Friday, January 26, 2018

Ryuka Motorcycle Spotted In Bangkok




I see a lot of old Hondas, and when I spotted this motorcycle from across the street I assumed that it was one of those. But no! 

The Ryuka brand was new to me, so out came the camera-phone. Ryuka on the engine, too. God knows what the "RKIIOC" stands for. I headed for Google upon returning home. (The bike was parked outside of my dentist's office.) 

It looks like a copy of a Honda fifty cc from at least thirty years ago, probably more like forty. I see a fair number of those, lovingly kept in mint condition, or carefully restored. it's a lot more recent than that, though. The "Ryuka" brand is used by the Zongshen Motorcycle Company, based in Chongqing, China. The company was founded by Zuo Zongshen in 1992. They make about a million motorcycles per year, at least thirty percent of which go to export. 

They have a full line of newer designs with larger displacement engines, and the company is experiencing a growth spurt, if flattering articles are to be believed. It's a tough market, but that never stopped a Chinese company before. My friend has a Huawei phone, and it takes better pictures than my Samsung. I wish them luck. They need the jobs, too, and I for one don't grudge them. 

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