Problems taking out of state bikes to Northern India
 

I read somewhere on here last year about people using out of state bikes to travel from Manali to Leh and beyond being stopped by locals and told they had to either rent one locally or pay a fee, it did sound a bit like extortion of some sort, can anyone tell me exactly what happened and is it likely to happen this year? I have spoken to a friend who is a tour guide in that area and they said their group was a mixture of local and out of state bikes and sending the local ones first got them through, were people on foreign registered bikes also hassled?
I am planning a trip there this year which I would like to use my Maharashtra registered bike for but if it is going to be a problem might go by bicycle instead.

I saw a video on youtube / vimeo of a tour group company, which I think originated in Delhi, who had to leave all the hire bikes and pick up local bikes to continue further on. Obviously it had been negotiated in advance by both parties to give the local company a piece of the action. Sorry can't recall the name of it, but what you are saying seemed to be happening.

Problems taking out of state bikes to Northern India
 

Is your Maharashtrian bike a white board or a yellow board or a black board ? I do not think private vehicles (white board) have those issues. But things in India change all the time. Will look around and see if I can get any details.

It has white plates with black characters, it would be nice if I had the choice of taking it.

I've heard this before some years ago.
Back then someone even produced a paper stating the paragraphs saying it's a massive BS.
Unfortunately I can't find the some years old thread here on the HUBB with the document posted.

I've don't the ride Delhi-Leh twice without any difficulties.
So in my case I wouldn't worry too much and just go ahead.

Cheers,
Wauschi

I'm not sure that you can label it all BS.

In 2015 we were in Leh on rented bikes (and mine had a white plate on it so not obvious that it was rented) but did not experience any difficulties.
However cars and SUVs with yellow plates were being stopped (all it takes is a couple of big stones on the road) and the drivers pressured to use local hire cars to go to Pasong Lake and the Nubra Valley.
What has happened since then and whether the 'campaign' is being ramped up,
I don't know, but it seems likely.
I'm renting a bike again this year, hopefully with a white plate.

I'll ask Akarsh at I AM ADVENTURE for an update.

"I am planning a trip there this year which I would like to use my Maharashtra registered bike"

whereabouts are you going to, Mark?

No ticket booked or dates fixed yet, I tend just to have an arrival and departure date and nothing else. It looks like I will be fine on a privately owned bike but am seriously considering cycling so won't be going anywhere in a hurry.