Vintage Chinese bikes

I know the CJ750s (etc) are "vintage", but how about some others?

I saw this yesterday ... an obvious copy of a Jawa 250. According to the owner, it is about 30 years old. It is called a Xingfu ("happiness"). It has some interesting "features", like a single cylinder but twin pipes.

I did a bit of research on the bike, and some guy in the States claims that these are "very rare" ... NOT because everyone wants one, but because every Chinese person does not want one! :lol8:

Anyways, it looked kinda cool, and the build quality left MUCH to be desired (but that was one of the things that made this so uniquely Chinese vintage).

By the way, this is my first attempt at adding attachments, so I am not sure if I am doing it correctly.

Have you seen any vintage Chinese bikes? Share them.

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Very nice, I have read Chinese doing copies of Javas, but this is the first I have seen.

Very interesting bike, i had no idea these existed! I like how the headlight wraps around the handlebars.

There are a couple of very ancient chinese vehicles at the local CJ shop here in suzhou. They're not bikes but i will try to get a shot of them and post them here sometime soon!

I rode one of these bikes a few years ago. Loud, smelly, gutless, everything an old Chinese 2 smoker could ever aspire to be. It was actually a pretty fun bike to ride just because of the looks you got while riding it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cj750/cj-5.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...j750/cj-17.jpg

I give you the other Chinese 750cc Side car bike. The bike looks like it is based on a British 750cc twin. Glad it was never made too popular. Chinese quality and British design doesn't sound like the ideal combination for a reliable bike

I also rode one of these. It was a little smoother than the CJ750 and the suspension was obviously better. I actually thought about buying one for a while

Yes, the Donghai is an interesting bike. You see a few around every now and then.

One of Sabine's bikes (the vintage BMW) has a Donghai sidecar bucket, as does Jim Bryant's personal ride (also a vintage BMW ... that went around the world!). The Donghai sidecar buckets are nice, and Sabine's is extra nice because she had it customized by Jim ... extending it several inches for more legroom.

I was just at Jim's shop and noticed that he is storing a Xingfu for some absent owner. So, the "Happiness" bikes are definitely out there ... but probably ridden very little. Jim said he rode it once and his opinion was, well, "it is an old Chinese bike with character". :lol8:

Update on the Xingfu 250A (Happiness):

After seeing my first "happiness" last year, I started researching the bike. Here is a little synposis ...

They were first made by the Shanghai Bicycle Factory circa 1959/60/61 ... a time when China was experiencing the terrible consequences (widespread famine) of "The Great Leap Forward". After making a few prototypes, the "leaders" decided that the bike needed to be named "Xingfu" (happiness) to try and create a positive spin. Hence, marketing was also important in diehard communist states.

The bikes were originally made in very limited number, and primarily for the military and government deliveries (e.g., post office). Therefore, the earliest "customers" could choose any color, as long as it was green. Reminders of Henry Ford.

In the 70s and into the 80s, the Xingfu 250A started becoming available for the "public", although one can imagine how difficult it would have been for an average person to acquire one. This was the start of the red ones. The "people's bike"

In 1995, the Shanghai factory decided to make a limited edition 10 year anniversary (stories vary on what exactly it was a 10th anniversary of). It was limited to a production run of 999 bikes, and was painted in a gold color with a silver frame. Some claim that the paint, brought in from Hong Kong, had real gold put into it, but this may just be an urban myth. This limited production run had the bikes' engine, frame & plate serial numbers sequentially numbered from 001 to 999. All three should match on an original bike.

Accurate records are difficult to come by, although some estimate that fewer than half the original 10th anniversary bikes remain. The red Xingfus are quite common, with high production numbers. The green Xingfus less so, but still many many times more than a gold 10 year anniversary.

The Xingfu 250A was discontinued in the late 1990s, and replaced by the more modern Xingfu 250 that copied the squarish Japanese motorcycles of the day.

It is a unique classic ... 2-stroke, 6 volt, combination kick-starter/shift lever, with the "finest materials" and "quality control" of the day.

Here's a little video of my most recent acquisition ... I managed to find a one-family-owned, 10 year anniversary in a small village in Dongbei. The youngish son wanted to sell the bike because it was "old & ugly" and he wanted a sport bike style. I was happy to buy the Xingfu because it matches me!

Super cool Chinese history! I'm now chasing down an original QingQi motor-bicycle.

Wow. That's just amazing and awesome, Richard. What a find. So how DID you find it? And don't you have other gems squirreled away up in Dongbei?

Was the Xingfu the only "production" bike in China during those pre-reform years? What about pre-revolution?

Great thread and a great project!

G'Day,

The Xingfu company had a big showroom and service center down on the bund (Shanghai) near the now called area "Cool Docks". A huge motorcycle was mounted on top of the building. The green Xingfu bikes were used by the post office in Shanghai up to 93-95 as far as I recall. Must dig through some old pictures......

I definitely remember the China Post Xingfus. Would be great to have one of those. Wonder what China Post does with them as they are taken out of service?

So the Xingfu is the Hongqi of motorcycles.

I want a green one with postal insignia!

Yes, the postie bikes are also super cool!

In my search for the 10th anniversary, I came across many different types of Xingfus, including a couple of actual postal bikes, complete with original postal bags, in near perfect condition. One is sitting in Shanghai, and I've been going back/forth with the owner about selling. Nope, I won't reveal its exact location, just yet.

