Is Taiwan the new Japan?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Speaking quality.....is Taiwan the new Japan? (not that Japan is slipping....but Taiwanese stuff seems to be pretty good quality.)
American autos sure seem a lot better quality now. Wish they'd build a scooter.  "Never happen, GI."
Stig

[Scooter Dan]

Maybe Elon Musk will produce an electric Maxiscooter that can do 100mph and has a decent range. Saw where Tesla Motors is working on an electric Semi truck and PU.

[Snorvey]

An American scooter? 

Chevrolet Head Office - scooter design department.

'Right, it has to be a 5.8 litre Vee-ayt scooter pick up combo that makes a lot of noise but only eighty horsepower at peak revs of around 72rpm.

It has to be 29 foot long, 8 feet wide with 2 extra wheels for stability and a standard weight capacity of at least 1500 pounds. It must not, I repeat NOT be able to go around a corner without wallowing so badly that it makes the driver seasick.

Depending on target market, we can add some bouncing front suspension for 'fun' effect or some outsized cowhorns to the front.

It must have supersized underseat storage / trunk for keeping various artillery pieces / dead bodies / dead animals (delete as applicable)

[MJR]

Maybe Elon Musk will produce an electric Maxiscooter that can do 100mph and has a decent range. Saw where Tesla Motors is working on an electric Semi truck and PU.

Yah a scooter 0-60 in 2 seconds and 100 mile range, would like to see the look on the faces of the sport bike guys as you pull away.

[LidoCA]

An American scooter? 

Chevrolet Head Office - scooter design department.

'Right, it has to be a 5.8 litre Vee-ayt scooter pick up combo that makes a lot of noise but only eighty horsepower at peak revs of around 72rpm.

It has to be 29 foot long, 8 feet wide with 2 extra wheels for stability and a standard weight capacity of at least 1500 pounds. It must not, I repeat NOT be able to go around a corner without wallowing so badly that it makes the driver seasick.

Depending on target market, we can add some bouncing front suspension for 'fun' effect or some outsized cowhorns to the front.

It must have supersized underseat storage / trunk for keeping various artillery pieces / dead bodies / dead animals (delete as applicable)

Don't forget the cup holder.

[ole two wheels]

Never happen GI brought back memories for sure. As I remember, it sounded more like "never hoppin GI." Thanks for the memories Stig.


Mac

[ole two wheels]

I would say yes on Taiwan being the next Japan, at least where Kymco is concerned. South Korea is putting some very nice cars over here also.


Mac

[gregspeople250]

I've been impressed with Taiwanese products ever since I purchased 2006 People 250 and found the quality to be quite good. I started looking more closely at country of origin for other items and found that across the board, Taiwan is building nice products.
I like the comments at GM building a scoot' and Tesla going into the biz. It's going to take an Elon Musk or a ground up company to go into the business before we see anything. We've seen some action in the motorcycle market for US products that are not HD. Mostly shoestring operations. The shoestrings for a scooter company would be smaller than a motorcycle. Maybe it's possible. Maybe the most likely firm would be Genuine. They sell many scoot's from Taiwan. At some point they may find that manufacturing their own scoot' is possible and attractive here.

[TroutBum]

Since the 60's Taiwan has partnered with several Japanese companies company to build product for less. Honda and Kymco come to mind. For years Kymco manufactured parts for Honda. It was through Honda's quality program that Kymco become a leader in quality control in Taiwan.

[kingkymco125]

Since the 60's Taiwan has partnered with several Japanese companies company to build product for less. Honda and Kymco come to mind. For years Kymco manufactured parts for Honda. It was through Honda's quality program that Kymco become a leader in quality control in Taiwan.

Don't forget SYM either. Like Kymco, they started out producing parts for Honda before deciding to produce their own line of bikes.

[klaviator]

While Taiwan may be making some nice stuff, they are doing a terrible job of selling it here.  Most dealers have dropped Kymco.  Sym is even worse.   Genuine also makes nice scooters but they don't do much marketing here either.  Maybe its just that scooter sales in general are down and that's mostly what Taiwan makes.

[doublej]

Do not forget Kymco makes for both BMW and Kawasaki.

[ole two wheels]

Hi Double. I knew Kymco makes the engines and drive trains for BMW scooters, but I haven't heard about Kawasaki. I didn't even know Kawasaki sold scooters?? Not saying you are wrong, I just haven't heard that before, but Japan and Germany can buy it cheaper from Kymco than tool up for them, themselves. Kymco has become world renowned for their quality, for sure.


Mac

[MJR]

Hi Double. I knew Kymco makes the engines and drive trains for BMW scooters, but I haven't heard about Kawasaki. I didn't even know Kawasaki sold scooters?? Not saying you are wrong, I just haven't heard that before, but Japan and Germany can buy it cheaper from Kymco than tool up for them, themselves. Kymco has become world renowned for their quality, for sure.

Maybe he is referring to quads?

http://dirtwheelsmag.com/home-page/2015-4x4-atv-buyers-guide

Kymco knows how to offer premium ATVs with quality that matches Japanese and North American products. They learned from companies like Kawasaki, Arctic Cat and BMW, all of which offer Kymco-made products in their own dealerships

[klaviator]

I think There is a Kawasaki version of the Downtown 300.  It's pure Kymco with Kawasaki colors.  I don't think it made it to the USA.