Motorbiking in Asia forum

legality/reality of buying a motorbike to travel from Bankok through Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh

effi_kiki

backpacker
Posts: 14

(or the other way around)

I'm so confused about this, would i be able to buy a bike in Bankok? or would it be better to start in vietnam, as i hear tourists buy bikes without much trouble there?

also is this trip a bit unrealistic? I'm 18 years old and will be travelling with my boyfriend, neither of us have done a trip like this before, and we both only have uk driving licenses.

thanks in advance :)

#1 Posted: 11/10/2009 - 23:17
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5884
Located in:

Private message

Do you have motorbike licenses? If not, that would be a good start -- if only from a travel insurance point of view.

From memory you need a visa in Thailand (ie not visa-free-entry) to buy a bike, though I am not 100% sure on that.

If you buy a new motorbike, the paperwork will be more straightforward (eg green book, sales receipt, international transport permit) than doing it with a second hand bike.

#2 Posted: 12/10/2009 - 08:48

------------------------------
iPhone Apps for Southeast Asia
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

"From memory you need a visa in Thailand (ie not visa-free-entry) to buy a bike, though I am not 100% sure on that."

Your memory is correct. You need to be have a visa with a residence somewhere. Like everything administratively here, it's a paperwork cluster. I just did it.

My Thai drivers license is good in all ASEAN countries however. That's a plus.

What I would like to know is if I can take my bike to Vietnam? I just got a custom made chopper and it has a 400 CC engine. I'd like to go to Hanoi to go dancing and taking my bike would be the fastest way to get there (barring flying from Obon to Bangkok and Bangkok to Hanoi - which doesn't thrill me).

#3 Posted: 16/10/2009 - 18:31

------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5884
Located in:

Private message

Do you have the book for the bike? GTRiders (http://www.gt-rider.com/) has lots on the paperwork required.

#4 Posted: 16/10/2009 - 20:26

------------------------------
iPhone Apps for Southeast Asia
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

I have the book, and it's in my name now.

But I heard that Vietnam has a CC restriction on bikes. Don't know if that's really true or if it applies to transit bikes.

#5 Posted: 17/10/2009 - 12:56

------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
effi_kiki

backpacker
Posts: 14

No we dont have motorbike licenses, and theyre so expensive in the UK that if we got them we wouldnt be able to afford the trip.

So do you have to have a permenent residence in Thailand to buy a bike?

And what are the penalties like if you don't do everything by the book, i.e can police be easily bribed or are we likely to end up in prison?

#6 Posted: 17/10/2009 - 23:20
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

"And what are the penalties like if you don't do everything by the book, i.e can police be easily bribed or are we likely to end up in prison?"

I think if you don't live here it would be hard to find someone to sell you a bike under the table. If you didn't have an accident you could probably get away with it... but if you did...

#7 Posted: 18/10/2009 - 01:34

------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
effi_kiki

backpacker
Posts: 14

ok thanks, dont think i'll risk it!

#8 Posted: 18/10/2009 - 01:51
kynanr

longtail driver
Posts: 7

i did vietnam, laos, thailand with a 125cc russian minsk. its easy and you dont need a licence or anything.
the one thing you need is the original rego paper with the vietnamese owner. if you have this in your posession you are legally the owner of the bike and can import/export it....ie cross borders.
any more questions email me.
im in phuket now trying to sell the bike.
come here and buy it and ride it back to saigon!
kynanr@yahoo.com

#9 Posted: 17/1/2010 - 00:17