San Diego, California: SoCal Adv Tourer - Brief Introduction

MCM Members,

Hello everyone! I registered on this forum a few minutes ago and thought I should post a brief introduction.

I have enjoyed dual-sport and sport-touring motorcycling for more than forty years. Currently, I own two Honda ST1100A sport-touring motorcycles and two Honda XRV750 Africa Twins dual-sport motorcycles. I have been fortunate to experience many beautiful rides and destinations in North America while living in San Diego, Chicago and a small town in Ohio. My other interests include telecommunications (wireless/cellular networking), photography, cultural festivals, kayaking, scuba diving, swimming and camping. Any questions about San Diego, southwest United States, shared hobbies or interests are welcomed.

While using Shanghai as a homebase, I feel extremely fortunate to have visited China four times with durations as long as two months. Destinations included Guilin, Xian, Suzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou/Qiandaohu, Zhou Zhuang, Jiuzhaigou, Chendu, Wuzhen, Yellow Mountain, Xiamen/Quanzhou City, Zhou Zhuang, Zhangjiajie, Wuxi, Nanjing and many other smaller ancient towns or villages.

I am looking forward to learning more about motorcycling in China with an emphasis on visiting national parks, historical sites, minority cultures and man-made wonders. Also, I would like to share with members who may be interested in motorcycling in the United States, that I may consider a motorcycle swap or ride share with motorcyclist in China, SE Asia and New Zealand.

I wish to offer my first contribution to the forum members who have yet to experience China in person.
You may travel to China to visit beautiful cities, national parks, historical sites, and man-made wonders, but you will return home with the fondest memories of the Chinese people.

Take care & happy holidays!

Cheers!

David

HI AND WELCOME TO MCM.

Always good to have another motorcyclist in Jiangsu. (or next door to Jiangsu) There are a quite a few good guys in Shanghai to ride with. Let me know if you head out past Yixing.

TexasAggie/Prince666 & Others MCM Members,

Thank you for your kind replies and welcome notes.

While recently Googling images of the Lanzhou area, I learned it has the red sandstone seen in Utah (United States). I also learned of a group of Chinese motorcyclist who own Honda XRV750 motorcycles in the Lanzhou area. I was extremely surprised and would like to learn if importing 25 year old 750cc is very difficult for Chinese residents. I think this is extremely rare.... If anyone has visited areas in China similar to Utah or the beautiful alpine or mineral-rich areas similar to Colorado, I would really appreciate learning about them. I will try to catch up on related threads before submitting repetitive posts about travel in China in the future.

Also, I just returned from a two month solo trip to Colorado & Utah and uploaded a few photographs. If any MCM members are not familiar with Colorado & Utah, you may enjoy viewing some of the photographs at the following URL. Also, the images reflect landscapes I enjoy visiting and photographing. I camped 56 of 60 nights while on the road...and am still trying to fine-tune my camping needs before obtaining 'motorcycling-camping nirvana'.

Here's the link/URL: (Please be patient with the free photo-hosting site's advertisements.)

http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/dk...?sort=4&page=1

Cheers!

David

By the way, I Googled "Gansu Province china red sandstone" and selected images.. absolutely amazing. Are these images for real or are they altered/edited? Check it out. Cheers! David

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gans...HZdfAQ0QsAQIGQ

Hi SoCal

It's always nice to see pictures from other parts of the world that people have visited thanks for posting links
China is a very diverse country with loads of great places to see and explore.

Here is just 1 place you could be interested in.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Leaping_Gorge

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=Ti...+Leaping+Gorge

Prince666,

Hello and thank you for the Tiger Jumping Gorge recommendation. It has been noted. The statistics or fast facts of the Tiger Jumping Gorge are impressive. It must be beautiful motorcycling country!

"At a maximum depth of approximately 3,790 meters (12,434 feet) from river to mountain peak, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world."

Cheers!

David

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoCal Adv Tourer

TexasAggie/Prince666 & Others MCM Members,

Thank you for your kind replies and welcome notes.

While recently Googling images of the Lanzhou area, I learned it has the red sandstone seen in Utah (United States). I also learned of a group of Chinese motorcyclist who own Honda XRV750 motorcycles in the Lanzhou area. I was extremely surprised and would like to learn if importing 25 year old 750cc is very difficult for Chinese residents....

