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Frans de Wit visits PRC |
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"I have been travelling with my friend
and fellow CJ rider Menko who owns a
bicycle shop and repairs them. He's also, with his shop
partner Henk (who introduced me to CJs)
a CJ parts dealer in the Netherlands." |
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"He'll probably soon join the on-line
community since he doesn't own a computer yet! Because we
mixed up the dates after travelling around halfway around
the world, we showed up a day late at the Harley Bar in
ShanghaiThursday instead of Wednesday!" |
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"We had to fend for ourselves. On the
street we found this weathered Feng Tong with a missing
left side muffler." |
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"Next to the Shanghai Friendship Store
was a CJ under cover AND camouflage. In front of a cop
shop there was a pristine CJ with a USAF seal." |
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"We found out it belonged to one of the
policemen who, helped by one of his collegues who spoke
better English, explained to us where he bought it and
got spare parts." |
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"Later on we saw him driving it,
changed back into his civvies. We'll visit his CJ dealer
in Part 2." |
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Part 2 |
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"The next day we took a cab to the CJ
dealer who thought he could sell us a complete CJ." |
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"When he realised we only wanted little
parts he left it to his mechanics and went back to his
card game." |
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"The first image shows the Shanghai
Chang Jiang Shop. There were three new CJs in the
shop, two black and one dark green." |
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"The floor was black and slippery from
oil and parts were literally everywhere." |
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"Chinese mechanics don't use
benches." |
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"Menko brought a spare
parts book with exploded pictures to show what he wanted.
" |
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"There were mostly "plastic"
Changs and Feng Tongs at the shop." |
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"Pictures 6-8 show you some of the
different types of wheels." |
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"In picture 9 you'll see where the
owner braided his wires." |
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"And in the last picture, a
"plastic" Chang hasas opposed to the Feng
Tonga petcock left AND right." |
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Part 3 |
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Here is why, among other things, Shanghai is
biker unfriendlystreets closed to motorcycles. |
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The modern police bike is a Suzuki 250. |
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Menko on the back and me in
Alpha's sidecar! |
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Gerald's Donghai needs some
repairs! He says it's in running order as is Clay's. |
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Out behind LRM. |
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Alpha in its natural
habitat at Gerald's workshop. |
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Beta needs one more week to
put together, says Gerald. But since he
is so busy, it is a question of which week. |
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Beijing Police still use CJ sidecars, one
seen here at Tiannamen Square. |
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Part 4 |
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Clay and Menko
at the Forbidden City. Besides spare part and CJ hunting
we also did the tourist thing. |
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Menko, Gerald,
Clay, Jia Yin and me at
lunch. It was great to be able to eat proper Chinese food
twice a day! I love it, especially at these prices! |
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Filled pancakes, hot peppered snails, spring
rolls, noodles, the works: GREAT! |
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Gerald picked us up in the
city and drove us to an army surplus shop. This is how
you stick four to a side car. Clay
announced that he had a permanent sidecar fender
indentation in his butt. |
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Final dinner at a Muslim restaurant. No pig
meat here but plenty of duck, lamb and chicken. Later on
there was bellydancing of which Gerald
is a big fan. |
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