What bike + some other questions from a newbie...

Hello MCM,

First of all, I am pretty new here, I have been surfing around for a couple of weeks/months on this site now, but I'm not sure if this post is in the right section. so please, correct me if I posted wrongly...

My case: I am a belgian, currently living in Australia. In a couple of months I would like to travel to China (on a tourist visa), buy a bike somewhere in Xinjiang (new or 2nd hand), and drive it to Kazakhstan, intending to take it home to Belgium.

First question:

Is it possible to buy a bike (registered in someone elses name perhaps) and take it over the border with Kazakhstan?

second question:

I like cruiser models, but what model would I have to take? There are so many brands and models on b2b sites like alibaba.com that I really have no clue what is reliable and what not... Are there any chinese brands that are more reliable, but still cheap compared to European prices? Preferrably I would like a 250cc model.

3rd question:

Does anybody know if I could possibly get a carnet de passage from the German Adac for Chinese bikes?

I know this is a lot of questions in one post, I feel quite stupid posting them all at once, but I read a lot of different stories on the internet and this site seems to be populated with people that know what they speak about :-)

Many thanks for reading this post,
Hans

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

Hello MCM,
second question:
...

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2** cc Crusier
Twins:
Yamaha XV250 clone (2V49FMM) -Lifan LF250-B, Qianjiang QJ25-H
Honda Rebel clones (253FMM engine)
OR
just bounght a Suzuki GN250 that made in the country

Cool, Humanbeing! Thanks for the quick reply! Would you have any idea how much these bikes would approximately cost in China?

Greetings
Hans

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

First of all, I am pretty new here, I have been surfing around ...

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Welcome, Hans :icon10:

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

First question:

Is it possible to buy a bike (registered in someone elses name perhaps)

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It is the only way if you are not on a residence permit :deal:

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

... and take it over the border with Kazakhstan?

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That might be a nightmare, could take days or been rejected if you are not the legal owner. Might be ok if the legal owner is with you.
It seems China to Laos is easy, even if you are not the owner. In the North (Russia, Mongolia), Northwest (Pak, Kaz and Kyrg) it seems a lot more difficult.

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

3rd question:

Does anybody know if I could possibly get a carnet de passage from the German Adac for Chinese bikes?

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If you are really nice to the person who is handling your case, possibly (got one for mine). But why would you want one? There is no need for it in Kaz, Russia and the EU, which are on your way to Belgium.

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

... and this site seems to be populated with people that know what they speak about :-)

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:bowdown:

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But why would you want one? There is no need for it in Kaz, Russia and the EU, which are on your way to Belgium.

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I wanted to go via Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran, because of the temperatures. Russia might be too cold for the time of the year, as I plan to travel back from october to januari...

I read in different articles that it is difficult to get permission to travel trough Tibet in China, which makes it difficult to ride to Nepal and India. Then I tought about Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan, with a CDP. Still a little bit cold, but not for the whole trip :p

Maybe I just need to buy decent winter clothes. I might try to shoot a bear the next couple of weeks :-)

Anyway, many thanks for the advice!

Greetings,
Hans

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

I wanted to go via Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran, because of the temperatures. Russia might be too cold for the time of the year, as I plan to travel back from october to januari...

I read in different articles that it is difficult to get permission to travel trough Tibet in China, which makes it difficult to ride to Nepal and India. Then I tought about Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan, with a CDP. Still a little bit cold, but not for the whole trip :p

Maybe I just need to buy decent winter clothes. I might try to shoot a bear the next couple of weeks :-)

Anyway, many thanks for the advice!

Greetings,
Hans

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"Tea Bed" may be off limits, not only from the permit point of view but from the weather as well. India, Pakistan and Iran are requiring a CdP, the latter 2 however may be negotiable on the border from what I heard.

No matter the route, it is the cold season in most places, and the Kaz steppe or Eastern Turkey can be particularly nasty.

