Administration and organisation to ride in China

Anatole

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2014
Bikes
None
Hi everybody,


I just arrive in Macau few weeks ago and I've already in mind to visite Chine by motorbike.
I'm french with french driving licence (car and motorbike) and I've already done few off road trips in Malaysia and Laos.

I have few questions that I hope you can answer.
Is my driving licence working in China? Or, do I need to get a China one? Is it free?
May I buy a motorbike in Macau and then cross the border to China easily? Is there any rule for the immatriculation?

If I cannot cross with my own bike, where I can rent bike(s) and organize a trip for few days?

Actually, I'm looking for the same kind of information for Vietnam / Cambodia / Thailand...
I have plenty questions in mind but let's start with this first :) !

I'm more an off road rider but I would be happy to join a group for a journey if possible.

Thanks for your help
Anatole
 
I have few questions that I hope you can answer.


Is my driving licence working in China? Or, do I need to get a China one? Is it free?


Your driving license is not valid in China, you will need to obtain a temporary Chinese driving license





May I buy a motorbike in Macau and then cross the border to China easily? Is there any rule for the immatriculation?


Yes - permits, approved itinerary & qualified Chinese guide accompaniment needed to qualify






If I cannot cross with my own bike, where I can rent bike(s) and organize a trip for few days?


It is possible





Actually, I'm looking for the same kind of information for Vietnam / Cambodia / Thailand...



Many people here can probably help you with the last question above, will try later if I have time. Answers to your other questions can be found in the link below:


http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-forum/red-tape-border-crossing-requirements/







..
 
Hi Anatole
Can I chip in a bit here Phil if you don't mind ...
Riding legal is not hard in China but takes time to arrange and like most things in life cost money,
No country valid driving license is excepted in China but as Phil kindly pointed out there is provision for visiting foreigners to obtain a temporary Chinese driving license .
The whole process starts with you arranging a organise tour from a agent in China
The agent has to get approval from Beijing on your tour route which should state the town/city/ hotel you are proposing to visit/stay, you can't deviate from your plan route ?
When the agent has the approval stamp and sealed by Beijing then the agent can start the process to obtain your temporary Chinese driving License .
Unlike Thailand/Laos/Vietnam/Cambodia bike rental shop are few and far between and you will find it very very very hard to find a shop that rents motorbike.

So my advice would be to travel to Thailand , rent a bike from a company that will allow you to take it out of Thailand, arrange a tour with a agent in China or I think some guys on here could help you out, ( i do believe Phil has taken bike tours into China before?)
Now the down side with taking a none plated into China is again loads of paperwork and forms to complete and you need to deposit 20.000 rmb (100.000 B) with the Chinese customs. Agents in China can arrange the deposit to be paid from there end at a cost.


I have been told by agents in China the whole process can take up to 4 weeks to arrange
If you find all this bullshit too much to get your head round then one way is to arrange your Chinese Visa, go to China and buy a Bike , i would recommend the Yamaha 125cc YBR GK which is a road/off-road bike that will do all you need to accomplish when riding roads in China ,
Forget about the temporary Chinese driving license and ride illegal, but make sure your bike is legally plated with insurance you should be ok? , but you will run the risk if you get stopped by the police 7 out of 10 you will be fine , if you stick to the county roads and stay out of the dry town (bike ban town /city) and stay away from borders roads (loads of police/army checks points) you should be ok .
Now all this aside the only and best way is to do it the fully legal way , but some insight into what your options are.


yamaha ybr.jpg

Here is a link to Taobao http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.0.0.AFKWIH&id=35816072177
Price starts at 10.000 to 12.000 rmb thats 50.000 to 60,000 B

Re-sale with 10.000 km about 6000 RMB (30.000B)
 
Prince666,
Can a foreigner (without a work permit / work visa) register a motorcycle in his name in China, i.e. can he/she legally own it?
Is the insurance valid if a driver does not have a Chinese driving permit?
 
Prince666,
Can a foreigner (without a work permit / work visa) register a motorcycle in his name in China, i.e. can he/she legally own it?
Is the insurance valid if a driver does not have a Chinese driving permit?



Marcel, I've always been told it's NOT possible
 
Me too, but I am open to interesting opinions/opportunities.
 
[/COLOR]
May I buy a motorbike in Macau and then cross the border to China easily? Is there any rule for the immatriculation?


Yes - permits, approved itinerary & qualified Chinese guide accompaniment needed to qualify

So a Macau bike isnt Chinese registered even tho Macau is part of China ?? I know its a Special administrative region.. But still china no ??
 
