Vietnamese Youths Battle Off-Road On Soviet-Era Minsk Motorbikes

HANOI, VIETNAM - NOVEMBER 05: Minsk motorcyclists try to get over the dirt slope at an off-road race on November 5, 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam. A new generation of Vietnamese have started to ply the roads across Vietnam on the Soviet-era Minsk motorcycle, a smoke-belching dirt bike that was introduced by the USSR in the 1950s. Despite being known for breaking down regularly, the retro looking motorcycle is still favored among Vietnamese students with its economical cost and ability to customize. Costing between $300-$400USD for a well running two-strokes engine motorbike, some riders further modify the Soviet-era relic during off-road races. The primitive Minsk motorbikes have been known to be a reminder of Soviet's influence in Vietnam decades ago, and often nicknamed by Vietnamese at far-flung villages as "buffaloes." (Photo by Linh Pham/Getty Images)