Motorcycle

Jiaozhou Port.

A commodity exhibition was being held locally. Jiaozhou Port had already undergone earth-shaking changes compared to the past.

As the hub of trade between East Africa, Germany, Austria, and the Far East Empire, Jiaozhou was changing with each passing day. Its population had reached around three hundred thousand—and that referred only to the urban population. During the same period, Jinan had only a little over two hundred thousand people.

Jiaozhou had also become a gathering place for high officials, nobles, and merchants, one of the important major cities of the northern region. Within the Huaihai Economic Zone, its population was second only to Kaifeng, but its economy was clearly stronger.

The concentration of people had also fostered a market in Jiaozhou. East Africa's first batch of internal-combustion-powered vehicles exported to the Far East Empire had come ashore here, though there were not many—only five in total.

As the operator demonstrated it, the cumbersome "bicycle" began to race down the paved streets of Jiaozhou's urban district.

"This is a motorcycle, a high-end import from East Africa. Just look at it—it can run on two wheels, much like a bicycle, except it can provide its own power."

"Why is this vehicle called a motorcycle?"

"Because East Africa is also a German state. 'Moto' is an abbreviation in German for a two-wheeled machine, which is why it has that name."

Although the invention of the motorcycle had shifted from Germany to East Africa, East Africa was still a German-speaking country, so the word motorcycle had not changed. Besides, motorcycle did not sound like a local product. In keeping with the trends of the age, coupled with its cyberpunk-like design, one could easily associate it with an invention of Westerners.

The inventor of the motorcycle was Lin Leighton, an obscure little figure