Plates in Beijing

[Lao Jia Hou]

I've been living in China for four years, but just arrived here in Beijing. I've been driving a 150 cc Honda Fighthawk in Haikou City kHainan Island for three years and I have the Chinese driving license for Motorbikes and Cars.

Welcome to MCM and Beijing! I wouldn't mind chatting with you over coffee re Hainan. I've just purchased a motorcycle-related business on the island. And I'm sure everyone here would be quite interested in your experiences with the Honda Fighthawk. That is an interesting bike.

I checked out a page called www.beijingriders.com, but found that the price range for the bikes were about 2000 over the prices that I'm used to, and the price for a Jing A plate was 21.000 RMB(I found the price to be around 12.000 RMB on another link).

I have very little firsthand knowledge about beijingriders, although I've heard several mixed reviews from people. Mostly tilting towards the unpleasant.

The price for 京A plates is currently around 22,000 rmb. Well, it was a few weeks ago. The price is rising weekly. Last October it was 8,000, in March it was 13,000. This is the price direct from one of the agents that deal in the plates. Many dealers will add a large "profit" to the end consumer, even though all the dealer does is telephone the exact same agent you or I can. One dealer is charging 30,000 rmb for a 京A plate.

1. What is the difference between Jing A and Jing B when it comes to were you can drive legally? (I read that Jing A could get you so far as to the second ring road with some restictions. Is this true, and are the restricted areas many?)

京A plates can go anywhere in Beijing EXCEPT on the ring roads (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th), although you can ride on the side roads alongside each of the ring roads. You also cannot ride on Chang An (from the Eastern end at the East 3rd ring road intersection to the Western end at the West 3rd ring road intersection) between the hours of 0700 and 2000 hrs.

京B plates cannot ride inside the 4th ring road at any time.

2. What is the price for Jing A?

It is about 22,000 rmb from an agent. But some shops might get angry if you don't buy through them, as it cuts the cream (especially of you are a foreigner), and the shop actually may not want to sell you a bike (profit on a new 125 bike is only a few hundred rmb).

3. Where can you buy Jing A?

Through a legal, licensed dealer; through an agent; or if you are adventurous (and willing to endure punishment), you can actually do it yourself by finding an old scrap bike with a legal plate and go through the scrapping process (not recommended) and have the plate available for your new bike.

4. Is there a special period the Jing A plates are valid, or is it infinit?

This is a little confusing for people. 京A and 京B plates on an individual bike are valid for a total of 11 years, starting from the initial registration of the new bike. After that 11 year period, the bike MUST be scrapped, but the plate can then be transferred over to a new, legal bike (within 6 months after scrapping). So, in theory, the plate is good forever, as long as you keep changing the bike at least every 11 years, and making sure you transfer the plate within that 6 month period (otherwise, the plate becomes invalid).

5. Can you sell the Jing A plates when you don't need them anymore?

You can sell the bike with the plate. The plate becomes part of the bike's registration and can't be separated for the first 3 years. However, if you've owned the bike for at least 3 years, you can separate them ... use the plate for a new bike (within 6 months), and sell the bike separately outside of Beijing (that bike cannot be re-registered inside Beijing). This is complicated, but can be done. And there are many twists in the rules (e.g., if your residence changes from inside the 4th ring road to outside, or vice versa). With little bikes worth a few thousand rmb, the plates almost always stay with the bike because the process of separation is convoluted and time-consuming and expensive. It is with the relatively recent phenomenon of expensive Harleys, BMWs, Ducattis coming onto the scene that plate / bike separation is becoming an issue.

6. Is there a place in Beijing where there are a lot of bikestores and many choices(like a motorcity)? Are there any honest dealers were you can buy motorbikes and plates to fair prices, and that does the registrationproceedure for you?

No, unfortunately there is no grouping of motorcycle shops in Beijing. They are scattered all over the city and many are quite difficult to find. It is a royal PITA. Years ago, there used to be a grouping next to Tsinghua University (NW Beijing ... in WDK), but they have pretty much been shut down and scattered around.

An "honest dealer"? Well, TIC, so it is all relative. You are not going to find the same level of service or honesty that you would find back home. Personally, I have had good experiences with one or two dealers, although friends have had horrible experiences with those same dealers. And vice versa - dealers people say are great have ripped me off blind. I won't recommend anyone any more, although I will give frank appraisals, face to face, of my experiences.

Good luck!