In April 2026 a convoy of YINGANG sidecar motorcycles left Xi'an and headed west into one of the toughest landscapes in China: the Lop Nur desert in Xinjiang. The goal was simple. Take production sidecars off the showroom floor and prove them on soft sand, gravel and long empty roads.
The start in Xi'an
Before departure, YINGANG held a launch ceremony and test-ride day in Xi'an, where local riders tried the sidecars for themselves. On April 20 the convoy set off, made up of two YINGANG sidecar models: the SUV500 II, our 500cc water-cooled flagship sidecar, and the AT mini sidecar, a compact 150cc automatic sidecar.
Into the Lop Nur desert
From April 27 the convoy rode deep into the Lop Nur desert. Soft sand, rough gravel and big swings between day and night temperatures put real pressure on engine power, cooling and suspension. The sidecars ran reliably through the whole crossing.
The route passed the "Eye of Lop Nur" and ancient Great Wall ruins, two of the most remote landmarks in the region.
Yardang rock and desert roads
After the core of Lop Nur, the convoy rode through dramatic yardang landforms, wind-carved rock towers that rise straight out of the desert, and long stretches of sand road.
West to Barkol and Urumqi
The final leg ran through the grasslands and wetlands of Barkol and on to Urumqi, the end of the expedition.
On June 30 the tour closed with a test-ride event back in Xi'an, where more riders could try the same production models that had just crossed the desert.
What the expedition proved
- Engine and cooling: the 500cc water-cooled engine of the SUV500 II held up through sand, heat and long distances.
- Automatic, too: the compact AT mini sidecar, with its automatic CVT gearbox, completed the same route.
- Chassis and suspension: sidecar frames and suspension handled gravel, washboard and soft ground with a full load.
- Production bikes, not prototypes: every model on the ride is the same bike buyers can order.
Sidecar motorcycles for your market
YINGANG builds sidecar motorcycles from 150cc to 500cc, including the SUV500 II, SUV500, RSC300, MSC200 and CITY150. We make our own engines, frames, body panels, paint and instruments, and offer OEM/ODM, private label and CBU/SKD/CKD supply.
See the full range in our sidecar category, read our sidecar buyer's guide, or contact our export team for a quotation.