Why do the Vietnamese Love Motorbikes?

While the Chinese can’t build cars fast enough, the Vietnamese don’t share the same four-wheel fervor. Sure, the 200 percent import tax sways consumers away from cars, but more importantly, motorbikes are an established part of Vietnamese culture.

In the 1960s, Honda introduced the Super Cub to a country in desperate need of cheap personal transport with an engine. Those and other motorcycles saved countless lives during the Vietnam War, allowing an escape from frontlines.

Now, motorbikes are used in place of delivery trucks and minivans, able to park anywhere and navigate jungles and alleys where clumsy cars fall short.

– Chris Butsch, @CarTalkChris