Beijing-Xi'an-Beijing

As Inner Mongolia turns out to be too cold for october holidays (I've been around Hohhot by car this weekend and I really regret it's too late to go), I'd like to go for 9 days trip south to Xi'an and return. I did only 1200km on my bike so far and its my first vehicle but I'm planning to do 3000km. I'm trying to read as many posts on MCM as possible but the time is running. I'd like to have different route on the way back, and get as many corners in the mountains as possible. As I don't have years of experience with bikes like many MCM users I'd be very grateful for your advice in any matter from gear, nice roads, places to see, bike preparation and others. I will try to master my google maps skills by ChinaV's post and get the usb plug in my bike. I'm ordering some things on taobao, most of them that i saw in MCM treads. With my poor chinese it might be a bit irresponsible trip, but hopefully on new bike everything will go well.
Looking forward to hear from you
f.

Of course it would be amazing if someone is planning to do similar trip

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=1...&cm_id=&pm_id=

Do you use anything like that for extra gas? Or is there something better?

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Originally Posted by filipu

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=1...&cm_id=&pm_id=

Do you use anything like that for extra gas? Or is there something better?

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First of all it's good to know how far your bike can go on a full tank.

Just topping up every 100 km regardless of how much you still have, might also save your ass. If you have the space you could pack a jerrycan on your bike somewhere! That gas bag you linked from taobao looks nice, but expensive. There should be some cheaper alternatives. Beijing - Xi'an and back won't have to many remote areas I think.

Hey, thanks
I looked for jerrycans on taobao, I ve found this one:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=8921258942
3 liters is the smallest, butstill the bag looks more convinient to carry on my 150ccm
Yeah I was thinking to topp up every 100km
Do you know any service, where I could go to have my motorbike checked?

damm, I was just told I will have only 7 days.

Beijing - Xi'an is a great idea. Maybe pop the bike on the train in one direction? Although this might be unpleasant during the crowded Oct holiday. Might be an idea to train it down there from Beijing and have it waiting for your arrival.

I think that gas stations will only fill a metal container. The tool market (NE 4th ring road) has lots. But I'd agree with Barry & just top off the fuel every 100 kms, or so. The mountains roads between Beijing and Xi'an will have lots of villages with gas.

Personally, I'd be really nervous traveling with extra gas. Murphy's law seems to follow me around, especially in China with Chinese bikes.

I've just found this, cheap and handy:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=9..._u=kmj099sc912
20x15x8cm - 2,5l. Is it really not safe to carry gas? I don't know if this tank is safe anyway.
What your plan for holidays btw? Or you're not chained to the chair in the office?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by filipu

I've just found this, cheap and handy:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=9..._u=kmj099sc912
20x15x8cm - 2,5l. Is it really not safe to carry gas? I don't know if this tank is safe anyway.
What your plan for holidays btw? Or you're not chained to the chair in the office?

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Gasoline ignites easily. Do a youtube search for "gasoline fire" and you'll see a few examples. What's makes it so dangerous is that the source of ignition doesn't have to be in direct contact with the gasoline, because gasoline fumes are also flammable.

That plastic gallon you linked is very dangerous. Bad idea, especially on a motorcycle. Normally when you drop your bike you spill some gasoline from the carburetor and tank but it's only dripping as fast as the tank's usual supply. but with this you'll crush the container and you have 3L of gas on the floor .. bad idea
How big is your tank? 13 L? you probably have a range of 400km with that 150cc engine. more than enough for this trip IMHO

good luck, im very jealous..

Ok, I'm not buying this. My tank is 8l or sth, I've runed out of gas once already because the gasstation only accepted their cards. I was also thinking to buy a tire iron also, but I have no idea how to change the tube so I'll also give up with this. Hope to learn that in LJH's workshop

@slabo why jealous , Xi'an is almost half way between Kunming and Bj, we could have a beer there.

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Originally Posted by filipu

@slabo why jealous , Xi'an is almost half way between Kunming and Bj, we could have a beer there.

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Why jealous? You're in China, and you have a bike!

Looks like a plan, hope you have fun and bring it all home in one piece!

I agree about not needing to bring spare fuel. You only need to do that if you're going off into remote parts of mongolia or tibet or whatever. I reckon your bike easily has a 250km range, and between beijing and xi'an i doubt you'll ever go 50km without seeing a petrol station.

When i'm planning a route through parts that i don't know, i normally try to keep it in the mountains as much as possible and avoid the G roads. This usually generates the best results for good roads/nice views/less traffic. Use terrain view to see where the mountains are.

Yeah I base my plan on the terrain map. just trying to modify the route to stay in mountains as much as possible. How many km per day is reasonable plan?

Since this is your first big trip i'd say maybe start with 300km a day and see how you feel. Don't need to push too hard, that's when accidents happen.

When i ride i don't normally plan where i'm supposed to arrive in the evening. This takes pressure off and means you can stop wherever you want. If the roads are shitty you won't make as much mileage, if they're good you'll make more.

Be prepared to rethink your trip halfway. If you're not making enough mileage to get you to xi'an and back in 7 days then don't stress it, screw xi'an. Better to spend some quality time riding some good mountains that you may have stumbled into rather than taking shitty G roads just for the sake of making it to a point on the map.

good advice, I don't care about Xi'an anyway, just can't wait to ride.

+100 to what Felix says! Couldn't agree more.

I like extra 100km ;)
another question:

Is there any place where I could just go and buy tubes for my bike? Do I need to go to the dealer? There are some shops with scooters in my area, do you think it's worth asking them, or should I go somewhere out of 5th ring? The place where I bought my bike didn't have it. Same about spark plug

Ditto on Felix's comments, but what he forgot to mention was the exception: When you're Iron-butting to your buddy's wedding!

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...2f6751107e4671

It looks like I will go for the trip with Lobotomus. I've made this sketch for 6 days trip. I tried to choose roads with many corners, different way back of course. 2000km for 6 days, should be ok. The target are this nice bends of the yellow river. I didn't even look yet at the photos in this area. Someone wrote before that as long as we stay in the mountains its nice. Any suggestions from people who've been there? How can I add this map to be visible in the window?
cheers

hi a group of us will be doing a beijing-xi'an-beijing also, alot of finger crossing of course. we are going on 2 cj 750. will be leaving on the 2nd. if you wana ride together maybe, the more the merrier. my email is moeavaspr@gmail.com.
if not, good luck and be safe.