Abstract: With the passage of time, the stereotype of motorcycles and the prohibition system are time to change
▲ Image source network
Text | Lee Woo Yin
Edit | Wang Jingyi
During the Spring Festival, director, writer, racing driver, slash youth Han Han's new work "Four Seas" was released, he pointed the camera at the motorcycle, telling a teenager who is good at motorcycle stunts, reuniting with his father who has not been seen for many years, facing the undefeated team of the girl he loves and his brother, in the family and love, stability and drifting, entanglement and choice story.
"This is the first time that the film and television crew has taken the initiative to ask us for a car to shoot," 000917. Hu Guijun, general manager of SZ) sales company, told Caijing Automobile (ID: caijingqiche) that he had seen his company's motorcycles in film and television dramas before, and they were all realized after they were released.
Is motorcycle a niche culture? Ready to be eliminated? Not high-end enough? No, it was deliberately ignored.
In reality, motorcycle ownership is very large. According to data from the Ministry of Public Security, the number of motor vehicles in the country will reach 395 million in 2021, in addition to 302 million cars, motorcycles have tens of millions; the same counterintuitive thing is that motorcycles have grown rapidly in recent consecutive years, and 10.05 million motorcycles have been newly registered in 2021, an increase of 21.67%; the fastest sales growth rate is precisely the large-displacement motorcycle with entertainment.
An observer told Caijingqiche that after the ban on motorcycles in Guangzhou for public security reasons, many celebrities had to hide their love for motorcycles; now, the new generation of star idols no longer hide their pursuit of "flying without leaving the ground".
"I hope that the film can make more people treat motorcycles tolerantly," Zhang Hongbo, secretary general of the China Motorcycle Chamber of Commerce, told Caijingqiche, which is transforming motorcycles from travel tools into leisure and entertainment tools, and motorcycle travel culture is heating up; I hope that motorcyclists can improve their driving quality, and at the same time, society is more tolerant and accepting, so that the motorcycle industry can develop healthily.
However, there is still a haze above the motorcycle head, since 1985, when Beijing took the lead in implementing the "ban on motorcycles". So far, more than 200 cities across the country have joined the "ban on motorcycles" camp.
In order to promote the lifting of the ban on motorcycles, motorcyclists have taken action, some friendship websites to call, some to write professional reports, some to open safe driving training camps... In short, this "flight that cannot leave the ground" concerning tens of millions of people has finally entered the public eye, and it is no longer a small transparency that has been ignored.
According to maoyan professional version data, as of 20:22 on February 3, the box office of "Four Seas" was 389 million yuan, becoming the third film in the spring festival new film file to break 300 million.
The ban spread across 200 cities and has been controversial for thirty-seven years
In the car racing genre, the protagonist always shuttles between highways, ferris wheels, and neon lights. When the motorcycle becomes the protagonist of the big screen, staging fast and furious, it can only be used as a dojo in a shell. The film "Four Seas" was filmed on Nan'ao Island, with an area of 117.73 square meters, only 1/4 of Beijing's Chaoyang District.
In addition to the film setting, the ban on motorcycles is an important realistic consideration. "For many years, there has been no motorcycle feature film in China." Huang Jing, director of the Qianjiang Motorcycle Brand Public Relations Department, said that Han Han's team is all enthusiasts, and they have not talked about business needs, but they want to find a suitable identity car for the role. They are the Benali police car driven by Feng Shaofeng and the QJMOTO driven by Ah Yao.
In the memory of many people, since birth, the prohibition of motorcycles has existed. In 1985, Beijing took the lead in implementing the "ban on motorcycles". Subsequently, the "prohibition order" spread from the capital to the provincial cities and prefecture-level cities. So far, more than 200 cities across the country have joined the camp of "forbidden motorcycles", and the "forbidden motorcycles" have covered the vast majority of medium and large cities in the country.
