Click Here to Subsribe to the 'Traveling in China' Feed I had never ridden a motorcycle until I came to China in 2006. This is probably why I crashed into a shop door within three days of buying my first motorcycle. I survived but the door did not. I had to pay 300 RMB to have it repaired. This early negative experience, however, did not dampen my enthusiasm for riding motorcycles in China and 6 months later I completed a lone 2000 KM motorcycle journey through Central China which took me through large cities and the open countryside.
I suppose that a disclaimer is needed before I continue writing this article. Riding a motorcycle in China is dangerous. But you are going to do it anyway, right? Just make sure that you understand the risks: other vehicles, drivers who completely disregard traffic rules,animals,bad road conditions, crazy bicyclists, rogue policemen. Driving a motorcycle can be extremely exhilirating in China but when something goes wrong there can be very serious consequences.
I purchased my motorcycle at a market near the center of town. My Chinese friends helped me bargain and I was able to buy a brand new 150 cc motorcycle for about 300 US dollars. I was too nervous to drive it home on the day that I purchased it so I asked one of my friends to deliver it to my apartment. I spent the next week driving up and down my small street as I practiced switching gears and using the accelerator.
In China, like many other countries, a motorcycle driver must register with the local government. A Chinese identification card is needed to complete this process. One of my friends went with me and we were able to use his card without any problem. The registration fee of a few hundred Chinese yuan included an insurance policy that would protect me in the event that I accidentally injured someone or destroyed another vehicle.
As I grew more and more confident on my motorcycle, I took it longer and longer distances. The convenience of not having to wait for buses or pay for expensive taxi rides far outweighed the trouble of parking my motorcycle and securing it. For about US $1.50 worth of gas, I could travel for 130 Kilometers before having to refill the tank.
As the months went by, I became more accustomed to the “rules of the road” in my town. Motorcyclists and bicyclists could do as they pleased while cars had to pay more attention to traffic lights and lanes. If a road was blocked, it was perfectly acceptable for a motorcyclist to drive up on a sidewalk or maneuver in between cars. Motorcycles could also be parked virtually anywhere including on the side of streets or even on a sidewalk.
It was in 2006 that I felt comfortable enough with my motorcycle to take a longer trip. I began planning a 7 day trip that would take me through Wudang Shang in Hubei, up to Xian in Shanxii Province then over to Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. There were no English maps available in my town so I asked a Chinese friend to help me translate the names of the cities. I put numbers by the major cities that I would be passing through and then I entered these numbers (along with their coordinates) into my GPS. I also added the name of the city in English.
I left one early morning in May with nothing but a duffel bag strapped on the back of my bike. The first leg of my trip was a twelve hour journey to Wudang Shan, the birthplace of Taoism in China. A day later, I rode 13 more hours to the ancient city of Xian, where I visited the world famous Terracotta Warriors. It was not long before I was back on my bike again this time driving 11 hours to spend some time at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, the birthplace of Chinese Kungfu. Altogether, I spent more than 50 hours driving and traveled well over 2000 Kilometers.
My only encounter with the Chinese police occurred on the first leg of this long trip. A policeman was standing in the middle of the road in front of a brick factory randomly pulling over vehicles. He motioned for me to pull over; I was wearing my helmet so I do not think that he realized at first that I was a foreigner. He was friendly but even with my limited Chinese, I could clearly understand what he wanted me to show him. All drivers in China are supposed to have a valid Chinese driver’s license. I did not have one; all I had was my international license. So, I did what I have done before in other countries when I knew that I needed to get out of a situation. I played dumb; I simply stood there and smiled. After about 5 minutes, he got tired of trying to make me understand what he wanted and waved me through. I was very greatful because I realized that he could very well have confiscated my motorcycle.
Other than a flat tire and a minor brake problem, the rest of my motorcycle trip through China was fairly uneventful. A gas station fixed my flat tire for free and the repairs to my brakes costed less than 10 RMB. Everywhere I went, people were extremely friendly and helped me as much as they could.
