Wow, you guys surely dont make plans that sound too easy now do you....!!

Sure you have toured Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia & Laos to the point of boredom already??? I mean I´ve never ridden in China, in Burma, or in Vietnam (I´ve tried several times to enter Vietnam with my own vehicle, though) but I´ve had the time of my life riding those mentioned countries. They are absolutely great! Not sure, if banging my head against the bureaucratic wall to gain entrance to those tougher ones would be my idea of a perfect ´holiday´, if compared to what is on offer more easily!

But I´m not saying it is 100% impossible (well, Burma actually is nearly so) if you´re really, really determined, and well off financially - you´ll just need to consider, if it´ll be worth the time & effort spent.

Planning a trip Aust to England and want to travel overland via China.
Have spken to a couple of companies who can arrange this but looking for fellow travellers to help share costs of costs of "guide " and support vehicle.
I have been told that the cost per person comes down as the group gets larger.
Garrye

For whatever my comment is worth. I have not travelled with a motorbike into Vietnam, but multiple times with local bikes in different areas in Vietnam. I also traveled through Vietnam already in 1992 when it was still closed to any traveller alone. From this basis two comments: a) I would always recommend to come from the South. The rules are much less strict in Saigon than in Hanoi. In Saigon I already got a travel document in 1992 which allowed me to travel through the full country alone (the document said I was travelling with driver and guide, but it allowed me to book and get a train ticket and bus tickets and hotels etc). In Hanoi on the other hand the rules apply much stricter and it might be more difficult to get a travel permit - or whatever is needed to travel with a motorbike. In the South I always travelled by myself, in the North I had to have a "guide". In Hanoi in some of the bookshops towards the Opera one can find excellent maps (down to 1:50,000 of Vietnam, US print).
I found it was easiest to get a visa in Bangkok. There are small travel agence which get visas for practically any country.
Anyway, just some hints, last time I was in Vietnam is also alreday 3 years ago ...
If anyone has a recent update on how to get into and through China with my own bike I would appreciate. Info found is all already 2 years old.

Hi, i'm living in Sai gon, i ride BMW R80 G/S also. I think if you enter Vietnam you looking at crossing from Attapeu(Lao) to Bo Y(Vietnam) very easy. Welkome to Viet nam !!!

Hi Dyvan
Thankyou very much for that.
Does this also apply to non residents ?
From what I have read it is difficult for foreigners to get larger bkes into Vietnam

Garrye