@NOSTRO: As I understand thats best way to tackle China!

The procedure, as I understand it would be:
1a. you buy a new bike
Get it registered/insured in the name of a Chinese National, maybe the dealer, or somebody you know.

1b. you buy a used bike
This is registered/insured already

2. you get a sales contract with the person the bike is registered/insured on.
This contract should include both yours Passport/ID cards, Fingerprint in red ink, signature.
If possible see to get some red stamps on this one, maybe notarize it or get some other chops
on it. Chinese people love these red chops and regard them highly!
Make it bi-lingual (Chinese/English)!
Get several original copies of this contract, you might need them.
The sales contract should state that you allowed to take the bike out of China.

3. Get going!

That should work, but be aware that the border posts have zero to not much expierence with these things.
So they dont know how to handle them. Be patient, smile, and go with the flow...If you made it to the border
you will make through, if not today and here then tomorrow at another border crossing.

Issues you can not resolve as tourist:
- Carnet for China registered vehicle --> Solution: avoid carnet countries
- Driving License: as tourist you can make only car driving license in Beijing. Chinabiker has the details for that. No legal bike license.

I dont see any additional issues. Fellow MCM'er what you have to add?