New in Shanghai

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to Shanghai and China in general. I've spent the last 4 years living and driving around Africa, where Motorbikes are relatively cheap and easy to get around on.

I was hoping to do some touring here in China, but it seems prohibitively expensive, particularly here in Shanghai. I'm a teacher, so have a relatively limited budget.

Does anyone have any advice? or anywhere I can get a Second-hand (used) bike? Would be willing to travel or ship it to get here.

I just don't think I have the money for a new bike and a License plate - one or the other for cheap would make life much easier.

thanks for any help.

Welcome to the forum, China, & Shanghai.

Spend some time browsing, your questions have been answered here many times before. Shanghai is a terrible place to live if you're on a tight budget and love motorcycles. It really boils down to how committed you are to motorcycling, and how much time you want to spend getting legal. There's no easy answer or quick fix for what you want. As many before you found out, people here will help, but it's a long road ahead.

One thing you will learn about China, is that people love to talk about money. So start here by telling us what a "limited budget" means. If you're not willing to spend 10-20k RMB, I don't think people here can help too much.

Cheers!

Welcome.

I would suggest you take the metro and taxi's along with observing the behavior of local Chinese before going out on your own. I spent a good 3 years doing this until I got my bike.

Also you are in one of the most expensive cities in Asia. Whether it be living or working. Just use a bicycle or electric (needs official license in some cases) for a while. you will learn the road and its many risks.

As for budget, sorry you will NEED to be legal... the days of buying a bike and not plating and riding without a license is gone. Once you are ticketed if you don't have resources like money and friends and high places (this is not much use also these days as the past) then you will get jailed. no joke.

Just be patient. You will have to commit to China to have a luxury like a motorcycle

If I were you, I'd move to another city in China where you will be both able to ride and to plate a bike. I live in Shanghai and opted to get a second hand bike from Beijing. I can't legally ride it in Shanghai anymore.
If you meet Shanghai riders, they will tell you, especially if they themselves ride here on an "outside plate" that it's fine and the police never stop you.
I personally bought the bike for long distance rides elsewhere in China*. That said, I stayed in Shanghai to earn the money for these and now the insurance has run out. Shanghai insurance companies do not do insurance for outside plated bikes and in my case it is in a Chinese person's name who is now rather estranged from me (long story, but some plates in China such as the Beijing B plate can only be under a Chinese person's name).

Right, so I know how you feel ( or how you will feel after chasing the motorcycle dream in Shanghai for a 3 months, 6 months or 18 months.)

So basically, as I see it there are two types of foreign riders in Shanghai.

1) Those that get an outside plated bike and hope it will be okay/rationalise that it's fine. It's true that the law is not applied equally and thoroughly, but the law is the law. The traffic laws in Shanghai changed last year around Spring time. Now, officially, any outisde town plates are not allowed in the whole of Shanghai ( It used to be only within the outer ring road). To verify this, you can as any motorcycle taxi driver, They will tell you that they risk getting 3 points on their license each time they are stopped , as they ride with plates from their hometowns, outside Shanghai. They justify this by saying that you receive all of your 12 points back yearly.
I was stupid to ignore advise from other commentors on here telling me about htis as I really wanyted to chase my dream of bec oming China V I mean, riding around China.
As far as I see, the obvious drawbacks to the plan are the above ( it's a horrible feeling riding around thinking you're going to get caught) and also the fact that you never really own your bike. You can plate a new bike in the shop's name ( the dealer outside Shanghai that you buy a bike from) I'm told. Again, you have to go through this person whenever you want to do something with the bike, like sell it, get new insurance. I've also thought, if it gets stolen then you have no recourse, as it's not in your name.

2) Those who buy a genuine SHanghai plate Hu A or Hu C. The Hu A costs anywhewre from 330,000-400,000 yuan. You read that correctly. Some foreihners were lucky enough to buy their HuA plates before the number plate restrictions which were introduced into Shanghai around 7 years ago, or shortly afterwards, in WHich case, they were of a normal price. Awesome. Other foreigners, I'm aware of actually have bought Hu A polates to put on their brand New Harleys/BMWs. This is a brand of foreigner that I don't really understand. All power to them if they have that much money to spend. I'd say these are few and far between.

This brings us to the HuC plate, which will allow you to ride in Shanghai but only outside the Outer ring road- the Waihuan Lu or S20. The price of this, like the HuA plate has plummeted in the last year or so. Whereas last year the HuC was around 90,000 yuan, this year it's rummored to be 50-60,000, but in reality I just know one foreigner who got one for 76,000. This is a legitimate option. You need to buy a new bike as far as I'm aware ( maybe you could buy the plate alone then add a second hand bike..hmmm, don't know- I only know that I've asked about transferring my 250cc dirt bike which is a Jing B plkate to Huc, I've I was told by the police to ask at a car dealership and they finally said, no, not possible)

I've considered the HuC plate. There was a bike that was sold on this forum with a HuC plate and it would mean that you are legal, can live in Shanghai with you bike and ride China. One of the drawbacks are still the cost- which fluctuates so it can't be seen as in ivestment. The price seems to have hit a ceiling and is decreasing now.. who knows. It's certainly not a budget option. The other is the limit to where you can ride.

