Two-Strokes And Their Stories

After the Vietnam War victory in 1975, Vietnam was in a process of rebuilding. People everywhere were stricken with poverty. Back then, only a select few could afford to buy a motorcycle. The most prominent motorcycle in Vietnam in the 1980s had to be the Honda SS50 (50cc) – commonly referred to as the Honda 67 because they were first manufactured in 1967. The SS50 was the motorcycle to have at that time and was considered a status symbol among the general population. “Players” (people who could afford to buy this motorcycle and modify it) held street races among themselves to see who had the best “67” and skills.

Honda SS50. Courtesy of Honda 67 Việt Nam.

After many years of dominance, the SS50 was dethroned by the Suzuki Sport 50 (50cc). This two-stroke monster could actually reach 120 km/h if “racers” who knew what they were doing put enough money in it. But its reign was short-lived because the tiny engine could not last long with such heavy modifications. The bright side is that they were very cheap to buy second-hand so more people could actually afford them later on.

Suzuki Sport 50. Courtesy of Báo Mới.

Then the Kawasaki Cosmo 105cc came into Vietnam from Thailand and completely destroyed the competition. The Cosmo had a much sportier look compared to the Honda SS50 or the Suzuki Sport and made a much better sound as well. If properly modified, it could reach speeds of 120 to 130 km/h. The Cosmo was favoured in the late-1980s, but in 1990 came the Suzuki Crystal 110cc which, once again, raised the bar. The Crystal was so strong that even with two people sitting on it, if the rider is not careful it would do a wheelie in first gear and throw the passenger off.

Kawasaki Cosmo. Courtesy of Thai Scooter.

Suzuki Crystal. Courtesy of 5 Giây.

In this period, the Crystal, especially the “Seven Star” variant, ruled the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and had a place in the hearts of all Vietnamese youths. Riding a Crystal with a girl as the passenger was what every high school and university students at that time wanted. If you rode a “C”, you had nothing and no one to fear. Shift down to first gear and accelerate and the people on the streets would all have to make way for you (and curse under their breath). Although speed-wise, it could not compete with the Honda Nova Dash (another two-stroke monster), but it was more expensive and elegant than the “Nova”. The “Nova” had a thuggish look that put off the girls and especially their parents. In the early-1990s, as the economy gets better and more people could afford motorcycles, four-stroke models were imported from Thailand. Honda became a household name with the Cub 50cc, Chaly 50cc and Dream II 100cc. Four-stroke motorcycles were heavily favoured over the two-strokes because of their reliability and fuel economy, especially the Dream II which was the new status symbol, costing roughly $1500 at a time when most households in the country did not make $500 a year. Coupled with the fact that criminals could finally get their hands on cheap throwaway two-stroke motorcycles and use them to terrorize the streets, the Crystals and Novas were seen as bad influence. But for racers, they were still gods among men compared to the tame four-strokes. The Suzuki Crystal can reach between 140 to 150 km/h when modified extensively and with a lighter rider, but because it was so light (less than 100 kg), its wind resistance was terrible. This was a major problem for anyone who wanted to race a Crystal because back then there was no such thing as motorcycling protective clothing or helmets in Vietnam so to fall off the motorcycle at those speeds would mean a sure death. Eventually, in 1994, the Suzuki Crystal and Honda Nova became less popular with racers even though later versions were more powerful and faster.

Honda Dream II. Courtesy of VnExpress.

The first racing-replica from Honda came into late 1994, the Honda NSR 150 (150cc). This motorcycle cost a fortune and was vastly more powerful than its competition. Ironically, that was exactly why it was not received favourably. It had no competition apart from itself and there were no point in racing it since victory was guaranteed. The NSR lived in obscurity for a while until the überexclusive Italian Cagiva Mito (125cc) arrived and “killed” it.

Honda NSR 150. Courtesy of Zing.

Cagiva Mito SP525. Courtesy of VnExpress.

