The main goal of why I'm working so hard on this motorcycle license is that I can pass the ICBC road test and then acquire a Class 5/6 combined vehicle license for both cars and motorcycles.
That document can then go with me to Shanghai where it can then be translated into Chinese at a notary office downtown and taken to the 'che guan suo' (traffic vehicle office). Once there, I will then need to take another 100-question multiple choice theory test on motorcycle riding. It's in English, and requires a 90% pass rate, similar to the one I took fo the car license. Once that theory test is passed, I can then add the motorcycle endorsement to my current Chinese car driving license.
In the event that there's a problem in the bureaucracy of doing that, then having a certified copy of the translation document plus my BC motorcycle/car license plus my Chinese car license would be enough to satisfy the Chines police in the rare event of being pulled over.
After that is done, my suburban house address in Shanghai plus license would then allow me to purchase a larger capacity bike and register it with a 'HU C' suburban plate, which only costs around 10,000 RMB as opposed to 50,000 RMB for the 'HU A' plate.
In the event of a repatriation, however, or for an extended summer visit back to Canada, then there's another obvious advantage of getting a motorcycle license here.
The advantage is simple: I would be able to easily purchase and register a large capacity motorcycle in Vancouver, or some other city, and get around the city easily and quickly, and saving copious amounts of cash. The bike could be used for long distance trips as well. Heck, I could even go to Seattle with it.
It just occured to me on yesterday's road ride that having a motorcycle in Vancouver would open up the place so much during the summer season when I'd most likely be here anyway!
Related to my other posts on the transit trauma from suburb-to-suburb, and all the time wasted in biking / walking, then a motorcycle would solve all these problems in one stroke. If the motorcycle already saves tons of cash in Shanghai, then just imagine how much more freedom and cost savings it would open up for Vancouver which is even more expensive for getting around.
With all that in mind, it really amazes me why anyone would want a larger vehicle like a car or van, aka a 'cage' in motorycle lingo. The car is useful for some things, I'll admit, and the winter season for sure, but it eats up your cash like you wouldn't believe. With gas prices the way they are these days, forget it.
Bring on the bikes!
Actually, it's no small wonder why motorcycle sales are soaring, and why demand is sky high to get into a training course like Pro Ride.
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