20 days Yunnan - Kunming -> Shangri-La -> Yuanyuang -> Kunming

**JayDee** · 10-14-2013, 02:44 PM

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We rode on the west side of the lake up to Kunming, entering through big construction areas where one day people are supposed to live. Of course it was raining when we made our way through the city, and we arrived all wet.

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Shipping the bike back was another adventure. The Deppon place where I received it said they couldn’t provide more insurance than 10000 CNY (I shipped it with 25000 CNY), because they are just a franchise, not a 100% subsidiary. I would have to go to another place. Of course they mentioned that after I drained the tank. The other place, half an hour from the first, said they can provide full insurance, but I couldn’t ship the battery. So I shipped it with the first guys, hoping the crate wouldn’t drop from the truck, and got an excellent discount.

When I went back to the hotel by taxi suddenly a guy’s face was smashed on my passenger window: An e-bike rider collided skillfully with the cab. Later that day when we were walking through Kunming a guy on a scooter zipped past us full speed over the empty crossing and a split-second later there was the impact. There was a car driving on the street, surprise surprise. His scooter was scrap, but the rider was miraculously fine. I really had enough of accidents by then…

Ok, that's it, finally!

As soon as the bike is back I will ride it up to Beijing for service and to replace all the broken parts. Still, a good trip.

**JayDee** · 10-14-2013, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by SabineHartmann

I love your RR!
Beginning of January 2014, they will replace both my hips. The next possible moment I will jump on my BMW 650 GS and bring her on the road again. Everybody needs a Target and your ride is one of mine

Thanks Sabine! I was inspired by stuff I read in this forum, so I thought I might as well "give something back"

**prince666** · 10-14-2013, 03:03 PM

Great RR report and thanks for posting you and your GF are fine that is the most important part . bike can be fixed a bit harder with people shame about the Gopro not working at the time with the bike crash . loved to have posted the SUV plate number on line . i should be in Kunming in the next few weeks but by plane on my way to Thailand by land need to stop at Kunming to get my Thail visa.. then down by bus to Xishuangbanna and hope to get a boat down the Meakon river to Chiang Khong then a short trip to my other home in Chiang Rai for the winter .

http://www.salesintelligencegroup.co.uk/1.html

Chiang Rai ATV tours

**Kernalpanx** · 10-14-2013, 09:37 PM

Great RR ... glad you enjoyed my new home town of Dali.....
More and more tourists driving and racing around Yunnan. Having lived with the drivers in Beijing for a while and thinking they are bad... the drivers in Yunnan are just a different bad. You will notice any of the racers are usually non Yunnan plates ...
Glad you enjoyed yourself and had a great adventure.. and returned safe.

**felix** · 10-15-2013, 02:50 PM

Thanks a lot for the report, a highly enjoyable read.

I wasn't aware of Shibaoshan or the white water terraces, both look very cool and i'll try to go check them out when i'm back in the region this winter.

Sorry about the crash, it's absolutely infuriating and there is nothing you can do. I know that Tiguan too, i meet the fucker on every single ride i go on. At every nice corner he's there on my side of the road overtaking some other asshat who's doing 30. On every straight he's in my lane and stays there just keep me in the ditch where bikes belong. He beeps at me while he tries to overtake and then cuts me off so his ugly wife can get shots of me with her iphone while he pushes me into the ditch because a truck is coming the other way. I think i hate the assholes who shout "heelllloooooo???" even more though.

**Lao Jia Hou** · 10-15-2013, 09:15 PM

Great RR with nice pics - thanks for doing this!

I'm happy to hear that "the incident" did not result in any serious injury and the GW managed to continue working for you. SMS me when you bring the bike to Beijing, if you've time. I'm in/out of the city over the coming weeks, but hopefully we can connect.

BTW, our band's drummer (who works for VW) drives around in a Tiguan. Hopefully, he'll be available and we can all pile into it, and drive around shouting "Knee How!" to the locals.

**ChinaV** · 10-16-2013, 03:26 AM

Thanks for a really nice ride report, something that is far too rare on MCM these days. Yunnan has so much to offer, I think you picked a great destination for your adventure. Too bad about the fall, but it seems to happen to the majority of the people that ride in China. Glad it wasn't too serious. I'm sure this comic sums up the driver of the car...

Cheers!

**bikerdoc** · 10-16-2013, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by ChinaV

Thanks for a really nice ride report, something that is far too rare on MCM these days. Yunnan has so much to offer, I think you picked a great destination for your adventure. Too bad about the fall, but it seems to happen to the majority of the people that ride in China. Glad it wasn't too serious. I'm sure this comic sums up the driver of the car...

Cheers!

....+1

**JayDee** · 10-16-2013, 01:45 PM

Thanks everybody for the positive feedback and the shared Tiguan-antipathy!

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I picked up the bike yesterday. Was fast and uncomplicated, but let's say that if the bike wouldn't be scratched already on the left side, it would be now... The bike was packed ok, but was not fixated inside the "box", so the bubblewrap chaffed on the rough wood. A bit brainless, if you already built such a nice box. Supervision recommended.

@LJH: I will ride the bike up to Beijing tomorrow and will be there the whole day and just have a few appointments. I will text you then.
I plan to pick up the bike at the weekend again, we'll see. I hope for good weather befor it gets cold.

**futianshenzhen** · 10-19-2013, 02:06 PM

Great RR Mr Jaydee, Yunnan has gotta be close to the top of the best province list. I think your blueprint (ship in - ship out) is the best way to do trips in China and really reduces the crappy bits, I think that's gonna be my style for next year's rides. My first ever trip in China (2006) was in Sichuan and Yunnan, I've been meaning to post an RR for ages now and your RR has given me some extra motivation!