Recomendation for Dual-sport Bike for Trip from China to Europe

All good advice, so far but no one has mentioned the obvious, how do you plan to get on with the PRC DL?

@prince666 Cunning! But, my wife has a Hungarian passport only, and isn't eligible for a VOA. Also 15 days isn't enough.

I know it's not permitted officially without special permits/guides, but would it be silly to try to drive into Tibet?

The impression I got with the PRC driving license is, you should have it, but it's sometimes forgiven not to have it as a foreigner, although you do risk getting into trouble. In that case I though I'd run the risk. Bad idea?

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Originally Posted by davidzweig

This doesn't look bad: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=37614288758

And the Shineray equivilent? [url]http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.0.0.LTaSmc&id

It's a bit confusing. What brands should I be looking for? Jialing, Shineray, Zongshen.. I have seen these names before. Just not enough time now to become an expert on everything that's on offer in China.

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You said it ! NO TIME you are leaving things a bit late David if you don't mind me saying so More planing should of gone into your trip if you don't mind me saying so , just get out here
And take a day as it comes I am sure all the pieces will fall into place

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

All good advice, so far but no one has mentioned the obvious, how do you plan to get on with the PRC DL?

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Good job my mate is not posting on this one Doc hehe

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Originally Posted by davidzweig

The impression I got with the PRC driving license is, you should have it, but it's sometimes forgiven not to have it as a foreigner, although you do risk getting into trouble. In that case I though I'd run the risk. Bad idea?

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Well sometimes, but more often than not things can go pear shaped pretty quick. Also when you are at the borders trying to exit PRC then there might be a major problem. Plus a MC shop/dealer may not be interested to help you get the plate, or else tell you a bunch of porkies... or else not appreciate what may lay in store for you as you head off into the wild blue... opps... grey smog polluted yonder. Only to rock up to a border or encounter an accident, or a traffic police check point.. only to discover that you are anything but riding legally. Might go your way might not...

Just a warning though, if you don't have a license and or the bike plated correctly or as you think, then you are open to all kinds of consequences, and since you are sounding as though you are doing this on a budget... some of the consequences might blow what little budget you have allowed.

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Originally Posted by davidzweig

The impression I got with the PRC driving license is, you should have it, but it's sometimes forgiven not to have it as a foreigner, although you do risk getting into trouble. In that case I though I'd run the risk. Bad idea?

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Sorry to say David your views about not having a Chinese DL is misconstrue no DL in no DL and
You can get 14 days in prison but you are over 21 if you have no road accident and you don't get stop at a police stop and you win the lotto with out buying a ticket you should be ok you get my point David remember china is a logic free zone !! As I have been told many times before

About Tibet ! No cost loads of money and takes a lot of time to
Arrange all the permits and guides

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Originally Posted by davidzweig

@prince666 Cunning! But, my wife has a Hungarian passport only, and isn't eligible for a VOA. Also 15 days isn't enough.

I know it's not permitted officially without special permits/guides, but would it be silly to try to drive into Tibet?

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Forget T!B3T... everyone foreign needs a guide and/or special permit even those of us with a visa living here with a PRC DL cannot just go off riding/driving there...

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Forget T!B3T... everyone foreign needs a guide and/or special permit even those of us with a visa living here with a PRC DL cannot just go off riding/driving there...

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Well done Doc you have just had your 1500 post I notice things like that hehe
Is it your birthday soon as well !!

Yes, it's last minute, that's for sure. There's a tight budget, but we've been travelling on a shoe-string for months. We've got some cash in reserve, should it be needed.

Perhaps I'm biting off more than I can chew, especially without speaking Chinese. We can always scrap the China motorbike plan, enjoy SW China with public transport, and then pick up a Dnepr/Ural/Jawa/Izh etc. in Kyrgyzstan for a few hundred dollars, and have fun getting that home.

"Also when you are at the borders trying to exit PRC then there might be a major problem. " - Yes, that does sound like it could be a problem. Did you mean because of the license, or the bike not being registered in my name on the documents (or both? :-)

I will try to find some more information on the likelihood of getting across China and into Kyrgyzstan without any major problems. It's very difficult to judge though just surfing the net though.