Really BIG idea! "Kit Bikes!"

[CROSSBOLT]

I absolutely LOVE to put things together and check 'em out! Just finished an antenna tuner kit for ham radio. Used a transceiver built from a kit to do the final check out and learned bunches about both!

How 'bout kit scooters/motorcycles? You get your machine in a box and put it together! All major components checked at the factory like they supposed to do before final assembly. Actually, there is a one-time greater cost in a kit because of instructions and slightly different procedures on the line. Crating is way more expensive. But it is doable. Personally, I have said before, the next one will be in the crate just like the dealer gets or no sale. Yeah, yeah, I know, there ARE dealers out there that can put 'em together and not destroy them in the process! There WAS one here that we bought the last two sets from and they did fine BUT THEY DROPPED THE LINE!

This could be done but not by a suggestion from the customer community. This is one of those NIH (Not Invented Here) ideas that the factory, importer and/or the dealer is gonna have to invent. Meanwhile, IF I ever buy a new bike, I will diligently, strongly persue getting it in the crate. Or not at all.

[Fogie]

I like the idea, but I don't know how much of a bike could start from a "kit", and become road "legal" from a licensing perspective. Rather than purchasing it as a kit, one could run around buying up parts that could somehow be made to work satisfactorily together, but I bet you'd have major trouble getting it licensed. I fear that any bike would have to arrive largely intact from a recognized manufacturer to become legal.

[Stig / Major Tom]

For $1,200 you can get one of those internet "Reflex clones".
Red, or blue. Or, if it was nearing noodle time, "red & blue".
Comes in a box, dumped onto your driveway. No instructions, comes with the 19lb bag of hardware. A few tires.
Then you get to try to get it running....and licensed.
Lotta fun.

Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

Yeah, heard about those. Almost got sucked into that with "Scooter Depot" years ago.

[AMAC1680]

Kit Trike..😉

AMAC

[CROSSBOLT]

There ya go, AMAC!

[JJJoseph]

They're not that difficult to assemble. I helped a friend assemble a 50cc (qmb engine) Chinese scooter a couple of years ago, and it took most of a weekend, and it's still running after a few years of errands.  This particular kit came with the papers necessary to register and licence, and the total cost, delivered, was about $900 as I recall.  As I recall, you have to ask for the registration papers, they're in a separate (free) envelope.