license for very small motorbike

[metal.lunchbox]

Here's the question: Is there a lower limit to the requirement for licenses for motorbikes? That is, is there a motorbike with an engine small enough that I do not need a license in China? If so, what is the limit? 45cc?

 

There are moped conversions which are barely more powerful than a seasoned cyclist, do I still need a license for this kind of bike?

 

Getting a license for a motorbike and registering the bike can be bit of a pain in the ass in China, especially since I can find no local person to give me any useful information about the procedure.

 

What about something like this : http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.273.IcuXEO&id=44900754992&ns=1&abbucket=6#detail ? Can I legally ride something like that on the street?

[metal.lunchbox]

After looking much harder, I found some forums where people say that the rules don't have such subtley. If there's a gasoline or diesel engine you need a license, if there's isn't you don't. I can't be sure how accurate that is.

 

As for the above mentioned gas-powered skateboard with a seat, if I stay out of the all but the smaller cities, could it get away with driving such a thing on the road?

[shuoshuo]

As far as I know (because I'm also looking into it), you need a license if the bike requires fuel (gas, diesel, whatever you may call it) and does not require a license if it's a pedal bicycle or a battery-fueled bike.

But then again there are cars that run on battery, and I'm pretty sure you would need a license for that. I read on one of the license sites that you would need to drive a road-approved bike on your license. It's all very complicated.

[Silent]

 

if I stay out of the all but the smaller cities, could it get away with driving such a thing on the road?

Or you could get away with it I don't know, but would you really want to? If you have an accident, no matter yours or someone else fault, you may have big problem when driving without license while you need one. This is even more true when people get (seriously) hurt.  If there is a reasonable alternative such as an e-bike that apparently does not need a license why take the risk?

 

 

Getting a license for a motorbike and registering the bike can be bit of a pain in the ass in China

Not sure how true this is. There are plenty of them out there, so I'ld say it can't be that hard  though jumping the hoops with limited Chinese will complicate things.

[ChTTay]

There are a couple of agencies in BJ who advertise as walking you through the whole process of obtaining the license. For cars, if you have a license from your home country, you probably don't need to take a practical test - at least that's what I heard. Maybe it's the same with bikes.

[Simon_CH]

I gave up owning a gas-powered bike for the moment in Beijing simply because of the hassle of getting a license plate and driving license here. There is an ongoing crackdown on people driving without one, and foreigners have been deported for being in a (harmless) accident for that very reason. 

 

Bikes also get confiscated if you get caught, accident or not. 

[Brian US]

Requirements and enforcements are going to differ greatly between each city/province, so best to start there. Cities like Beijing will even limit which parts you may go (within ring roads) depending on license.

[shuoshuo]

There are these bicycles with batteries, thinking of getting one. My friends say I won't need a license for a bicycle. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks.

[889]

The bike needs to be licensed. Naturally there are rules and naturally the rules have their ins and outs. And they may well have changed since this article was published last year:

 

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/metro/public-services/Police-establish-158-bike-license-centers/shdaily.shtml

 

(You seem to be in Shanghai; as said by another poster, different procedures may apply elsewhere.)

[shuoshuo]

Yes I am. Thank you for the link.