additional suspension for the extra wheels. I guess the cops figure that they only chase scooters anyway, so Taipei's finest all ride the local brand, Kymco. These seem to be the generic ride around town. Grocery getters for housewives, basic transport for professionals -- and everyone in between. I even found a sidewalk vender who mounted his grill on the back of his Kymco scooter so he could sell sausages all over town from his bike. I'm hoping to get a Vespa, but they're pricey. A Canadian teacher here offered me her bike if I can get it running. I think it just needs a new spark plug, but don't tell her or I may not get the free scooter. . . |
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| The views of hundreds of scooters in traffic is now so commonplace I don't even pay any mind. I will get pictures of the Domino's Pizza scooter fleet, though. They have giant pizza-carriers mounted to the backs of all the bikes. It's rather disturbing, especially since no one tips here. I'm sure I'll have images of my own scooter soon. I have to go through all the red tape to get a driver's license first, though. I found a Piaggio dealership in Taipei but did not have an opportunity to check out their wares. Anyhow, keep the rubber side down and dodge those damned pedestrians and sport utility vehicles, ok? | |
From KYMCO 125 motorcycles to Vespa PX 150's and T-5's to Sanyung Freeway 100's and Jock 50's, Taiwan is full of the blue two stroke goodness we have all grown to love. Entire families commute to work and school on scooters. They have baby seats that mount between the driver's legs behind the handlebars. They make small, pink "Hello Kitty" helmets in children's sizes.
