Look at these changes in the 40 years of reform and opening up from motorcycles!

At the end of the 1980s, the reform and opening-up policy achieved initial results. Some of the families that got rich first began to throw away their bicycles and ride motorcycles that were more time-saving and labor-saving.

1991, Shanghai Yichu motorcycle assembly line

Nowadays, it is common to drive a car, but at the beginning of reform and opening up, owning a motorcycle has a very unusual experience. "Things are rare and expensive. At that time, motorcycles were still rare and few people could afford to ride motorcycles." In 1997, 37 year old Zhang Weilin bought the first motorcycle in his life, a Jincheng Suzuki worth more than 9000 yuan. "The blue metal shell is particularly conspicuous. I ride it to and from work every weekday. Wearing a bright red helmet, it looks very imposing."

China's motorcycle industry started after the reform and opening up. Under the guidance of the policy of "military civilian integration", military enterprises began to develop civilian motorcycles. Subsequently, in September 1979, the first "Jialing" motorcycle of China Jialing Group was successfully assembled. With the pace of reform and opening up, private enterprises continue to enter the motorcycle market, and the motorcycle industry develops rapidly. However, in 1985, after a paper of restrictions on motorcycles was issued, nearly 180 cities successively banned and restricted motorcycles. Then, the mass production of automobiles is gradually realized, and electric vehicles run all over the streets. The modes of transportation become diversified. Motorcycles are no longer "fresh objects", and their functions as means of production are gradually marginalized.

Now, the new era of motorcycles has opened the entertainment mode, and the expensive heavy motorcycles have become "new rich". Many motorcycle clubs have sprung up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and old brand imported motorcycles such as Harley and BMW have once again become status symbols.

It was a symbol of youth, freedom and identity

Motorcycles were once all the rage, and almost every household would have one. As an important production and living tool at that time, it brought a lot of convenience to everyone. Moreover, expensive motorcycles were once a symbol of identity.

In 1984, Beijing guangminglou motorcycle Examination Center

In 1997, 37 year old Zhang Weilin bought the first motorcycle in his life, a Jincheng Suzuki worth more than 9000 yuan, "Rare things are expensive. At that time, motorcycles were still a rare thing. Not many people could afford to ride motorcycles. After all, buying motorcycles was also very expensive. 9000 yuan was equivalent to the income of a worker's family for nearly one year. The blue metal shell of the Jincheng Suzuki was particularly conspicuous. I rode it to and from work every working day. Wearing a big red helmet, it looked very imposing." Zhang Weilin told the Beijing News.

At the end of the 1990s, motorcycles were very important means of transportation for Li Mei, who was still in middle school. At that time, the public transportation was not developed. A motorcycle costing several thousand yuan was not only a tool to show off wealth, but also an important transportation function.

Li Mei told the Beijing News, "when we were in middle school, the school was far away from home, more than ten kilometers away. Every week when we returned to school, our parents would ride us off. In about 2000, my cousin bought a motorcycle. Later, this car became the main transportation for me and my nephew of the same age to go to school. Every week, we traveled to and from the school five kilometers away. As long as my cousin had time, he would ride us off." In addition, motorcycles were also an important means of transportation for relatives and relatives. Many people also rode motorcycles to and from work.
Jialing Motorcycle production workshop

The breath of youth was also accompanied by the galloping of motorcycles, which was printed on the faces of young men and girls at that time. "At that time, when I graduated from middle school, it was very popular for boys to ride motorcycles and take girls out with their parents in groups." Li Mei recalled, "at that time, riding a motorcycle in the countryside was much more fun than traveling by plane or train. It was a symbol of youth and freedom."

The development of motorcycles not only facilitates everyone, but also enriches a number of early motorcycle dealers. Many people seized the opportunity to realize the primitive accumulation of capital by selling motorcycles.

Li Mei told the Beijing News reporter, "around the 1990s, people began to buy Motorcycles in the village. My cousin's brother-in-law also made a lot of money because he opened a Zongshen Motorcycle Shop. Slowly, the shop opened to the county, and it grew bigger and bigger. Not only did it sell cars, but also added motorcycle maintenance services. The business was very prosperous."

Later, as the public transportation became more and more convenient, the automobile industry developed rapidly, and the modes of transportation gradually diversified, the motorcycle industry was severely hit, and many people in the motorcycle industry chain also switched to other industries after making a profit. "My cousin's brother-in-law closed the motorcycle shop and went to the interior decoration business, but his first bucket of gold came from motorcycle sales." Li Mei said.

Zhang Weilin told the Beijing news that because his family bought a black Santana car in 2004, the motorcycle was abandoned. "It has been left in the storage room. The other two days, it was sold for 180 yuan as scrap iron."