Hi all!

I'm currently planning my first long distance trip from Yunnan province to London, you can get an idea of my rough route here

I would really like some advice on what you would all think a good bike to buy would be. I'd ideally like something as large as a 400cc. currently looked at shineray xy400 as an option, but may want something a bit more off roady - i prefer to stay off the beaten track.

I have a budget that can stretch to £1500 tops! I'm ok with bending the law a bit if I can get away with it (have done loads of research here). But all advice welcome.

Many many thanks in advance!

Fred

Hi Fred.

On viewing, your planned route which will take you over some very offbeat roads.

I don't think with your budget of $1500 will only allow you to purchases a cheap 2nd hand Chinese bike.

The bike will end up being your biggest problem and probably not complete the journey.

Just completed a ride from Shandong Province to London and back riding nearly all the E.U. Countries 50.000 KM, 26 countries in 90 days ending up in Kunming.

My route was through Russia into Finland meaning I only need 1 Visa before I left and was able to get a VOA for Kazakhstan at the border on the way back.

My trip was done on a CFMoto 650 TR-G Touring bike and apart from some road works in Russia and some very bad roads in Kazakhstan the bike DID not miss a beat and was very happy handling all the roads condition I encountered.

Remember you will probably need a Carnet de Passages just to get your bike out of China? regardless if you return to China or not.

And in my case the agent wanted a 100.000 RMB deposit on the bike,
but in the end got this amount down to 30.000 RMB.

Good luck with the trip.

Are you hoping to be able to legally register the bike once you get back to Europe?

__________________
Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

I dont think there is a way to legaly register a bike wich is not known in europa but would be great if it would be able to do a trip like this without a carnet. I would go for a 125cc bike wich is cheaper and more comon in Asia. Please keep us updated I might join you

The big questions probably is: Can you register the bike in China and leave the country with it? Once your out everything else will be easy.

Crossing Russia the bike will probably be in your passport (no Carned needet) and in the EU you might have to pay an import deposit wich will be returned if you export the bike egain or show a letter proving you have dumped the bike on the waste place. To get all the visa for the stans will be difficult no matter wich bike you ride. Iran requires a Carnet the Stans as well?

http://reisemotorrad.eu

Yes, I did ???

The point I am making is China is not like other countries in the world and you need a Carnet just to leave China with the bike but these rule does not apply to all borders and depending what day of the week it is ?.
On entering the EU (Finland) from Russia NO import papers was given and no import deposit was asked for.

Hi Fred, this budget will maybe get you a new 125cc street bike, that will hopefully last until Europe. But you can do it, quite some people have done China to Europe in the last few years. Enjoy.

Hi Ta-rider, I agree with you, the most difficult will maybe be leaving China. I did it only with a Swiss registered bike, which entered legaly and it took me about 7 days (on the weekends the border is closed).


Hello Nuff Said,

good and fast journey you did. Wau 50.000km in 3 months, that sounds crazy, but hey only the crazy survive. I did 40.000km last year in 7 months from Europe to China and back on a 350cc.

why would you need a carnet de passages to get out of China with a Chinese bike? What did you pay the 30.000RMB (4200USD) for?


mika

Hi Mika


I asked the same question? was told if yo want to get the bike back into China then you need an ATA?
As I pointed out this requirement is not common for all borders crossing out of China.
Take the border crossing between China and Laos which I have crossed over 20 times now and you only need to show the bike registration book and you are allowed to leave China.
The 30.000 RMB is the deposits you need to leave with the agent for the ATA and in my case, we declared the value of the bike to show it cost only 30.000 RMB so I had to pay a 100% of the value.
The agent wanted 100.000 RMB which was over 300% of the value of the bike to start off with saying because I was a foreigner I needed to leave more money lol
From your Blog, you needed to pay some money to allow your bike to enter China, yes the amount you paid was very small compared to me you was just lucky and you never mention when you left China did you ever get the money back?
IMO the Chinese agent is using the ATA just as a scam, the fee for the ATA was 2800 RMB.
But it made the exit and entry from China with the bike so much quicker and easy.









