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Hi MCM,
I am planning a round the world trip on a bike I'm building myself - an old Triumph engine in a Rickman frame with modern suspension and cycle parts.
I have heard a few reports from people that have managed to ride in China but am struggling to find a sure-fire way into the country. Does anyone know of any classic motorcycle events or clubs that I could get an invitation to?
Cheers
Henry
welcome henry this sounds like its gunna be a proper trip would love to know more details and any pics of this classic your building, as for the whole legal side of china your better off with the more seasoned members.
as soon as i reade triumph i instantly thought of the Triumph scrambler or something like hits cafe racer
http://www.bikeexif.com/custom-triumph
Henry, a warm welcome to MCM.
Yes, it is possible to come into China on your own bike, but unlike other countries, you have will have to do it with a tour guide, you can't ride alone. And yes, that will be expensive. This has been discussed before here on MCM, but I can't remember the thread.. I'm sure more members will chip in with more info soon.
Another good forum for RTW touring is http://www.advrider.com/forums/ .. though not as China specialized as MCM.
in the meantime, is it possible to tease us with pics, even a bare frame or an engine sitting in it's crate is enough to make us drool..
Welcome Henry. Interesting idea you've raised, and I do think this is a brilliant strategy. I've never heard of classic motorcycle events here, but I can imagine this kind of thing would be very popular now, given the rise of an affluent class, the intense demand for expensive bikes (Ducati, Harley, BMW as opposed to Jialing, Qingqi and Chunfeng...), and the yearning for unique meaning in society.Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryUK
Last year, I linked up some Chinese sidecar hobbyists with a big sidecar festival in the US, and the US indeed had a program for lobbying the US consular authorities for visas.
I'm not naive enough to expect that this already exists in China, but these clubs certainly are starting to form -- Black Bats in Shanghai, for example -- and it may well be that they could issue a letter of invitation to an overseas motorcyclist that would help him or her apply for a visa and permission to bring in a bike temporarily.
I'll ask around.
cheers
Thats a beaut! The bike I'm building will end up 'a bit' like this - difefrent tank, exhaust, reinforced areas, centre stand etc etc - lots of fabrication required. It will have an old Triumph engine in it rather than one of the new ones. http://www.metisse-motorcycles.com/stevemcqueen.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by Kennon
Thanks! I reckon that either getting invited to a specialist event as an 'expert' or even getting a job in China are my best bets......Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
Unfortunately the bike is only planned out on paper at the moment- I'm busy prepping three old pizza delivery bikes for a race across the Sahara in January (which will be awesome - 500km a day, off-road, on a step through scooter!), then I'll be planning to head off on 'the big one' a few months after that, so around May time. The manufacturers of the frame are still umming and ahh-ing about whether or not they will support the trip with a free, modified frame. If not I'll have to buy the frame and modify it myself - this would be a shame as I'd like to get all the bracing done before the frame gets Nickel plated (a distinctive feature of Rickman frames).Quote:
Originally Posted by slabo
now that does look ace henry, will you be using knobblies, dual sports or proper road tyres when you do this trip?
also what size fuel tank will be on the bike as a tiddler wont be most appropriate unless you plan on taking a good ol jerry can with ya but saying that you dont wont to ruin the looks of the bike with a thumping huge fuel tank,
old pizza delivery bike is this meaning a Honda C90?
I think tyre choice will depend on which bit I'm on. I'll probably switch between the good old TKC80 and Michelin Deserts for the tricky sections (most of Africa, the Road of Bones and the Vilyuisky Tract, Mongolia etc)
The tank will be a 3 litre alloy tank. It should match the 'style' of the bike whilst not being as pretty as the little scrambler tank. For longer sections a 5-litre oil can or two strapped to the back will help. I'm planning on travelling VERY light - I've given myself a target of no more than 15kgs luggage. I will smell terrible!
The old pizza bikes are the replacements for the C90 - he Innova, or as it's known in Asia, the Wave. Domino's were selling them on becauise they were 'shafted'.
More info on the pizza bike project at www.bamakoorbust.org.uk
lmao shafted, another tip i would give is get applying for a russian visa now as they are a big mess to deal with myself just coming back from a holiday in russia, i think you'll miss out on being frisked 3 times by female airport security which is a very good service from the airport but being cupped is more of a weird feeling at first but all comes with the security checks ;)
ahh i reade about this in MCN was thinking that might have something linked with you
ha ha, yes that is me in MCN! I'm going to leave the Russian Visa until I have a vague idea when I'll be there - probably apply from Australia before heading North (I'm going Europe-Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-Nepal [flight] Thailand - Malaysia - Indonesia - Papua New Guinea [might be the first bike to cross by land from Indo after getting through the Irian Jayan jungle] - Australia
There is an important timing issue for Russia, I need to hit the 'Road of Bones' as soon as the snow goes so that I can get across Mongolia and down into Tajikistan before the Pamir Highway gets too icy. I dislike riding in the rain, riding on ice I just plain hate! To keep my options open I'll be getting a multiple entry 6 month business visa for Russia - no problems ducking in and out!
aha good idea mate, i hate riding in the rain/snow aswell but thats always a key part of when you first get a 50 when your 16 getting around anywhere no matter what once your on a proper bike you can choose what wheather suits you best i still remember the close to froist bitten fingers as it was only 2 years ago, i wonderr how easy it will be travelling from pakistan to india as they have been known to have a sketchy relationship especially at borders.
personnaly i would love to do a big bike tour on my supermoto but at only 6.3 litres the fuel tank would not go anywhere, plus the supermoto racing tyres "SAVA" are appauling in the wet
My first bike was a 750 - did my DAS, got a Cagiva Elefant and then tried to ride to Mongolia on my own. Awesome trip but cut short by a Mercedes with a visual impairment.....
