Shenzhen - Chongching - Yangshuo - Shenzhen

[futianshenzhen]

I just returned yesterday from a great solo ride, 4440 kms in total. I had ten days off and had decided to do a trip around Guizhou when I remembered that yingang had said they could provide me with a new swing arm and shock. You may remember they also sent me a new front and rear brake systems a while back.

http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...yingang+brakes

This is because the bike I ride is really a prototype for the Chinese market and they now have a new beefed up model, also they are a biker friendly company who are pretty unique in China.

So I decided to visit the factory in Chingqing and make that the focal point of the trip. All of my mates either had girlfriend issues, fiancee issues, money issues, baby issues, work issues etc etc, so I set off on my own on the May 29th.

For the first time ever in my life I felt the need to keep a diary, perhaps due to the lack of people to talk to over a beer in the evening, so I will copy and paste it into this report.


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Winston with his CB in Huiyang, just out of Shenzhen.

Tue 29

Left shed at 7.30 with Winston, did 75 kms to huiyang then he turned back. Pushed on to zengcheng, arriving at luckys (bike shop in Zengcheng) at 10.30, 201 kms total. Good clear roads, boshing along at 100 plus.

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Beer and dog on a stick, what more do you need?

Wed 30

Left zengcheng from luckys 8.20, arrived ruyuan at 12.40 for lunch. Had 1.5 quai noodles on the way. Presently 476 kms total, 275 kms from zengcheng to ruyuan. Terrible last 100 kms directly south of shaoguan, road totally smashed to bits by trucks. Must be avoided on way back. The bike shop we used last time in ry is no longer there, he packed it in apparently. Found another just down the road, getting my chain sorted now.

Arrived at shuikouzhen in the southwestern corner of hunan, 750 kms total. 274 after lunch, 550 kms for the day. Put the camera to use in the twisties leaving ruyuan then entered the clouds at the top of the mountain so put camera away. It then drizzled for most of the afternoon. 50 kms of absolute shite before coming on to a great road leading up to shuikouzhen. At the bottom of a gorge following a pretty river with old woodcutters houses either side. Lots of cool pikey footbridges. SKZ is a two horse town, one of the smallest I've stayed in. Lucked out with nice hotel with great covered parking, 80 quai with PC!

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Northern Guangdong

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Southern Hunan

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My answer to the go pro. Skinny people need not apply, a substantial beer belly is required to properly aim the camera!


Wed 30 (continued)

Just reviewed footage and anything over 40 km/h is borderline unwatchable (too much rubber in mount). Have just pikied the camera case with holes front and rear, plan to wear it like a necklace.

Because I've pushed on today I now have three 400 km days ahead of me instead of 500 per day. I deserve a beer, gonna explore SKZ.

Maybe bypass SKZ on the way back, come thru ningyuan and lanshan instead.

Thur 31

Left SKZ at 8.20, took a wrong turn and went up a tiny path on wrong side of river. Got some great footage of tiny hamlets, new camera mounting system is working great. Needed to remove waterproofs from tank bag but then ok. Once on right road everything very nice, more woodcutters villages on road following the river. More good video footage.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzNjE2.html

(Before heading on to the woodcutters' road I took a wrong turn)

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwMjUwNzA4.html

(Leaving Shuikouzhen on what I called the woodcutters' road)

Good road ended at jianghua then just normal Chinese road...not bad but with bust up sections. Had great noodles, loads of chili and msg then hit a few bumps and rear wheel has smashed bottom of battery. It's now 11.30 have stopped in Daoxian to replace battery as bike konked out at traffic lights. Immediately drew a large crowd who had lively discussion on whether my bike was a Yamaha or not. I thought the fuse had blown but it hadn't so pushed it to a bike shop.

Pulled into Huangqiaozhen at around 6 pm. 390 kms today, 1140 total. Shitty day in all, after replacing the battery the phone charging system went down, possibly due to large puddles and or rain. Luckily I had the portable charger so no biggie. Roads were pretty good with some battered sections. Did the same twisties I did with posh (an English friend) on the qingqi in 2010? but it was too wet to enjoy. New boots did keep my feet dry tho, a first on a bike trip and hair dryer is not needed for once. Did get some great videos in between showers, the beer belly mount system is a beaut. Yingang is cleaned and lubed ready for tomorrow (oil changed today, 140 on the clock), planning an early start as the weather looks likely to be shit.

[td_ref]

Are you Tom? hehe, there have been talking in YG's QQ group about his bike's frame upgrade.

[futianshenzhen]

Yeah. They gave me a new frame too...but more on that later.

[futianshenzhen]

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A pretty well equipped machanic in Daoxian told me my battery was knackered and I needed to lose weight!

