Tourists chase high-octane thrill in China’s trending biker capital
The roar of engines fills the night air in China’s Chongqing city as tourists awkwardly clamber onto gleaming motorbikes and cling to muscular drivers to star in personalised videos. Teams of sellers hawk their filming services to passersby, many of whom have been drawn to the city and its cyberpunk image by motorbiking videos on […]
In the night-lit streets of China's Chongqing city, tourists are flocking to experience the high-octane thrill of being part of personalized motorcycle videos. This burgeoning trend, initially sparked by motorbiking videos on social media, has become a major draw for the city, boasting over 1.3 billion views on Douyin, China's TikTok equivalent.
Tourists, many of whom have traveled from Shanghai and other parts of the country, are clamoring to participate in these filming sessions, with one 30-year-old woman, Liu Changqing, paying a visit despite the sweltering heat.
Chongqing has embraced motorcycling, becoming a haven for bikers amid many Chinese cities' restriction on motorcycle use. The city's popularity among motorcyclists can be attributed to its status as a manufacturing hub, the rugged terrain, and heavy traffic, according to 29-year-old motorbike enthusiast Zhang Yuanming. With over a third of China's total motorbike production originating from Chongqing, the city remains an industry leader, producing motorcycles that are predominantly powered by petrol.
Motorcycle rides for tourists in Chongqing come with a hefty price tag, with packages ranging from 200 yuan ($30) upwards. These packages include choreographed photos and videos, capturing the excitement of the riders speeding past the city's landmarks. One 26-year-old rider, Li Yan, has capitalized on the trend, earning up to 1,000 yuan ($150) per night as part of a seven-person team that advertises online and passes by potential customers on the streets.
Though domestic interest in the motorcycle trend has cooled since its peak last year, foreign tourists — constituting around a third of the nightly clientele — are helping to sustain the demand for these unique experiences. Alex Schodorowska, a British tourist, cites Instagram as the source of his interest, calling the Chongqing night scene with its neon lights and bustling activity "a 'must-do' in Chongqing."
As the city's reputation as a biker's paradise continues to grow, both locally and internationally, there seems to be no slowing down for this roaring business of motorbike adventures.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
