Insurance and registration in China

I'm new to the forum, so not sure where this goes. I didn't see this information readily available and my search button capabilities need improvement.

Background:
Living in Beijing and looking to get out of town on the weekends with a motorbike. Never owned one before and have very limited experience with gas powered.

Questions:
1. How do I get insurance?
2. How do I get a license?
3. How much does this cost?
4. I live in Beijing, so are there specific laws I should know?
5. What laws should I know about traveling anywhere outside of Beijing?

I know these are pretty general questions, so if there is already a thread addressing them I would appreciate a point in the right direction. I also understand that motorbikes are not allowed on most expressways, so no cruises down ring roads or picking friends up from the airport?

Thanks!

-Brian

Edit:
Just found this link that explains up to date registration
http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/20...tes-in-Beijing

Doesn't give prices on insurance (heard this is a lot). My other concern is that I live just outside of the 3rd ring road, so how hard is it to get an "A" plate?

So I came across the Ride Prep and Making Tracks forum and it pretty much answers all my questions. I assume the sticky for registering may also be applied roughly in Beijing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brian

2. How do I get a license?

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Hi Brian, welcome!

Your first priority should be to get a legal motorcycle driving license. THAT is definitely what the police are most interested in. Although you do not need a MC driving license to buy/register a motorcycle in Beijing (but many other rules apply), it really is a MUST HAVE.

There are a few things you need to consider:

1) You need to have at least a 90 day visa to get a driving license;
2) If you have an overseas MC driving license, you can take a written test & simple physical to receive a Chinese driving license. The written test is not easy, but there is a book you can study from. Either hire an agent, or get a Chinese friend to help you through the bureaucratic maze.
3) If you do not have an overseas MC driving license, you need to register for training classes in Beijing and take a road test, although from what I have heard, it has a 100% successful completion rate. It is just a way to take your money, as opposed to an actual motorcycle riding course and comprehensive exam. I think it takes about a month, in total, because you have to schedule things in advance.

As for registration/plates/insurance/etc ... it is pretty much all part of one package when you buy a legal bike.

Insurance is VERY inexpensive (low cost) in China, but probably not terribly reliable if you actually need it.

New Jing A plates are currently in a twilight zone due to new emissions rules, although some new bikes from certain shops are able to come with new plates. A brand new Jing A plate on a new bike will be valid for 11 years and cost you about 8,000 rmb (rough current prices), over and above the price of the bike. You can buy an existing bike with an A plate and transfer ownership to yourself, but be careful about how many years remain of the initial 11 years. Also be careful about the numerous fake plates and documents being passed around.

With an A plate, you can pick friends up at the airport. You can ride on the Airport Expressway. But you can NOT ride on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th ring roads, at any time, or ChangAn from 0600 to 2200 hrs.

If this is your first time buying a bike, and you are buying a LEGAL used bike, I would strongly recommend that you use a registration agent to help prevent you from being taken advantage of. An agent will charge about 300 rmb for the whole transfer / registration process, and it is the best deal in town. Not only do they ensure things are done correctly, but the bureaucracy that is involved in the transfer & registration will make you go crazy. I went along "for the ride" once when an agent was doing a transfer for me - and trust me, those guys earn every rmb they charge. There is no way I'd want to do it on my own. Two days of my time, and traveling from one side of the city to the other, and back, and countless line-ups, is worth more that $45.

Happy riding!

hi

I'm replying because I am about to buy a 125cc scooter and I plan to register it with the Jing A plates from my old and useless bike.

A bike dealer in Tiantongyuan offers to help me register it for me, ask me to bring the old bike and the plates in addition to my documentations (I am fully legal).

He says I can take the bike when I come and he'll fix me up with the plates and papers within 2 weeks.

Only thing is that he says he's charging 1600Y for the registration process, which seems way too much. Also, a guy from the same shop told me they'd do that for free if I take the bike (but maybe I misunderstood).

Lao Jia Hou, would you by any chance know something about that? When I read your post, it looks like the work you got for 300 yuans is the one I wanna have done. In that case, could you send me the contact info of the agent you used?

Many thanks!