Prince666,
Can a foreigner (without a work permit / work visa) register a motorcycle in his name in China, i.e. can he/she legally own it?
Is the insurance valid if a driver does not have a Chinese driving permit?

Hi Brake034
For a foreigner to register a bike in his name? you need
1. At least 6 months left on a visa
2. Chinese address. ( could be just a friends or in some cases a hotel will do )
3. Fapiao (invoice)
4. Police registration form
5. Chinese name . ( can be a direct translation of your name or just pick one out the hat)
Now it's not easy to register a bike in a foreigner name and most Road traffic office won't do it or say it can't be done, that's all bullshit it can and I have just done it on my CF TR

And yes you will be the legal owner of the bike .

Now insurance.
when a bike is registered you have to do the insurance at the same time, the Road Traffic office has insurance agents ready and waiting to take your money ???
But if the bike is in a your name you may have to go to the local main insurance head office (PICC)

"Is the insurance valid if a driver does not have a Chinese driving permit?"

firstly it's the bike which is insured not the rider, so i will say YES

Before i had a Chinese DL took me 3 years to sort out but this is not the time to explain why heheh
I did have a crash on my legal plated, insured bike not in my name other people was hurt but not me not my fault , police came took all the details made a report saying not my fault asked if a had a Chinese DL ??? sorry I said have a valid UK one , ok that will do ??? but noted on the police report that I don't have a Chinese DL .
Now the next day I had to go to the insurance office to sort out the claim with the police report

that clearly sates NO CHINESE DL.

The insurance people was only concern that I had a valid DL? so handed over my UK DL with no bike category listed....
All fine no upsets all paid out . so IMO THE BIKE IS INSURED regardless of you legal situation with Chinese DL

Hope this clears up your question ok

Now I must point out China is a strange place, There are 34 such divisions, classified as 22 provinces, 4 municipalities, 5 autonomous regions, 2 Special Administrative Regions, and the claimed Taiwan Province.


What happens in one province does not mean it will be ok somewhere else.

What laws which are applied in one area/town/city/province may not be applied the same way in other areas


As I said strange country

photo(5).JPG

How many police ladys did it take to sort out the bike plate in my name ???
 
Thanks for that Steve. Now much clearer to everyone.

That's why I am here Phil to help and to clear question up you can say I am your "Chinese connection" hehheh

But you do have one other Chinese member on here who without a doubt known's more about these matter then all the expats put together has over 25 years living and working in the bike industrial in China ??
 
Now I must point out China is a strange place, There are 34 such divisions, classified as 22 provinces, 4 municipalities, 5 autonomous regions, 2 Special Administrative Regions, and the claimed Taiwan Province.
What happens in one province does not mean it will be ok somewhere else.
What laws which are applied in one area/town/city/province may not be applied the same way in other areas.

Yeah, sounds like Thailand, hahahaha

Anyway it's nice to see that more bikers in mainland China are finding their way to the Ride Asia Forum as it is a nice place to exchange information.
 
Thanks .. I do go to Chiang Rai allot you have properly have met me before , been on many 10th day of the month rides of Marty Chiang Ria Ties and even Rudy got me to join the "Road Eagles" not sure if the is good or bad hehhe
and go to steve Hangover Bar as well
Got me now ???
 
Thank you for all these explanations and advices.

If I summaries, it's a very long and not easy procedure to go in China with is own bike and a foreigner DL.
The easiest way is to go through an agent to organise everything.

Is someone knows an agent in China or in another country around that I can contact?
I don't know if we can directly send on the forum such contacts like this? Otherwise you can send it by mp.

Thanks,
Anatole
 
Thank you for all these explanations and advices.

If I summaries, it's a very long and not easy procedure to go in China with is own bike and a foreigner DL.
The easiest way is to go through an agent to organise everything.

Is someone knows an agent in China or in another country around that I can contact?
I don't know if we can directly send on the forum such contacts like this? Otherwise you can send it by mp.

Thanks,
Anatole


Sent PM ???
 
Update on Chinese immigration visa's for non-USA passport holders (who get 10 year multiple entry visa's for China).

You can only apply for the 2 year, 30 day, multiple entry visa at the Chinese Consulate in your own country.

Outside your own country, you can apply for 30 day Chinese immigration visa's:

1. 1 entry valid for 3 months from issue date

2. 2x entries valid for 3-6 months from date of issue
 
Passport photograph MUST be on a WHITE background (not grey background). Your application will be rejected for grey background.
 
No Google software applications work in China, catches a lot of people out, especially as so many people use Gmail for email. Set up a "@live.com" email address (free) & forward your gmail inbox to it for China.


Also Facebook/ Twitter etc.... will not work either.
 
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