Excellente' :-) ... You guys made me gogole to check what in RTW :-)

Are you guys already in China or travelling around any other part of the world?

How are your plans looking ?

Any experience of riding in Asia.. You can send me an email as well.. Anyway you like to communicate is fine with me :-)

The plan is coming to fruition
 

Hi imraali, it looks like your plan is coming to fruition, albeit slowly. Keep going, it will be worth the effort in the long run. Have you got a departure date yet? Will you be updating the HUBB with trip/ride reports?

As I mentioned in my first post, a travel agency is NOT the way to go for the whole trip as it will cost you a lot of money and leave you with very restrictive travel plans and as you've found out there isn't anyone interested in taking you along route 219 because of it's remoteness, not even Chinese people travel there unless it is for the military.

I strongly suggest you get in contact with Garry From Oz "farqhuar" who in May 2008 rode across China on a local 125cc bike bought in China.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ting-buy-33724

This is his blog about China, see May 2008.
Across the universe: May 13, 2008


He had a local contact, a teacher I think in Shanghai that helped him organise the buying of the bike and rego etc. This will be important for you if you don't speak Mandarin. You need a local with a residency permit to buy a bike for you and get it registered.

Nothing is impossible but China as you are finding out does everything to make it difficult and expensive for us overlanders...
Don't bother with the driving licence, it's too complicated and you need a residency permit.
If you have a chinese visa and a permit for Lhasa/Tibet and other provinces (cantons) then you're not travelling illegally. I don't know all the permits you need so research this and keep getting quotes from travel agencies for the permits, but perhaps not the travel.
You will definitely need the permits, you may even need to join an organised tour then leave it and go on your own way once you've got your permits.
You don't need this as long as you avoid big cities you won't be checked for rego or a licence, see comment below.
You should go with a known and well used local model. This way you can get help from local mechanics and it will reduce the cost and the need for you to carry unnecessary tools.
See this thread for some good but dated info on buying in China.

Note what Farqhuar says and I quote: "I paid close to 4,000 yuan and am asking 2,000 - an absolute bargain. This is by far the cheapest way you can ride in China and the police do NOT check foreigners for licence and/or registration."

Rtw
 

Ha Ha sorry. We are still in planning stage. leave 2012. Subscribed to your posts and will add you to buddy list. We have travelled in Asia, but not by bike. We live in Vancouver so we will be starting with the America! Good luck!! Sara

I am planning something similar in April-June 2012. The vehicle is not exactly inconspicuous, it is a Unimog U500 with camper on the back. I have been in contact with a Chinese travel agency, Dietlhelm Travel for over a year, who specialize in "adventure travel". Naturally they stick to the mantra "need all the permits, guide etc etc."
I enquired about the route from Lhasa to kashgar via Kailas and they said the military area in the Aksai Chin is absolutely no-go. There is an alternative "road" though Ali but they are afraid of that road even in a Unimog. so they want me to leave Tibet via Golmud. After that I am planning to go to Sinkiang, incl. Kashgar via the desert roads, then Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia etc.
I think they think after Lhasa and the Everest area I'll be sick from the altitude and happy to drop down - they may be right.
Just my experience so far.

Charlie

TurboCharger - Thanks for wonderful and very helpful reply and thanks for the links. I am debating about the driving license thing as most people are suggesting to forget about getting a license but then I know someone who was riding without driving license was caught by police or army (don't remember) and was put in jail for 2 weeks..ultimately deported and banned from China for 5 years. This is the only reason I am pushing for driving license in China.. believe it or not I ride in Sydney without motorbike license :-)

m37charlie - Thanks for sharing your info as well. Aksai Chin is main reason that I want to go on this highway :-). Yep, heard that its a no go zone but then if you checkout youtube and Panoramio.. there are people who went on push-bike via Aksai Chin on highway 219.. and when you look at those pics.. I have never seen anything like that before :-).

I have emailed few of these push-bike riders a hoping to hear back from them with some useful information. Not sure if you guys are aware of 2 canadian brothers who went circumvating China.. this is the website MKride.

I even wrote to them but never heard back from them. They rode through Aksai Chin but they had support crew as well.Anyways, I have found them on a motorbike blog where they actively participate.. I post the question on that website :-)

Still not sure I will be doing it or not but hope I can. In december I had a bad injury in my right shoulder and I am prettymuch screwed.. haha!!.. so lets see :-)

Guys.. would you recommend any kind of GPS.. helmet with camera's.. compass or any other gadget that I must have with me for a trip like this..

Please advice :-)

No licence sure it's a risk, anywhere
 

You know that in AU riding/driving without a licence you can be fined $2200- for a 1st offense. Be warned.:nono:

I've heard about MK (Middle Kingdom) riders they posted some stuff on ADVRider I think they have a blog there as well.

Regarding helmet cams and gps, just do search for this, there are many threads on these topics.

Search Tip:
In Google type: "GPS site:.horizonsunlimited.com"

This will search only on HU and return all threads and discussions around GPS. You can do the same from 'helmet cam'.

