At present, the most sought-after vintage motorcycles include the Vespa Acma, Vespa Standard, Vespa Super, Vespa Sprint, Vespa 50… from the renowned Piaggio brand (Italy); Lambretta motorcycles from the Innocenti brand (Italy); Mobylette motorcycles from the Motobecane brand (France), and recently the Honda 67, Honda CD Benly motorcycles from the Honda brand (Japan)…
Rare Gems on Wheels
According to avid motorcycle enthusiasts, the vintage motorcycle restoration and collecting movement has been steadily growing for over a decade. Motorcycle aficionados tirelessly search far and wide to acquire what many consider to be “scrap”. “Whenever I hear about a rare vintage motorcycle, I rush over immediately. If I don’t, someone else will surely snap it up,” shared a vintage motorcycle enthusiast in Ho Chi Minh City. Motorcycle collectors firmly believe that it’s the motorcycle that chooses its owner, not the other way around. Playing with motorcycles demands not just skill and perseverance, but also a touch of destiny. Van Tinh, a well-respected figure in the Ho Chi Minh City vintage motorcycle community, recently purchased an Acma brand motorcycle for 50 million VND. Although the motorcycle isn’t 100% original, essential components such as the engine, wheels, and battery remain intact. Tinh explains that vintage motorcycles in mint condition, particularly those with original paint jobs, can fetch impressive prices of up to hundreds of millions VND. Mr. D.H, a Binh Thanh district resident in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly shared, “I bought a Suzuki GL 125cc motorcycle for less than 5 million VND. After transforming it into a Race cafe motorcycle, I spent almost 20 million VND.”
Vintage motorcycles are gaining popularity. Photo: THANH DONG
In the central region, N.H.N from Binh Dinh province is widely recognized among vintage motorcycle enthusiasts. He owns a Standard motorcycle with a 3-digit number. Previously, this motorcycle belonged to a motorbike mechanic in Phu My district. However, as he wanted to buy a Dream motorcycle for his wife, he decided to sell this old, unregistered motorcycle for 10 million VND. Many individuals enquired and tried to negotiate, but the owner remained firm! Thanks to a friend’s recommendation, an individual named H. visited and paid 10 million VND to take the motorcycle home. Later, with advice from fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, H. discovered that the motorcycle he purchased was an extremely rare 3-digit Standard model. It represents the last generation of the Acma line and the first generation of the Standard line. After bringing the motorcycle back home, an expert in Ho Chi Minh City offered to buy it for over 40 million VND, but H. declined the offer.
An Uphill Battle
Motorcycle enthusiasts embark on different journeys. Some play solely for passion, while others follow trends or even merge their passion with business. Mr. T.A. serves as an example. His trading business takes him to various places, and armed with knowledge of vintage motorcycles, he always looks for them wherever he goes. Once purchased, he restores and revamps the motorcycles before selling them. T.A reveals, “Given that vintage motorcycles are unique, they lack a set price. When buying, you can obtain them for just a few million VND. However, after repainting and repairing them and finding someone who appreciates their charm, you can sell them for 30-40 million VND or even hundreds of millions VND, which is considered normal.”
However, plenty of individuals have faced bitter experiences due to their limited knowledge of vintage motorcycles. T.T. shared with a sigh, “When I noticed beautiful vintage motorcycles, I spent money to buy a few for cafe decorations and occasional rides. After spending nearly 200 million VND, I ended up with 5 motorcycles. To my dismay, upon closer inspection, I realized that these motorcycles had been refurbished with domestically made parts. Disappointed with my uninformed purchase, I attempted to sell them, but I received less than 15 million VND per motorcycle.”
For enthusiasts who prefer original motorcycles, finding every bolt and spare part to match the motorcycle’s era demands both time and knowledge about motorcycles; otherwise, they risk exceeding their budget. Mr. M, a resident of Go Vap district in Ho Chi Minh City, chanced upon a stunning Honda CD Benly motorcycle while on the road, so he offered to buy it for 60 million VND. Subsequently, M sent the motorcycle to a mechanic for inspection and repair, which amounted to an additional cost of nearly 10 million VND. Mr. N.H.N disclosed, “When I obtained the 3-digit Standard motorcycle, everything was still original apart from two minor trunk hinges. For a long time, I sought assistance from fellow motorcycle enthusiasts to locate them, to no avail. By chance, I stumbled upon an individual in Quang Ngai who owned a Super model but possessed the ‘original’ hinges from a 3-digit Standard model. I approached them to purchase the hinges for 2 million VND, even though the market price at the time was slightly over 100,000 VND. Nevertheless, the Super model’s owner declined to sell solely the hinges and insisted on selling the entire motorcycle. After numerous unsuccessful negotiations, I decided to purchase the motorcycle for nearly 12 million VND solely for the hinges on my trunk…
Exporting Vintage Motorcycles to… Italy
Interestingly, many restored vintage motorcycles in Vietnam not only cater to local enthusiasts but are also exported abroad, including Italy, the nation renowned for Vespa motorcycles. Mr. T., a Vespa mechanic in Ho Chi Minh City, revealed, “I alone have exported nearly 100 motorcycles of various types to countries such as the USA, Canada, and Italy. For other countries, as long as the motorcycles are restored to their original models, are durable, and showcase beauty, it suffices. However, when it comes to Italy, everything must be restored to its original form, and all parts must be ‘original’ to ensure a successful sale.”
Information Source: Thanh Dong – An Nguyen – Nguoi Lao Dong
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