However, as I traveled I did pick up on a few tips that might be helpful to some of you who are planning on riding motorcycles in China.
- –Some cities do not allow motorcycles to operate. Make sure you find out about bans in the areas that you are traveling to.
- –It is very important to have a front wheel lock on your bike as well as some sort of metal locking device on the back wheel.
- –Always lock your bike no matter where you are or what you are doing. I have had countless Chinese and American friends lose their bikes because of carelessness.
- –Be aggressive but defensive when driving in China. Other vehicles will often stop suddenly in front of you or pull out and cut you off. Be especially wary of taxies.
- –Do not get angry if you are cutoff by someone. Bad driving is apart of Chinese culture and if you plan to drive a motorcycle you will just have to get used to this fact. I have rarely seen examples of “road rage” in China other than incessant pounding on horns
- –Be especially careful of people when you are driving. Many cities in China have severe consequences (at least monetarily) for injuring pedestrians. Unlike other countries where pedestrians can sometimes be faulted, the driver is always at fault in China.
I had a bike for nine months in China and I had relatively few problems. I was sideswiped by a taxi driver and did crash into a door but I escaped serious injury. Multiple attempts were made to steal my bike but because of the locking mechanisms that I used, the attempts were unsuccessful. I would probably never drive a motorcycle again in China unless I had to because of the risk. For those nine months, I really did need a motorcycle and I do not regret the time I spent driving. But driving a motorcycle in China should only be done by responsible people who have enough common sense to operate a motor vehicle safely. If that is you then go for it! But please be careful and understand that the risk is great.
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[...] Drive and Ride a Motorcycle in China [...]
I just wonder how much is your insurance and registration worth, when it comes to a serious, or minor issue. i was riding a bike recently in Shandong province, where the shop did care about license plate and insurance. I’m know in Nanjing, at it seems things are more difficult. The first shop we called up, can/will not provide registration, pisses me really off, damn china.
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Robert Vance Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 8:58 am
I’m not sure what you mean. Are you talking about how you can be paid on a claim related to an accident or are you talking about whether or not a shop will repair your bike based on whether or not you have registration/insurance?
Fortunately, I never had to test how effective my insurance was but I did have to take the bike in for repairs a couple of times. Including once when some neighborhood thieves tried to steal my bike and managed to jam and break a key in the ignition.
The bike shops don’t usually care too much about whether or not you have registration/insurance.
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Michael,
You are correct. Cities like Guangzhou, motorcycle are forbidden and will be fined heavily (if not the motorcycle impounded). If you see the traffic and how Chinese drive in the big cities, unless you have a compelling death wish, you would not want to ride the motorcycle. LOL
Repeat of the other post in answer to your question about getting a Hong Kong License:
Sir,
The Hong Kong Drivers License does not have to be transfer to a PRC license. As of about 5 years ago, there was a recripical agreement. Hong Kong must recognize PRC license to drive in HK, and PRC must recognize Hong Kong License to drive in PRC.
You only need your native country’s driver license. You do not need an international permit. Your Driver License’s ID number is your passport number. You may have to carry your Hong Kong License as well as your passport.
You may verify with PRC security or Hong Kong police.
I have driven autos and motorcycle in PRC with my Hong Kong license for many years.
There is another problem with ownership of the motor vehicle or motorcycle. In Guangdong, to buy a motorcycle, you must have an PRC identity card. The answer is to have a friend buy the motorcycle in his name. I do not know about other areas.
Here is another trick I learned. If you want a 250cc, and the area you are staying in limits the motorcycle to 150cc, you can have a friend who lives in the other area, buy the 250cc from another area.
The cost is 4-5 year ago was 900HKD or about 120USD for a 10 year license. My license covered light truck, automobile, 3 wheeled vehicles, and motorcycle. My basis is my US license covered these classes of motor vehicles.