I purchased the bikes from Galaxy Motorcycles near my home in Guangdong China.

Galaxy Home

Their website isn't so good, but the bike you want is called the XTR250ADV

http://www.galaxymotorcycle.com/comp...6c744b7561.jpg

I'm a full time resident, so it's possible to purchase on my own. Took a bit of paperwork and standing in line, but eventually got it done.

Good luck with your trip, but don't count on any advice you've been given that is more than 6 months old. This is China, and things have changed a lot in the last few years. You can probably get a temp license through an agency, but you will not get onto 219 without an official guide, unless you really blend in, and that's almost impossible.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Best of luck! If you're there September/October and see a black KLR650 whizzing past, give me a wave!:mchappy:

Thanks ChinaV, Your information is spot on and each time your reply elevates my plans to next level.

For license, what I understand is that if you are part of a touring group organized by travel company then no one will ever ask you for license check and temp driving license is done by travel agents only. So, no travel agent has experience on arranging temp driving license for an individual.

Anyone who is reading this post has any information or experience to share of riding in China without a license ???

I think i will open another thread of getting more info. on riding in china without a license.

LesK - Due to the difficulty and remoteness of 219, there is a possibility that I might be stuck on it till September.. so if you see me then please get me to save haven :-)

Hi imraali,

I don't have enough posts on the HUBB so I can't reply to your PM. Sorry to do this in public.

The Galaxy has a 13.5 Liter fuel tank and will easily go 350-400 kilometers. You don't need anything bigger than that.

The dual-sport tires that come on the bike are perfect for the roads you are thinking about. This is China man, be happy with anything you can get.

I might be able to help with the purchase of the bike, but I can only purchase vehicles for 6 months of each year. How's that for a f**'ed up rule.

The HUBB rocks, but mychinamoto.com is also a good source of info for China. I suggest you do some searches there.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Hi ChinaV -
Thanks once again for the detailed information which is again spot on :-)

I am checking out few other forums and still in touch with few travel agents in china. Recently I got in touch with a company in Guangzhou for temp driving license. They were very helpful in providing all information and quoted 5500 chinese yuan for temp driving license but unfortunately that license is only good for driving a car not a motorbike. I found them at this weblink - http://www.guangzhouexpatservicecenter.com. They said they cannot help in arranging a motorbike license.

If you can share infromation about driving license that will be much appreciated. Information as in, the cost, procedure to go through as a foreigner, etc, etc.

Now, few questions that are popping in my head are,

1. Is there anyway to carry fuel on Galaxy motorbike. I am not sure if I will see a petrol pump on the highway or someone selling petrol in glass bottles. What will be the best way to carry extra fuel?

2. The dilemma of driving license, to be or not to be.. that is the question. Due to the sensitivity of the highway I think it's good to have all papers in place. Do you know of anyone who travelled on motorbike with a license and had no bad experience? If there are stories like that then that will be encouraging.

3. Let's say if things work out and motorbike is purchased in Guangdong. How to transfer motorbike to Lhasa or Kashgar? Via train or ride to any one city?

I am still trying to motivate few friends to get on this motorbike tour with me but none seems to be tough enough to take up this challenge and it's a challenge for me to get trip buddies.. so fingers crossed and see whats happens :-)

imraali,

A 350-400 kilometer range is more than enough for anywhere in China. There's plenty of gas everywhere. You might have one or two days in the most remote parts where you just need to plan ahead a little, but no need to carry more fuel. Worst case, you can fill a couple 2 liter water bottles to get you through.

From what I've heard, 7500 Yuan will get you a MC license. You need a visa that is longer than 90 days and it takes 6-8 weeks to process, so you would need to make 2 trips to China to accomplish it. I won't say much about riding without a license, it's your call, you decide what's right for you. People do it, and other people do it, go to jail, and get deported.

You can transfer a bike to almost anywhere in China via the train for 500-1000 Yuan.

You have worked out the issue about having a full time guide? Don't bother trying to sneak through, along the way you will need to buy gas or stay in a hotel and they will most likely report you to the PSB, if they don't they risk fines and big trouble.

Cheers!
ChinaV

been there.. make sure you camp
 

Hey boys... you will love it.. one pic from my tibet from 2007http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2305/...1ddebbe5_o.jpg

i did xining to lhasa via yushu... almost all of it was illegal.. as was doing it without permits.

let m know if you got any questions that i might answer...!

Amoleji, have you got a blog/website/photo album ??

Imraali, ChinaV is one of the members of the forum dedicated to Chinese bikes MyChinaMoto.com - Chinese Community, Forum and News - Front Page He is considered dangerous and crazy and all of his advice should be ignored, and...ok, no he is one of our most knowledgeable members living in China and buying and reporting on the bikes he has purchased. He is our expert and guru!

You should join mychinamoto to let other Chinese-based members chime in, too, so at least you have contacts there if you need them. Another bike to consider might be the Qingqi 250 (ChinaV has one of those, too) at least from a comparison point of view. However, the Galaxy is a top notch bike and ChinaV has extensive experience with his.