Vintage Chinese Motorcycle Plates

I've picked up a few vintage Chinese bikes, and have been curious about the plates. This is what I've uncovered ...

Prior to the current Yellow (= & > 50cc) and Blue (< 50 cc) plates, of the 京A 京B variety, the plates came in:

1) White with red letters/numbers (< 50 cc); and,
2) Green with white letters/numbers (= & greater than 50 cc)

They also came in:

1) 北京 01 （the equivalent of the current 京A plate); and,
2) 北京 02 (the equivalent of the current 京B plate).

I am not 100% sure when the switchover was made, but I am guessing early 1990s. That seems to be the consensus on motorfans. Maybe someone else knows?

Here's a picture table (sorry, couldn't find a good example for a green 02)

Attachment 12908

Other vintage plate info is welcome (e.g., from other cities).

I remember both types, though not in any detail. Our company cars had black plates, and I think they said 北京01.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by euphonius

I remember both types, though not in any detail. Our company cars had black plates, and I think they said 北京01.

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Interesting - the black plates (foreign-owned) have been done away with, in Beijing, for both cars & bikes. The only new black plate issuances are for diplomats (with a red character). My prior cars had black plates, but my current car has the typical blue/white. But they were always a single 京 character. My first car in China was about 2003 (comparatively recent).

Do you recall about what year your company cars had the plates? I wonder when China started the black plate system? (obviously, it was likely after 1982) But I wonder if pre-1949 also had black plates? Pre-1949 Shanghai pics would probably be informative.

By the way, were there even any motorcycles in pre-1949 China?

I was watching one of the never-ending wartime movies on Chinese TV, and noticed a 32 hp Chang with a black 京A plate on it, heading off to do battle with the Japanese. Minor blooper, in a few ways.

Back in 1990-1992, when I was with UPI in Beijing, we journalists were required to live in the four diplomatic compounds, and had black plates for non-diplomat foreigners on our Jeep Cherokee and our Polski Fiat (this was bankrupt UPI, after all). I googled a bit to see if I might find something, but no luck. I probably have pictures of those cars and plates, somewhere...