If you view the picture of the ATA you can see 2 countries tip out in yellow 1. Russia 2. Finland.
Neither of these countries needs an ATA to entry?
So why would I need an ATA ???
TIC the logic free zone (china)


On returning back to China with the bike I got custom to stamp the ATA and the details were entered on their PC, and with the ATA all completed I sent it back to the agent and the deposit was sent direct back to my bank account within 1 day?

Hello Nuff Said,

yes, it makes no sense if you understand the concept of a carnet des passages. So the 30.000 RMB was just a deposit, now I understand. But if you got the money back and you paid only 2800 RMB for it, than it could be worth it, saving you the trouble to argue with the custom officals at the border. But I agree with you, it is a scam. I argued and waited for too long, but in the end I won. TIC.

you are right, I had to pay 2000 RMB to customs when I entered. And they told me I would get it back to my bank account, when I prove that I left China. I proved it to them. But than they said I have to come back to Heihe/China to get the money back. So I lost, and I will never get it back. TIC.

Did you keep a blog, so I can read a bit more about your journey?

Greetings from Bolivia
mika

You entered China without a guide? Were? How?

Hi Ta-Rider

Mika is a LEGEND and 1 of a very very very few people who has got himself and his bike into China without a guide.
you need to read his post on the HUBB.
Can't see it happening again and I would not recommend trying the same way, but I must take my hat off to the guy for "Doing it my way"


Mika.

I did start a blog but have not finished it, remember after leaving China on the 28th June 2016 I am still not home?

After returning to China from the far west I have left my bike in Kunming for me to travel by plane down to Thailand to carry on with further rides in North Thailand on my Honda CRF 250L.

And then when I leave here at the end of March I need to do further rides around Yunnan and Sichuan Province.

So with the best will in the world, I can't see me completing the blog until I get back home to Shandong Province
Well here is the link to the blog I started.

link.................http://thelongwayhome.simplesite.com/428678170








And 2 videos on YouTube






Bolivia ? Interesting place to live well done .......

My name is Steve

@Ta-rider and Fred:


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...na-i-did-82852

... had a long night yesterday with Fernet and Cola


see you in Bolivia
mika

Hi everyone thanks for your responses!

Mika, have read your blog before, what a feat! Sadly I can't see myself getting so lucky.

I think the risk of buying in Kunming to motorbike home with is too high, and getting all paperwork or even a decent bike too large an effort (especially for just a 150cc). I was under the illusion that Chinese bikes would be quite cheap and I could get quite good dual-sport bike for chips, sadly doesn't sound like the case.

I've just had a very interesting chat with a UK -> China travel tour organiser. An option he very kindly suggested was riding a bike of my own to Kyrgzstan (will look to find an old Suzuki Dr or Honda XR here in UK) and using his contacts to sell there. I then travel across the border independently by foot. When I arrive in Kashqar he could set me up with some contacts to help buy a motorbike there, and then travel solo to Kunming (no guides, slightly illegal but hey) where he would know some people who could be interested in purchasing.

Complicated I know, but at the moment seems like my easiest option. In an ideal world

Appreciate all your help. Nuff Said - love the look of your trip, I only ended up doing Vietnam by motorbike when I went to SEA. 6 weeks on a small, custom painted Minsk I bought for about $400 - was an awesome trip.

[QUOTEI've just had a very interesting chat with a UK -> China travel tour organiser.][/QUOTE]

Do you know this person quite well ???

Here's a heads up there are two autonomous regions/provinces in China where your chance of coming across a police/army checkpoint or just plain pulled over and checked is high and Xinjiang is one of them.

No not well, someone who runs very professional trips whom I asked for advice.

The more I consider this possibility the trickier it seems. I fear there is too much hassle, costs and worry involved with buying and selling two bikes in one trip.

I'm now considering just doing the silk road, into russia and then the road of bones. Earliest I can start is July from London so just investigating whether I could get to Magadan before I get frozen! Alternative might be shipping bike to Magadan and then coming home.

Sadly looks like China is off the cards now Thanks for all of your advice - if anyone has any more on the road of bones would be hugely grateful!

You was first talking about China?
Now you wish to ride the Road Of Bones.

This road is not for the average ride and you need to have a well perpaied bike and be very luck the water level are low when crossing many river.
I wish you luck and you have a 50/50 chance in completing your trip.