Hello Everyone -
I am planning to ride motorbike on Chinese highway 219 from Lhasa to Kashgar or vice versa. I am not a "bikie" or anyone who has done motorbike trips in different parts of the world.. I am quite new to this kind of adventure travel and I am sure I won't be the last :-)

This trip is under plans for Jun 2011 and currently it's just me. I have looked up few websites for information and motorbike touring company's in the region and not to my surprise their prices are sky-rocketed :-).

I am looking for motorbike travel partners who are enthusiastic about motor-biking up in the mountains via the mesmerizing highway of 219. I have read few blogs of people who went on a push bike via this route, the pics and stories posted are mind blowing!!!

So far I have just collected information about people who have done this kind of journey and about the travel companies who organize these trips.. Starting this week I am sending emails and collecting information first-hand on documents required and how much it might cost. I am happy to buy or rent a Chinese made motorbike.. it doesn't have to be a BMW touring.. This year in July I did a motorbike trip for only 1000km in Himalayan mountains of Ladakh, Kashmir and my bike was only 150cc and at few points I was riding at 13000 feet above sea-level ... I am sure a non-BMW motorbike will be fine for a ride like this one.

So... motorbike adventure guru's and beginner's as well :-) ... If any one of you is thinking to push motorbike rides to a bit extreme and can plan around Jun.2011 and also going for this ride as a group then please get in touch and let's get this thing going and planned and organized :-).

I know it can be discouraging reading about highway 219 in China on internet but real adventure starts from within when we bend the rules and push the limits and tame the tracks :-)

Anyone.. who has been on the Chinese highway 219 or close-by by push-bike, motorbike, car, walking, floating or by any other means and would like to share their experience for tips and tricks then that will be highly appreciated :-)

As for me.. I am a 34 yr old male who is based in Sydney, Australia and who has worked best part of his life in corporate world and it's gimmicks!!.. It's about time to break free :-)

Looking forward to hear back from you and hoping to form a group of people who would be interested in taking up this adventure with me :-)

Cheers.

Firstly Welcome to the HUBB. It's good to meet (virtually) a fellow Sydneysider who has seen the light.

You don't need any experience with motorcycle travel to have an adventure and you definitely don't have to do route 219 to have an adventure. I would ask why go through a travel agency? If it's only for the permits you will need then fine. But I would advise that you save your money and buy a bike locally and put your money into other things and not into a travel agent's pocket.

You realise that route 219 is very remote. Not unlike the outback in OZ.

Read up on the trip because you'll find out soon enough that you will need to take extra fuel and you will need to use the Army supplies along that route. You will also need spare parts and you will need to know the bike well enough to fix most common issues.

Most people that do the 219 have a support vehicle and a satelite phone (just to give you an idea how remote it really is).

Don't give up on it, i'm sure like you say it's a dream worth making it into reality.

__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net

G'day TurboCharger - How you going? :-)

Well, not sure to consider your reply as encouraging or discouraging.... but thanks anyway :-)

I gather from your reply that you may have been on Highway 219. If yes, then could you please share some tips about riding on 219 :-)

As for description of adventure.. your idea of adventure could be walk in the park for me and vice versa :-). As you yourself stated that 219 is quite remote, so the idea of traveling through a remote location on a modern two-wheeled machine is adventurous and thrilling for someone like me :-)

Been blessed to be born and growing up in Himalaya Mountain ranges, I am quite familiar with perils of travelling via remote mountainous locations and things required to survive. This summer.. I "motor-biked" from Kashmir valley to Leh, Ladakh and pushed further to Pangong Tso and all the way back... Apart from 2 or 3 major towns along the way.. your cellphone does not work anywhere and for hours and hours you do not see anyone of the road and my bike was only 150cc in power with no support vehicle.. no repair kit and we were only 3 guys on 3 bikies :-) So, I got a taste of how it can be riding almost at the roof of the world and next year I am keen on expanding my horizons further :-)

For 2 months and little over, I have done quite bit of studying on highway 219.. Xinjiang.. bit of Karakorum highway in China and Silk route.. Idea of getting in touch with a travel agent is to get permits and driving license sorted atleast. With only having a 1 month off for holidays, buying/renting a bike..permits..driving license has to be sorted out real quick with less hassle. Also, if I am not able to form a decent size group of people with unlimited horizons view then I would have to fall back to these travel company's for my trip.. Their costs are exuberant from USD $4500 - USD $9500.. but includes hotel stay.. bikes..guide..support vehicle... some cover petrol costs and some do not...