In the 37 years since the implementation of the "ban on motorcycles", it has been controversial. Traffic safety, road pressure, social security, exhaust emissions and other reasons for the prohibition of motorcycles have not been significantly improved. On the contrary, it affects the travel of the people and increases the cost of travel.
In the past ten years, we have often heard motions and proposals on lifting the ban on motorcycles at the two sessions. However, the effect is not outstanding, and the motorcycle prohibition seems to have become a "knot" that can never be solved.
"I've worked all my life and I don't have a sense of accomplishment." There have been motorcycle industry veterans of the financial car (ID: caijingqiche) lamented, obviously the real economy that the people need, but it is restricted from development, in some cities like contraband, it is a pity.
When it comes to the prohibition of motorcycles, there are always stereotypical three axes - dangerous, high pollution, and difficult to manage; but according to the survey of Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche), the above view is difficult to base: with the improvement of the level of public security management, "flying car robbery" has long become history; according to the traffic accident situation of the National Bureau of Statistics, there is no significant difference between motorcycles and cars in traffic safety.
"Most of the people who complain about motorcycles do not ride at all," Zhang Hongbo said, with the upgrading of motorcycles and the improvement of drivers' safety awareness, the traffic safety factor has increased significantly; the national IV emission standards used by motorcycles are now stricter than European standards and will not cause air pollution.
"It is unreasonable and obvious that there are obvious legal flaws in using local legislation, especially red-headed documents, to ban motorcycles on the road," Professor Ou Aimin, dean of the Law School of Xiangtan University and chief expert of the Hunan Provincial Legal Research Base, told Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche) that the existing law does not explicitly empower the traffic management department and can separately regulate motorcycles. To this end, local governments abuse temporary control measures to obstruct citizens' right to travel on the grounds of adapting measures to local conditions.
Some provinces and cities have used local legislative power and red-headed documents to ban motorcycles on the road, violating the property law, restricting citizens' right to use legal products, and unreasonably increasing citizens' obligations. Ou Aimin added that the one-size-fits-all ban on motorcycles also violates the principles of rule of law such as the principle of equality and the principle of proportionality.
Motorcycle manufacturers are very willing to participate in the discussion of urban traffic management. Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co., Ltd. (603129. SH) general manager Lai Minjie told Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche) that it is expected that urban traffic management departments, industry associations, enterprises, and riders will jointly discuss the structural impact of motorcycles in urban travel, and study detailed management methods and norms.
Who is playing motorcycles?
The scene of Andy Lau driving a Honda NSR 250 chase in "Chariot of Fire" is impressive; in "Terminator", Schwarzenegger drives a Halley and holds a shotgun is a classic style, which enlightens the motorcycle plot in many people's hearts. In the show business world alone, there is a long list of motorcycle riders: Ge You, Liu Huan, Yu Qian, Sun Honglei, Hu Ge, Ren Xianqi, Yin Zheng, Wang Yibo...
For a time, many celebrities had to hide their love for motorcycles, only playing in the circle, never saying anything to the outside world, let alone endorsing motorcycles. At that time, in the public image, motorcyclists were labeled as speeding car robberies, country racing, and not valuing the feelings of others.
Today, that's all changing. "People who drive cars think we're monsters, but take off our helmets and we're just like ordinary people." Bilibili's head motorcycle anchor Little Lion You Sauce once did an event in Guangzhou, using coffee to exchange stories, under her interview, the knight is a bear child who does not accept defeat, is a hot-blooded father who does not obey the old, is a social animal who wants to eat at home early, is a good husband who will take his family to a ride, is an otaku who does not want to play games with his head stuffy, and is a wife who says that he will no longer ride a bicycle if he does not let him ride.
Wearing JK (a female high school uniform) riding a large-displacement motorcycle, the contrasting little lion You sauce has done consulting and is now a media editor. She is willing to invest energy in hobbies, play professionally, ride nearly 20,000 kilometers, and modify and repair motorcycles every day. With the help of videos, motorcycles bring changes to life and plant grass for the audience's heart.
