Hi there,

any sidecar motorcycle drivers in Kunming?

My bike is arriving soon and I wonder if anyone wants to go out for a ride?

I haven't seen any around, though there is a Chinese Harley club in Lijiang.

Be careful with the bike around here. Motorcycles are generally not allowed inside the second ring road.

If you don't have all your licenses in order, they may take your bike and even fine you. Foreigners have been deported in other provinces for riding illegally, though I haven't heard of it happening here.

there is a WW2 era looking thing around - painted army green. don't know the name/make but I'm sure www.mychinamoto.com could help. so, they do exist though I can't remember anything more modern looking here.
I haven't come across that Lijiang Harley club but I did meet a group of guys with fast road/race bikes there. I've seen more dirt/enduro bikes around KM recently.
@Con82 - what type of bike are you getting?

I'm moving my Chang Jiang 750 from Beijing to Kunming. Finally managed to get it picked up and shipped. I have it for a little over 2 years.

I have all my paperwork (driving licence, insurance, the "blue book") on hand. So shouldn't be an issue there.

I am located just a few hundred meters away from 3rd ring road; close to Zhongyanglicheng Residential Quarter/the new Sofitel.

Definitely speak to the owners of Bad Monkey bar in Dali. The guy has a huge collection and is an escaped/retired professional classic car mechanic.

I recently saw a Ducati and another 1000cc+ crotch rocket parked together, near where I live (regularly). I'm forbidden to ride anymore, so I can only reminisce about freedom.

Supposed to be a tour operation in Jinghong run by a couple of westerners who have 5-6 bikes with sidecars in which they take travelers on road trips around Yunnan and into Laos and farther - don't know details, although I met one of these guys, who was doing programming or something in Shanghai, at New Year's Eve a year & a half ago in Jinghong (at wellknown Mekong Cafe, run by a Frenchman who's a good cook) - at that time the guy was just about to get his operation going. A year later I was told, by the usually well-informed Frenchman, who knows in Jinghong, that it was up & running.
In case you're not familiar with Yunnan geography yet, Jinghong is the main town in tropical Xishuangbanna, not far north of the Lao border.

Thanks a lot guys! A lot of good information!

Will check with the guys in Dali and Jinghong.

If you see a black and white sidecar in a couple of weeks flag me down and I'll take you for a ride :)