Motorbike trip around SE Asia; advice, links etc appreciated.

W

wixtravel

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Dec 4, 2012
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Hi

I am planning a motorbike trip around SE Asia starting in Hanoi on 9th January 2013 and would appreciate any advice from anyone who has done the trip on things like what kind of bike is needed (min engine size etc), names of good road maps or whether iphone offline maps are a better option, any recommended roads or routes, good websites for info, what the border crossings are like and any recommended sites, accessories to pack, documents i should carry etc.... as you can see, i am just starting out but would appreciate advice or links to where i can find the info. In the meantime i will be finding out what i can. To summarise the trip here is a rough plan:

1. Buy motorbike, helmet and accessories in Hanoi
2. Travel south towards Dalat, Vietnam and cross in to Laos at the nearest border crossing.
3. Travel north and cross in to Thailand to start in Isaan territory in the North
4. Drive down through Thailand down the east side and down through south Thailand
5. Enter and drive down east Malaysia
6. Possibly visit Singapore
7. Possibly go to Sumatra
8. Either sell bike or drive up west borders Malaysia and Thailand to China (if can take bike in to China) alternatively sell bike here, fly to china and buy a bike in China)
9. