Gardo's being a bit shy. You should also have a look at what soon will be the longest-running thread in MCM, his epic on CCW Tha Heist.
Everything you ever wanted to know about that bobber, and more, delivered with great affection.
cheers
Printable View
Gardo's being a bit shy. You should also have a look at what soon will be the longest-running thread in MCM, his epic on CCW Tha Heist.
Everything you ever wanted to know about that bobber, and more, delivered with great affection.
cheers
nICE PICS, gARDO!
thanks for sharing...
And here's my soon-to-be-plated YBR 250, still at the Yamaha dealership in Shanghai earlier today.
Attachment 7214
Sweet looking ride, DipStick. Looking forward to seeing it in person!
How was the plating experience? Any further reports about tighter restrictions on bikes in Shanghai? You go for the 沪C or 沪A?
cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
Nice ride Dipstick. Red = faster.
Hey Euphonius,
Well the plating experience is not over yet, since I don't have them yet. I've copped out and I'm paying someone 2,500 rmb to handle the whole process for me. I cannot afford to spend hours on end waiting in various line-ups at the registration office on Hami Lu. (My experience there in getting my foreign licence transferred was enough for my taste). I will hand all the paperwork to the guy tomorrow. In the meantime, the dealer is on stand-by to deliver (not drive!) the Yammy to Hami Lu when the plates are issued. Hopefully I will get a call to pick-up the plated bike sometime next week.
However, I'm afraid my plating experience is not very relevant to the majority of people on this forum because I'm a little bit of a special case (hint in my name). I have a lot more paperwork involved than normal, so it's worth it for me to just pay a specialist to do it. And to answer your questions, yes I had to fight to get the special process rolling, and it will be a 沪A. Except that it will be black ... (another hint)
It will become clear when I post pictures of the plated bike.
Also looking forward to maybe seeing you on the streets! I actually plan to use the bike mainly for commuting to work and I have not considered rides outsides of town.
DipStick
PS: when I payed for the bike, the dealer told me that some tall Chinese lady had just bought one too, same color. I know they don't sell too many of those. So if you see her, well, it's not me :-))
Absolutely :-) It is scientifically proven.Quote:
Originally Posted by soberpete
I believe that I speak for a number of us here when I say "We'd like you to get photos of that beauty!" Track her down if you must.Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
LOL! Sure, I 'll just stake out the registration bureau for the next 2 weeks with my camera at the ready!
I'll pass on your regards if I ever cross paths with her :-)
DS
:lol8: I appreciate that.Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
I was pleasantly shocked to hear that, not only was it a Chinese person buying one of these but a tall (beautiful?) Chinese woman. Could she possibly be a true motorcycle enthusiast or was she just picking one up on behalf of her wealthy husbands mid-range - by Chinese standards - motorcycle collection.
Funny you should ask, because I asked the exact same question. It was indeed for herself. About beautiful, no idea, your guess is as good as mine. About tall, well that's what the somewhat short salesperson (Nancy) said. In her eyes, my 5'11 probably puts me in the category of basketball players. Again, your guess is as good as mine :-))Quote:
Originally Posted by soberpete
Dear DipStick,Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
You bought a bike solely for commuting in the endless city? Sheesh, we'll have to disabuse you of the error of your ways! Promise you'll be super careful in town, which for commuting is a lot better than most cities since the high plate prices do limit traffic volume. But please promise also that you'll find time for the occasional overnight ride-out to Zhejiang or Anhui or Fujian with your MCM comrades. There's brilliant riding to be had, with a little work to slip the bonds of Shanghai. Well worth the effort. As you'll read in these pages, it's also a neat trick to check your bike on a train and meet it in Kunming or Guiyang or Urumqi for some real riding.
Not sure what you do in your capacity as a (stickless) dip, but I assure you the bike has the power to put you in intimate proximity with lots of people you'd probably not otherwise meet, which of course is good for stickomacy. My work in rural healthcare development is immeasurably enhanced by my ability to get off the beaten path.
Whatever you do, ride safe and get yourself out of Shanghai! Let's ride!
Euphonius:
I might be convinced to take a ride outside of town at some point. But I want first to get familiar with the bike and take my time to hone my skills. I am a newbie rider after all and this is my first real bike (I'm not counting mopeds). The other obstacle would be telling my wife: "Bye honey, I'll be out with the guys for the week-end, good luck handling the 2 screaming kids. See ya tomorrow." I don't think it would fly. But maybe 2 or 3 times a year might be tolerated...
Bottom line, I am taking it one step at a time, she is already worried enough about me wanting to ride a bike in downtown Shanghai.
Looking forward to meeting at some point.
DS
ps: speaking of one step at a time, did I mention I don't have a bike YET? :icon10:
Well, after nearly 5 years and some grumbling I've become a bona-fida Chinese bike owner - Lifan 250P
Attachment 7308Attachment 7309Attachment 7310Attachment 7311
I bought it off a friend who won it in a draw, brand new from Lifan! So it's not licenced and I now have to get my driver's licence. But the incentives are now all there!
Congrats, Chinggis! "Easy"-looking ride (as in the movie).
Definitely plenty of tips around here for getting your license!
On a related note, finally picked up my YBR250 yesterday. But still no plates in spite of best efforts. Full story and pictures are posted here.
with weeks of waiting my new CFMOTO 250-8 came its the only one left in shandong
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I'm not a scooter guy that is smooth looking ride. 250cc eh? I wonder how it runs :scooter:: Fuel economy; 0-60; top speed; handling.
Hi soberpete it is a 250cc why they call it a JETLUX 300 who knows the Jetlux runs very well and smooth fuel is about 290km from 10 liters 0-60 from a scooter is very good from the lights i leave most behind
very smooth on the ride take the bad roads ok and is very good at low speeds i live in Thailand as well as china and i have Honda PCX in Thailand so i like scooter CFMOTO make some of the best bike in china
untill you ride one you just cant bleave how good it is but to find the Jexlux which is called the CF250-8 is very hard to find in china it is a new model so are very few about i look for 6 weeks and found the last one in Shandong
only done 700 km so top end not sure but it fill ok to get to 110km very good with the top speed sholud be about 125/135 km give me a few more weeks and i will find out need to find a nice long flat road which we have loads
in Longkou ????
And to finish up the story: Finally got my plates on Saturday! The fixer came to deliver them straight to the office (we are in the middle of a move, hence the boxes in the background and the informal wear. Next to me is our office logistics officer, who bless her heart helped me considerably through this months-long process! We had to work extra-hard because the rules say that I am not entitled to another set of plates (I already have a set for my car). Lots of back and forth with the authorities but in the end we managed to wear them down. Now I got it all: the license, the registration, the green book and the plates!Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
Attachment 7337
I could not install them the same day because I was busy with the move until 4 in the morning. But on Saturday afternoon, I finally put them on.
Front:
Attachment 7338
and back:
Attachment 7339
The "Jianshe" sticker comes right out nicely, without leaving any mess behind:
Attachment 7340
There, gone!
Attachment 7341
So that's it! I'm planning on taking my first ride today in my neighbourhood. Slow and easy. The weather is nice, a little on the hot side, but the sweat will be sweet.
Oh, One final note: I am told that I was very lucky to get an excellent plate number according to Chinese numerology. 168 is read yi liu ba which apparently is close to yi lu fa which means "prosperity all along the way"! :thumbsup:
In closing, I thought some of you guys might get a kick at my new keychain! :mwink:
Attachment 7342
Very nice, Dipstick:clap:. Both the plates and the awesome keychain.
Noob question:
What do the black plates mean?
