Greets China Riders!

[Serpentza]

As for riding through Shenzhen.. forget it, you'll probably have to get your bike transported through the S.E.Z in a 小面包 or on a truck, you'll be okay to start your adventure somewhere outside the gate (bao'an, longhua, buji, etc).

[szuting]

Hi China Riders,

my name is Szu-ting and I'm the other rider who will be with Christine on this trip. First of all, thank you all for all your help. Christine has passed on much information and I'm overwhelmed by all the hospitality here!

Let me introduce myself a bit, I'm from Taiwan so I use a Taiwanese Compatriot permit to enter China. So it seems the drivers license situation is a little bit different for me than to Christine. I have to admit that it's a bit frustrating to sort drivers license out. But it seems that it might not that impossible as we thought. It seems that the consensus I have learned is that you need some sort of residence visa to prove that you have a residence in China and then you can exchange your foreign driver license to Chinese one. In Shenzhen and Shanghai, people can get a temporary residence proof from the hotel and then police office.
http://www.hudong.com/wiki/临时居住证

I found this document online, it's a bit dated but it looks useful.
a DIY guide to change your foreigner driver license to Chinese drivers license in Shenzhen,
http://www.dianping.com/group/gourmet/topic/842069

and the official DMV of Shenzhen actually verifies the process described above.
http://www.dianping.com/group/gourmet/topic/842069
read the documents No 18 and 19 for foreigners to get a temporary drivers license and a permanent one.

The problem is that it seems that it's very time-consuming. :(

Also all the info I found is a bit dated. those are in 2009, so things might have changed in China...

[szuting]

I was just reading all the messages Christine passed to me from PM or emails she got from riders here. Just can't say enough "thank you!"

You rock!!

[ZMC888]

Hi Christine and Szu-ting. What you want to do is very dependent on the time you want to spend in China, and where you want to go. The rules seem to state that you need to be a resident to get a license although there are always exceptions, my hanzi level is not great, as is my patience with government legal language, so you guys might be able to find a way of doing things we don't know. Last time we checked temporary licenses were mostly for car rentals.

Some people express a wish to ride motorcycles in China, and seem to get very insulted when we tell them that it might be hard to do it on their bike or a chosen favorite bike that isn't available here. Sometimes making do with a new legal 250cc made in china bike is a good choice. Seems like a massive let-down if you are used to a missile like a CBR600F4i, but given the road conditions they can be cost effective and fun.

I have my own opinions on what is legally/illegally acceptable behavior in rural (not minority/military area or vastly populated city) China. PM my if you want to know what I think, as I wouldn't openly suggest anyone break the law.

[szuting]

Hi ZMC888,
thank you so much for the reply. Chinese is my native language but just like you I don't like bureaucracy and I had experience dealing with Chinese government officials because I led service projects for American high school to rural areas. it was not that fun. but anyway... that's not the point there. I'm going to call some contacts that I got from some Taiwanese business men and see whether it'll be easy to get a license. But if it's too time-consuming or not cost efficient, then screw it. If I learn more info from my contacts, I'll come back and share.

I'm not that picky about bikes. I'm in fact not quite a rider yet. I know how to ride scooters and I did a motorcycle tour in Taiwan (125cc). so I'm going to take private lessons from my riders friends in the States. I just want to ride something that'll run. Christine and I are determined to finish the goal we set our minds to, but we are also quite flexible. Telling us that it's difficult is not insulting but we want to learn the reasons! But telling us it's impossible will be an insult. I'm happy to learn that people here are very realistic and pragmatic!

We want to ride in May and we want to focus on the western part of China. I started an adventure travel company in the States (well, yes I'm working really hard to get the words out) but my mind is set to wilderness. as I have some friends in western parts of Sichuan I also want to visit them during my ride. We haven't had our complete route quite planned yet. the rough idea is to ride from Yunnan, then Sichuan, Qinghai, Xinjiang etc. I have been to some places hiking or touring but I haven't visited Qinghai yet, and I really want to go.

We won't go to Tibet because I don't like the current regulations. I heard about rider post office cars to Tibet but riding seem to be too high profile to enter Tibet.

I think legal or illegal behavior is hard to define, as in China, I think it's very easy to break rules...what I learned is working with locals (regular people) is usually best.

ZMC888, again, thank you for give us your insight! Love to learn about your standard of "legal" behaviors.

[CrazyCarl]

Hallo Ladies,

I would suggest starting west and skipping the east if you are short on time and/or want to avoid lots of diesel fumez.

Xinjiang, Qinghai and T-bet will all offer you plenty-o mountains and deserts. Difference being, Qinghai and T-bet are high altitude deserts. All are worth seeing but planning a single route to see it all is difficult. Xinjiang is an easier rider with much better roads, but the local culture is a little less "familiar" with women riders. T-betans, though, just like to have fun and can set up tents faster than you can sneeze.

Food wise, XJ will give you more western-familiar falvors while the foods in TB tend to be rather bland (but you will survive).

There's something to get from every region and you could easily spend a year wandering around Western China alone. You will probably never take so many pictures as you will in this trip.

