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HI you guys (and girls)
I am in the early stages of planning a motorcycle trip from York in England to York in Western Australia to visit family.
having received countless pieces of information all of which conflict, i am trying to get a definitive answer !!!
if i turned up at the border crossing from Mongolia into China could i gain access to travel south through China and onward to Vietnam/Cambodia/thailand ??????
many thanks in anticipation
David
Epic trip mate, good luck. May sound too easy but approach the main Chinese Embassy nearest you with this, I suggest you do it fully in writing with details of your license and so on included and any references that may add weight. Offer to supply a bond in case of accident and details of Insurance etc, also point out your financial security and importantly point out your knowledge of road rules in China and mention you have contacts in China. I got that far before ill health stopped me and on the telephone I was assured there are ways it could be done and that I could get 'official' paperwork (with seals and chops lol) before the trip. Don't rely on forums to give that sort of information - many have knowledge that may well be true but things always change. You may not get the reply you wish for but you should get a reply and even if negative then you can negotiate.
Dear David,Quote:
Originally Posted by daveboak
Great adventure indeed! Hope you can pull all the strands together and make it happen.
One thing that will NOT work is just pitching up at Mongolia's border with China. Jape's advice is correct: Do your homework in advance, and you might find China to be accommodating.
Do keep us posted as your plans gel!
What's your choice of steed?
cheers
Hey David, sounds like a great trip indeed. Know York in WA pretty well from having worked in Kalgoorlie for a year with many a road trip between Kal-Esperence-Perth and many places in between. Sigh! Completed many a significant road trip and two circumnavigations in the land downunder, OZ. Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!... oi! oi! oi!Quote:
Originally Posted by daveboak
To answer your question, without appropriate planning and approvals completed beforehand, you riding up to any of the Chinese borders will result in you being turned away.
The other two are giving the right advice. Good luck with all the planning... keep us in mind and in the loop will ya!
many thanks for the advice, i will be taking a trip down to London january time when planning gets a little more serious
there are a number of embassys i will need to visit and combining them all at once may make things more simple
regards David
wow Kalgoorlie, that brings back some memories !!!! i spent 3 weeks driving a dull Toyota something around the south western corner of WA had some great sea fishing trips to.
I intend to seriously start planning and visiting the embassys i need to all in one go down in London january time
many thanks for the advice
regards David
Many thanks for the advice
i currently ride a Honda CBR900 RR (Fire Blade) only for trips to the coast or up into the Yorkshire Dales 100miles max, the thing is so so fast but so so uncomfortable, honestly any more than 50 miles and you loose the feelings in your hands, arms, shoulders, back, legs, etc etc etc
i guess the BMW GS Adventure is the only bike for this sort of epic journey ?????
regards David
Welcome Dave - definitely a great voyage, and a fantastic destination. Jape's advice is right on - start talking with the Chinese Embassy, writing letters, demonstrating your seriousness and abilities. There are a few stories on other forums (e.g., advrider & Horizons Unlimited) of people having difficulty with the entry into China via motorcycle - but there also appear to be the occasional reported case of well-prepared people making it in/out (although at rather high cost).
As for bike, the GSA is a great bike that has proven itself in most countries around the world. Some people, however, think it is a bit too big for many of the roads found in developing countries. Basically, it always comes down to whatever feels right for yourself. BMW's 800 and 650 are also two very good bikes. And, of course, the KTMs, Hondas, Kawasakis, Suzukis, etc. have all been in most corners of the globe.
Yes, please keep us advised of your progress.
The Fire Blade is definitely NOT the bike for the ride, but I'd think hard about the GS too. They are not as reliable as some folks would have you believe, and when they break down they are bloody expensive to repair. Or so I'm told. (Let the flames begin!)
Just reading through that Tokyo-to-London thread gives a lot of food for thought about which bikes to consider. As a KLRista, I'd not hesitate to use that bike, since it's been in production for three decades and there are gazillions of parts available and it can be found just about everywhere. Transalp, V-Strom, XRV750 Africa Twin, the choices are endless even if you are limiting yourself to beefy upright dual sports that will have the best chance of delivering you in one piece.
Even within the GS family, there are a lot of choices. I'm still partial to the 650 thumpers, but are they even in production any more? I think the 650 and 800 are basically the same engine, a v-twin, right? Ryan and Colin loved their F800GS's on their Middle Kingdom Ride, though they had a sag wagon and weren't carrying all their gear themselves.
How about something retro, like a Royal Enfield? Have you checked out Guarav Janis' self-filmed Riding Solo to the Top of the World? Awesome accomplishment. Then there's our own Carl Parker's epic Riding Western China, done on a chinabike.
So, hey, lots of options. What kind of ride do you want to have? What kind of stories do you want to be able to tell when you are finished? Lots of food for thought. This is a fun part of the journey -- the planning!
Thanks for inviting us all to share it with you!
Hey Mate,
Not sure if my message got thru' to you but can you check this out on MCM as I just posted a new thread. "Travel thru' China on own NX650 motorcycle"
Cheers, John
Hi John
many thanks for the link, i will study with interest
cheers David
Dave,
I have contacted Navo/China as they seem to be up on this entry stuff and I asked if they can give me a ball park figure for fixing everything. They just processed 20 bimmers (Laos to Horgos)
The downside is they have no "biker-guides" so the group has to spring for a car escort with guide.
I'll keep you posted.
Cheers,J