I'm moving to kunming soon and would like to hear the low-down on motorcycle/scooter laws and practicalities if anyone has any opinions. :)

First of all, I would really like to get a 250cc (or above) motorcycle to travel around yunnan with. Any words about: laws, good bikes (good deals for good bikes), registration/insurance (if any), and anything else i've overlooked that you think i need to know about?

My buddy told me i can't ride around downtown in a 250cc (or up) bike so i'm planning on keeping it out of town.

So while in town, i've been told that it'd be advantageous to get an electric scooter. Anyone have any thoughts on this too?

ALSO, i'm not planning on working for a month or two when i first get there..any thoughts on some good bike trips worth doing when first getting to kunming? (I have never lived in China but have been riding for two years so please keep this in mind..i'm not used to chinese traffic/language/etc).

Any thoughts are immensely appreciated!

check here www.mychinamoto.com

thanks beni-w.

these guys know their stuff. a bit too much for my knowledge of bikes but i guess that means i gotta learn some stuff.

seems like everyones into the shinerays..any experience with those or the galaxys?

any more hints/advice on checking out/buying bikes in kunming, once i get there, would be greatly appreciated!!

Be careful my friend.... be very very careful.

I drive a car and an electric moto here for 6 years. Nothing is logical when it comes to driving in China, especially Kunming. If you have an accident, 98% of the time it is your fault, no matter the circumstances. As a foreigner, since your are "rich", you will be the payee in an accident. Of course you have to be lucky enough to first survive the possible street beatings encountered after injuring a Chinese citizen.

thanks for the warning bucko..been training myself in korea (generally people are good here, but dependence on GPS systems thinking for them is WAY ridiculous..GPS says turn right, so they turn right, regardless of the massive bus or motorcycle next to them :/).

anyways, i don't plan on wasting any tread of a big bike in chinese cities. the 200-250cc bike i hope to buy (and parked out of city) will be for rural excursions only..e-bike for KM. i'm very used to the 'blame the foreigner first thing' already...

A taxi passenger opened his door into the cycle lane and I hit it.

The cops made the taxi driver compensate me. This was in Zhengzhou, but I think the same would happen in Kunming.

Actually I think I have worked out the logic of traffic, or at least a logic that can be applied.
Imagine a world of vehicles with no brakes, they can slow and alter course, but not quickly. Some are big and take longer to slow or alter course. Think about who needs to adjust speed for who, and how they avoid collisions. Imagine a set of unwritten rules of the road developing in this scenario.

There is a logic in keeping out of the big vehicles path (might is right), but if the big vehicle drives like a road hog expect collisions. The big guy is perhaps less aware of his own vulnerability than the little guy. In a collision the big guy is usually in the wrong, and being the owner of something big (rich) coughs up some money.
Imagine a world of horses, carts, rickshaws, and sedan chairs. No effective braking. Introduce cars and trucks, at first only for the powerful, then for the rich, and now a free for all.

TigerTiger's Theory of Road Relativity. ;-)

I live in the new Chenggong area south of the city and have a 2011 Suzuki 125cc. I assume you have a license already. you need to be aware that you are not allowed to operate any motorcycle inside of 2nd Ring Rd. On it is ok on the lower level (so I'm told) but not inside.

I bought a new Suzuki because I didn't want to be in the middle of nowhere and have problems with a POS Chinese bike. I go ride in the countryside sometimes but haven't found anyone in my area to ride with. There are some great places around here.

I'm buying a friend's van when he moves back to the US soon so I may be willing to sell the bike if you're interested. It's an EN125, yellow, about 3,500km showing, and spotless.

Riding here is best left to trips to the countryside. Other drivers in traffic are very dangerous around bikes. I've had a couple intentionally try to push me over. In light traffic it's ok though as long as you're careful. Get a car if you want to drive in the city. It's MUCH less stressful.

I forgot my email address in the above post. It's markj8977@yahoo.com.

In Beijing for trips in around the city I use a Benelli 250 scooter. It has pretty good storage under the seat for groceries and quick enough to get you out of trouble.

Riding a motorcycle in China ... Assume only that drivers are blind senseless creatures with no concept of signalling... They will not check blind spots. Wear a helmet and be very aware...I found going fast enough to not be an obstacle is one of the safer things. Under the more expensive your vehicle is the more right of way you deserve.

One of the problems with Chinese motorbikes is that they might be too small. I found that 99% of the bikes here require me to sit double folded and then still the steering bar is hitting my knees.
So especially when you are a bit taller make sure the bike fits you.

Bikes in China tend to have small engines. 125cc is the norm. 250cc the max unless you want to spend more than twice on what you spend on a 125cc. Anyway I found a 125cc more than fast enough given the road and traffic conditions here.

The roads in Kunming in general don't have an anti skit layer so you find that braking often does very little. Outside town you will find lots of gravel and sand on the road.

Worst is that motorbikes are the lowest in the pecking order. Unless you are suicidal I recommend you not to drive in Kunming (Nor in any other city). It is quite normal for oncoming traffic to overtake right where you are because "the road is wide enough for a big truck their SUV and your motorbike". Another thing I experienced was cars trying to overtake me when you are lined up for a traffic light, had them even driving over my feet ones.

Mind you driving in rural Yunnan on a bike is great.

I recommend you to buy something simple and locally used. In the rural area there are plenty of motorbike repair shops but if they don't have the parts than there is little they can do so make shure you have the bike they have the parts for. (So no Shineray)