She told Caijingqiche that during this time, she also gained strength through letters from the audience — high school students in small towns, who had difficulty explaining their love for motorcycles to their surroundings; through her videos, they saw the ideal motorcycle culture. He wanted to come to the big city later.
Motorcycles have changed some people's lives. "You see, I'm so small, can't I ride a bicycle," heard "Caijingqiche" still struggling with whether to take the driver's license, Chongqing native Fairy Xiaoying said. She was once photographed on the Internet in the C-bending car of the Motorcycle Expo, and now she has become a photographer for motorcycle professional media.
"Motorcycles have always allowed me to maintain a state of youth and enthusiasm, and I feel that I am not ordinary," she admitted, who once had a bad impression of motorcycles, and after riding on the motorcycle to sweep away the haze, she turned her hobby into a profession to influence more people.
Chongqing is the only megacity in the country that does not limit the number of motorcycles. Every September, motorcyclists from all over the country are happy to come here and participate in the big body in the circle, the China International Motorcycle Expo. Although motorcycle exhibitions are increasing, in the eyes of motorcyclists, there is a feeling of home here.
Watching the eighty-year-old grandmother in the stadium come to the stage to share the story with the motorcycle, listening to the applause of the stunt performance outside the venue, the first-time media mason sighed to the financial car (ID: caijingqiche): "Chongqing is not only spicy fireworks, but also the Jerusalem of motorcyclists." ”
Chongqing has always been the base camp of motorcycle companies. At the end of November last year, Loncin GM (603766. SH) held the first cultural and art festival here, and clarified its three major brands at the event, which will focus on multi-functional practical locomotives, high-end leisure sports vehicles with large displacement, and high-end electric travel vehicles. Electrification, intelligence, large displacement, and high-end are the development direction of the motorcycle industry in the next few years.
Motorcycles are no longer a means of commuting, but gradually become a large toy for entertainment and leisure. Some consumers, even without a driver's license, are willing to display vintage motorcycles at home as works of art.
Motorcycle racing will fuel the culture of motorcycle travel. In 2022, as part of the world's highest standard two-round event MOTOGP, Moto3 ushered in the Spring Wind Power and Qianjiang Motorcycle Team, which is the first time in 14 years that domestic motorcycle brands have stood on the world's motorcycle peak event. Hu Guijun revealed to Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche) that Qianjiang is planning his own event, hoping to cultivate the culture of motorcycle travel and slowly plant grass in the psychology of consumers.
Earlier, at the auto and motorcycle tourism carnival in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche) saw two 11-year-old young riders galloping on the field, and the child's father was a motorcyclist, who came from Xi'an. Li Hua, their training instructor, revealed that in the future, special courses will be set up to meet the needs of more and more motorcycle enthusiasts.
From repairing cars to opening his own shop to sell cars, Jiujiang Benally dealer Wang Yaolong has been dealing with motorcycles for thirty years and has experienced the changes in motorcycle consumption. He recalled that from the previous small-displacement cars in the passage to today's personalized, large-displacement motorcycles, the price of bicycles has gradually increased, the riders are getting better and better equipped, and the profit growth point in the store has shifted from simply selling cars to selling equipment, repairing cars, and modifying cars.
Motorcycles and derivatives are not a small economic benefit. According to the "Policy Recommendation Report on Promoting the Sustainable and Healthy Development of China's Motorcycle Industry", 7 million motorcycle sales will be added every year, and the revenue of vehicle parts will increase by 300 billion yuan.
According to industry reports, after the full lifting of the ban, about 10% of car travel will be converted to motorcycle travel, and the rough budget can save 16.5 million tons of carbon emissions throughout the year. Comprehensively considering the upstream and downstream industries such as motorcycle equipment, clothing, tourism and leisure, under the multiplier effect, motorcycles will leverage larger-scale new consumption.
