Job Discussion Forums

[Bryanpass]

I am going over to Taiwan (Kaohsiung, to be exact) in January.

The thought of driving a scooter dismays me (I am an avid biker here in Canada), so I would much prefer to get around on a Motorcycle.

What crusier-style motorcycles are common for purchase in Taiwan, and how do they compare to scooters in cost? I'm obviously not looking for a teeth-shaking Harley-Davidson Vee -Twin or anything, just something that has a little more balls than a little put-a-bout vespa, or even worse, a crotch-rocket racing bike (yeech).

My ride here is a 2000 Honda Shadow VT750. If I had the $$ I'd bring her with me, but I'm entrusting her to my dad while I am gone.

[markholmes]

Nothing wrong with scooters. On a motorbike you have no where to put your shopping!!

[Xenophobe]

You can't take the bikes out onto the freeway so what's the point? A 250 cc is about the best you can hope for, but they make them look like they are bigger. The scooters are more convenient because of their storage capacity and riding comfort. It would be nice if Honda could sell their Silver Wings here as they are quite a nice ride, but at 587 cc are too big for Taiwan

[TaoyuanSteve]

You can buy and operate large displacement motorcycles here. Right now, though, they are a niche item mainly for prestige seeking people. They are prohibitively expensive in most cases (--taxes are huge-- big bikes have only been legal here for a short amount of time--used bike supply is small and also expensive-- owners and enthusiasts are small in number and mainly status seekers). Others pointed out the practicality issues. No freeway access is a big one. Also, traffic and space here can be very tight and congested. Drivers here are also insane. You'll have to be here to know what I mean by that. Having a lot of horsepower is over kill and dangerous in town. You'll be frustrated by how little room you have to manuever on the road and park off of it. You'll also hate the kind of damage to fairings etc that will result from careless scooter riders bumping you at red lights and people parking practically on top of your bike due to shortage of parking. The best bikes here are light weight, short wheel-based, cheap little scooters that can be manuevered through very tight spaces quickly and easily, operated cheaply and not cried over if damaged.

Some people still opt to get big bikes here. I'll admit I'm tempted. But they get them mainly for leisure rides and trips out into the countryside or into the mountains (these are the only places where big bikes can be ridden safely and enjoyably). These people usually still own and ride scooters for everyday use, though.

[Aristotle]

If you ride a motorcycle or scooter on Taiwan you are guaranteed a trip to the hospital at least once.
Drunk driver hit and run is quite common in many of the major cities.
Every year there are numerous foreign nationals killed while driving a scooter on Taiwan.
Buy extra insurance and bring a lucky charm.
Please read this,
10 Steps to Success on Taiwan!
Good luck!
A.

[clark.w.griswald]

I will admitt that riding a scooter or motorbike is potentially dangerous in Taiwan but I think that Aristotle has overstated things somewhat.

[Xenophobe]

I only ever had one accident(but several close calls) in the five years I drove a scooter in Kaohsiung. A car tried making a right hand turn from the left lane of a traffic circle and drove over my foot. While my foot was sore for a day or two, they required a new windshield and the removal of several large dents from their hood(helmets have other uses in traffic, other than protecting your head). In hindsight, I don't encourage others to engage in this response, but it did feel good at the time.