It's All There at Shanghai Motorcycle Market: Hundreds of Small Shops Sell Parts, Accessories, Do Bike Repairs

One place to buy parts is the Shanghai motorcycle market. It is a biker’s dream. Hundreds of small shops are crammed into an almost 54,000-square-foot area. Shops are small, maybe 10 feet wide and double that in depth, though shops which sell accessories are bigger than those which sell parts and do repairs.

Walkways are narrow and crammed with merchandise, bikes being repaired and customers. It’s easy to get lost in there, but enthusiasts will think they’re in heaven.

Parts, Accessories Cheaper in China

Parts and accessories are a lot cheaper there than in, say, the United States. The helmet selection is astounding, especially since the Chinese are not required to wear helmets. Pastel-colored helmets with Snoopy, Tweety and Garfield on them start at around $9. Full-face top-of-the-line helmets can be had for as little as $20.

Parts are pretty cheap in comparison to U.S. prices. A replacement muffler for a Chinese scooter that would have cost more than $100 in the United States was $10. A cylinder and other parts for a Yamaha scooter would have cost around $135 if purchased in the United States; a recent visitor paid under $30 for them at the Shanghai motorcycle market.

Vendors don’t speak English at this market; an interpreter is a must for those who don’t speak Mandarin. At the very least, shoppers should have someone write all the information about the parts desired in characters on paper to show the vendors.

Buyers should be sure to inspect all the parts shown to make sure they’re the right ones. Parts and accessories are generally not returnable in China. Bikers who find they’ve bought the wrong parts when they get home may be able to sell them to a local motorcycle shop which sells Chinese motorcycles and scooters.

Chinese Parts Can Be Hard to Find in USA

Motorcycles and scooters made in China are inexpensive compared to those made in Japan, Italy and the United States. But the quality, in some instances, may not be as good. The bikes may break down easily. When they break down, finding parts can be difficult and expensive. Some Chinese brands are knock-offs of Yamaha and Honda, so those parts can be used.

Some dealers, however, may not carry a parts line for the Chinese motorcycles and scooters they sell. Parts may then have to be ordered direct from the factory in China, which can run into big bucks. Doing it this way is obviously cheaper than making a special trip to China, but if someone is going to China anyway, why not take advantage of this to buy parts.

The Shanghai motorcycle market is officially known as the Shanghai Yichuan Moto Market. It is located at 127 Jiaoji Road. It is open daily. The market can be difficult to find. The easiest way to get there is to get off at Zhong Tan Road on Shanghai Metro Line 4 or Yan Chang Road on Metro Line 1, and take a taxi from there.

Jul 6, 2009 6:12 AM

Guest :

Awesome writeup, Cheryl! Thanks!

I went down there today, and it was even cooler than I expected. It's huge and they do have tons of stuff. I kind of expected them to have a little more selection of body panels, seeing as how 80% of the scooters in Shanghai are all that same "Forever LPG" style. But alas, that was the only thing stopping the place from being perfect.

It would be a great place to just go hang out for an hour or two, really. Even if you're not into bikes. It's definitely a cultural experience, and it's not exactly crawling with foreigners either. One of those untouched places I suppose. Thanks for the heads-up!

One note for anyone else interested in the place. It is tough to find, like Cheryl mentioned, but I tried to get there on my bike anyway for the sake of adventure and, naturally, got lost. I ended up taking a cab like she suggested. JiaoJi Road is basically all motorcycle repair and accessory shops, but the actual market is set back a little from the street. It's a short street, so once you find it, you can't miss. If you do take a cab, tell them you want to go to "JiaoTong Lu/JiaoJi Lu". Then walk north on JiaoJi Road. Enjoy! And thanks again Cheryl.

Jul 13, 2009 10:24 PM

Guest :

If u're thinking: Hey! Let's go there and buy a scooter or a moto for this summer in Shanghai! Then let me bring u back on earth.

Many of the bikes u can get there are illegal (some MIGHT even be stolen, or assembled with parts of stolen bikes) for u (foreigner, but also Chinese) to drive in Shanghai.

I go to this place from time to time since 3 years, that's one of the rare places in Sh that doesn't change, although their products (bikes) are more and more obsolete according to the everyday more severe laws (or more severe application of those laws by Chinese Police staff) of traffic.

If u buy a bike there, u probably don't have any 2 wheels license (a little red book), and certainly won't get a real plate: around 10000RMB for scooter (only LPG is legal), up to 40-50000RMB for moto, and no new moto plates are issued in SH since last year, u gotta buy 2nd hand.
After buying ur illegal machine without plates be ready to escape when police will shout at you pointing their fingers in ur direction (be sure that they will, and fake plates won't delay the fast whistle reflex they have at the sight of a white face ), and be ready to be jailed for forever and then deported for forever if u ever happen to hurt any Chinese citizen at any corner of any street.

If u live and drive out of the inner ring (and hurt nobody) then there's much more "tolerance", but there's still risks.

Bikes are awfully cheap at this place (starts at 1000RMB for an fully illegal Gas powered scooter), but can cost u all of what u have and could have in the next ten or twenty years, think about it.

Now if u think of buying parts for ur bike (or even fully built bikes) to use or to sell in the awesome foreign world, realize that most of the products there are awfully cheap for obvious and chiefly awful reasons.

I broke countless parts bought there, mostly new parts.

Quality stuff ain't there, or ain't cheap, and when it's here and cheap it ain't for u (strong mechanic parts experience coupled with strong bargain skills combined with fluent Chinese can prove me a liar here).

For the travel experience, yes the place is cool, kind of untouched, and one of the Shanghai markets unknown to foreign travel books, and to most foreigners, but if travel books don't bring u there, maybe there's some reason after all...

U won't be too welcome here, very few will ask u what u want, or try to sell u stuff, although it's totally safe.

I hope this brings some light...