But these racing replicas were not popular because they had no competition and were too expensive to run and maintain. Eventually, in 1995, the Suzuki Crystal reclaimed its throne as the most popular racing motorcycle in Vietnam. This was mostly because the 1995 version had a face-lift and featured a more aggressive front end (for that time). Its engine also remained the same so this newer Crystal had the same top speed as the older ones. This time, however, most garages focused on tuning for acceleration. If the rider is not used to its power, even in third gear it can still surge ahead unexpectedly and pull a power wheelie and throw them off. Even people with experience often find themselves sliding onto the back seat if they are not careful. Those who managed to hang on close their eyes and pray for the best.

The Suzuki Crystal was most popular in black because it was not available in many colours to begin with and also because black was the most unassuming colour and least likely to attract attention. 1996 was the end for the Crystal’s reign because another Suzuki was introduced into Vietnam: the RG Sport 110cc. This new motorcycle was more high-tech, faster and sportier than the dethroned Crystal. It also cost a lot more, even more than the 1996 Honda Dream II which cost approximately $2500, and most importers sold it for more than $3000. At the same time, Yamaha released the 110SS (also 110cc to compete with the RG Sport but it was not as well-known.

Suzuki RG Sport 110. Courtesy of BikePics. 

The earliest organized motorcycle races were held in Phú Thọ Province, Biên Hòa City and Cần Thơ Province. Suzuki and Yamaha were the two most competitive manufacturers. Even though it dominated the street racing scene, on the tracks, the 110SS gave the RG Sport a run for its money. As time went by, it was clear that the Yamaha was less reliable than the Suzuki. As a result, independent garages that ran the RG Sport won most races while only some veteran racers on the 110SS could salvage a few wins with technical help from Yamaha.

Yamaha 110SS. Courtesy of 5 Giây.

There is a good reason why Suzuki has garnered a huge following in Vietnam. Although the Vietnamese motorcycle market is now dominated by Honda and Yamaha, some still maintain that Suzuki makes the most underrated motorcycles. With the proper modifications and tuned for maximum speed, the RG Sport can reach 160 km/h. If tuned for acceleration, it will take a heavy rider (60-65 kg) to keep it from pulling wheelies in every gear. This motorcycle was also much better at cornering than its predecessor. The frame of the RG Sport was sturdy and felt very solid, its wheels were big and the tyres were higher-quality than those on the Crystal. It was so stable that a 40-degree lean angle was possible. If a rider attempts this on the Crystal, they will surely crash. 

The RG Sport was so favoured that everything associated with it was inflated. Decals and vinyls for this motorcycle cost about $25 – an absurd price at that time. In Ho Chi Minh City, numerous motorcycle accessories stores popped up and made fortunes by importing parts (pistons, air filters, bodyworks, big bore kits etc.) from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

In 1997, a four-stroke scooter arrived on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City: the Honda Spacy 125cc. It was purely a vehicle for the bourgeoisie. If you had a Spacy, you were upper-class. This was because it was much more elegant, easier to use and, generally speaking, cost a lot more than any motorcycle that was introduced before it. The Spacy gave Vietnamese motorcyclists a new perspective on motorcycle comfort and luxury, speed-wise it was no match for the two-strokes, but it was not fair to compare two different types of motorcycles made for different purposes. The only other mass-introduced motorcycle to rival the Spacy in price ($4500) was the new Suzuki RGV 120 (120cc). These two newcomers also helped the habit of Vietnamese from calculating prices of imported in 24K gold to using United States Dollar. This habit has persisted until today and is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Honda Spacy 125. Courtesy of Mua Bán Xe Máy.

Suzuki RGV 120. Courtesy of Diễn Đàn Lê Quý Đôn.

After extensive modifications, the RGV 120 will reach more than 170 km/h, mostly 171-173 km/h. Some garages tune their motorcycles to get a maximum speed record will compromise the integrity of the engine and risk an engine failure to get to 180 km/h. However, these speeds can only be attained at the hands of an experienced and somewhat “mental” rider.

Towards the turn of the century, many more two-stroke as well as four-stroke motorcycles are introduced into Vietnam as the economy improves. Although all of them were fast for their times, the law has begun to crack down on illegal street racing and motorcycles have become a dominant form of transport in Vietnam, “racy” motorcycles such as the Suzuki Akira 110cc, the Honda Nova Dash 125cc or the Suzuki Stinger 120cc did not see much action.