Taiwan Motorcycle Touring Madness

“You're responsible for what's in front of you.” The moment I heard that succinct sentence I was wondering what they meant with it. In traffic Taiwan is very similar to Thailand, it seems everybody has at least one scooter.

As newly arrival to Taiwan I was wondering if it would be a good idea for us to do some motorcycle touring on the island. As I stood on the sidewalk I watched three scooters and a truck blatantly run the red light across the street from us. On the chaotic streets of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, it resonated like a Buddhist chant rather than a one-liner and the stakes seemed considerably higher than just a sprained ankle in the snow.

The motorcycle we selected for this trip was a rental Kymco Venox 250, Riding a 250cc in any of the scooter nations, the Kymco Venox was a blast to ride among the scooters. Kymco's proven 250cc V-twin, 8 valve DOHC engine provides the power, a 5-speed gearbox delivers it to the road. This one fuel injected, so it was more responsive than the version I tested before. It's heavy for a 250, but I was bummed I couldn't use it for the entire tour.

Traffic laws in Taiwan are pretty much the same as in Thailand, or in fact to traffic laws in any country. To which I say, yes, but in Taiwan almost no Taiwanese road user pays attention to traffic laws. And before I forget, no two-wheelers on freeways.

On first it would look madness that we selected Taiwan for our motorcycle touring holiday. Although there is a bonus. Once you break free of its pollution-choked cities, Taiwan is exceptionally beautiful. Because the islands countryside packs a amazing amount of scenic treasures. And there are plenty: wild rivers, unspoiled mountain ranges and pristine coastlines to name a few.

But Taiwan also has its modern amazing spots, as for the traditional noodles at 7-Elevens, which have the same welcoming tune as they have in Thailand, only they missing the “Sawadee Kha”. Our first experience of do we dream or do you see what I see was when we saw aboriginal tribes running around in miniskirts, the second was the hot springs next to gasoline stations which are testaments to the paradox.

Navigating in Taiwan can be a bit difficult, and I would recommend using a GPS, as most people we met weren't too map-savvy. Some road signs are in English and Chinese, crucial road info such as detours will only be in Chinese. Many spots are completely without signs, though. Taiwanese are extremely helpful, and you can usually get by with vigorous hand motions if you're specific enough.

Riding in Taiwan, if you have a valid driver's license from a Western country you can lawfully drive for 30 days in Taiwan. Still without Chinese on my Western drivers license it was helpful to that I also had a International drivers permit. Also some people told us that a International drivers Permit is needed for all vehicles exceeding 50cc

It's easy to get hold of motorcycles and scooters; used bikes are available everywhere. And with some negotiation, renting one is not that much problem also. Riding your bike in Taiwan is easy but time-consuming. Be alert for traffic cameras; they're everywhere.

In cities, if you are first in line when the light turns green, don't enter the intersection right away. The last vehicles through as the light changes on the other side will often run the red. Also, check your mirror before turning right; there's a motorcycle/scooter lane that runs along the right side of the street. And check both lanes for oncoming traffic; Taiwanese will drive in any direction, at any time, especially with this little scooters.