The night air in Chongqing, China, resonates with the roar of engines as tourists eagerly mount gleaming motorbikes, clutching onto seasoned drivers for a personalized video experience. This high-octane attraction, fueled by social media trends, has turned the city into a biker's paradise.
Vendors promote their filming services to passersby, many of whom are lured by the city's cyberpunk allure and the viral motorbiking videos shot against its neon-lit nightscape. "I flew from Shanghai to Chongqing this morning, and the first priority is this shoot," said 30-year-old Liu Changqing, clad in a rented motorcycle jacket despite the heat.
Chongqing's acceptance of petrol-powered motorbikes, contrasted with other Chinese cities' preference for electric scooters, has bolstered its reputation. The city's motorcycle culture, which began with local riders posting videos online, surged last year as tourism spiked. Videos related to the trend have garnered 1.3 billion views on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.
Motorbike enthusiast and instructor Zhang Yuanming attributes the sport's popularity to the city's rugged terrain, traffic issues, and the presence of manufacturers. Chongqing has been a motorcycle industry hub since 1979, producing over a third of China's total motorbikes. The local brand ZXMoto's recent success in international racing has further piqued interest.
For local riders, offering video services to tourists has become a lucrative business. Packages, which include choreographed rides past landmarks, cost upwards of 200 yuan ($30). Rider Li Yan, who now earns up to 1,000 yuan a night, noted an increase in foreign tourists, who now make up a third of his clientele. "I saw it was a'must do' in Chongqing," said British tourist Alex Schodorowska, drawn by the trend on Instagram.
