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Post by hipscooters on Aug 29, 2006 5:21:16 GMT
Hello I am so happy I found this forum. I ride a 150cc Retro Styled Scooter which is Manufactured by Taizhou Zhongneng Motorcycle Co., Ltd. which is part of the Zhejiang Zhongneng Industrial Group. Anyway in the USA it is marketed under several Brand Names including Baron and Bandit. I have also noticed it might be called Benzhou Tommy and also the Hongchin Harlequin and perhaps the BARON TAMORETTI there in the UK. Anyway here is my personal scoot.  So I was curious if anyone else has one of these?? And if you do can you confirm it is made by the same maker in China??? Oh and lastly for my new friends in the UK here is a little factoid for you. The city I live in was one of the first communites in the Pacific Northwest of North America founded by the British Bay Company and was named after a famous British General who the Americans did NOT like at all. I have been told they named it Fort Vancouver just to tick off the yankee fur trappers on the new frontier. But then where I live was part of the British Empire but just across the Columbia over in Portland, Oregon there it was was part of the USA. Interesting little history factoid huh!  |
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Post by andyscooter on Aug 29, 2006 9:22:57 GMT
hello and welcome mines a retro but it is a baotian and its only a 50cc
they dont do 125 or 150's over here yet it is made by same company as yours
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Post by Scootin on Aug 29, 2006 12:37:35 GMT
Welcome Aboard from a fellow Yankee!  |
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Post by Simar on Aug 29, 2006 19:42:40 GMT
Cool looking scoot M8.  |
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Post by julietdoll on Aug 29, 2006 19:52:38 GMT
hello and welcome mines a retro but it is a baotian and its only a 50cc they dont do 125 or 150's over here yet it is made by same company as yours They do Baron 125 Retros on ebay.  go to www.ebay.co.uk and type in 110025266938 as the item number you are searching for. Hi, hipscooters by the way. Interesting factoid, yeah but like you guys had any history before we invaded and gave you a culture, huh?   |
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Post by px166bajaj on Aug 30, 2006 22:28:19 GMT
I've got one  Took it to the Isle of Wight scooter rally recently  It works fine, plenty of power even two-up. Bodywork wise, it appears to be an exact copy of a Honda Joker/Shadow. The only difference I've noticed is that the chrome teardrops on the front legshield are fitted the other way up on Hondas. google one of each to see what I mean. Most of these chinese bikes are based on older Honda models. My Chunlan Starway 125 was easily repaired with one or two parts from a Honda SH50 moped. Switchgear and braking systems are identical across all the ranges and are the same as some SYM and KYMCO models as well. Not surprising, as these are also Hondas built under licence for the Japanese and Taiwanese markets |
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Post by hipscooters on Sept 1, 2006 20:01:36 GMT
 The look of this Italian scooter design was first marketed as the Aprillia Habana in Italy, France, Germany and other parts of Europe and Japan. It was later sold as the Aprillia Mojito in the USA. The last model year imported was 2005 here in the USA. In 2005 it had a MSRP of $3995 and the Company went under and was purchased by the parent company of Vespa.   A very similar looking design was incorporated into the Honda Joker sold in Japan. This very attractive scooter was intentionally designed to mimic an American look from the 50s and 60s to help satisfy the Japanese penchant for vintage products. It looks something like the offspring from a mating of a Vespa with a Harley.  This retro look is now found in this and several other Scooters with major parts manufactured in China including the TNG Low Boy 150 which is sometimes called Twist and Go and it has a MSRP of $2395. Visit the website for TNG at www.tngscooters.com  <p> This similar Honda Joker Clone (Model RC-150z) in China is really called the ZHEN 150T-E. It can be purchased for about $1500 pretty easy Distributor Direct. www.bandit-motorsports.comYou will find the Znen sold all over the world under many different name plates including the Bandit and Baron Retro and RCMoto Hot Rod in the USA, it is known as the Baron Tamoretti and Benzhou Tommy in the UK, it is known as the Hongchin Harlequin in the rest of Europe and it is known as the Tiburz in Korea just to name a few. Manufactured by Taizhou Zhongneng Motorcycle Co., Ltd. You can visit the true manufacturer’s website at www.zhongneng.com/english1/Products.asp |
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Post by px166bajaj on Sept 1, 2006 21:38:34 GMT
Apart from engine size (the Honda is a 50/90cc two stroke) have you noticed that the only bodywork difference between the Japanese and Chinese models is that the chrome teardrops on the front of Chinese ones are fitted the other way over? I know I'm a BOF #icon_blah#
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