Now, I think you'll probably leave Shanghai to follow your motorcycle dream in China or join group one above. That has drawbacks with insurance, perhaps difficulties when selling the bike. I can tell you from experience though the worry and the feeling that you don't have control over this prized possession ins not worth it.

You can always join group two. A HuA is outside of most people's grasp (and possibly yours). A HuC plate is looking better. On a teacher's salary, you could save half of it for a year and buy a brand new bike with HuC after one year. Ask me how I know.
BTW, there is a hint that you may need a legal address outside the WaiHuan Lu, to get a HuC. Other's ahve told me that no, you don't. you just need a 'temporary address' and that this is easily doable (probably by a plating agaebt who would sort out the plate for you)

Crikey...I've written all of the above and not asked if you have a Chines motorcycle license.

Last year (again in Spring), the test for a motorcycle license for foreigners in Shanghai was changed. It used to be that you could sit the theory test (on a computer) in English (Chinglish actually). Now it must be done in Chinese. How is your Chinese reading?

So, I'd advise mpving to another city and starting to teach there. You'll need a residence permit of course to buy a bike and, indeed get a license.

Man, actually, I don't know the situation regarding driving licenses outside Shanghai. It would be interesting to find out if it's possible to get one. I have been in contact with at least two people who found it hard to get a license outside Shanghai- one in Huizhou Guangzhou. I really don't know. I'd like to know this. I have a license. I was lucky enough to do my test in October 2016, before the changes.

As an adendum to this. There is a way to get a translator to help you with the test in Shanghai. Perhaps I shouldn't even mention this as it may be prohibitively expensive for you, as you said you're on a budget.




*I've actually ridden Yunnan, Beijing to Shanghai, Hainan to Xiaman and a circuit of Zhejiang, so all is not lost.

Nice write up into your insight of owning and riding in SH?
I cant think of the worst city then SH to be a motorbike owner.
To fulfil your dreams you need to move.
My Hainan plated bike needed to be insured in Shandong was told by PICC, no can do?
My PICC insurance covers me all over China I. asked?
Yes, there said.
Ok then so stop fuc,,,ing about I told them and renew my PICC bike insurance now from your office.
After a phone call to the province head office.
All was sort and I got the renewal insurance.
Things in China are here to test you.
Most say no because there don't know?

hi,my friend, welcome to china! now I have a second-hand motor cycle, u can add my wechat to check: paul327726, thanks!

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Originally Posted by paulmok

hi,my friend, welcome to china! now I have a second-hand motor cycle, u can add my wechat to check: paul327726, thanks!

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Hi and welcome to MCM

Maybe it would have been better to post your bike details and picture in the classified section.


People who are looking to buy a bike would generally look there?

Good luck with the sale whatever bike you have?.

Hi guys!

Thanks for all the help and advice. Its been really helpful when considering my plans.

I'm currently living and working in Disuhui Lake (Right at the end of line 16) - so getting an A plate doesn't really need to happen. I've heard that if you register the bike to a different province in China, that gives you the same rights as a C plate here. Is this correct?

About the exam, I heard that you can have a translator, but I have no idea if this is genuine or not.

In terms of money, I'm thinking somewhere around 70,000 to 100,000 RMB for the bike.

Thanks,

Iskarjarek

Oh, and also how easy would it be to buy a bike in Hong Kong and drive it back to Shanghai if i have the correct Drivers License?
Basically, how easy is it to move between different provinces on a motorcycle?

regret to inform, but you may not get motorcycle driving license in Shanghai as easy as before.

in the past it was enough to have motorcycle+car driving licence of your home country and then it was possible to convert it to Chinese driving licence just by passing of computer test available on different languages.

well, not anymore. Shanghai traffic police will grant you only car license. if you want to get motorcycle driving license, you should be able to pass exams on Chinese. and no translator allowed.

so advice here is to try get your motorcycle driving licence in another province. unless, you can speak and read Chinese.

damn it.

Got my motorbike licence in Huzhou, Zhejiang a couple of months ago. It was indeed in Chinese only and I had to pay a translator/agent to assist me, which he did by kindly doing the test for me when the police supervisor wasn't watching. I had to do a practical driving test as well, which was quite straightforward, riding around poles with a scooter. Apparently the practice of allowing a translator was stopped shortly after I got my licence. By then the bike ban in the city centre, which was introduced on 1 August was in full swing. I am still living in the city centre and ride out once or twice a week, with no adverse actions yet, although I do try to always use the same road out, then make a detour as needed, and also go out early in the morning before the traffic cops come on duty.

