The original Tiger

 Economic development is not something I often write about, because I’m more interested in the social aspects of community development.  However there is a degree to which change relies on the means to create access: access to education, to health care, to training, to markets, etc.  Lots of people here are seeking various forms of access, but they don’t have much capital to seek it with.  This is a context in which the producer of the cheapest products that create access will have a wildly successful business.  My case in point: Chinese motorcycles. 

Pictured below is my shiny red motorcycle, a Tiger Asli 150, made in China.  Brand new this baby sold for $780 (I bought mine used for less).  With it’s 150cc powerplant, 21 and 18 inch wheels, cargo racks, and remote starter this hot ride is near the top of the line around here.  Guys that settle for a 125cc motor, 17-inch wheels, and no-frills electronics can grab a new motorcycle for $500.  It’s been a long long time since a new motorcycle sold for that low of a price in America.  

Now, let’s get something straight- these are not performance motorcycles.  I’m a motorcycle enthusiast and I’ve ridden some terrific bikes, and to be honest some days I want to cry about how poor quality my Tiger Asli is.  The front wheel wanders all around because the forks has so much lateral flex, the rear shocks bounce wildly with no dampening, the gear shifting is upside-down from Japanese standard, and the motor signs off (8000 RPM in 5^th gear) at a whopping 48 MPH (the gearing has to be this low so that it has enough grunt to climb the mountain roads in 1^st gear).  I take it out on a trail now and then, but it is essentially a grocery-getter (which is extremely useful).  None of my moaning and groaning matters to the average motorcycle rider here.  Most of them have never ridden anything but a donkey, and believe me, these motorcycles are a step up from the embarrassment of riding a braying, farting donkey.  The typical rider does not need to go anywhere fast, or even comfortably, he just needs to get there.    

More often than not, these bikes get their riders where they need to go, and so the market for them has gone wild.  In a matter of a few years, all of the horse and donkey drawn carts have disappeared because they’ve been replaced by Chinese-made trikes.  The streets are otherwise a constant buzz with men of all ages on their Chinese motorcycles, zipping around running errands like they were never able to do on their beast of burden.  The motorcycle market has expanded the economy because suddenly, the circle of access around each market, training center, etc, has increased, because everyone with a motorcycle can travel so much faster and easier than before. 

The only downside to the soaring sales of motorcycles is that it has flooded the streets with drivers that clearly have not had any training in driving safely.  I’ve driven motorcycles in 6 Asian countries where traffic is very different, but here it’s scary because there is no law enforcement for traffic, and no one follows (or knows) any standard driving rules.  There have been a number of fatal motorcycle accidents just in the time we’ve been here.  So, like any development, there needs to be coordination from other agencies that say- we need to help the public stay safe as the transportation and economy develops!  Maybe I should start a motorcycle safety course?  Ha ha.

One last note that I found humorous.  The brand of my bike is Tiger Asli, which translates to “The original Tiger”.  So much of the Chinese products we see here are obvious copies of products made elsewher.  I got to looking for the bike that mine might have copied, and here it is:

This is a Triumph Tiger 800XC, made in the UK.  Both bikes have big gas tanks, big wheels for all-terrain riding, and luggage mounts.  The main difference?  Well the Triumph Tiger puts out close to 100 HP, and my Tiger... on a good day, perhaps 8 HP?  So I guess I should say that the Triumph Tiger is the  (real) original Tiger, but who cares?  The people that will buy one?  That won’t be many, the thing costs over $14,000!  I appreciate a nice motorcycle (can’t afford them but I appreciate them), but I am glad that some companies see the market potential in underdeveloped countries that are searching for transportation that will give them a chance to improve their lives.