Clay Jones in Changchun

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Clay collects motorcycles and owns a CJ, a Dong Hai 750, a GuangDa and an unknown make of postman's bike. He works for a computer graphics school and lives across from a PLA garrison. Nobody bothers his CJ when it's parked by the garrison. As a matter of fact, Clay has been surprised on occasion to find mothers with their babies sitting in the sidecar.
   
This old soldier stands guard outside the Boy & Girl Bar in Changchun. It's an M1 that has seen better days but isn't beyond restoration by any means. Those are cabbages drying on the pavement—future sauerkraut perhaps?
It's not such in ignominous fate for this bike, really. One day it could indeed end up restored, but for now its function is to draw customers into the B&G.
Clay is well known around Changchun and has assimilated nicely into the local culture. He respects Chinese customs and traditions and has earned himeself a nickname among the local kids—Mo Tuo Che Da Ge—Motorcycle Big Brother. I'd consider that an honor.
The enlarged view shows the entire bike. It's mostly complete.
Same here, another vertical format image. I'd clean out that fuel tank!
In this shot you'll see what keeps the bike from disappearing as happens from time to time in any big city. It's secured to the building with angle iron brackets! You'll need a torch if you want to borrow this bike.
Yep, it's mostly there. You can see the tag on the 6V generator. I'll bet that carb could use some cleaning.
One last look at the old girl.
10/16/03  
Clay has been prowling around Changchun's Motorbike Street by night, armed with nothing but his digital camera and his wits.
This CJ has some effective brake lights as the picture would indicate. These are pretty useful in big city traffic.
One last look at the big brake lights before we move on to...
...these fantastic CJ750 windshield farings! Man would I love to have one of these, not necessarily for the bike but for the wall of my shop. WOW!
Meet the Laoban, boss/shop owner/mechanic from Motorbike Street. Here he is wrenching on a customer's bike.
Full teardown in progress.
This proud mechanic is just beaming... kind of like I do when I'm sitting on my CJ.
This bike belongs to a Chinese customer. Some of the guys really like the US military look. You'll see that it's decorated with US Army and MP lettering.
Here it is again.
As it does every 24 hours, night once again descends on Motorbike Street.
10/13/03  
Clay's friend Lai Fang is a photographer who not only owns this toy CJ, but a real Dong Hai 750 as well.
And we'll close out today's session with a look at Clay's bike. The enlarged image shows much more.
10/13/03  
Again, night falls on Changchun and Clay is out there, camera in hand. Here's a an M1M that looks as if it gets a lot of use by its owner.
Say, that's not a CJ fender! Recognize the forks and handlebars?
This could be a FengTong. The sidecar has an enclosure for the passenger.
10/10/03  
Some of Clay's bikes including the CJ and the Dong Hai 750. The enlarged image shows even more! These were shot outside his home. Clay has a camera on the roof watching so he can keep an eye on the bikes which are chained in a line. The police on the street are really friendly and often check the bikes.
And what better way to complete the package than Jia Yin?
This bike belongs to an old guy who lived in a hutong that they were riding around in. Clay met his son and asked permission to take his picture but was told that the bike was more beautiful than him. Even though he didn't want to share a photo he did share some beer.
Inside the house Clay was shown pictures taken when the old guy was young—a carpenter—and he used this bike to carry his tools which is why there's no seat.
Down on good old Motorbike Street near the train station was this CJ. You can see that they don't always remove everything before painting—or even mask!.
10/7/03  
Clay and Jia Yin were out riding around when they came across this squad of Changs all dressed up for National Day.
The soldiers didn't seem too excited about the photos so Clay kept his distance.
Clay drove while Jia Yin took the shots.
She was so excited that her hands shook, thus the blur effect.
For people like us—especially those who've never been to China—sights like these are amazing and priceless.
Here's Jia Yin outside a meat stick shop. Yes, it's meat—and many other things—on a stick! This is a cheap way to get a snack and is likely the safest because it's cooked in hot oil and served right after cooking.
These gentlemen are grongren (workers), freelancers who sit around the station to see what jobs they can dig up to earn a little cash. When Clay came out of the freight transit station they were sitting on his bike and quickly tried to get off. Clay I caught their surprise with his camera.
10/7/03  
This fellow honked his horn at Clay while following him. He just wanted to meet the foreigner who had a Chang Jiang. Is that cool or what?! That's a Chang Hong he's riding.
Clay thought this bike was pretty cool. It's a PLA machine being rebuilt at one of the shops on Motorbike Street. The owner allowed him to photograph it but not the one inside his shop. Hmmm.
Another shot of the PLA bike.
This detail shot of the PLA bike shows a grease fitting for the steering bearings. PLA bikes were of very good quality despite the rough welds.
The Train Station 750 shop where Clay buys his parts! You can buy jugs for 250RMB a pair. There are two ladies who own this shop but the end is near as Motorbike Sreet will be torn down. Clay doesn't know where all the shops will go. Bummer.
9/23/03  
Meet Jackson, Clay's faithful companion and fellow CJ enthusiast. He has a passport looking visa/license which cost 500 RMB. Jackson is just under the height limit for dogs in this area. Clay hears it costs 2000RMB in Beijing to keep a dog. Everything is more expensive in Beijing, it seems. Changchun has fewer restrictions too.
Chang Jiangs galore on Motorbike Street. The latest news from Clay is that he's in the process of acquiring a Dong Hai 750 to add to his collection. His Chinese girlfriend is handling all the negotiations so the seller doesn't know it's being sold to a foreigner, otherwise the price skyrockets.
You could have this bike for a song.
A CJ front fender for $5!
These cylinders will set you back 250RMB... or $30!
I'm pitching a tent.
Another beat CJ. I'd buy them all...
How about a complete frame for nearly nothing?
Somewhere—underneath all that modern looking stuff—is an M1S OHV.
9/17/03  
This very lovely lady is Jia Yin, Clay's girlfriend in Changchun. In the enlarged image you'll see a cooling tower in the background, one of the many reasons they call Changchun and the cities in the northeast da rust strip.
Changs on Motorbike Street. These motorcycles start at 300RMB and go to about 1000RMB. (I'd buy all of them.)
A regular Saturday event on Motorbike Street—pushing a Chang!
This Chang was being offered for 5000RMB... and it probably would have been cheaper if the buyer wasn't a Westerner. The price to foreigners in China is sometimes higher.
The enlarged image shows the entire bill of sale for Clay's CJ. As you'll see it was 12000RMB. He recently received word that there are two Changs in Changchun being held by the Expatriates Motorbike Team. They're 14000RMB. Buyers be careful....
King is a Chinese guy who very thoughtfully extended an offer to install a TV on Clay's Chang. Never in a million years!
9/10/03  
Here's a shot of Clay's M1S. Good looking Chang!
8/31/03