Guy rides a Chinese Bike accross part of CHINA.

[kens97sto171]

This is really great .. he has great pictures, and story to go with it.. really worth checking out.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222736


Ken

[katoranger]

I read an answer to alot of questions on output for electrics. He says it has a 20amp alternator with gives us 240watts to work with.

Not much.

Allen

[culcune]

I had read this a few weeks ago. Several of the people contributing are/were members here (at least the ones with the same nicknames). 'Crazy Carl', who wrote quite a few replies to 'Beemer Boy' in that thread, just recently wrote me back (he was a member here quite a while ago) after I sent him an inquiry. If you check out his website, he has a new DVD as a follow up to his old DVD of his ride through China on his Jialing 150cc enduro. He is a recent "model" for the Aerostich catalog posing in front of some mountains with his Jialing in China--I think he clarified that in the same ADVrider thread.

[katoranger]

Here he is.


Crazy Carl's website http://www.carlparker.com/

Has some nice stuff at his site.

Allen

[kens97sto171]

If you go to the main URL

http://www.advrider.com/

Just sit back and watch for a while.. The pics are amazing.

BTW thanks for the link to Crazy Carls.. I cant check it out right now.. gotta go.. I am taking a load to Houston in a couple hrs... be a nice 1140 mile trip $$ ... be back late Tues. Will check it out then.. would love a DVD about his trips.

Ken

[gyjoe]

Very interesting, although I have read only 10 pages so far. I get the impression that you are better off travelling across China with one of these bikes than you would be going across North America, due to the availability of parts for these bikes.

[CrazyCarl]

Hey whoa check out this thread! <looking around> Who's this Carl guy? Looks like a real *ss-hole.

Originally Posted by gyjoe

Very interesting, although I have read only 10 pages so far. I get the impression that you are better off travelling across China with one of these bikes than you would be going across North America, due to the availability of parts for these bikes.

What you say is right. Traveling long distances takes more than you and your machine, although romantically that's what it is. You and your machine are flesh and steel. Both consume, use and exhaust. Parts for a bike like the Jialing 150 (I call her Big Wheels) are extremely abundant here and make regular maintenance not easy and affordable. Part are dirt cvheap over here guys. It costs about 30USD to replace the piston, piston rings, cylinder and valves. A new clutch cable is 1.00 USD. You can briefly see what the Chinese moto parts shops look like in my film.

Convenience and affordability are nice but still not the only benfit of having available parts. Having to maintain a bike in China gives you a great opportunity to interact with various members of China's wonderful motorcycle community and what an experience that is!

Unfortunately anything past 150 or 200cc would be just as problematic as a larger japapanese or yur-a-pee-on bike. When you're waaay out there you better ride slow cuz' any small problems can become big real quick.

I just stepped in to a QingQi 200GY like ol' Bobert from the ADV list and will take that on some long distance rides soon. As far as what available in China itself I think it's the cat's meow. I really hope there are no problems with this Suzuki engine and frame cuz' if there are I think it will be more expensive to fix than the good ol' standard 150 thumper. That said, there's no reason to underestimate you or your machine. Find a mountain and climb it!

CC

[culcune]

Hey Carl, now that you are one of the Top Aerostich Models, you can afford that fancy Qingqi, huh? (What an ego...... )

[CrazyCarl]

Hell yeah! 200cc is the big time! Hope it don't crap out on me cuz' it got no kick start! :roll:

If you guys get one in the US for street use I would suggest getting a smaller rear cog. Plenty of power down low but it has you searching for a 6th gear sometimes.

The Aerostich catalog was a big surprise. It just goes to show, if you got pics go ahead and submit them to places. You may get lucky!

CC

[culcune]

On a serious note, what do you do in China/Asia? Do you know Daniel Montejo? (He lives in China and did a long trip with a buddy with both riding Zongshens)

[CrazyCarl]

Culcune,

I've been teaching english in China for the past 4.5 years at a highly rated technology uni. I recently decided that teaching is fun but since I'm Chinese illiterate that I should spend some time studying the reading and writing aspect of the language which is interesting and quite difficult. Come march I've signed up for classes at a local minority university where I may even be able to get in a few words of Tibetan.

In the non-academic world, I'm in the middle of trying to promote the film and also do other photographic projects on the side. I've done a couple NGO gigs and lots of moto travel. I'll be putting a TR up on ADV soon about my very first ride in China/Tibet in 2004. I never got around to it and now is a good a time as any!

Unfortunately I don't know Daniel Montejo but I should like to meet him sometime. I guess he passed through my neck of the woods and I missed him. Checking the map of his trip, he sure did an interesting loop. I strongly encourage anyone adventure traveling China to spend most, if not all, their time in the western region of the country because the land and people are absolutely amazing and more diverse than you would expect. If you're looking for real barren desolation, it is one of the few places in Asia you can go and is stil largely unrecorded.

Regarding those ZongShens...I had a chance to ride and take care of one for a Canadian dude I met on the road who did an even longer ride than Daniel and recorded some footage claiming to also be making a film about it but it never materialized. My impression of the ZongShen was not very good, and neither was BB's on the Adv list.

If you can get yourself that "QLink" Qing-Qi model I suggest go for it. Be sure a luggage rack is available for it.

You got plans to take some trips?

CC