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Sir,
I forgot to mention, the Hong Kong license is good for 10 years. 12 USD per year. cheap.
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Sir,
The Hong Kong Drivers License does not have to be transfer to a PRC license. As of about 5 years ago, there was a recripical agreement. Hong Kong must recognize PRC license to drive in HK, and PRC must recognize Hong Kong License to drive in PRC.
You only need your native country’s driver license. You do not need an international permit. Your Driver License’s ID number is your passport number. You may have to carry your Hong Kong License as well as your passport.
You may verify with PRC security or Hong Kong police.
I have driven autos and motorcycle in PRC with my Hong Kong license for many years.
There is another problem with ownership of the motor vehicle or motorcycle. In Guangdong, to buy a motorcycle, you must have an PRC identity card. The answer is to have a friend buy the motorcycle in his name. I do not know about other areas.
Here is another trick I learned. If you want a 250cc, and the area you are staying in limits the motorcycle to 150cc, you can have a friend who lives in the other area, buy the 250cc from another area.
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>>the Hong Kong licence route is an interesting idea.
But don’t forget that a license of Hong Kong has to be transferred into a Chinese license as well, though Hong Kong has plenty of agencies to do it for you, so you won’t have to go to the mainland and can do everything from Hong Kong.
Though sometimes otherwise stated, Hong Kongers cannot use their license in the Mainland, and Mainlanders cannot use their license in Hong Kong.
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Having made several motorcycle tours in China, I would NOT recommend anyone rides there without a Chinese licence. However, the Hong Kong licence route is an interesting idea. Do you simply take the licence of your home country, as well as an International Driving/Motorcycle Licence to the Hong Kong licencing authority? My first tour was in 1986 from Dalian to Hailar. For that we had Chinese Temporary Licences issued with the assistance of the Shenyang branch of the old China International Travel Service (CITS) when it was government-owned. That was an organised ride – there were 12 of us – and you would not believe the level of back-up service we had! The Chinese ‘guides’ almost outnumbered us and after a couple of days it was clear they had no real idea of the distances between towns by road. They had done all their calculations off the RAILWAY distances! Fun times. Last tours have been in Sichuan and Yunnan. Off The Beaten Track, staying away from big cities.
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Great info Robert, thanks for sharing it. Am getting eager to buy a bike myself, and it’s good to have some first-hand accounts of the risks and pleasures of it.
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I am wondering why your proudly dare to tell that
1) you do ride in China without a Chinese motorcycle license
2) that you never had a motorcycle license, even in your own country.
3) And you still make fun of Chinese traffic, seems you are not better and not more responsable at all than the Chinese drivers and riders.
Please remember that also China has some laws. That many Chinese disobey Chinese laws should not be a reason for foreigners to do the same.
It seems the place where you live is not one that has stopped issuing motorcycle licenses.
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Hi all my name is Susan Stafford from Australia. I have read your stories and
there fascinating. I am an experience rider and i`d love to ride throughout
china and the continent, but going it alone maybe some risks. I met a Japanese
fella in Cape York who was riding a Honda CT 110, he had all his stuff in
sidesaddles he was cool mate and going into unfamiliar terroritory it`s rough
as guts that country, but he did it i heard along the grapevine. If anyone has
information about group rides or anything i`d love to hear..
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I would like to point out that not having a license and playing dumb won’t always work. There’s a high chance that the police officers won’t bother you if you play dumb but I think the author plays down the risk in his article. Worst case scenario includes jail time, confiscation of the bike, hefty fines and even deportation.
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hi!
very interesting story.
anyone knows if it is possible to cross the border with a motorcycle?
thanks,
ilan
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[...] I want to first congratulate you and your friend on your ambitious motorcycling plans this Fall. Many foreigners have enjoyed exploring China by motorcycle and I am sure that you will have an unforgettable experience. However, there are some issues related to driving motorcycles in China that you should be aware of. I will touch on a few of these issues here and also direct you to an informative article about motorcycles in China written by our very own Robert Vance. [...]