Some point in life inner nirvana takes precedence over forces of nature (natural and materialistic).. Heard it somewhere.. break it down again.. no more building up.. it is time to dissolve :-)... I am on here sharing a dream with unknown.. .. I do not believe in hope but just make it happen is my logo.. so will keep trying and maybe someone is walking parallel and would share a dream too :-)

Thanks for reading and all the best with your journey mate... Be safe out there..!!!

Cheers.

In fairness I don't think you can compare the route Srinagar to Leh with Route 219.

This doesn't do any justice to the Srinagar-Leh highway, given that that road in Kashmir is littered with military checkpoints, trucks and a lot of tourist traffic, you under exaggerate for effect but it makes it sound more remote then it really is. Don't misinterpret me here, I have done this route and I've ridden around Ladakh in 2009 so I know the area well enough. Also the road is only 260kms long with towns like Sonamarg, Matayan, Drass, Thasgam, Kargil, Namika, Lamayuru, Khalsi ... along the way if you need food, supplies or help. Past Leh and towards Pangong Tso is far more remote but still only about 160kms (to the end of the permit zone). And the Srinagar Leh road is 70% tarmac now.

Compared to the length of G219 from Tibet (probably Lazi) to Kashgar is around 2,200kms (more from Lhasa, so ~3,000kms)!!

Not to mention the incredibly strict Chinese laws and regulations that make riding the whole length of the road near impossible even for a Chinese citizen. Have you read this blog?

I also want to do Route 219 and to that extent I have researched it quite a bit, that's where I have gained my information. Keep searching I think it would be an amazing adventure but not without it's risks and difficulties. Keep proding around until you get all the information you think you need then keep looking and you'll start to find out the important stuff. Ask questions, even if you think you have the answer, you might be surprised. Take opinions with a grain of salt and then go live your dream wherever it will take you.

BTW This isn't the "Seek your inner bodichatta on the path to enlightenment and Nivarna" kind of forum either.

Go get'em mate!

__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net

HAHAHAHA!!!! Hilarious reply by turbocharger.

I would appreciate if you can keep your advise to yourself as they are baseless and not helpful at all.

Just a correction. Srinagar to Leh is 475kms one way. 2 highways.. via Batalik and Lamayuru. Rest you can do the math as you seems to enjoy it!!

bodichatta??? no idea what it is. Hope it is not "taking it personally" and "acting like a child" forum either :-)

Ciao

G'day from the sunshine coast.

I am pretty interested in the China trip. I have a bike in Cambodia (been living and working there for the last 3.5 years), and I would luv to be able to take it to China via Laos. Tibet and far western provinces, as well as Mongolia really appeal to me. Also the Stans (all of em), Iran and Turkey. Dont know much yet about biking in China, except that it is difficult with red tape. My aim would be to do it inedependently as much as possible, without use of guides.

I have been riding extensively in Laos and Cambodia, and have always had bikes in Oz.

Im pretty keen to meet anyone interested in doing the journey.

cheers,
regie (hey, not my real name)

G'day Regie -
Good to see your post :-)

Definitely doing this motorbike trip in China. What I understand so far is this,

1. I need chinese driving permit, for which I have to contact travel agent in china.

2. Permits to enter areas/towns of sensitivity, like Highway 219. Again an agent can arrange it.

3. A bike, buy a local chinese in China or rent a bike.

4. If simpler with all the support, go to a travel agent who arranges bike tours in China. I have good references for few and it looks like more than likely that I will opt for this option.

How are planning to enter China and when?

I would loved to do Mongolia and central asia part of Silk Route but my time-off is limited :-(

Do you have any info. on how and where to buy bikies in China., BMW China also sponsor bike if proven it is some kind of benefit to them.

Have you been to China before? Any chances you can get some more information on this subject?

I am planning to do it in Jun-2011. Is that time OK with you?

I am in Thailand right now and will be till Jan.04. I will check my mail again when I am back in Oz. Hope to hear back from you :-)

Cheers mate!!

