The Honda Gold Wing GL1 800 on display at the Ravomoto Showroom Café in HCMC’s District 2

The Ravomoto Showroom Café in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2 has become a new hot spot for local motorbike enthusiasts. Located at 135-137 Tran Nao Street, the café displays a collection of unique motorbikes.

The café’s owner, Cao Quoc Huy, said the Street Glide, one of the three motorbikes in the Harley Davidson collection, is among just two of its kind available in the city. Each bike in the group costs around US$50,000. In the US, however, they would cost less as heavy import taxes are added to vehicles entering Vietnam.

A group of young men in jeans and boots pointed at a white Honda in the center of the café. It is a colossal Honda Gold Wing 2008 motorbike.

The Gold Wing GL1800 is equipped with a six-cylinder engine with the capacity of 1,832cc, a six-CD drive system and a loudspeaker system with the capacity of 80 watts.

“Its sound system is specially designed and won’t disturb other people on the road,” said one of the men.

According to collectors, Gold Wing GL1800 bikes cost around VND1 billion ($58,823) and come equipped with high-end equipment including an LCD screen integrated with a global positioning system (GPS).

The bike also comes with the world’s first-ever motorbike airbag.

Another group of young men were eagerly checking out a red motorbike with high handlebars.

“Sunday, I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger ride it in a film on HBO. What’s its price?” asked a tall man with a ponytail. “About $90,000, including taxes,” a female employee replied. “This is the Chopper, a product of the well-known Big Dog Motorcycles Company and the only one in Vietnam. It’s expensive because the gas tank cap is gilded and the brakes, foot rests, and exhaust pipe are crafted by hand,” she added.

The café also boasts motorbikes from Germany, Italy, and the UK – a sure thrill for riders and enthusiasts alike.

Reported by Le Nga