First of all, it is essential to explain that it is one thing for automobile or motorcycle brands to opt for similar design trends that can make some models look similar in concept, and quite another for them to directly copy the bodywork of a foreign model and put it on. a name that can also confuse the unwary or simply shameless buyer. It also has nothing to do with plagiarism and it is perfectly legal for a brand to license its own version of a model from another company. None of that is – not even remotely – a copy or imitation.
In fact, it is unthinkable to even imagine that something similar to that could happen with large European or Japanese brands involved. And of course we also leave out of the equation the large Premium “Made in China” manufacturers such as Voge, QJ or Zontes… who have been working for a long time with totally Western quality standards.
However – and we will refer to the evidence – the thing is no longer so implausible when we think about the hodgepodge of small manufacturers in China, India and Southeast Asian countries that produce without any type of control products for an almost clandestine market.
The phenomenon of plagiarism reached automobiles before it did to motorcycles… but once established in the world of two wheels, it found a favorable black market because literally millions of units of motorcycles of all types and displacements are sold. in Southeast Asia and it is impossible to control. Furthermore, in the majority of countries in the aforementioned Southeast Asia, large displacement motorcycles are prohibited and there is demand for machines that appear to be what they are not…
Another thing that must be understood is that in these countries international intellectual property standards are not in force or are not applied and that there are laws so lax that they consider that it is enough for a motorcycle to be 2% different from the original for it to no longer be consider copy.
We have selected a dozen from among the numerous samples – better or worse achieved – that the most “random” Asian brands give us.
For just over 1,600 euros, the friends of “Bitto Bike” in Delhi can get you on the basis of a Bajaj Pulsar 220, a replica of a Suzuki Hayabusa GSX 1300 R that the most experienced Suzuki rider would have a hard time differentiating from the original. Perhaps you would realize, of course, when you start the powerful 220 cc engine with 20 HP of power and notice that it lacks 177 horsepower compared to the 1300 cc one.
It would be difficult to explain in court that the similarity of this Feiken 250 with the already personal aesthetics of the Husqvarna Smartpilen is a simple coincidence. The “Feikenpilen” is equipped with a 250 cc single-cylinder and 28 HP of power, while the original Swedish model 401 – owned by the KTM group – has a high-performance 375 cc and 48 HP single-cylinder.
Just because it’s a blatant copy of a Kawasaki 1000 doesn’t mean the JiaJUe is ugly. On the contrary; It is a very nice bike, which is normal when you plagiarize an original that is also nice. The “KawaJiaki” has a 350 cc twin-cylinder engine with 30 HP of power.
I don’t even want to think about the amount of money that Lifan must have paid Ducati, a brand traditionally hyper-zealous with its designs, to allow it to reproduce its Scrambler. Of course, it may also be that the Chinese brand has blatantly copied the Italian machine. What cannot be denied are the 125 cc and 10 HP of pure “Italian” style.
The real BMW S 1000 RR is a Superbike with 210 HP of power to be used on the circuit, but if someone finds themselves overwhelmed by so much cavalry, they can always buy a Moto S450 RR and enjoy its 450 cc, 24 HP twin-cylinder. The rest, including the logos, is practically the same. It even comes with the Bavarian brand’s official racing colors!
Not only the big sports cars or nakeds are copy material. Even a minibike as nice as the “hippie” Honda Dax has also received tribute from Asian “admirers.” It is frankly difficult to find differences between original and imitation… that, despite that, do not seem to have bad workmanship. Its engine is also a 125 with 8.5 HP of power.
In reality, the phenomenon of plagiarism is not as modern as it is believed. In 1938, Josif Stalin ordered those in charge of the Red Army to acquire some of the Wermacht’s sophisticated BMW R-71 sidecar motorcycles. Of course, Germany was not willing to deliver them, so Soviet agents bought five units supposedly destined for neutral Sweden and passed them on to the USSR. Soviet engineers copied them screw by screw with a result that was, by the way, quite satisfactory, since they are essentially still the same as those on the market today.
There is something that the Ducati 1198 Superbike – which our friend Wonjang slightly resembles – will never be. And she is “Majestic”, “Shadow Warrior” and “Space Explorer” as her advertising says. Therefore, its users should prepare to discover the sensations of its 300 cc, 19 HP single-cylinder engine. Borgo Panigale trembles!!!
No, it’s not a Yamaha R6… it’s a Yayama R6… which is almost the same but has nothing to do with it. The SuperSport Yayama is powered by a 150 cc single-cylinder that delivers about 11 HP and comes with its sponsor “Racing” stickers included.
Any resemblance of the Xiang Shuai to a Harley Davidson 883 Sportster is not purely coincidental. And it must be admitted that despite not trying to hide its imitation, the result draws attention for its relatively good workmanship. Some details, however, give it away: the rear disc is on the opposite side to that of the Harley and the instrumentation is digital while in the real Sporster 883 it is analog. The engine is a 650 cc, 53 HP V-Twin.
