When we turn on the TV, we are currently witnessing an event that has to do with gigantism and great power posturing, with horror and horror and, yes, also with gold medals, that is, with sport.
They still call it the Olympic Games, they take place in Beijing.
Collecting sympathy points in Germany with this event that has gotten out of joint and got into the wrong hands seems difficult at the moment, but China doesn't need it.
Trading is going on anyway.
Perhaps this now also applies to a greater extent to the business with motorized two-wheelers - 2022 is a special year in this respect.
Chinese manufacturers are stepping up the pace, no longer just coming up with cheap stuff in the form of poorly made copies.
Instead: Machines that the established brands are gradually having to beware of, cheap, attractive, technically up to date, equipped with components from well-known suppliers from Bosch to Conti to Pirelli.
Some hide their origins behind names like Benelli, others confidently appear as CF Moto or Voge.
700, 800 and even 1200 cc are now being used.
How will the audience react?
In our latitudes, buying a motorcycle often has less to do with utility and value for money than with emotion and tradition.
Nevertheless, it looks like China will move up the medal table of the registration statisticians.