Motorbike rental in Beijing?

[Lao Jia Hou]

When I retired from my "real job" a few years ago, I opted to look into a little motorcycling enterprise as a retirement project. Spent over a year researching various options. My conclusion about the possibility of "rentals" in Beijing ...

Motorcycle renting, where it exists, is operating under the radar at varying degrees of "legality". One cannot be 100% legal and that is why the major, legitimate shops don't get involved with it. There are significant risks - risks which serious, legitimate businesses are unwilling to assume.

Motorcycle renters tend to abuse the bikes, doing things that they would never attempt with their own bikes. A rental bike's lifespan is probably no more than 1/3 the lifespan of an owner-operated bike, and has extraordinary maintenance costs. That needs to be factored into rental prices.

With Jing A plates now running 40K, a non-return means the plate is also gone. Yes, it is true - if the plate disappears, one cannot have it replaced. Hence, that encourages fake plates/registrations, and so on.

The capital cost of premium, imported bikes in China is three times the cost in the USA (as an example). Again, this needs to be considered in pricing. For example, a HD rental in the HOG Fly & Ride program might be $200/day (1250 rmb) in the Southern USA, whereas in China (given the capital cost) the daily rental would need to be at least three times that amount.

After much research and analysis, our conclusion was that the ONLY thing that could possibly make business sense would be renting farmer-bikes (beaten up 150cc) ... but it would be more trouble than it would be worth (pennies in profit) ... and still, one could not get the proper business licenses and insurance, in Beijing. There is simply no money in bike rentals. Truthfully, there is very little money anywhere in the motorcycle business, given the risks.

Best option is to buy a legal bike, use it, and then resell it. I think several legitimate shops will help you there with a buy-back option. The shop will probably B plate (all you need outside the Beijing core), etc., etc. That makes the most sense.

[petri71]

Thanx for the link, will check

I have no problem paying 500RMB per day for a good bike... and I have no problem leaving my passport or ID card at the rental place...
it's just that there is no way I am putting 80'000 or more as a deposit...even 15'000 really gets on my nerves.

We are in 2012, even in China.... companies such as zuche are renting cars and making money... so what's the problem with bikes ?

I agree that "in those days" it was a little tricky to rent a bike to someone but hey... China is evolving...and fast... why do I have the feeling the bike industry is still sleeping ?

[petri71]

Hi Lao Jia Hou, sorry I did not see your article, it make sense.. but still...it's kind of frustrating :-)

[ShuBen]

Basically I believe the situation will change in the nearer future because motorcycle riding as a hobby gets more and more popular. The Chinese thinking is slowly drifting from poor people/farmers use to enjoyment. Compare it to bicycles. In the last decade more and more bicycles have been disappeared here in Beijing. And now since 2 years they popping up in the mountains around Beijing and most of them must be high tech and expensive ... additional gear, equipment, etc. .... suddenly you can find e.g. prosperous GIANT shops.

Maybe soon 650 CFmoto bikes, 250cc offraod / streetbikes are for rent .... I would not be surprised ....