Hi Marc

You can ride anywhere, any time, in Beijing with an "A" plate EXCEPT for ...

1) Chang'An Jie between the hours of 0600 and 2200 (from memory), on the section between Jiangoumen (where Line 1 an Line 2 intersect on the East side) and Fuxing Lu (where the Xidan Lu shopping area is on the West side). There are large signs on Chang'An Jie with the hours, but I recall that 0600-2200 is the forbidden time. This section is VERY heavily monitored - you will be stopped.

2) On the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ring roads at ANY time (24 hours). You can ride on the side roads next to the ring roads but not on the ring roads themselves. The ring roads have cameras - 100 rmb fine & 3 points. Car & bus drivers hate cheating bikes on the ring roads - they will be extremely & purposefully aggressive towards a bike.

3) The 5th ring road has started having "no motorcycle" signs placed at the entrances. That's new.

You CAN ride on:

1) Airport expressway
2) Expressways heading in/out of town

I share your pain about the confusion - there is so much expat B.S./rumors about motorcycles in Beijing. Ignore the self-proclaimed "experts" (riding illegal bikes) who say "nothing will happen" - it is your money & your driving license. I went to the Traffic Management Branch (Foreigners - SE 4th ring road) and asked the police for the REAL rules. It used to have a little English pamphlet in the rack by the soda machine about riding MCs in Beijing.

Safe riding