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  1. #1 Is it possible for a tourist to buy/rent a bike in Yunnan? 
    C-Moto Noob
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    Apr 2013
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    Hi!

    I've been doing reading and searching on this forum and other sites and it seems like most of the information here is geared towards people that live in China. I was hoping to come to China (on April 11th, 2013 I am flying to Kunming), buy/rent a bike and ride around Yunnan for 2 months with my girlfriend. However it seems like to get a motorcycle license I need to be a resident of China and I won't be allowed to get the license with a tourist visa. Also, to register plates I need an address in China which I currently don't have.

    Some thoughts:
    - When I call places like ridechina.com and ask them if I can rent a motorcycle for 6 weeks they tell me it's no problem even without a motorcycle license. Why is it easier to arrange through a company like this rather than just buy a bike (maybe secondhand) and do it all myself? I don't really understand how this is possible.
    - My girlfriend is with me and is a Chinese citizen. Can this help me?
    - Is renting a motorcycle easier?
    - Maybe Kunming isn't the best city for buying/registering/getting my license. Somebody here said that Lijiang is an easy and cheap place to register.

    Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!
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  2. #2 Re: Is it possible for a tourist to buy/rent a bike in Yunnan? 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
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    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
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  3. #3 Re: Is it possible for a tourist to buy/rent a bike in Yunnan? 
    C-Moto Noob
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    Apr 2013
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    Thanks!

    The first link is useful for renting/biking in Kunming although I'm not sure as a tourist if I can do it legally or not.

    The second link I have already gone through that entire list of motorcycle rental places in China and e-mailed the ones that seemed promising. Ridechina.com told me it would be cheaper for me to get my girlfriend to buy the motorbike and for me to just hope I don't get in an accident and to "sneak away and be nice" to traffic police. I realize that riding illegally is heavily frowned upon on these forums and I also don't want to have to worry about it which is why I'm wondering if it's even possible or not for me to ride legal as a tourist and not a resident.
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  4. #4 Re: Is it possible for a tourist to buy/rent a bike in Yunnan? 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
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    Dec 2009
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    mostly Shanghai, sometimes northern California
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    (errant post)
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
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