I suspect the knock offs are produced by the actual manufacturers.

Substituting cheap parts (wheels saddle), not inspecting, requiring the buyer to tune up the bike after sale, accepting small defects, and not have any support or warrenty could knock the price of the bike down by more than half.

I see Strida 8 on ebay for $700 from Korea.

If Strida wants to maintain it's market position they should design an 8 speed hub for it. I doubt any other hub for a 'half' fork will every be made so they will have their monopoly back. If they wanted to be wacky they could put the IG hub in the BB.