First, thanks everybody for all the information (law,protection, bikes). I'm getting my licence now and will be getting a bike during the next two months.

I'm not a bike enthusiast (yet!) and I don't really care for big bikes or sporty looking ones. I want to lean back and enjoy the trip im planning. Me and the gf are going to travel to shaanxi, inner mongolia, maybe beijing and back this summer and I'm soon to be buying my first bike.

Inspection:
Theres a bike in the shop i've been eyeing, 125cc low-rider thingy, dont know what youd call it, i dont know the chinese for inspection but my chinese is not bad and i can make myself understood, the bike-shop-guy speaks ok english too but when I ask if the bikes got inspection papers the channels of communication run a bit dry. This makes me think he doesnt have them. Can someone tell me the chinese name for the inspection thing.

Type of bike:
For the roads here is a low-rider bike suitable or will we just feel like a tin of paint on one of those mixing machines? They have these weird looking new bikes, some kindof hybrid which seem to have good suspension, do you know what I'm talking about and are they any good, he wants about 6000 for them. I understand from the forums that this should come with one year insurance and will be registered in my name.

I'm a bit wary of buying a new bike as I don't really know anything about bikes yet and I like to be inconspicuous when I travel. I'd like to buy 2nd hand but it seems like they're a lot of trouble and I haven't found a shop that has a decent selection of them. Does anyone know a good bike shop here (in Shanghai)?

So to summarize my main questions:
What type of bike can I get away with riding for incursions inland ? I'm not getting a dirt-bike because it won't be comfortable to carry my gf and our stuff for a month.

What specific things should I ask him about to verify the bike is road worthy and legal apart from the fapiao? What are these things in Chinese (with charachters)?

Are there any trustworthy bike shops or places to get body armour that you guys know of?

Thanks in advance,

Andy