HELP! WITH CHINESE MOTORBIKE TRAVEL

[covarrubiasfr]

HEY!

I am a student in NIngbo, and I have my summer comming up.. What ive really wanted since I got from my home country (Chile) to here, is to ride a motorbike in inner China for about 3 and a half months.

But since I got here everyboy has told me its illegal to buy a motrobike at least in the northern cities.

So the question is:

Where can I buy a cheap chinese made motorcycle (i want to spend no more than 350 US), I dont rally care if it is used. and How stupid would it be to drive around China without a chinese drivers license, only my chilean drivings License?

Any help is really Useful!!

[ZMC888]

Hi! I've been riding in China for about 12 years now I'll try to help answer your questions in an honest way.

First off you can buy a 5 year old 125cc Chinese motorcycle for around the money you have, but if your budget is so small are you sure you have enough money for food, hotels and fuel? If I were you I'd try to get a Chinese driving license, all the information is stickied under 'ride prep and making tracks' if you have a certain amount of time left on your visa you can transfer it. If you can't get a Chinese license at least make sure the bike is registered and insured, and keep out of the bigger cities.

Riding around China without a Chinese driving license could see you lose your bike and end up in a detention center for two weeks at the first intersection (Ningbo is about the last place I'd ever try to ride illegally), or you could ride the whole time with absolutely no problem and cover thousands of kilometers. That is down to luck and also a portion of good judgement, however staying in country areas and smaller cities is usually safer.

I also wouldn't listen to what Chinese (Han) people tell you about the law, they dress up their opinion as fact when it's not.

[covarrubiasfr]

Thanks!

Well my idea was to grab a train or a plane to another city in China where you can buy a motorcycle, and start off there, but I dont really know where that could be. I have enough for food and acommodation, the thing is that if I move around by bus or train the whole time its going to be a lot more expensive than just riding along In a small chinese motorcycle.

Another thing that I heard is that in the southern part of China it is legal to buy a motorcycle, am I correct? and if its legal to buy a motorcycle, do you reckon its cheaper to get a license and license plates? I have a residence permt for this whole year, so that may make getting a license a whole lot easier.

Any comments are very useful, Thanks!

[ZMC888]

Not sure what the heck they've been telling you about cities in the South and North. Basically in every big city center in Guangdong motorcycles are banned, and many roads in city centers further north. Keep it country, nothing to worry about. If you want to buy a bike head out to a smaller city where the registration costs are lower and that also means 2nd hand cost too.

[SabineHartmann]

I really don't get it, why does everybody believes he/she can simply buy a bike and can go on the road in China?
listen to ZMC888!
you are a student, no driving license.....no money, no language skills (I assume)
if I would be you in Chile, how would you answer a question like yours?
....................... and no, you cannot buy simple a bike in southern China, anywhere, and ride on. they cheat you, tell you what you want to hear, take your money and laugh aloud! you are at risk to go to a Chinese prison and be deported home very fast. this stamp in your passport you will have for your lifetime.

[bikerdoc]

HEY!

I am a student in NIngbo, and I have my summer comming up.. What ive really wanted since I got from my home country (Chile) to here, is to ride a motorbike in inner China for about 3 and a half months.

But since I got here everyboy has told me its illegal to buy a motrobike at least in the northern cities.

So the question is:

Where can I buy a cheap chinese made motorcycle (i want to spend no more than 350 US), I dont rally care if it is used. and How stupid would it be to drive around China without a chinese drivers license, only my chilean drivings License?

Any help is really Useful!!

Excellent plan, 14 weeks around China, well you will see some of it. Check out Buck and Amy's Great Ride of China to get some insights.

You will not likely find a reliable motorcycle for US$350, and definitely not a new one at the money. You'd be lucky to find an ebike for that money! If you're extremely lucky you might be able to find a second hand motorcycle or motor scooter for around your budget, but I'd be questioning the maintenance and history etc. I do have a 125cc 'Startrek' scooter in the stable if you might be interested for US$500, PM me for info.

You can buy a MC in most parts of China, N, E, S, W... whoever you have been talking to, what a load of bull faeces, either than or there's some misunderstanding going on.

To ride around China without a valid Chinese DL is foolish IMO. If you have a valid Chilean DL then go take the Chinese DL test. Easy enough done and many foreigners here and other places have done so. Having a valid Chinese DL makes it so much easier to complete a number of tasks, buy/sell/register a vehicle in your name, get vehicle insurance, deal with accidents etc. To operate a vehicle without that valid Chinese DL here puts you at a significant risk; liability, confiscation, detainment etc.

Thanks!

Well my idea was to grab a train or a plane to another city in China where you can buy a motorcycle, and start off there, but I dont really know where that could be. I have enough for food and acommodation, the thing is that if I move around by bus or train the whole time its going to be a lot more expensive than just riding along In a small chinese motorcycle.

Another thing that I heard is that in the southern part of China it is legal to buy a motorcycle, am I correct? and if its legal to buy a motorcycle, do you reckon its cheaper to get a license and license plates? I have a residence permt for this whole year, so that may make getting a license a whole lot easier.

Any comments are very useful, Thanks!

You have been advised by people who have little to know clue on the topic. You are able to buy motorcycles in many parts of China including in parts of Ningbo, such as the Yinzhou, or Zhenhai areas, but there are other areas of Ningbo too where you can buy motorcycles, just not the CBD. What might be important to understand is that wherever there are motorcycle bans e.g. Ningbo Haishu area for example (as is the case for most other cities which have complete motorcycle bans), one is unlikely to find a motorcycle dealer for obvious reasons since motorcycles are banned from there, a dealer aint going to set up shop there, example of regulated market economics; that forms to control supply and demand.

Understand that to get a licence plate anywhere, you have to be registered as living there, which means registering with the relevant PSB office, which usually entails providing them with a copy of the rental agreement or a a suitable local person to assist in smoothing the way for you. If you have already registered with the PSB in Ningbo then it makes sense to license your bike to that address. However if you live in the area with the motorcycle ban, then you cannot plate a bike to that residence. Having your 12 month alien residence permit will be useful to get your DL sorted, so go do it.