Adventure Motorcycle Magazine Subscribe Now

Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1 Registering a bike in China 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    32
    I am planning on a bike trip to China (Xinjiang) in Autumn this year. I am going to buy a bike, but need some advice on how to register it properly in China. I know you can ride an unregistered bike for a month, but ideally I want to register it and then after this trip, store it somewhere (info on this also gratefully received!) to use for further trips in the future. Any help, advice, suggestions are very welcome. Thanks.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  2. #2  
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Guangdong, China
    Posts
    1,508
    Wuming, you will need a residence permit to register a bike in your name. The other option would be getting a local Chinese person to purchase, register, and insure the bike; then transfer the ownership to you with a bill of sale. Still won't really be your bike, but at least you will have valid paperwork.

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
    Reply With Quote  
     

  3. #3  
    Motorcycle Addict chinabiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    near Vienna, Austria
    Posts
    809
    Wuming,

    not that I want to offend you in any way, but you have been posting around on this, and other forums, asking about legally riding in China.

    You got the answers many times.

    There are - to my knowledge - two ways for a non-Chinese national to ride legally in China:

    1. You are resident
    This means you have a residence permit - holding one requires a working permit - to get a working permit requires a job / contract with a legal Chinese entity. Once you got all that sorted out, you're entitled to apply for a driving license and register a road vehicle (to my knowledge this is limited to passenger cars and motorcycles - buses and trucks are impossible for individuals). There are a bunch of cities / regions where motorcycles are not permitted to, which further means if you are registered in one of those - no rego for your vehicle.

    2. Non resident
    As a non resident things turn to the expensive side. Without the help of an agent, you will, most likely, not succeed to ride legally in China, be it with your own or a local bike. As you know, there are a couple of those agents around. How, and what they do, to make this possible remains a secret to most of us.

    Remember: these are the legal ways.


    There are quite some reports from fellow riders who made it on their own bikes - without agent and without permits, but this seems impossible right now - exceptions may be.

    It is simply your choice - according to the rules or not. But don't be surprised if you get into trouble if you choose to do it against the law.

    At last I want to say that I personally don't recommend other ways than 1. or 2. If you can't achieve 1. or are not be able to afford 2. - just stay away, although it's a great place to ride.

    Sorry again if you feel offended.

    Safe riding

    Andy

    P.S. Don't know where you are from, but image a group of Chinese guys coming along and riding in your country - without license, without rego, insurance, ... - you're not gonne like that!
    Last edited by chinabiker; 01-23-2009 at 01:53 PM. Reason: spelling
    Reply With Quote  
     

  4. #4  
    Senior C-Moto Guru ZMC888's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Zibo, Shandong - Sometimes SW England
    Posts
    2,239
    wuming!

    I know you can ride an unregistered bike for a month
    This may be legal, but in reality the cops will stop unregistered bikes as soon as they see them.

    I have an open offer for you...

    Zibo motorcycle club can:

    1. Help you buy or order a bike of your choice
    2. Give help registering a bike
    3. Help insuring a bike
    4. Show you where to buy GPS
    5. Show you the way to some beautiful mountains to ride

    (March to October)

    This is because I have made friends with others, we have offered to help, they have gone to somewhere else, paid too much for their bike, got the wrong kind of bike and generally had a bad time on bad roads and gone home early.

    You need help, but most Chinese people can't help as they have no concept of recreational motorcycle riding.

    If we registered a bike for you it would be in a Chinese friends or our or a relative's name.

    Zibo is small enough to make registering a bike fairly cheap, and easy to get around to take a look at new bikes. 2nd hand bikes are usually a bad idea as they are too small in engine capacity and in too poor condition to be reliable enough. Also in Shandong province there are some motorcycle factories (Qingqi and Asiawing).