Don't wait to lift the ban, motorcyclists should be self-reliant
With the increase in cost performance, the threshold for owning a fun motorcycle is gradually lowered. After the epidemic, more and more people are starting to try motorcycles. The team pushing for motorcycles to lift the ban continues to expand.
Some people choose to build websites for enthusiasts from all walks of life to speak out for. "Looking back on these more than ten years, I have seen hope and disappointed," Shao Hong, webmaster of the motorcycle bar website and general manager of Moyi Culture Media Company, told Caijing Automobile (ID: caijingqiche) that most motorcyclists' awareness of rights protection is improving, and the legal environment is constantly optimizing; but some motorcyclists are not strongly constrained, and the violations have caused adverse effects, strengthening the negative impression of the non-cyclists on riders and hindering the understanding of the ban from the root.
Some people choose to use their professional knowledge to argue with reason and evidence about the benefits of riding a motorcycle. Motorcycle enthusiasts with statistical expertise in Hangzhou investigated road conditions, visited drivers and traffic management departments, collected data and wrote reports, and proved that motorcycles can significantly alleviate urban congestion.
Some people choose to teach motorcyclists how to ride safely. Douzi, the founder of the Motorcycle Commune Cycling Academy, admitted to the financial car (ID: caijingqiche) that there is no mature motorcycle culture in China, many people do not understand motorcycles at all, and many people have changed when they ride motorcycles, do not understand, and are not willing to abide by the rules.
In his view, the existing driving school driving training system is disconnected from the actual situation, safety education, practical skills are not enough, even if you can get a license on the road, you still lack the necessary riding skills and qualities.
In the past few years, Douzi, who loves motorcycles, has seen many bloody accident cases around him, and he is determined to shelve the identity of a senior media person on motorcycles and do driving training full-time, hoping that the trainees will become high-quality traffic participants on the road. In the past five years, he has clearly felt that he is willing to learn to drive, more and more people want to drive safely, and the number of applicants has doubled year by year.
Although the gravitational force in reality is too heavy, the effort gradually has an effect. In the past year, the traffic management department of Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, solicited public opinions on the official micro-computer, calling on everyone to vote on the introduction: whether to lift the ban on motorcycles; Heilongjiang Harbin has introduced a total amount control measure for motorcycles, and 300 new indicators for motorcycles have been released every year...
Except for a few cities that have slightly adjusted, other cities still continue the original policy. However, in Zhang Hongbo's view, many local managers also recognize the benefits of fast passage and convenient parking of motorcycles. However, there are still concerns about the traffic safety and street bombing problems brought about by the release of motorcycles. Therefore, motorcyclists should improve the quality of civilization so that the public can correctly understand and tolerate motorcycles, and the future is bright, but the road is tortuous.
In the eyes of many investors and filmmakers, there must be a love story and a drag racing when shooting a motorcycle; therefore, it is difficult to say whether the protagonist is a person or a car. Although the drag racing plot has good traffic, it is not friendly to the passers-by of the motorcycle. Compared to the standard racing movie, "Four Seas" is more like a motorcycle-themed emotional feature film, but in the eyes of the circle, it is already very rare.
In the view of Professional Motorcycle Media Person Xia Meng, Han Han is truly in love with motorcycles. He analyzed a plot in the movie for Caijingqiche (ID: caijingqiche), that is, the meaning behind the mountain road drag racing scenes of actors Liu Haoran and Chen Xiaochun - a warning to the folk drivers who love to "race" on the road, there are people outside, there are days outside the sky, and the track is where the knights should really pursue speed. This is definitely Han Han's contribution to the development of domestic motorcycle culture.
"I know you didn't even hear clearly, and the wind brushed the collar with your body temperature. I know you can hear it, the unknown, please come later. "As the theme song sings, the motorcycle, this flight that cannot be left from the ground, now has the opportunity to enter the public eye.