I was an experianced motorcycle rider when I came to China, getting my first motorbike at 10 years old and owning one ever since. Needless to say one of the first things I bought here was a motorcycle. It was a Chinese brand, and I tricked it out to look like an American Harley, more like a chopper. As I have worked on motorcycles for as lond as I had them, and enjoyed this in my pass time. My bike was truely one of a kind. I wish we could post pics here, you would never believed it was made here. Extended forks, bored pistons, custom exhaust, custom handle bars, custom seat, electronic alarm and ignition, the whole nine yards.
It was a 150cc, but I won several bets by racing 250cc sport bikes, and smoking them.
However as I mentioned in a recent post here, a few days ago I was in a serious accident which I am lucky to have survived. A man rode directly through a red light and creamed me, totaling me, and all my hard work. My bike is now history and even the police could not believe I survived.
Point being be carefull. Even an experianced rider such as myself had a brush with death. Driving here is very different from western countries, and that is an understatement to say the least. I would certainly say take lessons if you are inexperianced. Drive cautiously but you will need to be a bit aggressive as well.
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Philip Reply:
April 1st, 2010 at 10:46 am
Here is the answer. You go to Hong Kong (DMV)(United Centre) and apply for a Hong Kong Driver License. As of 2007 China must reconize HK license as well a PRC must reconize HK license.
You pay 900HKD, wait 2-3 hours and bingo, you have a HK license.
There is nothing Gong An do (unless you pissed him off). It is legal. I got my “PRC driver license” that way.
Hong Kong makes money and do not care, for HK reconizes Internationl license while PRC does not.
I tried to get a normal PRC license, but they told me that I must take the written and road test (in chinese, I do not read chinese) and responded ” you must know our rules of road”. I responded “you have not rules, where there is room and opportunity, you go”. LOL
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Hi Dapai,
Thanks for your informative post. Paying “a motorcycle taxi driver to teach you” is a very interesting suggestion. I never thought about that. Actually, some of my ‘motorcycle pals’ used to routinely convince the motorcycle taxi drivers to let them drive instead. I don’t know if the drivers were crazy or just simply thought all foreigners could drive motorcycles, but my friends were often able to do this.
I agree with you that in general, a foreign motorcyclist will not be hassled by the police unless he or she is in blatant disregard of a traffic law. Most police officers do not want to waste their time trying to communicate with you in English.
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I motorcycled from Harbin to Urumqi with my two friends last summer. We did NOT have licenses and still got by, admittedly with a few police run-ins. If you can, get the proper paperwork. If not, just don’t break any traffic rules, wear a helmet and it’s likely the police won’t bother a foreigner. He is right about some cities not allowing motorcycles. As you enter, have a look around; if you don’t see any other motorcycles, stay outside the city. When you buy the bike, have the dealer get the license plates for you.
Another way to learn to ride is to pay a motorcycle taxi driver to teach you and use his/her bike. We paid 50 yuan/hour, and met with him maybe 4 times 1-1.5 hrs each time. When we went to purchase the bike we were ready to ride away like we were pros!
Nothing beats the freedom of a motorcycle! Be sure to drive defensively!
Good luck,
dapai
acrosschina.blogspot.com
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Awesome post!!! So helpful man! Please please please tell me more about the registration process. I want to ride a bike in China this summer, but I am not a resident and don’t have the card. I’m just a tourist. can it be done?
Your learning-to-ride story is awesome – I did it exactly the same way when I lived in Oklahoma. I bought the bike and had it delivered by truck. Then I sat in my front yard with an article I printed off entitled “how to start a motorcycle.” Then, just like you I did it a street and a block at a time. Soon it was cruising old 66!
Hope you can help me with some of my questions.
Chris,
S Korea
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