Kunming to Amsterdam on a unregistered bike

**bartez88** · 06-10-2012, 04:40 PM

I started a thread when we were looking for a motorbike in Kunming. Eventually after meeting up with andre555 we decided to go for the YBR250 at the yamaha dealer in Kunming. After all it was there in stock waiting for us to be driven back to the other side of the world. Because we were only on tourist visas we knew it was going to be 'a bit' trouble to get it registered. After a week of driving up and down in Kunming we were sick of all the bureaucratic running around and getting sent everywhere. Besides our visas were running out. We decided to start our trip, on a temporary license and only a international drivers license. We tried basicly every city on the way to get the bike registered, but got denied because of the same reason every time: we only had a tourist visa. Only in Shangri-La they said we couldnt get it because we already paid taxes in Kunming.
When we arrived in Urumqi our temporary license for the bike ran out. We applied for a new temporary license and got it after another week of hassling around. In the end it was useless, because at the border of Jimenay it was never asked for or even looked at. Getting out of china was easy, but we got stopped by customs in Kazakhstan. We had to pay a deposit of 50% of the value of the bike. This cant be done at the border itself, we had to pay for an escort to the closest head office of cutsoms 500 km further into Kazakhstan. We were happy enough to be out of China so we whent along with support of our embassy. The deposit will take us through russia too, as they have a customs union since 2010.
To cut the story short, it is possible to buy a motorbike in china and take it out of the country if you are willing to pay the deposit. We got stopped a few times by police but the language barrier or just for being white is enough for them to let you pass. Other option is to register it with a long visa, then you can just drive over the border easy(we were told).

Now 8500 km on the clock and still going, only had a front fork seal leaking. Changed that at around 6500 at the Urumqi yamaha shop for free(we only had to supply the part from taobao).

Pictures coming soon!

**bartez88** · 06-10-2012, 04:50 PM

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there she is, waiting to be driven

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second service in dali new town. nowhere the right oil to be found...

**felix** · 06-11-2012, 02:27 PM

Wow! Thanks for the useful info! The only other report i'd read of an unregistered bike being taken across into Kazakhstan said he managed to do it by taking the bike as hand luggage!

Good luck on your travels and please keep this report going!

**fons** · 09-20-2012, 08:39 AM

hey,
so what's the formal customs formality at the border between china and Kazakh? i mean for a chinese regisitered bike.

**bartez88** · 09-24-2012, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by fons

hey,
so what's the formal customs formality at the border between china and Kazakh? i mean for a chinese regisitered bike.

We endid up paying a huge deposit for temporarily driving in kazakhstan, like how they do with the new trucks. Apparantly the law has recently changed a few years ago, so everyone is still unfamiliar with it. If it would have been registered and we would have said we would be going back to china everything would have been fine.
So formally the law states (at june 2012) you need an escort through the country or pay a deposit.
Informally tell them you will go back to china soon as a little trip/holiday or something.

You thinking of going to kazakhstan, prepare for some bad roads. Any more questions let me know
Good luck!

**fons** · 09-24-2012, 03:21 PM

thanks Bartez88
just tried to figure out how to make a trip from Shanghai to Oostend Belgium. it will be a great trip pacific coast to Atlantic coast.
it will be easy for travelling in China and in EU. so far no clue for the trip between those two. i have a JH600A. i'm thinking to take 4 weeks for this trip.

**Graham** · 09-25-2012, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by bartez88

I started a thread when we were looking for a motorbike in Kunming. Eventually after meeting up with andre555 we decided to go for the YBR250 at the yamaha dealer in Kunming. After all it was there in stock waiting for us to be driven back to the other side of the world. Because we were only on tourist visas we knew it was going to be 'a bit' trouble to get it registered.

.
.
Hi Bartez,

So did your bike not have plate on the bike ?

Gra.