Adventure Motorcycle Magazine Subscribe Now

Thread: New in Shanghai

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19
  1. #1 New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Noob
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    4
    Hello Everyone!

    I'm new to Shanghai and China in general. I've spent the last 4 years living and driving around Africa, where Motorbikes are relatively cheap and easy to get around on.

    I was hoping to do some touring here in China, but it seems prohibitively expensive, particularly here in Shanghai. I'm a teacher, so have a relatively limited budget.

    Does anyone have any advice? or anywhere I can get a Second-hand (used) bike? Would be willing to travel or ship it to get here.

    I just don't think I have the money for a new bike and a License plate - one or the other for cheap would make life much easier.

    thanks for any help.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  2. #2 Re: New in Shanghai 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Guangdong, China
    Posts
    1,508
    Welcome to the forum, China, & Shanghai.

    Spend some time browsing, your questions have been answered here many times before. Shanghai is a terrible place to live if you're on a tight budget and love motorcycles. It really boils down to how committed you are to motorcycling, and how much time you want to spend getting legal. There's no easy answer or quick fix for what you want. As many before you found out, people here will help, but it's a long road ahead.

    One thing you will learn about China, is that people love to talk about money. So start here by telling us what a "limited budget" means. If you're not willing to spend 10-20k RMB, I don't think people here can help too much.

    Cheers!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  3. #3 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Regular
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    72
    Welcome.

    I would suggest you take the metro and taxi's along with observing the behavior of local Chinese before going out on your own. I spent a good 3 years doing this until I got my bike.

    Also you are in one of the most expensive cities in Asia. Whether it be living or working. Just use a bicycle or electric (needs official license in some cases) for a while. you will learn the road and its many risks.

    As for budget, sorry you will NEED to be legal... the days of buying a bike and not plating and riding without a license is gone. Once you are ticketed if you don't have resources like money and friends and high places (this is not much use also these days as the past) then you will get jailed. no joke.

    Just be patient. You will have to commit to China to have a luxury like a motorcycle
    Reply With Quote  
     

  4. #4 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Guru
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    257
    If I were you, I'd move to another city in China where you will be both able to ride and to plate a bike. I live in Shanghai and opted to get a second hand bike from Beijing. I can't legally ride it in Shanghai anymore.
    If you meet Shanghai riders, they will tell you, especially if they themselves ride here on an "outside plate" that it's fine and the police never stop you.
    I personally bought the bike for long distance rides elsewhere in China*. That said, I stayed in Shanghai to earn the money for these and now the insurance has run out. Shanghai insurance companies do not do insurance for outside plated bikes and in my case it is in a Chinese person's name who is now rather estranged from me (long story, but some plates in China such as the Beijing B plate can only be under a Chinese person's name).

    Right, so I know how you feel ( or how you will feel after chasing the motorcycle dream in Shanghai for a 3 months, 6 months or 18 months.)

    So basically, as I see it there are two types of foreign riders in Shanghai.

    1) Those that get an outside plated bike and hope it will be okay/rationalise that it's fine. It's true that the law is not applied equally and thoroughly, but the law is the law. The traffic laws in Shanghai changed last year around Spring time. Now, officially, any outisde town plates are not allowed in the whole of Shanghai ( It used to be only within the outer ring road). To verify this, you can as any motorcycle taxi driver, They will tell you that they risk getting 3 points on their license each time they are stopped , as they ride with plates from their hometowns, outside Shanghai. They justify this by saying that you receive all of your 12 points back yearly.
    I was stupid to ignore advise from other commentors on here telling me about htis as I really wanyted to chase my dream of bec oming China V I mean, riding around China.
    As far as I see, the obvious drawbacks to the plan are the above ( it's a horrible feeling riding around thinking you're going to get caught) and also the fact that you never really own your bike. You can plate a new bike in the shop's name ( the dealer outside Shanghai that you buy a bike from) I'm told. Again, you have to go through this person whenever you want to do something with the bike, like sell it, get new insurance. I've also thought, if it gets stolen then you have no recourse, as it's not in your name.

    2) Those who buy a genuine SHanghai plate Hu A or Hu C. The Hu A costs anywhewre from 330,000-400,000 yuan. You read that correctly. Some foreihners were lucky enough to buy their HuA plates before the number plate restrictions which were introduced into Shanghai around 7 years ago, or shortly afterwards, in WHich case, they were of a normal price. Awesome. Other foreigners, I'm aware of actually have bought Hu A polates to put on their brand New Harleys/BMWs. This is a brand of foreigner that I don't really understand. All power to them if they have that much money to spend. I'd say these are few and far between.

    This brings us to the HuC plate, which will allow you to ride in Shanghai but only outside the Outer ring road- the Waihuan Lu or S20. The price of this, like the HuA plate has plummeted in the last year or so. Whereas last year the HuC was around 90,000 yuan, this year it's rummored to be 50-60,000, but in reality I just know one foreigner who got one for 76,000. This is a legitimate option. You need to buy a new bike as far as I'm aware ( maybe you could buy the plate alone then add a second hand bike..hmmm, don't know- I only know that I've asked about transferring my 250cc dirt bike which is a Jing B plkate to Huc, I've I was told by the police to ask at a car dealership and they finally said, no, not possible)

    I've considered the HuC plate. There was a bike that was sold on this forum with a HuC plate and it would mean that you are legal, can live in Shanghai with you bike and ride China. One of the drawbacks are still the cost- which fluctuates so it can't be seen as in ivestment. The price seems to have hit a ceiling and is decreasing now.. who knows. It's certainly not a budget option. The other is the limit to where you can ride.