    Basically legality in China is not set in stone, so bring your local license, an international driving permit. Simply put, if you have a legally registered bike, in whatever name with the blue (registration) book and some kind of license, insurance and protective clothing you'll probably be OK and unlikely to get any hassle from the cops. Although we take no responsibility for any loss, injury or fines or other expenses on Chinese roads!

    Any questions?
    Reply With Quote  
     

  5. #5  
    Senior C-Moto Guru ZMC888's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Zibo, Shandong - Sometimes SW England
    Posts
    2,239
    Also we have places for you to store a bike (indoors or under cover)
    Reply With Quote  
     

  6. #6  
    Senior C-Moto Guru ZMC888's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Zibo, Shandong - Sometimes SW England
    Posts
    2,239
    I agree with Andy to a certain extent, but I'm in the 'be as legal as possible' camp rather than the 'it must be 100% legal' camp.

    1. Insurance (1 years comes free with a new bike).
    2. Registration documents (come with new bike).
    3. Crash helmet and protective clothing (good quality can be ordered, OK or fake can be bought).
    4. A Chinese license is clearly the best option, you can't get one unless you are a resident. If you are not a resident having an international driving permit and having your home license can help or be of no effect. The real effect of not having a Chinese driving license will be in the event of any accident, if it's deemed your fault you'll have to pay more money. If it's deemed their fault they will have to pay you less. I have first hand knowledge of this, as a friend of mine was knocked off his bike at 70kmh by a car on the wrong side of the road.
    He had:

    1. Motorcycle registration and plates
    2. Insurance
    3. Protective clothing

    He was taken to hospital with fairly bad injuries including broken bones. The cops deemed it was the car drivers fault. He got a pay-out from the Chinese driver covering most of the medical and the cost of the bike, also some payment for time off work. The cops said he would have gotten more if he had an overseas motorcycle license and more than that if he had a Chinese motorcycle license. So the moral of the story is:
    be as legal as you can be!

    What I wouldn't suggest you do is come over here with no riding experience, and buy and jump on a bike without even a license from your home country and try to learn here, because that's almost suicidal. You'd need at least one month on a bicycle or an electric bicycle to become used to Chinese roads. Or be an experienced rider with prior experience of Asian roads.

    Quote Originally Posted by chinabiker
    P.S. Don't know where you are from, but image a group of Chinese guys coming along and riding in your country - without license, without rego, insurance, ... - you're not gonne like that!
    Yes but imagine a group of experienced qualified bikers who were willing to ride legally, but were barred from getting a license or riding on their own license or international driving permit, even though their skills were of a much higher standard than the locals, when the locals were allowed to go to the country where the other bikers are from and ride any size bike they want, for up to one year!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  7. #7  
    C-Moto Regular
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Shanghai, China
    Posts
    78
    another way to get a bike legaly registered is to marry a chinese girl.
    why no one suggest that?
    Riding the horse to death

    http://tuo-ma-si.blogspot.com
    Reply With Quote  
     

  8. #8  
    Senior C-Moto Guru ZMC888's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Zibo, Shandong - Sometimes SW England
    Posts
    2,239
    Quote Originally Posted by tokyokid
    another way to get a bike legaly registered is to marry a chinese girl. why no one suggest that?
    Because unless you are very lucky, you'll never be allowed to ride it!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  9. #9  
    Motorcycle Addict chinabiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    near Vienna, Austria
    Posts
    809
    Quote Originally Posted by tokyokid View Post
    another way to get a bike legaly registered is to marry a chinese girl.
    why no one suggest that?
    Because it's more expensive than the tour guide variant.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  10. #10 AHhahahahahaha 
    Shanghai'ed Shanghaifingers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    290
    that hilarious....

    but sadly true.... Shanghai girls are notorious for wanting you for your money and passport... but it didnt stop me from marrying one... But she lets me ride anytime I want, well my motorbike anyway
    Need proof of the above just look at any Porche is Shnaghi and it 99.9% driven by a beautiful girl...
    Reply With Quote  
     

Bookmarks
Bookmarks
Posting Permissions
  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •