Buying a local bike to cross the stans
 

I am planning an RTW leaving in mid May.

My route would be from moscow or keiv through the stans and then on to China to Tibet then Nepal.

If I can't take the bike to China, I'd rather sell it and try to buy again in china or simply use public transport to Tibet.

What kind of bike could I buy that I could easily sell in Almaty or Dushanbe?
I want to carry myself and about 70 lbs of gear. I'll have a full compliment of trekking/camping gear.

How much would I have to pay? How much do you think I could quickly sell it for?

Maybe you should try to contact Silk offroad tours in Almaty.
They might be able to buy the bike off of you if they are in need of more bikes.
Just a suggestion.
http://www.silkoffroad.kz/

excellent
 

glasswave
your plan seems very good. it s probably the best choice to buy local in your case.
(renting is not the solution : there s very little renting market there + you ll be annoyed at the borders if the documents are not at your name).
i would buy a local bike when you arrive in the first -stan you visit, a local bike, like a ural (the russian bmw). the price would be less than 1000 usd, no need to be new, get and make the right documents (many bikes are without documents there, i don t know about the right documents, for a foreigner, how to get and valid them ?) especially to cross the borders, no need Carnet de Passage en Douanes (CPD) over there, maybe pay a little bit at the borders to make things easier. and then sell it in the last -stan you visit (500-1000 usd).
try to know on the forums, via NGO, travel agencies there or your embassy for the required documents.
same in china, since importing temporaly (or not) a foreign bike is such a pain.
let us know, your idea is excellent !!!

i have some info on my website (date : 2002) but not much about renting/buying local :
Informations pratiques pour les autres voyageurs