Another very interesting find was some of the military bikes with Cultural Revolution slogans written on the forks and side panels, applied by the factory. Again, super cool. Those are bikes with a very unique historical value.

From what I heard, talking to some Chinese "experts", many of the postal bikes & military bikes (as well as many 10th anniversary bikes) were scrapped as junk.

There are a couple of guys in China who are starting to recognize the future vintage value of these bikes and are trying to snap them all up (ha ha ... maybe me included?). At present, they are a steal, IMHO. They are still considered "old and ugly" by most local people. Any red-blooded young guy is going to want some super-sport bike (or a Harley) to attract the girls ... definitely not some "old and ugly" Xingfu that his father/uncle/whomever gave him! Not many hot girls will be oo-ing and ah-ing at some guy on a Xingfu!

Fine by me ... I'll take it off your hands! I think it is a very important part of China's two-wheeled history.

Oh, how did I find these? With the help of super smart ex-students who know the ins/outs of where/how to look. Still, however, my ex-students think I am truly the crazy professor chasing after these "old and ugly" bikes. Nyeh, fine by me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Update on the Xingfu 250A (Happiness):

After seeing my first "happiness" last year, I started researching the bike. Here is a little synposis ...

They were first made by the Shanghai Bicycle Factory circa 1959/60/61 ... a time when China was experiencing the terrible consequences (widespread famine) of "The Great Leap Forward". After making a few prototypes, the "leaders" decided that the bike needed to be named "Xingfu" (happiness) to try and create a positive spin. Hence, marketing was also important in diehard communist states.

The bikes were originally made in very limited number, and primarily for the military and government deliveries (e.g., post office). Therefore, the earliest "customers" could choose any color, as long as it was green. Reminders of Henry Ford.

In the 70s and into the 80s, the Xingfu 250A started becoming available for the "public", although one can imagine how difficult it would have been for an average person to acquire one. This was the start of the red ones. The "people's bike"

In 1995, the Shanghai factory decided to make a limited edition 10 year anniversary (stories vary on what exactly it was a 10th anniversary of). It was limited to a production run of 999 bikes, and was painted in a gold color with a silver frame. Some claim that the paint, brought in from Hong Kong, had real gold put into it, but this may just be an urban myth. This limited production run had the bikes' engine, frame & plate serial numbers sequentially numbered from 001 to 999. All three should match on an original bike.

Accurate records are difficult to come by, although some estimate that fewer than half the original 10th anniversary bikes remain. The red Xingfus are quite common, with high production numbers. The green Xingfus less so, but still many many times more than a gold 10 year anniversary.

The Xingfu 250A was discontinued in the late 1990s, and replaced by the more modern Xingfu 250 that copied the squarish Japanese motorcycles of the day.

It is a unique classic ... 2-stroke, 6 volt, combination kick-starter/shift lever, with the "finest materials" and "quality control" of the day.

Here's a little video of my most recent acquisition ... I managed to find a one-family-owned, 10 year anniversary in a small village in Dongbei. The youngish son wanted to sell the bike because it was "old & ugly" and he wanted a sport bike style. I was happy to buy the Xingfu because it matches me!

Super cool Chinese history! I'm now chasing down an original QingQi motor-bicycle.

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Wow, can't believ you found one. How is riding these. What did you pay and did you get it plated?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fahni

Wow, can't believ you found one. How is riding these. What did you pay and did you get it plated?

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I feel lucky to have found one, but when it rains ... it pours. Waited many months for a 10th anniversary, found this one, and three more have since popped up in my "network."

Riding experience of a Xingfu? You'll have to wait for the sequel "ride report / review".

Prices for these vary tremendously. The absolute lowest I have heard is 10K rmb for a 10 year anniversary (high is 50K). One lesson I've learned is ... get a poor, native student to negotiate on your behalf. Having a laowai anywhere in the picture, even as a passing reference, is a very bad idea.

Plating is impossible, at this point. I am working with some people, advocating a vintage plate (post 11 year bikes, if there is some historical significance). Under certain circumstances, a special permit is available - e.g., a biz partner and I are thinking about organizing a Xingfu tour, with guides & official escorts, but that is very convoluted and will probably remain a dream. In the interim, I've ordered some "special" yellow plates that read 幸福 (instead of 京A) and 250-A (instead of the typical 47nnn for foreigners). I'd like to find some of the original green 京A plates that were used on motorcycles in Beijing during the 80s and 90s. Not sure if "the guy" can manufacture these ... never asked, but I will.

According to the law shouldn't everything with an engine be taken to the scrap yard the moment it hits 10 years old?

Sure it would be cool to have a new legal plate type for vehicles with historical value or even a different optional car type plate for motorcycles that are over 250cc, but that will never happen because it would complicate things and make a disharmonious society.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

...Sure it would be cool to have a new legal plate type for vehicles with historical value or even a different optional car type plate for motorcycles that are over 250cc, but that will never happen because it would complicate things and make a disharmonious society.

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It's already done for vintage cars like the Red Flags, but I'm guessing these are done on an ad hoc basis, and might even be military plates. A call to the automobile museum at FAW in Changchun could be instructive.

Really cool....almost art deco styled bike.

It could be in fact styled after the Puch Twingle which was a weird configuration. two pistons on one connecting rod I believe....and twin exhaust pipes......My dad had one.

Great find....Kudos.....will you ship it back home?

Dave