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Sheltering from the rain with some like minded folk

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwMzY1MTg0.html
(Google maps aren't quite up to date in this particular town)

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My choice of lunch destination, a shed and some instant noodles...nothing but the best for this rider!

Fri 1

Left HQZ at 6.30, arrived xiushan at about 5 pm. 440 today, 1580 total. Weather was overcast first thing, roads still damp.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzODQ0.html
(Leaving Huangqiaozhen, a normal small town in Hunan)

Got some twisties footage but road to wet too push it, then the rain set in, didn't stop til about 3.30 pm. Got soaked.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzMjg4.html
(Hunanese mountain twisties - bit wet unfortunately)

The map took me onto a nice dirt track, I initially thought oh fuck, but great views and not too bad a surface. Since i started at 6.30 I could afford to mess around and take some videos.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzMjAw.html
(Hunanese off road)

Great brand new road leading into xuishan, great sweepers then twisties then sweepers again, perfect surface. Xuishan seems cool, its a little touristy around here. Went through a minority town overflowing with tour groups early afternoon, was too wet to stop and get camera out.
Third night in a row I've bought fruit for breakfast in the morning, also not boozing much. What's wrong with me! It's all about the early starts and getting kms under the belt.


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A nice rural spot just before I hit a stretch of extended off-road - see video above..

[futianshenzhen]

Sat 2nd

Still waiting for doors to open to get the bike. Stored in flour warehouse behind hotel. No GPS today, my sim won't connect to the internet. Spent hours in a shop last night but still couldn't get it working. Frustratingly it worked with the boss's sim but not a new local sim. All the roads in Chongqing are in great condition and through beautiful scenery, got some good video of one through a gorge. Good fast road, was doing 100/110 most of it. Due to lack of GPS ended up coming into Chongqing on two sections of twisties, added an hour but well worth it. Hit Chongqing at 6.30 and called Raymond, waiting for him to find me then follow him to factory. So far today 590 kms, will easily hit 600 after reaching factory, everything hurts. 500 is enough for one day! Raymonds driver finally found me and we met for dinner - hot pot. Apparently you haven't eaten Chongqing food until you've had brain, two kinds of intestine, liver etc etc. Over dinner raymond explained that my bike is about to be sold in on the Chinese market and up to now has been mainly export only. It's the most popular 250 in Argentina and also sells well in Russia. Yingang have decided that the frame is not strong enough for Chinese conditions (though mine is still in one piece despite being ridden into huge pot holes at 100 clicks) so I'll be getting a brand new improved frame and swing arm with improved shock with longer stroke and needle roller bearings to replace the current metal sleaves. Tomorrow we are going to strip the bike down to nothing and install the new frame and rear end. Sixth gear is not what it used to be so that and the engine as a whole will be seen to on Monday. Hope to be able to start the return journey Monday afternoon.

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My answer to google maps, basic but functional - not unlike myself


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This lady had great dumplings and fine noodles



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As soon as you enter Chongqing municipality the roads improve no end and the scenery becomes spectacular



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More gorges in Chongqing

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzMDYw.html
(video of Chongqing gorges)

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEyOTI4.html
(Twisties before hitting Chongqing)

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwMzY1MjQw.html
(Sweepers before Chongqing)

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNDQxOTEy.html
(Entering Chongqing itself)



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Arrival at the yingang factory

[zhu]

Great story

Damm those chinese mechanics always tell you to lose weight

[futianshenzhen]

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Delicous brain hotpot, and guess what - it's good for your brain!


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The two bikes ready for frame exchange - the new machine is an ex show bike

Sun 3rd




Great night's sleep in the room yingang gave me in their factory complex. Off to start on the bike, weather is shite, glad I'm not riding. Ma la spicy noodles for breakfast, got a sweat on! Now in workshop, 'bamboo' the engineer knows this bike like no other man on the planet! He's stripping it down in no time. He is going to swap the frame and rear end with a new model bike. It's going to be a new bike, one difference immediately noticeable is an new bracing strut on the frame. They've just handed out the beetle nuts to chew on, no wonder they work so fast! The frame is beefier all round and the welding is much better. I didn't understand what he was saying but they used a different welding technique. They have indicators made here for ducati, 98 quai each! The spring on the original 12 cm, new 18, my arse is goning to be in heaven!*
It's 8 pm and the bike's all done, they've done a great job the bike is much more comfortable due to a new seat and the rear shock. I can now leave tomorrow morning but its pissing down with rain so won't be able to push the bike.*
Gonna take the gaosu to rongjiang then have a night out in yangshuo before heading back.

Went out for dinner with the yingang folk, got pissed on some fruity baijiu!*



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Bamboo - chief engineer and awesome mechanic


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Out with the old...


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...and in with the new


http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEyNzky.html
(Video of the work being done and some ganbeing)