Hello from China

[Zorge]

...I think they used to call these bikes the "Honda Africa" a while back...

No, no.... It is a sacrilege. "Africa Twin" is "Africa Twin" - NX 700 is.... what it is.

Oh, yes - welcome to the madhouse called MCM.

[zhu]

yeah i suppose the only person who could throwaway a gs 1200 or a harley would be

the hulk

[Gregsw]

Okay, I have to ask, I have heard so many different things, I'm going crazy.

Someone on this site has to know the real answers.

Here is a list of the things I've been told since I've arrived in Wuhan, some of these are pretty funny:

1. Motorcycles are illegal in Wuhan, forget it...
2. You can't register or drive anything bigger than 250cc.
3. I'm a foreigner, I can't get a motorcycle permit or ride a bike in Wuhan.
4. Your a foreigner, you can get away with anything.
5. If they pull me over, I will go to jail for 30 days or more, take my bike and possibly deport me.
6. Just say you don't understand them and give them a cigarette, they will let you go.
7. Just blast through if they ask you to stop.
8. You have to register the bike in Huang Pi, but still can not ride in the city.
9. Just take small streets they don't check them..
10. It's impossible for you to even get a drive permit in Wuhan.
11. There is a new law in Wuhan, they will just switch you drive permit over and that's it.
12. Next month they will ban all bikes in the city. (Hehe - That was in July 2011)
13. I need a Chinese name to get a drive permit and register a bike.

The list goes on.

I just want to ride a bike in Wuhan, go to work everyday and explore China in my free time.
If there is one thing I miss about California, it would be driving, especially my KDX.

I have searched and searched for a current list of "official laws" about foreigners and motorcycles and cars for that matter.
I can't find anything. A online website said they can get me a motorcycle permit for 13,000 RMB.

I have a California drivers license that is still valid for 5 years. I have been studying the Chinese written test (English version).
All 843 possible questions for a month.

Does someone know the real deal?

So I can take the right steps to be safe and legal here?

I just got married and it would really suck to get deported or thrown in jail.

Thanks in advance,

Greg

[Chinasam]

Greg -

There are definitely all of these answers here in the forums - just have to search and weed through the different answers...not all people seem to agree all the time from what I have read so far....

For the basics, let me take a stab at it and then you can search and fill in the gaps.

1. Pure BS...not worth answering

2. 250cc USED to be the limit for legal bike ownership, but that has changed and now you can legally buy and register just about anything if you can aford the lisc plate fees....and the bike.

3. Not sure about the specifics of Wuhan, but in general foreigners can get a lisc and ride anywhere a local can in China. We just have to be more careful about having a correct lisc and fully legal -- no talking your way out of trouble. Trick is that they have special lisc types for different vehicles - For ex they have a 2 wheel Motorcycle Lisc and a 3 wheel version-- diff lisc for diff bikes.

4. Definitely not true. If they stop you , then you are likely to have more trouble than a local, though for some reason they tend to not stop foreigners as often if they see you are not a local (not wearing a helmet and blonde hair flowing in the wind...) Where locals can get away with quasi-lisc status and negotiate, foreigners tend to be held more to the letter of the law - at least that is my experience in Shanghai.

-- Break time-- gotta grab another cool refreshing beverage ....

[Chinasam]

-- Ok, fingers have blood flowing again so can continue...

5. No- it all depends on what you did to catch their attention and how legal you are in other respects. Maximum penalty for driving an illegal bike without a lisc but NOT HURTING anyone is probably that they will take/keep the bike and you now have to walk home. If you get in an accident and someone gets hurt, then all bets are off.

6. Not really the way to go .... I know guys that like to rely on this, but they also always seem to be getting into trouble anyway. Cigs are a good icebreaker with parking attendants and local security guards, but I would be very careful trying to push too much with the cops. Best option is to be honest and have your papers ready. Once you get a rep in your area among the local cops and they know you are legal, they may even start to leave you alone - let's face it, you will probably stand out in the crowd - even a large moving and jostling crowd of scooters / bikes / and bicycles.

7. Seriously BAD idea...that might work once, but you can't out run their radios and then you will REALLY tick them off.
Much better to fess up to whatever small infraction they can site you for and pay the 25 RMB fine...not worth the risk and trouble.

8. City regulations are often much more confusing and strict than the outlying areas. If downtown Wuhan has tight restrictions on riding, then your best bet is to find a decent shop that a few other riders recommend and then let them help you navigate the purchase and registration of your bike. If the shop where you buy your bike can help you get a legal option - even if that means registering in a township outside downtown, then that is the best route to start with. Do your research locally and when you get the same story for 2-3 different sincere sources, you can probably count that as the truth - your new wife should be helpful in that research

9. Maybe....but is that really how you want to ride ALL THE TIME?

10.

11. A lot of places will make it much easier for you to get a Chinese driver lisc if you already have a valid Moto lisc from your home country, but almost all of them still make you take a test (multiple choice) - again, best bet is to just go through the hoops and get fully legal to make the resdt of it easier.

