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)