I didn't ride a 50 until I got back and started working at Pizza Hut - they send us out in high wind, snow, sleet, ice you name it - great fun!! I wouldn't want to ride my own bike in snow as I have written off a few pizza hut bikes doing that:lol8:
A supermoto plus decent tyres/wheels and a big tank would be a great adventure bike!
The pizza delivery bike reminds me of DOT the postie bike.. and now I remember where I saw someone come into China on their own bike... it's the same guy. He rides his bike from Sydney to London, passes through China with a tour guide. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460631 have a look here also >> http://www.thepostman.org.uk/Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryUK
Indeed Slabo, 'Dorothy' is a CT110, an evolved version of the C90 - she was put back on the road a few weeks ago! Nathan is a 'proper legend'. He went on the route through Kashgar and the Torugart pass with a guide. I was hoping to do some more exploring so am trying to get in without a guide (for a start I don't think I can afford that - Nathan got lucky with a book publishing deal and could spend a bit more at that point).
aha my bike is pretty much a crosser slap on some supermoto tyres and here you have a bike thats a blast to ride but then you have to fill up loads. a automatic 50 in the snow is the scariest thing possible to ride especially if its a 2 stroker made and predominantly used in the spanish climate meaning you have to pin the throttle to keep the battery and the engine turning, im glad i wont be commuting to much for the next 3-4 years
Yes, getting a job in China is a great strategy for motorcycling in China. And probably the only realistic one. How's your Chinese? I've long thought there would be a market for rider safety instruction in China, and with all this mention of pizza delivery, I bet you could persuade Pizza Hut and other delivery-based companies to put on rider skill and rider safety courses for their thousands of delivery riders in China...Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryUK
cheers!
Unfortunately my Chinese is non-existent at present. I am trying to learn Russian for Siberia and Spanish for South America. I'm worried if I throw Chinese in there as well my brain might break.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
if your trying to learn russian its easiar to learn it phonetically, if its the odd profanity in russian you want to know aswell i know a few here and there
I can remember a few bits of Russian from the last time I was there. I'm trying to do it alphabetically first (by reading the Cyrillic), then it's essentially a phonetic language.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kennon
I was taught quite a lot of profanities in Kazakhstan. Strangely they all related to the private lives of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, I got the impression they weren't popular with the KZ bikers! I have now forgotten them though so will need to brush up!
aha sounds like a good time out in kazakhstan
Jeez you're keen Henry.. Take a 7/16" and 1/2" spanners.. Those two will pretty much get the whole bike to pieces.. About 35 years ago we were riding around on blazers and other old triumphs, nortons and beezers. I think all my mates will pretty much agree when I say you'll probably be better off walking!!.. Old brit bikes were crap.. good frames, crap engines... There are plenty of the 250 engines kicking around which look very similar to the 250.. I'd stick with the rickman frame and drop in a jap 250... or even a chinese one!! Anything but an old triumph!!! I've been in China for 16 years, riding bikes also... I very very much doubt if you are going to get into China.. I'm really sorry to say this as it's really neat cruising around this weird country. You will have nightmares with the language unless someone is with you able to speak Chinese youre really going to suffer..Most tours here are rather ad hoc and I hear a bike club in Beijing has suffered a bit recently and probably not able to come up to meet you.. There used to be a company in Beijing that was offering tours on their bikes around bits of china though I don't know what they are up to now.. Bottom line is China has it's own sets of rules.. They are changing but not as quick as any of us would like. Your best bet for the asian experience is to get into south east asia and ride around some of the countries there..
AND THE BAD NEWS IS...................
Sorry.. took a quick look at the piccie and assumed it was a 250.. Actually the 250 was much better than the twins, though the speed twin was pretty good...(couldn't pull granny off her pot).. .OKAY.. #1 thing to do is to get some titanium pushrods turned out.. Very simple to do and they don't bend like the originals do.. Really annoying... The other thing you need to do is to drill and tap 6mm threads into the inspection nuts on the rocker boxes... Insert a short length of threaded tube and then join some rubber tubing and run this back to the oil tank. It will eliminate all oil leaks.
Still kosher re the spanners.. And still.. get a big single.. XR500 etc.... or read ZEN and the art of motorcycle maintenance... I know I haven't.
You could try the Taklamakan Rally in Xinjiang.When I spoke to them a few years ago they where abit vague on overseas competitors bringing there bike in though.Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryUK
Welcome to here, HenryUK. Were/are you on Horizonsunlimited Hubb?