[Spondon]

Hi, I've been asked to move to HK and work by my present employers & work at thier office in Kowloon early next year. They are estimating 12000/14000 HKD for rent, will this get me a decent appartment within commuting distance & I'm not sure whether to live on the mainland or ferry to the HK island? The deciding factors I think would be :-
Time/cost to commute, hopefully no more than say 40 mins
I still would like to continue to ride a motorbike so would require secureish parking, will I change my mind when there?
I am also a keen horse rider, are there local riding schools? Is it going to be too hot?
I still like to party so think I need to commute at all hours
Also interested in scuba & water ski, & assume this is easy to find and get to.
Hope you can help

[dropdedfwed]

do a few searches on the threads in this site. there is s lot of info that answers most your questions.

in short, 12-14k permonth on kowloon side should get u an ok place.

horse riding and scuba etc, yeppo, do some more searches here...

motorbikes... one important thing to consider when u read on this in HK - most the people who say it is really dangerous to ride in HK have never ridden a motorbike in any other country, let alone HK. HK drivers are more aware of bikes, as there seems to be a good bike presence on the road. it depends on your riding habits, and where u choose to ride too. in saying that, there is a good percentage of HK drivers that dont know what lane markings are for, and who dont know that when they indicate left, they should go left, not right (this is great on roundabouts). I haven't ridden in HK (yet), but have seen some fun traffic moments, but not that many more than anywhere else. you never know if u never go.

see:

Is HK REALLY that dangerous for motorbikes?

also check down the bottom of the page for the related threads links.

[chun_lun]

hi, spondon, i'm sure 12000 will get u a decent place to live in hk, you don't need to live on the mainland, the travelling time will be long enough to kill you.
i'm a motorbiker in hk, the traffic is ok but it takes time to get used to it. motorbike theft is one thing u have to consider~

[Spondon]

Thanks for the info, I've been on bikes for since I was 7,dirt bikes first then moved onto sports. Just been told that we may get a week to look around HK befor the move, if I go for the HK island any reconmendations on place to look at for staying? Do people wear full leathers & full face lids, and is it easy to get a bike on the ferry?

[dropdedfwed]

leathers - you would BAKE in HK in summer in leathers. Winter ok. In summer u'd do best to get one of those airmesh jackets with armour/cordura elbows and shoulders. DriRider has a really cool one this year that is called Climate control. Outer mesh breathes really well, good protection. 2 removable liners- one water/wind proof, the other quilted/warm. can be put in together or seperately.

In HK u have 2 extremes of riders - those that wear thongs, singlet tops and open faced helmets whilst riding a GSX-1300R at high speed, or you have those that wear the full kit.

if you have your fave jacket etc at home, bring it. most big sizes need to be ordered in especially, and they're no cheaper in HK, from what i have seen. also bikes are about the same cost, maybe a little more expensive. for some reason 250's are more exopensive than you'd pay elsewhere, twist and go scooters are cheap as chips.

do a search on this site for recommended places to stay/live. re ferry - the tunnel is there to get from HK island to kowloon. in bad winds bikes aren't allowed on some bridges due to risk of being blown away - but then, trucks are apparently banned at the same time..

this is just all i have seen. i have still to jump on a ride in HK... just doing my homework and keeping my eyes open. one of my mates rides in HK - i just gotta pinch his bike once or twice, that will happen soon

[carang]

when you said, "mainland" i'm assuming you mean Kowloon....
for your reference, "mainland" in HK refers to CHINA....
there are three tunnels that connect Hk to kowloon...
you would not want to get a bike on the ferry...(1) i don't think that it is allowed; (2) toooooooo many stairs....

[dropdedfwed]

one more thing regarding bike clothing - even walking in tee-shirt and jeans is uncomfortable in summer. the air is hot and humid. kevlar lined jeans (draggin) will be hotter than normal jeans (as they are lined on bum/thighs/knees), but bearable. jackets - anything heaveier than mesh in summer, you would dehydrate in no time. not even sure the wind at 80km/hr would cool you that much

[Spondon]

Cheers again for info, I had a look at the dririder climate on net, looks good. I've only a vented leather jacket or a cordura waterproof jacket so neither seem that they will be any good as too hot. I was wondering about motorcross type of protection & clothing.

[dropdedfwed]

Originally Posted by Spondon

Cheers again for info, I had a look at the dririder climate on net, looks good. I've only a vented leather jacket or a cordura waterproof jacket so neither seem that they will be any good as too hot. I was wondering about motorcross type of protection & clothing.

There are a few other jackets like it on the market, Joe Rocket makes one or 2, also "Mesh", but the DriRider is the only one i have seen with two zipouts that can be zipped in and out independant of each other, and i have had some questionable feedback, or rather, i have have heard some whispers that Joe Rocket is of questionable quality.. in saying that, they are one of the bigger brands in US etc... just hear-say.

re motocross stuff, there seems to be a bit of it available in HK. not my style

[Spondon]

Think I'll try to find a dririder in the shops over here. Going to be in Kowloon 7Jan for 5 days to look around for an apartment, maybe I'll find a bike shop as well, do you know of a stockest?