Am hoping towards the end of this year of purchasing a Chiang Jiang M1M with sidecar. Question: how available are they and what amount of money are they fetching in running order? Iam wanting to convert one to BMW R71 specs. Is anyone here in Australia importing any from China? Any assistance greatly appreciated, Ian

Hi Ian,

Sorry for the late reply. I'm not aware of anyone importing Chang Jiangs in to Australia. Also i have not seen any others for sale within Australia therfore I am not able to answer either of your questions.

I started this webpage in the hope of getting some replies from other CJ enthusiasts here in Oz but not luck yet I'm afraid.

I have only ever seen one other CJ in Australia and that one had NSW plates on it. I have heard that a few years ago there was a company in NSW who imported CJ's and sold them to the public, but i have not been able to confirm this.

I would guess that the value of a road worthy CJ would be around $6-7000 the real problem as I currently see it would be the transfering of the registration especially if the bike were a left hand drive model such as mine.

Hope you have some luck locating one in Oz.

Keep in touch
Chris.

Thanks for the reply Chriss, Saw one at the Club Laverda Concourse here in Brisbane last August but the owner did not wish to sell. He picked it up for less than $2000! Bit rough but running and registered. Will keep a lookout, Cheers for now, IAn

Hi Ian and Chris,
several months ago, I was put on to the Australian importer for Changs. I have forgotten his name, but his business name is "Mao's Motorcycles" and he is located near Melbourne. I rang him up a large number of times on the phone and eventually got through to him. I asked him how many Changs he has sold and he told me "about 30". I have no way of knowing whether this was an exaggeration to try to boost sales or not. I can now no longer find his web page or details.

Ian, was the CJ you saw at the Club Laverda Concourse registered in Queensland? If so, was the sidecar on the right or the left?

Blessings,

Phil
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Hi Phill, the CJ at the Laverda Concourse was registered in QLD and the sidecar was on the right hand side, thanks for the reply, Cheers, Ian

I have been looking at buying a new CJ myself.

My family's Company imports musical instruments and other similar things, So I have looked at buying new direct from China.

I have been able to find a company that can import directly to me for around US$3500.00 plus $200 for a Left-handed sidecar and $400 off if you do not require a Sidecar. This includes the M1M, M1Super, M1M-B and M1Super-B. (This price includes shipping to Major Australian city, it does not include customs duty)

I totally agree with the web pages notes on importing a bike. I do not know what are the shortfalls for a CJ on Australian Standards. For this reason, I have not yet purchase a CJ.

If anyone has any info on Australian standards please let me know

Thanks

Ryan

Hi, received this e-mail recently from Dong Tang Motorcycles in China.
Hi,

If you order one, our price of M1M and M1Super with right sidecar are
US$2780.00/unit and US$2880.00/unit CIF Main City.
If you order one, our price of M1M-B and M1Super-B with right sidecar are
US$2880.00/unit and US$2980.00/unit CIF Main City.

Our price is including the shipping and insurance from China to your area.
If you need left sidecar, please add US$200.00.

Yours Faithfully

JianBiao Zhang
Owner
http://www.chang-jiang.com/
So about $3500 landed here in Australia, good price. Would suggest you safeguard yourself somehow from getting ripped of, you never know how reputable some people are! Are you a reenactor? I'm with AGS in Brisbane. Hope this helps, Ian

A recently built CJ750 will NOT come within a bull's roar of meeting the ADRs.

I am currently importing one to be registered in Queensland. To be able to do it, I have purchased a 1967 model which is currently being re-built for me in Beijing. This makes for many fewer ADR's that have to be met before I can import it.

I have spent most of a year trying to ascertain exactly what is required to be able to do it.

Some of the issues are:

You MUST have an import approval issued specifically for your bike by DOTARS before you import it, or it is required by law to be crushed by customs at your expense.
If it is more than 15 years old, an ADR compliance plate is not required, but it must meet all requirements for its year of manufacture in the state where it is to be registered.
Headlight must dip to the left, not to the right.
Mufflers and exhaust system need to be legal both for emmissions and sound pollution. As supplied, a CJ cannot pass either of these tests.
Hi-beam indicator required.
Neutral gear indicator required.
Turning signal indicator required.
Rear number plate light must be added.
Brake lights and switches need to be added - depending on year of manufacture this may apply to back brake only or to both front and back brakes.
If sidecar is fitted, a parking brake must be added.
Reversing light must be added after a certain year of manufacture.
Fore-and-aft front number plate brackets must be removed.
For Queensland, LHD (sidecar on the right) is only allowed if the bike is more than thirty years old ... for other states you will need to check.
A new bike from Dong Tang has to pass a braking test to get its roadworthiness certificate for registration ... as supplied, a CJ is incapable of passing that test.

I am writing this list off the top of my head ... there are therefore probably a few other requirements I have left off.

It probably depends to a certain extent on the person who issues the roadworthiness certificate for registration purposes where you are registering it.

For example, I am not fitting a reversing light and am hoping that the officer who inspects it for registration will not realise that it has a reverse gear.

Be very careful that you understand that for bikes purchased from most Chinese dealers, you will need to take care of some or all of the above modifications at your own expense after you receive the bike in Australia.

Be very aware also that quality control in China is not comparable to what we have come to expect in Australia, so that a brand new bike may well have such extra features as leaky head gaskets, leaking oil seals here and there, inlet and/or exhaust valves out of adjustment, points out of adjustment, dirt in the petrol lines or carburettors, etc., etc., etc.

The purchase price for my bike was USD$2,400 but I expect to have no change left out of AUD$5,000 when I eventually get my bike to Queensland and get it registered.

Do not purchase a CJ unless you enjoy getting your hands greasy by doing lots of mechanical maintenance yourself.

I hope the above may be helpful in making your decision.

Thankyou all for your responses.

Thanks particularly for the ADR information. It gives a lot to think about.

I will continue to look into it.

Ryan

Ah at last I found a place where I probably will not be considered insane.. I like The CJ ..After a lifetime repairing and selling bikes it takes a lot to get me interested. In CJ I am interested... I missed one in Sydney by a week or so... I have been corresponding with a nice chap in China that has totally rebuilt MIM 750 SV solos for $2200us. He uses the best engines all renewed with "proper" bearings right through the bike, put together with S/S and nylocs where needed. 4 speed box no reverse and the "high speed" gear ratio in the back. the point of the letter is, I have imported hundreds of bikes, Old bike from spain , italy and holland. it's no big deal, there are a number of hoops that you have to jump through. get a receipt with the Date of Manufacture written on it, Gerald from China will attach a manufacturers plate with a construction date on it. I suggest 1976....get the import doc as written earlier, $50 no problemo, get an agent to do the customs/ ministry of agriculture (John Clark did all mine) Eltham, Vic. once home do the mods, ie. headlamp unit, flasher indicator,(might need an electronic flasher can)high beam indicator, forget neutral light.stop light on rear (1976!)number plate light, 2 mirrors,Get RWC. should not be a problem, if it is, see me after, sound will be tested,( 102decibels I believe) just jam the exhaust full of wire wool and tighten tappets right up. Get the name and address of a Certified light vehicle inspection engineer from Vic Roads, I have his name somewhere, he will ok the vehicle, and charge you about $250.00 for a cert. book in at Vic roads and ride away..........Slowly, slowly.....if I can help I will. geoff.

the guy to talk to appears to be Gerald. I have fotos if you wish......just ask. gardebledg@yahoo.com as I said before, MIM solo totally restored, $2200us, what a bargain. geoff