Also, if you're going to be in the States in April, I would suggest stopping by the Overland Expo near Amado, Arizona. Adventure Moto will be there as well as having a buncha overland adventurers, classes and panels. reminds me, I should announce this in a different section...

Paz,
CC

[bigdamo]

Hallo Ladies,

I would suggest starting west and skipping the east if you are short on time and/or want to avoid lots of diesel fumez.

Xinjiang, Qinghai and T-bet will all offer you plenty-o mountains and deserts. Difference being, Qinghai and T-bet are high altitude deserts. All are worth seeing but planning a single route to see it all is difficult. Xinjiang is an easier rider with much better roads, but the local culture is a little less "familiar" with women riders. T-betans, though, just like to have fun and can set up tents faster than you can sneeze.

Food wise, XJ will give you more western-familiar falvors while the foods in TB tend to be rather bland (but you will survive).

There's something to get from every region and you could easily spend a year wandering around Western China alone. You will probably never take so many pictures as you will in this trip.

Also, if you're going to be in the States in April, I would suggest stopping by the Overland Expo near Amado, Arizona. Adventure Moto will be there as well as having a buncha overland adventurers, classes and panels. reminds me, I should announce this in a different section...

Paz,
CC

Can't say I agree with this quote " local culture is a little less "familiar" with women riders in Xinjiang"

I would say Hong Zhu is widely known in the Xinjiang motorcycle culture having organized many a motorcycle event and tour.I think she has introduced many women to motorcycle riding in Xinjiang and the locals have seen her riding her bike across Xinjiang(all be it very quickly).

Oh and she is the president of the local motorcycle club(depending on whether you listen to her or her husband.I listen to her.)

Don't know about the "Food wise, XJ will give you more western-familiar flavors"

Probably if you have alot Muslim food back home but it is all good nothing better than having some good Kebabs and beer outside at night in summer.Hot pot in winter.

[TexasAggie]

I was able to get a car license and motorcycle license the same day in Nanjing. A lot depends on where you get the license. Rules are not consistent from province to province, much less city to city.
The biggest issue I found in Nanjing was the visa type. In Nanjing the visa type has to be good for continuous stays "OVER" 90 days. That means a work visa or in relative's visa here. With that and a local address, (I successfully used the Fraser Suites which is basically an extended stay hotel) you can get a drivers license in Nanjing. With a USA motorcycle license, I only had to take the written part of the test and then have the USA license "officially" translated and chopped. (Be sure they add both the Car and the Motorcycle to the translation as my first translation overlooked the motorcycle part. I then hired an officially sanctioned "translator" to help me take the written test. Best 300RMB spent in 7 years of living in China . Took the eye test and license was sent to my apartment within a couple of days. My wife is local Chinese so that helped tremendously. Your ability to speak could assist but you might not want to let them know you can so you can use the officially sanctioned translator. Your call.

I have a Jialing JH600 and recommend it as I am simply too big and fat for smaller bikes. There are of course all kinds of smaller displacement bikes that are recommended here. Just take a look in the forum.

Good luck and let us know if you come thru Nanjing.

[euphonius]

With a USA motorcycle license, I only had to take the written part of the test and then have the USA license "officially" translated and chopped. (Be sure they add both the Car and the Motorcycle to the translation as my first translation overlooked the motorcycle part.

Throwing in my two fen worth, this procedure for getting a local version of a valid foreign car/motorbike license is identical here in Shanghai, so presumably there is something of a national standard at work here. Not that every location will follow it. But if you see what MCM expats who were not so fortunate as to arrive in China with a valid foreign bike license are being forced to go through, you'll really want to push for this treatment if you can find the right visa/residence permit to qualify. I would not want to have to undertake the whole rider's training sequence in China, and I marvel at the patience of those who are doing or have done so.

I have a Jialing JH600 and recommend it as I am simply too big and fat for smaller bikes. There are of course all kinds of smaller displacement bikes that are recommended here. Just take a look in the forum.

I second Aggie's endorsement of the JH600, but you gals with your hardbody rock climber's "form factors" should have no problem making do with smaller displacement bikes, and probably would have more fun on a smaller bike than on a big 200kg thumper like the Jialing. Search our archives for the "punishment tour" and you'll marvel at what ChinaV, Felix and Daniel did with their little fleet of 250cc Galaxies. Please avoid emulating ChinaV's handling of that one curve, however.

Also agree with those suggesting your time might best be spent avoiding southeastern/eastern China. Kunming is a good jumping off point, as you'll be into the mountains in no time, with the great expanses of Qinghai, Xinjiang, Gansu and Inner Mongolia awaiting you to the northwest. You could either obtain your bikes there in KM, or have them shipped there from wherever you obtain them. Yinchuan would be another great choice of starting point. Or Lijiang. Or Zhongdian (aka Shangrila). It's not to say there are not some great roads in east and southeast China; it's just that there are these vast things called "cities" in between them, and these are not conducive to awe-inspiring life-changing riding, not to mention great photography....

Keep us posted as your plans gel. I'm sure you'll find MCM members at every turn coming out to ride a spell with you.

cheers

[Serpentza]

note to self.. If I ever need any information quickly and in abundance, get my girlfriend to ask ;)