Rows of stylish China-made motorcycles are for sale inside a motorcycles store in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
Affordable, stylish and, perhaps most importantly, fuel-efficient, Chinese motorcycles are selling well in the Iraqi market.
BAGHDAD, March 12 (Xinhua) -- At the entrance of an Iraqi company located on the al-Dhilal thoroughfare in the east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, what catches the visitors' eyes is the rows of shining stylish China-made motorcycles on display.
What surprises the visitors more is the affordable prices of these bikes, which provide the riders a convenient means of transport that can effectively beat the traffic congestions in Iraqi cities.
"We have been dealing with Chinese motorcycle companies since 2009 and imported a lot of their motorcycles and spare parts," said Khaldoun Ahmed, executive manager of the Haojue Motorcycles, an Iraqi company which is the exclusive agent for selling the Chinese Haojue Motorcycles in Baghdad.
Apart from selling the Haojue brand, Ahmed's company also imports about 15 other Chinese brands of motorcycles with different features to meet the customers' varied needs.
A customer checks on the China-made motorcycles inside a store in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
The company also sells China-made scooters, as well as related spare parts and accessories for the motorcycles.
With the booming demand for Chinese motorcycles, Iraqi companies are jockeying for the opportunity to expand their business by importing more Chinese motorcycles or obtaining exclusive selling licenses from Chinese companies.
Chinese motorcycles are affordable, stylish, and, perhaps most importantly, fuel-efficient, which well explains why they are selling so well in the Iraqi market.
"This business is booming, and we must seize the opportunity or miss the train," Ahmed told Xinhua.
China-made motorcycles are displayed in front of a store in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
He attributed the high demand during the past years to the fact that the Chinese motorcycle manufacturers offer renewable and durable models at reasonable prices, which attracts customers and earns their trust.
Adel Adnan, a salesman at the company, told Xinhua that selling Chinese motorcycles is profitable in Iraq because they are affordable and very popular among Iraqi workers, craftsmen, and young enthusiasts of cycling.
Ahmed's company sells a wide range of China-made motorcycles priced at between 500 U.S. dollars and 1,000 dollars, plus a three-month free after-sale maintenance service.
"The prices of Chinese motorcycles ... (are) 200-300 dollars lower than other brands," Adnan said. "We can see Chinese motorcycles today in all Iraqi provinces."
Potential buyers listen to the store owner's introduction of the features of China-made motorcycles in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
Wisam Ali, a 30-year-old restaurant owner, told Xinhua at the store that he wanted to buy a new Chinese motorcycle for the delivery service offered by his restaurant.
"I used to visit this store to buy Chinese motorcycles because they are fast, durable, and affordable. My need for these motorcycles increased after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as my restaurant became increasingly dependent on food delivery," Ali said.
Alaa Mortadha, owner of the Al-Rafid Store selling motorcycles and spare parts in northwestern Baghdad, confirmed that Chinese motorcycles have achieved a clear success in the Iraqi market because they offer customers multiple options to suit their needs.
"Chinese motorcycles' prices are unbeatable in the market," he explained. ■
