'Brand-new Antiques': Imported WWII motorcycles

He mentioned his desire to buy a bike to a friend, Greg Herren, director of production and service at Stedim Integrated Biosystems.

Earlier this summer, the duo brought a bike to Springfield from Hong Du factory in central China, and they are now testing local interest for the motorcycles.

BMW ties

The Chang Jiang 750 motorcycles, which have BMW engines, are the same style used as far back as World War II, but they are brand-new.

“When the Russians captured East Germany … the BMW plant was (there),” Herren said. “The Russians shared it with the Chinese, because of their communist link or whatever.”

That was in 1949, Li said, and the Chinese government used the bikes – without modifying the model – for military and law enforcement until about 2000.

“The craftsmanship is not like Honda. It’s not like anything you’ll ever see, because it’s military,” Herren said. “Each one of them is handmade, so they’re very unique. They’re very durable, very tough.”

Li, who noted that the motorcycles are off-road bikes, said there’s no market for them in China.

“This motorcycle never was available for civilians, always for the army and police,” he said. “After the military stopped ordering these … they made a law to outlaw the motorcycles on the street, for civilians.”

Li visited the factory in China earlier this summer, and officials there are excited about the possibility of an American market for their motorcycles.

Business opportunities

The businessmen plan to sell the bikes for $5,000 or less, which would also include spare parts.

There are two seats on the main body of the bike, in addition to the removable sidecar, which also has a small trunk. The motorcycle Herren and Li have is military olive green, but the bikes are available in several colors.

“With gas prices the way they are, these things get well over 50 miles a gallon, and people might … start taking these to work,” Herren said.

Herren and Li plan to bring about six more to the Ozarks soon. Those bikes, Herren said, will be sold – “at a good price” – to people they know who are interested in them.

Those people will help provide feedback on the bikes, which Herren and Li will use to determine whether to formally incorporate and launch a business.

“If it proves to be something that is worthy to sell to other people … then we’ll maybe get a business, (choose) a name and import them,” Herren said.

Dan Marquis, a contract systems engineer for GE Healthcare, is among the people who are interested in the bikes and possibly, will give Herren and Li feedback about them.

“It’s literally a brand-new antique … it’s the exact same product (that has) been continued all these years in China, so that makes it intriguing,” said Marquis, who knows Herren and Li through Glendale Christian Church.

Marquis appreciates the opportunity to play with the old technology, and he is looking forward to learning more.

Herren said the body and engine are shipped separately, which qualifies the bikes as kit vehicles.

“The way our laws are written, it doesn’t have to meet (Department of Transportation) and all the government regulations if it’s a kit bike,” Herren said. “This probably wouldn’t pass if it were just run through those regulations, but antique bikes and kit bikes can get around them.”

Li and Herren have toyed with the idea of using the bikes for a taxi service in Branson and have a Web site under development.

“We’re not really trying to get rich or do anything crazy, but if it takes off, hey, that’s great,” Herren said.[[In-content Ad]]