Coming soon! DPRK 5-stroke

OK, this is just weird ...

North Korea is manufacturing motorcycles, and hopefully wishes to export.

Presumably under the superior, gifted, ingenious guidance of the Dear Leader, a new 5-stroke technology has been developed. I am not sure what the fifth stroke could possible be. But whatever it is, I suspect the DPRK is closely guarding this new technology as a state secret.

Apparently, as the story goes, North Koreans don't really like their own motorcycle brand. It costs 2 to 3 times that of the "much more reliable" imported Chinese-made motorcycle. Owning a Chinese-made motorcycle is a dream for many North Koreans. However, it is virtually impossible to get a legal registration for an imported Chinese bike (hmmmm, where have I heard a similar story?). There are apparently some imported Japanese motorcycles in the DPRK, but those are likely reserved for the friends, family, and associates of you-know-who.

So, let's think this business-model through shall we? The DPRK wishes to export motorcycles to China. China is already the world leader in motorcycle manufacturing. The DPRK bike will cost 2 to 3 times as much as a Chinese bike, and the DPRK motorcycle will be half as reliable. A recipe for certain success?

Frankly, I'd buy one ... just to get my hands on this 5-stroke technology, and also to get in on the ground floor of what will surely become a collectors item. My own "pet rock", probably with about the same specifications & performance.

Here is the factory's slick sales brochure, with its various models.

http://www.korea-dpr.com/business/motorbikes.pdf

I think the DPRK should trade its motorcycles with the PRC for business-consulting services.

Suck .. squeeze .. bang .. blow .... gasp?

Some of them look OK! I would especially like one of the omnibus type, can't imagine it going very fast with eight passengers though. Would get the pigs to market.
The couple that are advertised to do 110 kph stock with a 124 cc engine must be the true ' fifth stroke ' machines, but I think it would take a ' fifth element ' or a 'fifth dimension ' to make that work ... the pentacle wheels will help with that ...
Oh well, if that is the standard of their advertising and self delusion I would expect the long-range missiles everyone is so upset about actually do just a ' true ' 100 kilometers and have a few firecrackers on the end. And the nuclear power plants are just disguised peat-burners. Lets hope so anyway.

they adopted WEST KOREAN :bs:

The good thing about these DPRK bikes, though, is that you can roll into any petrol station in China and say, "Please fill my tank for free, or my people in the name of the Great Leader and Dear Leader and Little Bad Boy Leader will light cigarettes and talk on cell phones at every one of your Sinopec and Petrochina stations and turn your country into a sea of fire...."

Free petrol for life. (Or at least till the next regime change...)

Pugang 125: The motorcycle built by starving slave laborers

"North Korea seems to be learning from its giant neighbor and long time ally in that the Western World will fall all over itself to save a buck on consumer products, and there seems to be no end to the poorly conceived, ill engineered, slapped-together, defective and outright dangerous merchandise that can't be sold by the shipload to the West as long as the MSRP is low enough. Chinese motorcycles have become legendary in the two-wheel biz for their tin can construction, gutless powerbands, penny pinching parts, and the longevity of a hand grenade with the pin pulled. Now it seems that the North Koreans want in on the act with a lineup of motorcycles that make their Chinese counterparts look like 24K plated Gold Wings:"