I’ve always loved old motorcycles. They’re just very different. Designed for people who ride them on a daily basis as a means of transport. Not for people who just go out for a ride on the weekends. I particularly like the old BMW motorbikes. And there are very good replicas out there – from China….
If you want an old BMW Motorrad replica, the name “Ural” immediately comes to mind. Back in 1940, the Soviet Union acquired the rights to rebuild the BMW R71. The result: The Ural M72. And even today, you can buy a replica BMW with sidecar at Ural Motorbikes.
A less known manufacturer of classic BMW Motorcycles is Chang Jiang from Hangzhou, China. They offer two versions, both as single and with a sidecar. The “Chang Jiang 750” and the improved “Dong Tian 750”.
Both versions are replica of the original BMW R71. At some point in the 1960s, the Soviet Union wanted to assist their Communist brethren and shipped the outdated production facilities of the Ural M72 down to China.
So the BMW R71 “became” the Ural M72 and the “Chang Jiang 750”.
Looking at the specs, you see it’s a true vintage bike. The two-cylinder, 700CC boxer engine achieves an impressive 22 BHP, or a staggering 32 BHP in the “Super” version.
But you know what? Who cares? The bike just looks brilliant! It’s amazingly beautiful!
So you might be forgiven to forget the 1930s sophistication in the 21st century. Just focus what it is – the cheap alternative to a true old classic bike. And just for that, we need to thank the guys at Chang Jiang.
Now I just need to find a way to convince my wife that we really need two motorcycles….
Motorcycling in Hong Kong 