Trying to Buy a REAL Used Motorcyle - Frustrating

[Micahel]

Interested in buying a real motorcycle (big touring size, 1000CC +). So far my efforts have been frustrating so I bought a scooter as an interim (only 875 cc less than my last bike). In general;
1) Have not found many big bikes (touring size), period. Surprised, so close to Japan.
2) Everything I found I could buy in US for about have the price (really, I have owned 3 used BMW touring bikes).
3) Very few MC shops, and their inventory is very limited.
4) About half the bikes I found do not have a title. Wow, whats with that?

Is my perspective wrong, or have some of you actually had POSITIVE experiences trying to buy a big bike?

Mike

[Okami]

You're going to have some difficulty because taxes are high, selection is low and not all that many people know how to work on big bikes.

Would you really want to go touring on a motorcycle in Taiwan? I can barely tolerate driving a car here for any length of time. The roads, traffic systems and other drivers just make it a seriously unfun experience.

Taiwan has an active smuggling system and they bring in all kinds of stuff large motorcycles being one of them. For example: Steal motorcycle in Japan or The US, smuggle to Taiwan and after shipping, bribes and theft it's all profit.

[Rennes]

Welcome to Taiwan

[SlowRain]

1) Have not found many big bikes (touring size), period. Surprised, so close to Japan.
2) Everything I found I could buy in US for about have the price (really, I have owned 3 used BMW touring bikes).
3) Very few MC shops, and their inventory is very limited.
4) About half the bikes I found do not have a title. Wow, whats with that?

As has been said: Welcome to Taiwan.

Prices here are almost double the US's because of import duties, taxes, inspections, etc. It's intentional on the part of the government, and they show no signs of wanting to change.

I'm in the same situation as you. Maybe a group-buy. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[Micahel]

You're going to have some difficulty because taxes are high, selection is low and not all that many people know how to work on big bikes.

Would you really want to go touring on a motorcycle in Taiwan? I can barely tolerate driving a car here for any length of time. The roads, traffic systems and other drivers just make it a seriously unfun experience.

Taiwan has an active smuggling system and they bring in all kinds of stuff large motorcycles being one of them. For example: Steal motorcycle in Japan or The US, smuggle to Taiwan and after shipping, bribes and theft it's all profit.

Probably some touring but mainly I would ride the big bike instead of the scooter. Driving a car is is painful sometimes with the traffic, I prefer the scooter and still would like a big bike.

[feropont]

I assume you already driving scooter here for at least 1 year and went to school to get your big motorcycle license?

[PigBloodCake]

Prices here are almost double the US's because of import duties, taxes, inspections, etc. It's intentional on the part of the government, and they show no signs of wanting to change.

And here we thought WTO entry would have rectified this problem

[schatbot]

Big bikes were until recently robustly and purposefully banned on the island. Its only recently that they even allow them to grace the streets of Taiwan. So the selection of not-power washer/lawnmower sized bikes is pretty slim. Having a bike over 500 cc is in many ways going to be more trouble than its worth because you have to battle for the cars to park it. The higher taxes on anything over 150 makes it impractical as a daily transport machine. If you find a used bike in the size you're looking for, its probably going to be a Ducati or other like-new racing bike that a rich family-having Taiwanese man is selling because his wife thinks (correctly?) its dangerous.

While its horribly unfortunate that the government taxes the bikes heavily, the biggest issue is just the raw lack of supply. BUT, the way the roads in the mountains are I'm not convinced I want to be going much faster than a chugging 150 anyway....

[Rennes]

Are the taxes between a 150cc and a 250cc the same or different?