So do you think there is a chance you can travel independently in china (especially areas of sensitivity) if you hold a permit? From what I have read it seems a few lucky people have been able to travel freely but having a chinese guide sounds like the norm. I was planning on taking my own bike, firstly because I have one in Cambodia allready, and just negotiating to buy a new one (yamaha wr250r - i really think smaller bikes make better adventure bikes). Secondly, i think Chinese bikes are pretty crappy, and thirdly, I was thinking of a round trip, enter from Laos, China, thru pakistan, Iran, maybe turkey, syria, jordan, back thru stans, mongolia, china, back to Laos/Cambodia. I have been riding extensively thru cambodia and Laos. The cops there really only pull you over if you have done something wrong. And they are usually happy about the whole situation anyway. You can joke around with them, negotiate the fine down to a dollar or so, and then you are on your way. China sounds like a different deal tho (not that i have any experience - never been), and i really dont want my bike confiscated or held against me for some enourmous "fine".

So i do want to be as legit as possible. Given that, armed with as much paperwork as possible, i would still give independent travel a go if there is more than just a remote chance it is possible. If the only alternative is having a guide then of-course we would have to work out how much per person, and if this is not too expensive I would probably do this. Groupsize is important to me tho. I really wouldnt want to be ridning around in a huge group for a number of reasons. 3-4 would be my preference. But again, i'm always flexible enough to get the job done.

So when? was thinking around March/April. I'm in-between jobs at the moment and have a few things I need to get done in Oz. The only "spanner in the works" scenario is, if i do get some sort of job offer inbetween now and then. If i do, i would still try desperately to do the ride and negotiate a start date with work.

No info on where to buy bikes in China. I did do a fairly extensive internet search (because i actually had an interview for a beijing job - i am on a list there and there is a slight chance they will offer me something in the next 3 months, but i am not holding my breath). I am really interested in this yamaha wr250r and so that is what i was looking for. Could only find chinese bikes (which did seem quite cheap) and there are bmw's).

Info/research - my planning stage has kinda just started so i dont have alot of info, but of-course, I am willing to do the hard yards. Have just been reading forums and building the concept in my head.

cheers,
regie
ps: have a pad thai for me

H Regie,

you could try asking on this forum about bikes: MyChinaMoto.com - Chinese Community

I read a blog a year or so ago where the guy just found a bike parked on the street and bought it. I think there is a problem buying new bikes without residency.

John

__________________
Nostradamus Ate My Hamster

hey redboots,

yep, true, so imraali, you may have to rent a bike in china.

Another issue for me: if i take my bike from Cambodia, i wont be able to get a carnet as cambodia doesnt subscribe to that system. maybe i can get one from oz - have to investigate. If not, then i will have to buy a bike in oz and ship. I dont mind doing this but it just means it will take longer to get to china.

Italian solutiion Chinese 150 + Monk clothing
Local bike in Tibetan area is Honda 150-200 OHV clone in a GL145 frame. Everywhere stocks parts for these workhorse. Other fancier bike, pls bring as much ur supply as possible, or ...

Hi Regie -
I have just emailed you. Still keen?

I have done some R&D and contacted travel agents in China. Prices are outrageous but I think I really want to do it so I am trying my best to make it happen.

Does anyone whoever is reading this post knows of how to rent a bike in China?

I don't know any rental places that aren't tied to being a tour agency. Usually you must go with one of their package tours to rent the bike.

Don't bother with a rental, just buy a Chinese bike...this one is a little over $2500 USD and will do fine.



Since you're not a resident of China, get a local to buy, register, and insure it for you. Where there's a will (or money) there's a way.

Please share the information you have on getting a Chinese motorcycle driving license. I've never heard of someone getting it without a residency permit. You stated that a travel agent was going to get this for you? :confused1:

Cheers!
ChinaV

ChinaV... You resurrected my plans. After communicating with 7-8 travel agencies in China over 2 months, I became highly disappointed. No one arrange tours to go on highway 219 though everyone is pushing to rent a motorbike. I am seeing a small ray of hope in this dark tunnel :-)

For license, what I have gathered so far is that as long you ar eona tourist visa, you can be granted a temporary chinese driving license from 30-60 days. This is arranged by travel agents and there is a probability of sitting for a written test which is translated in english.

Travellign illegally..undocumented and without proper permits is a definite NO NO for this route and I won't be doing that.

So, here is what I am doing.
1. Arrange enter/exit permits and documents required from a contact I made in Lhasa.

2. Apply for temporary chinese driving license.

3. Buy a motorbike which you suggested. BTW, whts the name of the bike that you suggested in above pic.

4. Crash course in motorbike maintenance.

Rest is all Maktub :-)

Ok, where can I find the motorbike you suggested and how did you got it registered and documented?

Cheers,
Imran

would love to follow your adventure in China!!! We hope to do this trip also on our RTW ride Sara & Daniel Pedersen

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





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