Nothing more than a personal post, to show all my family and friends my new motorbike. I always remember a conversation with
Jimmy Thong, who upon asking
moi what kind of bike I guided around these uneven streets, seemed mortified when he found out it was a
Nouvo, the same kind driven by none other than Linux-worshipping blog man Kevin
Nezumi Miller.
It struck me that of course those who drive certain types of car back home have a particular image - for example, a Ford Mondeo driver would be your sales executive/middle manager with his suit jacket hanging up in the rear window. A VW golf or a Peugeot 205 was a boy racers car, and a Range Rover brings to mind farmers, shotguns and wax jackets. Anyone driving a Skoda or a Citroen were just ridiculed. So is it the same with motorbikes in Vietnam?
The Classico shown above - driven by a new generation of young city women. Confident, well educated and free. Or something like that. Make up your own mind about those Honda @ drivers...they are a real mixed bunch. The battered old Wave is the territory of the state Uni student...etc etc. So, judge not lest thy be judged yourself, what does this bike say about me I wonder? A freshly sponged Future Neo, 23.something million. Dong.
It struck me that of course those who drive certain types of car back home have a particular image - for example, a Ford Mondeo driver would be your sales executive/middle manager with his suit jacket hanging up in the rear window. A VW golf or a Peugeot 205 was a boy racers car, and a Range Rover brings to mind farmers, shotguns and wax jackets. Anyone driving a Skoda or a Citroen were just ridiculed. So is it the same with motorbikes in Vietnam?
The Classico shown above - driven by a new generation of young city women. Confident, well educated and free. Or something like that. Make up your own mind about those Honda @ drivers...they are a real mixed bunch. The battered old Wave is the territory of the state Uni student...etc etc. So, judge not lest thy be judged yourself, what does this bike say about me I wonder? A freshly sponged Future Neo, 23.something million. Dong.
10 comments:
I am not gonna lie - I really want a Classico - I'll forfeit my rather faint masculinity.
I bought a Future Neo GT last year.. yeah the one that is a million+ more for a little more style.
My wife to be... just bought a new Nuovo RC Yellow and Black. It is pretty sexy.
Basically I have Black/Grey, she has Black/Yellow. When we have a car it'll be black. Don't know what that says about us.
I just think Black is Sexy.
Nice bike Jon, but how much is the insurance if any?
Hey Brian...
Of course black is the only way forward. Not really a fan of the red or blue futures, so that was the logical choice.
Rob, the insurance....ummmm! I really don't think I have it. I have an excellent health insurance plan from my school covering any accidents, but as for insurance of the actual bike, I haven't purchased any.
I bet these types of bike can get very good mileage? 50 mi per gallon??? ... gasoline in the US costs $3.00 per gallon.
does the exhaust pipe can get pretty hot?
there're so many bikes in VN, I imagine it'd be hard to locate one's bike among many bikes in the parking lot. you know bike sellers should/could include a device acts as "vehicle locator", one presses a button on the key, then horn would go off in a short a distinct sounds.
Gasoline is less than $1 a liter. Not sure about gallons! I suppose a full tank for me is about $2 - it lasts me 3-5 days depending on how much driving obviously.
Yes finding your bike in the parking lot can be difficult...even in my apartments when I come down it's never where I left it. Your idea about the horn system...sounds a little advanced!
oohhh...nice post jon! just the kind that keeps me coming back to your blog. so what is the most expensive/most powerful scooter you can buy in vietnam? i'll be going to vietnam next year and would like to buy/ride and enjoy. haven't seen vietnam in 28 years!
I'll stick to my Vespa Cosa for the time being: 150cc; the seat is higher than the newer bikes; hand gear.
$1 dollar per liter, that would be equivalent to $3.8 dollars per gallon, wow! that's pretty expensive in VN standard... I thought VN's gov't had subsidized gasoline all these years... possibly your bike is not equipped with a odometer... you can figure out how many kilometers a liter of gasoline can take you...$2 liters can last you 3-4 days is a good budget! mine is $40 dollars a week, and that's expensive (used to be $23); let's go back to the steam engine! when basically vehicles run on water!!! hehehe then tree huggers will knock on doors :)
yes, it's a bit high tech :) sticking a colorful bow on one of the mirrows also solve the problem :) better yet, does your soccer team have a mascot? make a small version of it, tie the figurine to mirrow, then you can spot your bike miles away :)
Anonymous poster - you could, if you really wanted, get a 600cc bike, but you need all the proper paperwork (my friend has one). The police have 250cc. The most powerful scooters are 150cc I think, which is fine for the city. Even my 125cc is never challenged unless I get on the highway. I could go to work in third gear (and almost second) because of the traffic.
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