Ah, OK. Thanks for the information guys. Sounds like getting a bike to drive around Shanghai will be a nightmare/very expensive.

But what about if I don't want to drive into the city center? I live quite aways outside the 3rd ring road, and police presence is very minimal here. So I probably wouldn't get stopped driving around where I live.

How easy is it to drive to other provinces in China? what sort of documentation will I need to drive back from HK, for example?

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Originally Posted by Iskarjarek

Ah, OK. Thanks for the information guys. Sounds like getting a bike to drive around Shanghai will be a nightmare/very expensive.

But what about if I don't want to drive into the city center? I live quite aways outside the 3rd ring road, and police presence is very minimal here. So I probably wouldn't get stopped driving around where I live.

How easy is it to drive to other provinces in China? what sort of documentation will I need to drive back from HK, for example?

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As far as I know, the motor ban in Shanghai is very complicated that I found some pictures to show it, it depends on your plate, may not be 100% accurate.

Attachment 20215
Attachment 20216
Attachment 20217
Attachment 20218

The yellow Plate A is about 300,000 RMB, blue A 100,000 RMB, and Yellow C 80,000 RMB, all approximate.

And the answer to the second question is pretty easy to travel around China, all the provinces with no document at all, except Hongkong, Macao, Xinjiang and Tibet.
All the vehicles registered in mainland of China are forbidden to enter Hongkong and Macao, and only some of cars(and only cars) of Hongkong and Macao with a black Plate can enter the mainland which will cost more than 1,000,000 RMB to get the plate.

You can travel to Xinjiang and Tibet with all you paperworks, but foriengers will be supervised, not very free to go everywhere at there.

What paperwork do you need for Xinjiang?

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Originally Posted by marco polo

What paperwork do you need for Xinjiang?

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Xinjiang is much better than tibet, for tibet, you need a permit to travel there, just google it you will find lots of FAQs about it.

And for Xinjiang, you need a border pass, without a border pass, you cannot got to any border area in Xinjiang, as you know, lots of tourist attractions are there. And the hotel you stay must have a reception permission for forigners.

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Originally Posted by bigheadsnake

Xinjiang is much better than tibet, for tibet, you need a permit to travel there, just google it you will find lots of FAQs about it.

And for Xinjiang, you need a border pass, without a border pass, you cannot got to any border area in Xinjiang, as you know, lots of tourist attractions are there. And the hotel you stay must have a reception permission for forigners.

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Thanks mate. A bit off topic, but where would one get the border permit? And do you need a guide with you, like Tibet?

I am looking at a trans Asia trip to Europe around May 2020, (2021, depending how long I can tolerate China) and am in the preliminary planning stage. Best route probably via Kazakhstan, this means only a visa vor Kazakhstan and Europe, but I am open for suggestions or company.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by marco polo

Thanks mate. A bit off topic, but where would one get the border permit? And do you need a guide with you, like Tibet?

I am looking at a trans Asia trip to Europe around May 2020, (2021, depending how long I can tolerate China) and am in the preliminary planning stage. Best route probably via Kazakhstan, this means only a visa vor Kazakhstan and Europe, but I am open for suggestions or company.

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Sorry I don't know the info for that, but you could try to contact some travel agency or just google it.

It's said foreigners cannot get a border pass unless you are the citizen of the countries next to Xinjiang or you entered Xinjiang from Middle Asia countries. The paperwork in Xinjiang border area is really complicated.

What I suggest is that you can go outside China from Inner Mongolia and enter Mongolia, it's more practical.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigheadsnake

Sorry I don't know the info for that, but you could try to contact some travel agency or just google it.

It's said foreigners cannot get a border pass unless you are the citizen of the countries next to Xinjiang or you entered Xinjiang from Middle Asia countries. The paperwork in Xinjiang border area is really complicated.

What I suggest is that you can go outside China from Inner Mongolia and enter Mongolia, it's more practical.

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Got it, thanks. From what I can gather from newly updated sites is that traveling to Xinjiang is not an issue if you have a valid Chinese visa, but you might need permits near military areas and will get stopped frequently. Traveling across border also doesn't seem like a problem, but I will make sure closer to the time. Going through Mongolia is quite a detour through uninhabited areas, but something to be considered.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by marco polo

Got it, thanks. From what I can gather from newly updated sites is that traveling to Xinjiang is not an issue if you have a valid Chinese visa, but you might need permits near military areas and will get stopped frequently. Traveling across border also doesn't seem like a problem, but I will make sure closer to the time. Going through Mongolia is quite a detour through uninhabited areas, but something to be considered.

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Good luck! it's really a long journey