    Now, I think you'll probably leave Shanghai to follow your motorcycle dream in China or join group one above. That has drawbacks with insurance, perhaps difficulties when selling the bike. I can tell you from experience though the worry and the feeling that you don't have control over this prized possession ins not worth it.

    You can always join group two. A HuA is outside of most people's grasp (and possibly yours). A HuC plate is looking better. On a teacher's salary, you could save half of it for a year and buy a brand new bike with HuC after one year. Ask me how I know.
    BTW, there is a hint that you may need a legal address outside the WaiHuan Lu, to get a HuC. Other's ahve told me that no, you don't. you just need a 'temporary address' and that this is easily doable (probably by a plating agaebt who would sort out the plate for you)

    Crikey...I've written all of the above and not asked if you have a Chines motorcycle license.

    Last year (again in Spring), the test for a motorcycle license for foreigners in Shanghai was changed. It used to be that you could sit the theory test (on a computer) in English (Chinglish actually). Now it must be done in Chinese. How is your Chinese reading?

    So, I'd advise mpving to another city and starting to teach there. You'll need a residence permit of course to buy a bike and, indeed get a license.

    Man, actually, I don't know the situation regarding driving licenses outside Shanghai. It would be interesting to find out if it's possible to get one. I have been in contact with at least two people who found it hard to get a license outside Shanghai- one in Huizhou Guangzhou. I really don't know. I'd like to know this. I have a license. I was lucky enough to do my test in October 2016, before the changes.

    As an adendum to this. There is a way to get a translator to help you with the test in Shanghai. Perhaps I shouldn't even mention this as it may be prohibitively expensive for you, as you said you're on a budget.




    *I've actually ridden Yunnan, Beijing to Shanghai, Hainan to Xiaman and a circuit of Zhejiang, so all is not lost.
    Last edited by Metalmonkey; 04-29-2018 at 04:01 AM.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  5. #5 Re: New in Shanghai 
    KING of MCM LOL prince666's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    china (Longkou), Hainan
    Posts
    2,002
    Nice write up into your insight of owning and riding in SH?
    I cant think of the worst city then SH to be a motorbike owner.
    To fulfil your dreams you need to move.
    My Hainan plated bike needed to be insured in Shandong was told by PICC, no can do?
    My PICC insurance covers me all over China I. asked?
    Yes, there said.
    Ok then so stop fuc,,,ing about I told them and renew my PICC bike insurance now from your office.
    After a phone call to the province head office.
    All was sort and I got the renewal insurance.
    Things in China are here to test you.
    Most say no because there don't know?
    "Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics, even if you win you're still retarded"
    Reply With Quote  
     

  6. #6 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Noob
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    guangzhou
    Posts
    1
    hi,my friend, welcome to china! now I have a second-hand motor cycle, u can add my wechat to check: paul327726, thanks!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  7. #7 Re: New in Shanghai 
    KING of MCM LOL prince666's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    china (Longkou), Hainan
    Posts
    2,002
    Quote Originally Posted by paulmok View Post
    hi,my friend, welcome to china! now I have a second-hand motor cycle, u can add my wechat to check: paul327726, thanks!
    Hi and welcome to MCM

    Maybe it would have been better to post your bike details and picture in the classified section.


    People who are looking to buy a bike would generally look there?

    Good luck with the sale whatever bike you have?.
    "Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics, even if you win you're still retarded"
    Reply With Quote  
     

  8. #8 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Noob
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    4
    Hi guys!

    Thanks for all the help and advice. Its been really helpful when considering my plans.

    I'm currently living and working in Disuhui Lake (Right at the end of line 16) - so getting an A plate doesn't really need to happen. I've heard that if you register the bike to a different province in China, that gives you the same rights as a C plate here. Is this correct?

    About the exam, I heard that you can have a translator, but I have no idea if this is genuine or not.

    In terms of money, I'm thinking somewhere around 70,000 to 100,000 RMB for the bike.

    Thanks,

    Iskarjarek
    Reply With Quote  
     

  9. #9 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Noob
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Shanghai
    Posts
    4
    Oh, and also how easy would it be to buy a bike in Hong Kong and drive it back to Shanghai if i have the correct Drivers License?
    Basically, how easy is it to move between different provinces on a motorcycle?
    Reply With Quote  
     

  10. #10 Re: New in Shanghai 
    C-Moto Regular
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Xining
    Posts
    63
    regret to inform, but you may not get motorcycle driving license in Shanghai as easy as before.

    in the past it was enough to have motorcycle+car driving licence of your home country and then it was possible to convert it to Chinese driving licence just by passing of computer test available on different languages.

    well, not anymore. Shanghai traffic police will grant you only car license. if you want to get motorcycle driving license, you should be able to pass exams on Chinese. and no translator allowed.

    so advice here is to try get your motorcycle driving licence in another province. unless, you can speak and read Chinese.

    damn it.
    Reply With Quote  
     

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
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
  •