China to Spain, May 2012

**兼必奥** · 03-08-2012, 04:49 AM

Hello Santiago,

Thank you very much for your help an offering me your contact in Astana, I apreciate it a lot. Kazakhstan will be for sure the most complicated part of the travel.

I'm in Guizhou province now, i will be arround here one month, them i will go to Chongqing and send the bike by train to Wulumuqi. My idea is to leave China from ALaShan阿拉山口岸 in Xinjiang to Druzhba, Kazakhstan. Them, i will tell you the names of some cities, go up to Koryk, Aktogay, Akshatau, Nikolskiy, Shalkar, Beyneu. Crossing the centre of the country direction Aktau. Did you pass arround some of those cities? I see most of the trip in kazakhstan will be in very small and non-asphalt roads. My idea is to use the tent and camp at night.
Since you have experience travelling in Kazakhstan, i would like to listen your advices. I guess it wil be vary hard to find petrol stations.
In Aktau there is a ship with an anarchic timetable going to Baku, Azerbaijan. Do you know someone who had token that ferry?

I wish you the best for your trip to Lhasa.
Again, thanks.

Daniel

**兼必奥** · 03-08-2012, 05:03 AM

Hello slabo.
Thanks a lot for your advice.
I guess the problem with the chinese mechanics is similar to the problem with chinese hospitals... if you come in walking by yourself, mei wenti.
I bought the bike from the factory. They sended it to Guangxi.

You have a cool bike.

Keep in touch

Daniel

**slabo** · 03-08-2012, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by 兼必奥

Hello slabo.
Thanks a lot for your advice.
I guess the problem with the chinese mechanics is similar to the problem with chinese hospitals... if you come in walking by yourself, mei wenti.
I bought the bike from the factory. They sended it to Guangxi.

You have a cool bike.

Keep in touch

Daniel

Indeed we do have an cool bike, except for the wimpy engine. wow .. they're still making the old dog! I also got mine from the dealer. Alright, can we have more detailed pics of your bike? I want to see if anything changed. How fast can it go on a flat road (measure using GPS because the speedometer is off by 40)?

Other than the leaking shocks, how are you finding the bike so far?

**ZMC888** · 03-09-2012, 01:03 AM

Cool, you have a bike to suit the job, you are legal, you know where you are going and a realistic idea of how long it will take. This is surely an example for other riders, to not name names. Wish you had a better quality bike with over a 400cc engine, on the other hand the cheaper the bike the easier the border crossings will be, no doubt. I look forward to new posts, good luck!

**michaloonie** · 03-10-2012, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by 兼必奥

Hello slabo.
Thanks a lot for your advice.
I guess the problem with the chinese mechanics is similar to the problem with chinese hospitals... if you come in walking by yourself, mei wenti.
I bought the bike from the factory. They sended it to Guangxi.

You have a cool bike.

Keep in touch

Daniel

Daniel!
Glad you have your new bike :D
I'm looking to buy the same bike and I had no idea they still made those.
Can you please give me your contact for the factory?

Thank you!
Mike

**Santi** · 03-11-2012, 02:33 PM

Daniel, my experience in Kazak accounts only for all the southern area. Petrol and cheap boarding was not an issue. I am not familiar with the border crossing you mention but once un Urumqiui i suggest you confirm if it is open. The area of Kazak you mention is desserted and if you plan to take dirt roads you need to be well prepared to navigate. Are planning to take a gps? It was extremely helpful for us once out on e dirt. It seems you could be there during August and then it is HOT. One thing we did struggle with was to find water on a regular basis (specially Tajik) so if you stick to offroad then stock up GAS and WATER. I. A hot summer day we were downing average 3-4liters of water per head so keep that in mind for your stocking if you camp out. Camping should be no issue but i recommmend you go for guesthouses when you can, they are cheap - max max usd10/night- Consider taking the southern route to the Aral Sea instead. Almaty is an amazing city, the area is much more developed than the center of the country. About the boat no clue since we went into Uzbekistan and all the people we met were coming from Iran and Turkmenistan. Let me get in contact with my friends there and ask around about your route. Best. S.

**bartez88** · 03-28-2012, 05:29 AM

Hi daniel,
Me and my girlfriend are trying to get the same model bike in kunming right now. Our idea is, like you, to drive back to europe as soon as possible. At the moment were having quite some communication problems but we should be fine :) Im just wondering how you have registered the bike, on your own name? I know alot about bike mechanics and would not mind aharing the adventure. Cheers!
Bart

**michaloonie** · 03-29-2012, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by bartez88

Hi daniel,
Me and my girlfriend are trying to get the same model bike in kunming right now. Our idea is, like you, to drive back to europe as soon as possible. At the moment were having quite some communication problems but we should be fine :) Im just wondering how you have registered the bike, on your own name? I know alot about bike mechanics and would not mind aharing the adventure. Cheers!
Bart

Hey Bart!
I just bought the Long March in black with the orange/red gas tank. It looks AMMMMMMAAAAAAAAZING!!! I had to leave it in Dali (which is where I bought it) and paid 11,800 which includes the cost of registering the bike, insurance, and tax.

The reason I left it there is because at the end of the bike registration and licensing process the police, who assured me that my current visa/passport was OK to get the above, but the end my 1 month tourist (L) visa was not ok and I need to go to HK to buy a 6 month business visa. With ANY 3 month visa you can get a drivers license and with any 6 month visa you can register the motorcycle in your name. This is all information I've gathered from my experience, and just to confirm, I don't have my drivers license or motorcycle registration yet! I've done all the paper work and testing for them but the only thing stopping me is my short visa.

:D

**Barry** · 03-29-2012, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by michaloonie

Hey Bart!
I just bought the Long March in black with the orange/red gas tank. It looks AMMMMMMAAAAAAAAZING!!! I had to leave it in Dali (which is where I bought it) and paid 11,800 which includes the cost of registering the bike, insurance, and tax.

The reason I left it there is because at the end of the bike registration and licensing process the police, who assured me that my current visa/passport was OK to get the above, but the end my 1 month tourist (L) visa was not ok and I need to go to HK to buy a 6 month business visa. With ANY 3 month visa you can get a drivers license and with any 6 month visa you can register the motorcycle in your name. This is all information I've gathered from my experience, and just to confirm, I don't have my drivers license or motorcycle registration yet! I've done all the paper work and testing for them but the only thing stopping me is my short visa.

:D

For applying for driving license you need to have 90 days left on your visa, that's something else than a 3-months visa!
For registering a bike in your name you need to have 180 days left on your visa, that's something else than a 6-months visa!

On the day you get your 3/6-months visa a few days have already gone by, normally the new visa 90/180 days starts counting from the application date.

**michaloonie** · 03-29-2012, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by Barry

For applying for driving license you need to have 90 days left on your visa, that's something else than a 3-months visa!
For registering a bike in your name you need to have 180 days left on your visa, that's something else than a 6-months visa!

On the day you get your 3/6-months visa a few days have already gone by, normally the new visa 90/180 days starts counting from the application date.

That's strange because the police in Xiaguan ASSURED me that was not the case. They said it is dependent on the length of time your visa originally permitted you to be in China for and not the amount of time left on the visa. I will call them back to reconfirm.

They issued me a car drivers license which I only had to do the computer test for and then when proceeding to apply for my motorcycle license they said OH! You need to wait for one year before applying for your next license in China! So I cancelled the car license and now I'm just going for the motorcycle. I've spent every day for 3 weeks either in one of 3 police/traffic police offices and the motorcycle dealership... EVERY DAY!!