Good Luck

There is a difference of ~5k between 200 and 250cc bikes. Saw the 250cc below for 18000RMB at the local Zhongshen dealer. Suzuki also make a 250 V-twin, less flashy though, which i personally prefer. But i only saw it in Police colors and i don't remember how much it cost. I think the Suzuki is the best value for you if you want a 250 cruizer, but you could save alot of money if you buy a 200 thumper.
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/116_52/24_183/image3-vi.jpg
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/116_52/2...mage-vi116.jpg
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/116_52/2...mage-vi252.jpg
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/116_52/24_183/image1-vi.jpg
better now, sorry about the lighting, i guess business was not going good enough to turn on the lights.

Cool Slabo,

you even took pictures! I think this bike is pretty good looking. I don't really mind spending that much of money (around 18000 rmb), been working in Australia for the last half year.

You reckon the bike on the pictures would be reliable enough to drive to Belgium? I would carry about 20 kilos of luggage with it and drive about 1000 km every week. I myself weigh about 75-80 kilos, depending on the country where I'm staying :p

I read some very good comments on Zongshen bikes, also on this website, but then again, some other customers seem not that satisfied about the brand. As I'm not really skilled in moto-mechanics it might be a problem if it needs repair every 500 km. Tightening bolts however is something I dont consider as a problem.

Million thanks again for the efforts you did for these pictures!

Greetings,
Hans

Reliable? Even some Japanese bikes require the odd fix now and then. Every 500 km? i think that's extreme. I find bike maintenance a bit intimidating, but i think its something worth learning, whatever the bike is. For your payload, even a Yamaha YBR 125 would do. A member, i think username tokyokid, rode all the way to Germany with his wife on a 125 Yamaha. Yamaha would definitely be more reliable, and if you have 23k, you could buy the 250cc. But that's more of a Honda Nighthawk style bike. The only advantage I can see with the Zhongshen is the V-twin engine, smother cruising at average 120+ km/h, more comfortable on good roads. But that is your personal preference. Send me a private message and i'll send you full res photos.
I think most of the Zhongshens discussed on this site are the Dual sports bikes, i don't think i've seen this bike before on MCM, so maybe it's not good to judge the bike by brand only. I can't say more about it, i only took pictures.

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Reliable? Even some Japanese bikes require the odd fix now and then. Every 500 km? i think that's extreme. I find bike maintenance a bit intimidating, but i think its something worth learning, whatever the bike is.

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Off course, I got the same opinion about that learning. I was only wondering if the engine would be strong/decent enough to make it on a trip like that. The smaller repairs zand maintainence I could try to learn on the way home...

Would there be a big difference in 200cc bikes vs 250cc? I would appreciate it if the bike could make it to 120 km/h without too many problems, so that I can drive it on the highways in Belgium afterwards.

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Originally Posted by slabo

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/116_52/2...mage-vi116.jpg

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This one most likely will dissolve on Kazakhstan roads :lol8:

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Originally Posted by hanzywanzy

Would there be a big difference in 200cc bikes vs 250cc? I would appreciate it if the bike could make it to 120 km/h without too many problems, so that I can drive it on the highways in Belgium afterwards.

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My buddie's 200cc Zhongshen makes barely a 100, solo, no luggage.

However, Tokykid made from Shanghai to Berlin on a 125cc bike, two up, :thumbsup:

I think there is more to consider than engine size. If i reach 80km/h on my Shineray XY200GY-7, i can't hold on to the grips any more. The whole bike vibrates, and i just don't want to go any faster. But partly it's because the big rear sproket, and also it's a thumper. The zhongshen dual sport is very popular on this site, but its a completly different bike than the cruiser pictured here. Also, a V-twin will vibrate much less than a thumper. It's a different engine, not just 50cc difference.

bought a helmet from the Suzuki dealer and here is what i saw:
http://i41.tinypic.com/15efj1j.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/b5nmv5.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/15xlf75.jpg
Looks super comfortable for cruising down good roads. Too bad it's a thumper though. But i did see GN250's with V-engines before. Guess they are hard to find now.

If those V-twin configuration makes a difference, I'd rather buy a model with a v-twin engine, even if they might cost me a little more. I think it would be cool to drive without too much worries.

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This one most likely will dissolve on Kazakhstan roads http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/.....odern/lol8.gif

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I am assuming they got paved/asphalted roads between their main cities. If not, it might make my travelling slightly more complicated. But then again, that's partly what makes it interesting :-)