Mongolian border seems the only way to enter China without local plates and licenses.
Last month five russian motorbikers tried to enter china from pakistan and were refused.
Offical answer was 'Now transit for the motorbikes!'

Kazakh border is a passable. I did it last summer by my own Africa Twin (registered in Russia) without chinese guides, plates and licenses. I have had a chinese visa only. I entered china without any bribes, helpers and trucks by my 2 wheels only. I have spent a 2 weeks (8000 kms) in china and Tibet. I have been in Lhasa and Everest base camp without any permits and guides. Noone stoped me during my trip. The PSB helped me to finde a cheap hotel when I stoped at the big chemical plant at night.
Do not take a beaten tracks. Try to do it at small border crossing like Druzhba (Kaz), Taikeshken (Mongolia) without a unnecessary fuss. China is a big country and what is impossible in te west is possible in the east.
I hope it`s an understandable.

Alex

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Marvellous, thanks for the info.

Any idea on how to get from Nepal into Tibet without agency and minder? We are about to shell out 6000 Euro each for 45 days.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Interesting to hear youve made it with no guides or other budget-drying pain-in-the-ass paperwork and preparations, which the "official" way seems to be so full of..

So after you´ve got in, after that youre relatively free to ramble? My plan would be to go all the way from Kazakh border into Laos. May be its a different story in central or south China, well, who knows, I guess one would just have to go and try ones luck. Maybe if they stop you, you tell them your coming from Laos, and they´ll then nicely kick you "back" there.. ?!?

But if the worst happens and you have a bad accident where some locals get hurt, you´d probably be in big trouble, when you have no official permission to be there.

There´s a guy who went into South China earlier this year from Laos (on a Chinese-registered bike) and he had no big troubles getting in, but the right plates probably helped him decisively. He, too, was free to go inside the country, though he had some trouble getting into Tibet, but still managed to do that. He posted some tremendous reports and pictures into the gt-rider forum, too bad he got in an accident and hurt his knee quite badly.

Hi!
Any update on paperwork to enter China?
I am planning trip to Nepal, through China, so I kindly ask for any information how to get in and out of China without having to register bike there and without guides.
Thanks!

Agreed, but it _can_ happen. Just to inject a small amount of hope into the situation, at the end of April I managed to get both into and out of China with few problems, although I needed to try at two borders, from Vietnam, where I shouldn't have really been allowed either.
You can read about some of it at http://hamilton2japan.blogspot.com (as it's a blog, the post order is in reverse - Start at Hanoi, and go more recent)

Has there been changes to China's restrictions on motorcycles coming through their borders?

My parents live in HKG and I may try to get a resident card from there then register my motorcycle through my father's company.

Plus, my wife is from China and was a guide... We will also contact the Chinese embassy in the US to get additional information.

If we find anything, I'll post info to the forum.

does anyone know perhaps if it is possible for someone who has no license from their native country to pass here in china? - thks

Pass what?

CC

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It was possible to enter China without guide in summer `07. I did it at Druzhba. But at last time this gate was closed. Someone tried to do it there last year. But unsuccessfully. I spent a 15 days in China and Tibet with my own Africa Twin. I was stopped by police two times. Once at night I got into a secret town by accident . The police stopped me. It took me a several houres. They checked up my luggage, looked through my camera, read my atlases and maps. One of them was going to the police office with all my papers. I do not know why. When I was checked up they escorted me to the hotel. Next morning I woke up and went away by another road to a Tibet.

Alex

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I am currently gathering all the info to cross the border with a bike.
Here's my finding so far:
1) The easy way is to pay for a chinise guide and their car to follow you during your staying in China (Max 3 months). I guess this is economically viable if a group of bikes are travelling together as they can share the cost.
This is for example what Kevin and Julia Sanders are currently doing (for more info on their current trip to china go to Global Domain, Web Page Design, Special Web Site Projects)
2) I am currently in communication with few agencies enquirying whether it is possible to use a "transit permit" instead, like the one truck would get to travel accross China to transport goods.
3) Some people have crossed the border just with a Visa and they have been lucky enough not to be kicked out. Once again it is probably down to luck and potentially which border you are crossing (I am currently talking to my contacts in Kyrgyzstan to see whether it is possible to semplify the procedure. I will keep you posted with my findings)
4) Others (very clever) have managed to cross the border (in mongolia) by seeking the help of truck drivers who carried the bikes accross the border with their truck. Once in china its all about keeping a low profile

Finally, if you ever made it to China and you want to cross into Burma, here's a good contact of someone who will help you with all the necessary paperwork all for $295.
Following his contact details and an extract of his email to me:

hom.saihkay@taistartnt.com

It is possible to cross the border with your own bike. You need to mention it in your proposed itinerary when you apply for a visa at a Myanmar Embassy.

2. our typical service from China-Myanmar border to Mandalay (the centre of Myanmar) costs ~US$295 per person (based on one person booking). If there is an additional traveller, it would be much cheaper as you will be sharing the big overhead costs with a second person. This include all the border crossing paper & services at the border ports, transport (even if you don't need it, our guide still have to escort you from a car). Please note that tour companies are required by law/ regulation to accompany their guest within the restriction zone (the borders) until they are out of non-restricted zones in mainland Myanmar.

3. Please enquire Chinese embassy re: how many day your visa is valid. Myanmar tourist visa valid for 28 days to travel in Myanmar and additional travel permits are required if you are entering or travelling through restriction zone.

More info to follow.....

Just going throught the 'officai' process of getting into China through an agency.

I'm travelling from India, up the KKH and into China that way and while I love the romance of rolling that 8 ball at the border I really didn't have the courage to ride the KKH not knowing whether I could get through or not, especaiily given the current problems in Pakistan.

That said, I really do applaud anyone willing to chance it.

It's a bit pricey though. $2200US for a seven day guide and escort to Kyrgyzstan. And for that I have to thank the Iranian government for not letting me in,

I'd appreciate hearing how you get on with this option as I would like to do the journey by truck carrying two bikes down (from Erenhot) to Nepal so I have a (kinda) legit reason to have this kind of visa if one should exist.

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I have some Chang Jiangs available in Yunnan and Tibet for rent, also can get you a 30 Day temporary driving License for china