Hi Pete,
The black plates with the red 领 are consular plates. Nothing to do with a noob question, it's more like you don't get see too many of them in Zibo because there are probably no foreign consulates there. You are more likely to see them in Qingdao. Administratively, it wasn't easy either to get a motorcycle plated because the Chinese government only allows foreign diplomats to have one personal vehicle per family and I already had my minivan. I found a loophole in the rules and had to make a case for it. However, from what I have read on this forum, it was probably not as toilsome as what most expat bikers have to go through to get legal in China.
I did some driving on Sunday and today after work in my neighbourhood. Not much, the odometer is now up to 40km. I think this whole breaking in thing is going to be sooo hard to put up with. I can feel the bike is begging to go faster and harder. But in a way, it suits me fine since I also have to get used to it.
I find that I'm sometimes fumbling the controls. In particular, when I want to turn off the turn indicator, I tend to turn on the opposite side. That middle spot is hard to find. Also, being used to self-cancelling turn signals, I sometimes forget to turn it off since I can't hear it and it is sometimes difficult to see it in sunlight. Some of you might laugh that I use my turn signals, but I don't want to get any bad habits for when I go back home.
More alarmingly, my thumb sometimes fails to find the horn. And I don't want to take my eyes off the road. I guess the only answer is more practice.
Finally, I could use some advice about positioning. I was taught to stay in a blocking position, i.e. left tire track, but when I am going slowly during my practice runs, I tend to stay in the bike/scooter lane (marked only by a line on the ground, no curb). Which brings me to this question: in China, should I behave like a car or like a motorcycle? For example, at red lights, stay in the car lane or in the motorcycle lane?
In Canada, the answer is easy, motorcycles are like cars, no lane-splitting allowed. One of my Canadian buddies here in Shanghai has a Harley and cruises in a blocking position the whole time. I guess it's easier for him due to the size of his bike. He says he just smiles and waives back to anyone who is shaking a fist at him.
Oh, one more thing. The engine noise doesn't sound that smooth. It runs fine but I expected a smoother rumble. I can't say if there is clanking or not, having no frame of reference. I hope it is just because it has not been broken in yet.
DipStick
Hi dipstick
A consular .... good job .... ok as to indicator control swicth no need to try and move it to the left or right just push it in and the indicatol will cancel ok but most of all please just get used to where the horn swicth is as you will need to use
this a lot without looking .... because most horn switchs are on the left side and the clutch is on the left as well which is used a lot i position my hand in a way so my fingers can move the clutch lever ok and my thump floats over the indicatol or horn ??
hope this helps you but most of all be safe and carefull ????
P.S. 2 things you should do with the bike now
1 fit HID lights
2 fit a big fuck of horn the bigger the better
with these 2 mods your riding will be safer in China
steve
Push it in! LOL, what a newbie mistake! No wonder I was having a hard time turning it off! Thanks for the tip!
I did read the manual, but I guess I missed that.
About the horn, I agree, an air horn might be the best investment I make on this bike. That or a side-mounted machine gun...
Hi soberpeteQuote:
Originally Posted by soberpete
we need a set of them black plates mate with them on police dont stop you can park everywhere heheheh but when the shit kicks of in china agains laowai then you will be a target for sure i just like rideing with a full face on and yellow plates so people just think i am one of them maybe not as i drive better thats the give away heheh
:lol8:Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
Right. At least keeping the full-face helmet will keep them pondering.
Dipstick; Get some stickers on you bike and car that state "I don't rape or abuse the Chinese" a.s.a.p.
LOL. Well, I think if I put a sticker on it with Canadian and Chinese flags, it would buy me some sympathy. We are usually well-liked pretty much everywhere. It's not like I am identified as a Japanese diplomat in Nanjing. That would be plain inviting trouble. Unfortunately, anti-Japanese resentment still lingers strongly in some parts of China. While I like to complain about the driving in China, I do love this country (or else I would not be here).
when i was in Nanging the other mouth i went to the Japanese war museum amazing place but from all the people in china who suffered the most was the people in Harbin unit 731 ???Quote:
Originally Posted by DipStick
Attachment 7376Attachment 7377Attachment 7378
pictures from Nanging