12. Not a chance. They may have a crackdown where they start pulling over EVERYONE to weed out the illegals, or they may change the rules to eliminate a certain type or range of bikes, but ultimately they will always have scooters or bikes of some kind - just have to find out what group they want to encourage vs what they want to move outside the city center.

13. If by drive permit you mean driver's license, then no - foreigners can get a drivers lisc but they must have a non-tourist visa to get one. If you mean a License PLATE for the bike, that is different. There are all KINDS of rules and addendums related to getting and keepiong legal plates for a bike. No sense trying to learn them all - best to leave that to the local shop pros and focus your energy on building a good relationship with your shop where you can get your bike and keep it working & legal.

As for owning a bike, you have to be a registered full-time resident to have Ownership rights of property I think. Option - you can register a bike in your spouse's name. Easiest option is to register the bike in your favorite Shop's name (where you bought it) and just agree to pay them a yearly "Lisc Maintenance fee" to keep it up to date legally and registered.

Overall, you CAN get a legal bike and a drivers lisc, but it will take a bit more time and research to do it right and not get ripped off. Take your time and really shop around. Something like the KDX can be had for a good budget - even legally - and then you are good to do with it as you please. It is definitely EASIER-CHEAPER to get and register bikes under 250cc range - as the local govt don't seem to look to control those as much as they do the bigger bikes.

[Chinasam]

You can definitely find something similar to a KDX (check out the QingQi 200 and 250 bikes here - http://www.qingqi.com.cn/en/productlist.aspx?cid=14 ) -- I was actually just looking at the LIGER(QM250GY-B(A)) myself ...but they have pure dirt options as well.

[euphonius]

Okay, I have to ask, I have heard so many different things, I'm going crazy.

Someone on this site has to know the real answers.

Here is a list of the things I've been told since I've arrived in Wuhan, some of these are pretty funny:

1. Motorcycles are illegal in Wuhan, forget it...
2. You can't register or drive anything bigger than 250cc.
3. I'm a foreigner, I can't get a motorcycle permit or ride a bike in Wuhan.
4. Your a foreigner, you can get away with anything.
5. If they pull me over, I will go to jail for 30 days or more, take my bike and possibly deport me.
6. Just say you don't understand them and give them a cigarette, they will let you go.
7. Just blast through if they ask you to stop.
8. You have to register the bike in Huang Pi, but still can not ride in the city.
9. Just take small streets they don't check them..
10. It's impossible for you to even get a drive permit in Wuhan.
11. There is a new law in Wuhan, they will just switch you drive permit over and that's it.
12. Next month they will ban all bikes in the city. (Hehe - That was in July 2011)
13. I need a Chinese name to get a drive permit and register a bike.

The list goes on.

I just want to ride a bike in Wuhan, go to work everyday and explore China in my free time.
If there is one thing I miss about California, it would be driving, especially my KDX.

I have searched and searched for a current list of "official laws" about foreigners and motorcycles and cars for that matter.
I can't find anything. A online website said they can get me a motorcycle permit for 13,000 RMB.

I have a California drivers license that is still valid for 5 years. I have been studying the Chinese written test (English version).
All 843 possible questions for a month.

Does someone know the real deal?

So I can take the right steps to be safe and legal here?

I just got married and it would really suck to get deported or thrown in jail.

Thanks in advance,

Greg

Great post! I feel your pain!

Chinasam has answered most of your questions in detail. In summary, you as a foreigner have a right and an obligation to be licensed when you ride, and you can get legally licensed in Wuhan. If you have a valid CA motorcycle license you'll save yourself the trouble of having to go through road training and testing. You'll have to find the Vehicle Management Bureau office in Wuhan and get details about that city's motorcycle restrictions (if any) from the horse's mouth. Stop wasting your time listening to the uninformed. Make yourself informed, and then post your experience here in a thread you might title "Getting legal in Wuhan" which will be gold to the next member who alights in your fair city.

PM me your email address if you'd like a copy of the official bilingual Motorcycle Driver's Licensing Exam questions, which I have in PDF.

good luck!

[Gregsw]

Thanks you both so much for your reply's.
I feel a lot better knowing that in the future I can obtain a permit.

Unfortunately, I only have a car Drivers License from California, I did all my KDX riding in the desert and mountains.
I suppose I will have to take the training course or something and go that route.

I will be sure to make a thread about my experiences and steps I had to take to get legal, You are right it will be gold to the right people.


Euphonius - I will pm you my email addy, that would be very helpful. Thanks Again!

[thedannywahl]

- I was actually just looking at the LIGER(QM250GY-B(A)) myself ...but they have pure dirt options as well.

That ones currently export only due to the "new" emissions rules. So even if you manage to get one you cant reg. it. Course you could get a used 2010 model.

[Gregsw]

That ones currently export only due to the "new" emissions rules. So even if you manage to get one you cant reg. it. Course you could get a used 2010 model.

Good to know thanks!