A CJ750 workshop in GuangDong Province

Few months ago, family and I went to Conghua a small city east of Guangdong, South China (Canton) to visit a workshop that rebuild and customize ChangJiang 750. There is a large inventory of parts and used bikes (former army/police stock) available so many small workshops in different regions of China are doing the same.

A non exhaustive list of websites (A to Z, English and/or Chinese) selling or talking about CJ750:

750sidecar.com
beijingsidecars.com
beijing-sidecar.com
changjiang750.com.cn
changjiangcollective.com
changjiangunlimited.com
chinasidecar.com
cj750.forumcircle.com
cj750.net
cj750.org
cj750m1m.com
cjsidecarclub.com
mycj750.com
shanghaisidecars.com
sidecar-leo.com
thechangjiangexperience

changjiangcollective.com is the main source of information about the CJ750.

Standard version (32HP, black) is around 16000RMb ($2300 USD) here.

No more than 6 people work there,4 of them building the bikes, one saleman and the boss.

The workshop is rough, a big space with 3 or 4 bikes in progress, some inventory. Tools are at the minimum.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7227.jpg

They customize color and some accessories according customer's request.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7228.jpg

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7231.jpg

After the visit of the workshop, we went for a short ride with a side car and a solo bike.

Here the solo bike has a 24HP engine, the older generation. For some strange reason, they do not use the tank but use 2 mineral water bottles, one for each carb.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7256_.jpg

Small talk with the mechanic after my short ride.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7275.jpg

Wife on the bike, as you can see we are fully ATGATT. TIC (This Is China)... She is a very keen rider having owned BMW K100RS, HD883 and BMW F650.

Quick start
http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7313.jpg

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7329.jpg

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7334.jpg

And now the 3 wheels, a 32HP engine. more powerful and better when the side is hooked.

I'm looking at the shift lever. Not easy to find the neutral. Daughter is a little worried. She knows how Dad is a bad driver/rider.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7400.jpg

Both bikes have a rear gear. It's tricky with the solo but really a must have with the side.

http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7402.jpg

After my ride, wife is back again on command. Who's the boss at home?
http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7475.jpg

Kids like it too.
http://photos.bmfbm.com/galleries/2007_08/img_7429_.jpg

Are you still thinking about getting a CJ? I've been entertaining the idea for a long time now.

Maybe when I go up north next year it will be easier for me to find one.

Still on the wish list...

I would like to buy one but registration is always an issue in Zhuhai. If I don't care having the XJR impounded by the local cops I would not like it for a CJ750.

It's a nice bike and I really enjoy the way it runs specially in solo. Not powerful but torque in low revs. It gives you the impression to ride a bike with an history, a soul.

A long trip in the north west will be a nice adventure with it if mechanical issues can be put aside.

If you go in Beijing you will find many workshops and people who know them. Getting a plated one seems less an issue. Jimbosidecar, an expat in Beijing is also in adv and owns a workshop there.

I have visited a lot of the CJ shops in Beijing and have been tempted to buy on more than one occasion. I don't ike the high cost of the bikes (for China) and limitations on where and how I can ride one.

Next year I'll be living in a small city in Hebei province and it shouldn't be an issu for me to own a CJ there. I probably won't do much touring on it but it would be nice just to have for fun. I also want to find one on the cheap and fix it up myself.

Yes the price is high for the locals because they target expats (with money) or foreign markets. Yet a well rebuilt CJ750 will cost 2 or 3 time less than the russian ural.

I'm also tempted by a run down CJ, can find some for less than 5000RMB but I don't want to spend all my time wrenching it or looking for parts.

If you find Daniel Montejo's site through Google, and go to his "old" site videos, there is a good one of he and some buddies riding the CJ's in China, if you haven't seen it already.

Ok, here is a direct link to his videos/photos page, and he does have a good riding in China video on his Zongshen, as well as a good story about a 6000km trip around China somewhere there, too.

http://www.danielmontejo.com/videos.htm

So how much were they asking for those death traps ?


:chinese:

Quality is all over the place with those things.........now more than ever. Be careful what you buy and who you buy it from. Cheap can turn out expensive or vise versa.

Good Luck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nick in PRC.

So how much were they asking for those death traps ?


:chinese:

Quality is all over the place with those things.........now more than ever. Be careful what you buy and who you buy it from. Cheap can turn out expensive or vise versa.

Good Luck.

---

16000RMB for the standard black 32HP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brice

16000RMB for the standard black 32HP.

---

That's 500 RMB less than I paid for mine 5+ years ago................what with the increase in raw material costs and the depreciation of the dollar, you have to wonder where the corners were cut.

Here's another link

http://www.vsidecars.com/home/current/page1/

These sidecars are a bit pricier than those you found. I heard one was sold to an Arab prince for 16,000 USD.

If you want a good solid bike the builder of many of the bikes featured in the above link is restoring/rebuilding old army bikes and is in business for himself now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...e/KIF_0944.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...e/KIF_0945.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...e/KIF_0947.jpg

A bike like this 25,000 RMB with legal license plates, insurance and all paperwork.

I'm not a CJ specialist so I can not judge the quality of the rebuilt but the Chief mechanic seems to know very well his job. He works the CJ since many years and was in Nanchang before.