Motorcycle repair is a time-honored profession in Taiwan, but few can boast the unique distinction of building a career on the back of one model.
At 67 years old, Liao Kang-pao (廖康寶) has spent more than three decades repairing Kawasaki B1 motorcycles at his shop in Tainan’s West Central District (中西).
Even short-term residents recognize the distinct rumble of the B1, a mainstay of Taiwan’s streets since the 1970s.
Photo: Wang Chieh
Taiwan’s unique take on the classic motorbike is the product of a collaboration between Japan’s Kawasaki and Yuen Foong Industrial that began in 1966.
Although Yuen Foong was producing a cheaper version for years, the model did not take off until after 1972, when the company was finally pulling in enough capital to import automatic lubrication systems and other proprietary components from Japan.
Recognizable for its slightly tapered fuel tank perched behind its handlebars, egg-shaped indicators flanking a circular headlight and seamless exhaust pipe, the B1 quickly took over as the vehicle of choice for delivery drivers.
To facilitate this growth, Kawasaki sent engineers to local dealerships to train mechanics, Liao among them.
Just 23 years old at the time and fresh from completing his military service, Liao took a job as an apprentice at a Yuen Foong dealership in Tainan.
Whenever Kawasaki introduced a new model, Liao was called to Taipei to study the latest electronic systems from Japanese technicians.
About a decade later, Liao remembers being told by Yuen Foong that it would soon no longer manufacture Kawasaki products, giving him and other technicians a chance to change course.
In 1985, Liao, then 33 years old, redirected his energies to starting his own business.
Just like the motorbikes he constructs from scratch, Liao built his business with next to nothing, using only NT$3,000 in capital to start Lian Cheng Motorcycle (連成機車行).
The B1 has a simple and sturdy design that can last for a long time with regular maintenance, which is the reason many gas companies still use them to make deliveries, he said.
Although production of the B1 was discontinued in 2003, it remains in wide use for its practicality, Liao said.
Many subcontractors still produce B1 parts, although Liao said that the industry is not what it used to be.
Still, there are many young motorcycle enthusiasts who come through his shop to keep him young, he joked.
When Liao was just starting his business and his youngest son was born, the family of four was living in the cramped and leaky second story of his shop.
At that time, his greatest point of pride were his blackened hands that were able to raise two sons.
Now the eldest is a medical researcher while the other is an engineer.
After 33 years in business, Liao last month decided to close his shop after the landlord sold the property and the rent went up.
He was reluctant to close Lian Cheng after so long, but to Liao, it was time to part ways.
“I’m already 67,” he said. “If I were still young, I could take out a loan and work for a while longer, but I should learn to say goodbye.”
Yet the B1 will remain a part of his life and a feature of Tainan’s streets, as Liao said he plans to keep repairing loyal customers’ bikes out of a small workshop.
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