Buying a bike in China and riding home with it

Hi guys,

I'm not teaching anything to anyone when I say getting a foreign bike into China is either a lot of hassle, or costly, or both if ever possible. I was in Kyrgyzstan in summer '08, saw guys try to get in through Torugart or Irkeshtam, seen them back. Agreed, trying to enter so close to Tibet and the Olympic Games was never going to be a cakewalk but still.

So I'm thinking, the best way might be to buy a Chinese bike, register it there, and ride it to Europe until pollution laws stop it, or to Northern Africa and sell it there.

There's quite a bit of information about getting a bike in, not so much about getting it out (feasability, prices, hassles [well, hasslefree is not Chinese], and so on). Any of you either know something or can direct me to a place that may? (For the record I know of the HUBB and advrider but I figured PRC-insiders might have better info on my questions^^).

Thanks in advance

http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...rlin-on-YBR125
MCM'er Tokyokid rode to Berlin on a Yamaha YBR125. Two up and he never had a problem with the bike. Carb version bike costs ~9000 rmb, fuel injected version costs ~10500 but could be difficult to find in China. So far, that bike seems to be the most reliable in China. But some have made it on far less capable bikes.
What I'm not sure about is registering a bike in your name if you have a tourist visa (I assume you have a tourist visa); maybe someone else can answer that. Same goes for obtaining a drivers license, as international dl's aren't valid here.

I think it also helped that tokyokid had registration/insurance documents that were in his wife's name and she was with him. I'm not sure what happens when you get to the border and try to cross with a bike that's not registered in your name. Different border crossings seem to have different policies. Then there's the whole carnet issue after you get out of China, Chinabiker knows all about that. Probably some routes you can take that don't require a carnet? Getting the bike registered in your name and the drivers license issue have generally been what stands in the way of most people, money can sometimes solve those problems. Plenty of people have crossed China on Chinese motorcycles illegally, but it's getting much harder, and the police seem to have less and less patience with foreigners that don't follow the rules.

Cheers!
ChinaV

If you make it to Lhasa there is a Travel company doing motorcycle tours(for westerners) from Lhasa to Zhangmu through the border to Nepal.Maybe you could follow them through?????I doubt they will be allowed to do it for long though.Next year will be there second year.

Thanks guys for the quick answers. slabo I think you nailed the main problem, registering it in China on a tourist visa. CdP will be too much trouble I fear, will have to go through countries CdP free (ie no Iran, Pakistan or India). There's this guy on the HUBB that pulled the trick in Nepal http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...al-drive-34871 , doesn't seem to have crossed China though. Anyone tried to register a bike on a tourist visa?

I won't go the illegal route, I found travelling on your own in this part of the world already complicated with all documents in order, so I'm in no hurry to camp one week in a border post waiting for paperwork ^^

@NOSTRO: As I understand thats best way to tackle China!

The procedure, as I understand it would be:
1a. you buy a new bike
Get it registered/insured in the name of a Chinese National, maybe the dealer, or somebody you know.

1b. you buy a used bike
This is registered/insured already

2. you get a sales contract with the person the bike is registered/insured on.
This contract should include both yours Passport/ID cards, Fingerprint in red ink, signature.
If possible see to get some red stamps on this one, maybe notarize it or get some other chops
on it. Chinese people love these red chops and regard them highly!
Make it bi-lingual (Chinese/English)!
Get several original copies of this contract, you might need them.
The sales contract should state that you allowed to take the bike out of China.

3. Get going!

That should work, but be aware that the border posts have zero to not much expierence with these things.
So they dont know how to handle them. Be patient, smile, and go with the flow...If you made it to the border
you will make through, if not today and here then tomorrow at another border crossing.

Issues you can not resolve as tourist:
- Carnet for China registered vehicle --> Solution: avoid carnet countries
- Driving License: as tourist you can make only car driving license in Beijing. Chinabiker has the details for that. No legal bike license.

I dont see any additional issues. Fellow MCM'er what you have to add?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by andre555

3. Get going!

That should work, but be aware that the border posts have zero to not much expierence with these things.
So they dont know how to handle them. Be patient, smile, and go with the flow...If you made it to the border
you will make through, if not today and here then tomorrow at another border crossing.

Issues you can not resolve as tourist:
- Carnet for China registered vehicle --> Solution: avoid carnet countries
- Driving License: as tourist you can make only car driving license in Beijing. Chinabiker has the details for that. No legal bike license.

I dont see any additional issues. Fellow MCM'er what you have to add?

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Xinjiang border has plenty experience with foreigners trying to get into China just that most don't make it.They don't get alot of foreigners trying to get out in cars and motorcycles.The drug trade crossing the border is getting stronger and authorities getting ever more vigilant and smugglers getting more devious.