Cheers!
David

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Legally, impossible... illegally - maybe possible but remote chance. To legally import a motorcycle especially, there are many requirements one of which the moto must be brand new and a very new model (only 1-2 years old) with zero miles/kilometres, amongst the many other strict requirements. Also, an individuals employer (work unit) must be willing to provide approval/agreement on the importation. Welcome to MC and TIC (this is Ch!na) LFZ (the log!c free zone)...

You'll see...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoCal Adv Tourer

TexasAggie/Prince666 & Others MCM Members,

Thank you for your kind replies and welcome notes.

While recently Googling images of the Lanzhou area, I learned it has the red sandstone seen in Utah (United States). I also learned of a group of Chinese motorcyclist who own Honda XRV750 motorcycles in the Lanzhou area. I was extremely surprised and would like to learn if importing 25 year old 750cc is very difficult for Chinese residents....

Cheers!
David

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Legally, impossible... I've a whole thread posted on MCM dedicated to the issues of attempting to import a private motorcycle into PRC.

Welcome to MC and TIC (this is Ch!na) LFZ (the log!c free zone)...

You'll see...

And just up the road from Tiger Leaping Gorge you have White Horse Snow Mountain Pass which you can ride over at an altitude of 4292 meters {14,081 feet}
Which I think just short what you have just done?


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[Double post]

Caused by the crap Internet at the moment. Just another example of TIC

BikerDoc/Prince: Thank you for your replies and recommendations. The posted photograph of the mountain is absolutely beautiful. David

Late welcome, but better late than never! I live in Yuma, so if you find yourself this way, let me know! I do have some rides earmarked up your direction. I had the same rides earmarked a couple years back, but a lady running me off the road in her car sidelined that...

Culcune,

Hello and thank you for writing. I am pleasantly surprised to learn of a couple MCM members in close proximity to San Diego. I relocated from Ohio to San Diego. Doogle is also a 'buckeye' and he is even closer to you during winter. I will travel east or inland to the desert this winter. I have an Africa Twin (XRV750) dedicated for off-road use. I'll drop a line whenever I have plans to explore your 'neck of the woods'.

I recall reading something about Yuma being the sunniest city in America. Is that correct?
Do you own/ride a Chinese motorcycle and have you traveled in China? (I'll check your profile in sec...)

Thanks again for writing and happy holidays!

David

I own a TMEC 200 enduro which was damaged in an accident. My friend used to be the distributor for those bikes (I bought mine from him for a great price). He has one left, in its box, in his So. Cal warehouse (City of Industry). He has offered to sell it to me for a great price, but it does not have wheels since he took them off to sell them to a customer a couple years ago. My wheels/tires are still good, so no problem there. I currently ride a Taiwanese TGB scooter to and from work daily, year round, thanks to the sun. The sun is NOT your friend for about 6 months, but yes, I have heard we are the 'sunniest' place on earth. Sunny does not mean happiest, however! :lol8:

I have never been to China, but since my friend now distributes TGB (my bike is a coincidence, not a purchase from him since he only carries the 50cc 2 strokes and mine is a 2004 150cc), I think I would prefer to visit Taiwan if my friend ever goes again to visit the factory. I think of it as 'China light'. Then again, another friend who co-owns a special effects business occasionally goes to China to work on movies, so I might try to latch on to one of his trips one of these years. Either place, I would have a translator :naughty:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoCal Adv Tourer

Culcune,

I relocated from Ohio to San Diego. Doogle is also a 'buckeye' and he is even closer to you during winter. I will travel east or inland to the desert this winter. I have an Africa Twin (XRV750) dedicated for off-road use.

David

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David,what part of Ohio did you live in?
When and where are you going to ride desert? Sand?

When you were riding in China, did you have a temporary DL?

My wife and I are going to be in Mission Valley this Thursday- Mcgregor's Ale House. University of Cincinnati alumni meet and watch the basketball game against Xavier. Then we stay at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Old Town. Are you in that area?

5 questions. 4 off of the thread topic. Sorry.