Is our world warming? Yes, that's a fact. And it's largely caused by all the greenhouse gases we've emitted as a species since the Industrial Revolution. Those gases continue into today with tail-pipe emissions, too.
So it's reasonable to say that we should get emitters of such emissions off the road. But it's one thing to replace an aging, old, heavily polluting machine that's in poor working order with something electric and just scrapping machines just because they reach a certain age. They could still work well and, they wouldn't require mining more materials and causing further pollution, as well as endlessly feeding the capitalist loop of needing to purchase newer and newer shit.
Yet, on the books in China, lawmakers put forth a rule that requires motorcycle owners to scrap their bikes as soon as they hit 13 years old. And there is no recourse for those citizens.
Now, there is some nuance to the rule. Motorcycles are required to be turned over and scrapped once they hit 13 years old. However, if you cross 120,000 km (74,000 miles), it'll also be scrapped. So if you use your bike to commute a lot, you could theoretically see your pride and joy still in good working order, and well under the 13-year limit, be scrapped.
Likewise, if you fail your emissions test three times, despite age or mileage, "bye-bye motorcycle."
That, to me, seems incredibly wasteful.
According to Bennetts, "For years China has operated a compulsory scrappage policy that’s intended to ensure the roads aren’t filled with old, dangerous, polluting cars, trucks and bikes." And to the most reasonable among us, that sounds all right. No one wants to be behind a dangerous car or motorcycle, spewing coal or white smoke, and just sucking it into our lungs. But that's not where China stops.
Another part of this puzzle is "to provide a constant demand for new machines that helps the country’s industry." And that's the kicker. China's policy could be good for the environment if the sole goal was to reduce its climate footprint. But it isn't, it's just designed to prop up its own domestic businesses, and send paying customers to them even if their motorcycles or cars are running fine.
What will be interesting, however, is how this policy will go moving forward as China, and Chinese manufacturers, delve further into electric vehicles. Will the scrappage program continue with EVs on the rise? And how does this policy affect the production or larger-displacement and more premium motorcycles within the country, i.e. that new flat-8 Suou?
Right now, however, I'd love to know how you all feel about this pretty insane policy? Could you imagine the government trying to scrap your beloved '80s crotch rocket or a priceless Knucklehead all in the name of boosting new bike sales? If this had been in place when I learned how to ride, I wouldn't have been on the bike I learned on as it was older than me.