Just been in XinJiang on a road that is along the Kasachstan border. I run in the a Army Checkpoint between
ERmin and BoLe, they were astonished to see a German driving a car there. Dont know whet do do first, reaction
of the young soldier was: "Dont Move!" - he needed his superior to handle this.

Thats what I mean with not much expierence - same goes for leaving the country in a Chinese vehicle.
My guess, its much easier if a Chinese National takes the bike over the border. Maybe that can be arranged
in the border areas.

I have been around Korla, Kalamayi and YiLi river valley. Beside the mentioned Checkpoint I didnt feel any tensions
or exagerated army presence, that was totally different in summer 2008.

.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by andre555

Just been in XinJiang on a road that is along the Kasachstan border. I run in the a Army Checkpoint between
ERmin and BoLe, they were astonished to see a German driving a car there. Dont know whet do do first, reaction
of the young soldier was: "Dont Move!" - he needed his superior to handle this.

Thats what I mean with not much expierence - same goes for leaving the country in a Chinese vehicle.
My guess, its much easier if a Chinese National takes the bike over the border. Maybe that can be arranged
in the border areas.

I have been around Korla, Kalamayi and YiLi river valley. Beside the mentioned Checkpoint I didnt feel any tensions
or exagerated army presence, that was totally different in summer 2008.

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I guess you mean the Kazastan border?There real nevous on the Pakistan border for obvius reasons.

I have been living off and on in Xinjiang for the past ten years.

If you think 2008 was bad last year was extreme.Every time I came back into my small home town they would check me at the check point.

The thing is the police/soldiers who ever on the checkpoint don't have the authority to let you(foreigner) through it is someone higher up and he is probably not there and they will ring him there covering there butt.


If you think you are the only foreigner or German driving or riding in Xinjiang think again.



They only surprise I got from the locals was when the Uyrghr/kazah tried to talk to me at the toll booths and thought I was uyghur and quickly discovered I was English(which I'm not)you could think that they where seeing a foreigner for the first time but they where not.

At the toll gates I was also always greeted in russian/local dialects...interesting area and stunning nature you living in!
Enjoy it while it last, the pollution is getting really bad these days! I have seen lots of chemical processing plants in the middle of nowwhere with fumes from the chimey that didnt loocked to nice.

Anyhow back to Nostro...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by andre555

At the toll gates I was also always greeted in russian/local dialects...interesting area and stunning nature you living in!
Enjoy it while it last, the pollution is getting really bad these days! I have seen lots of chemical processing plants in the middle of nowwhere with fumes from the chimey that didnt loocked to nice.

Anyhow back to Nostro...

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Yep the rest of China is coming to Xinjiang.Has been my pet hate for along time some beautiful valley and they stuck a iron ore processing plant smack in the middle.

They can't see the forest through the trees.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigdamo

They can't see the forest through the trees.

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I'll remember that.. well put.

No worries, feel free to mildly derail the thread with riding/driving experience in Xinjiang and the like, it only makes me want to go more and might save me surprises.

Also what about the driving license? Chinese one mandatory or a translated international one would do the trick?

Sorry.

International licenses are not accepted in China although I believe someone said there was a country in Europe that had some unilateral agreement doubt it though.

What route where you planning on taking through China.

To get a Chinese driving license you need to be basically living and working in China.

try reading this http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...et-on-a-Qingqi

Although he came in and went out on the other side of China.

No route currently planned other than "travelling in easter Asia to probably Europe, possibly on a bike. Starting Oct 2011". My experience from a few years back in the 'stans taught me to research well the paperwork-side of the trip before setting on an intinerary. It seems experience pays sometimes :icon10:

tokyokid seems to have been very lucky finding lenient border officers... 3 years later, I'm note sure I should bet on that, especially seeing how the situation in Xinjiang doesn't seem better (see Kashgar last year).

Possibly if you really want to ride through China you might be better just buying a Chinese motorcycle and riding through and then selling it at the border.Although I highly recommend not driving through China with no license and no rego and no insurance but I'm not your keeper you do what you see fit.

ChinaV is right the Chinese authorities are seeing more westerners driving/riding in China and don't need the hassle.

I know of some people who have been riding in Xinjiang for a number of years with no license and had no problems but I also know the police know they have no license and I have been told when they have a accident there toast.

Yup, it seems to boil down to buy and sell inside China, and ride without documents. Not too keen on that, and your advice confirms it, so I think I'll pass. Interesting thread you linked, but indeed it's another border, where the borders are AFAIK easier. Tibet an Xinjiang to the 'stans is another story. Appearently you have to be very lucky to pull the trick I wanted to do, I don't think I'll take the bet. Two friends might join me, it's three times the chance of an accident plus the extra attention you get as a group of bikers with full gear and luggage... looks like a recipe for disaster. So I guess the closest I'll come to riding in Xinjinag will be to hear stories over a Tsingtao from foreign bikers in the region :rolleyes1: