Motorcycles in Taiwan - Honda

The Big Four in Japan are: Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. It has always been such. In Taiwan after WWII, the refugees from Mainland China blamed the Japanese for weakening them to the point that the Communists could force them from China. They do not see their own corruption and incompetence as possible reasons for their defeat.

In contrast, as the refugees proved more and more repressive, the native Taiwanese wound up longing for the strict but fair rule of law during the Japanese time of 1895-1945.

But the Japanese names like Honda and Suzuki were painful reminders for the Mainland refugees, so they tried to limit the import of Japanese motorcycles. Those days are over, but in the past the Japanese motorcycle makers had to work through a local company to sell in Taiwan. For example, the early Kawasakis were called Yuen Foong, actually a Taiwanese paper making company.

Honda got around this barrier by supporting Kymco and Sym, it's common to see Kymco and Sym motorcycles with Honda logos as the parts are all interchangeable.

Here are two SYM motorcycles with Honda logo.

 Honda on Kymco

Here's an old motorbike from maybe before Honda left the market.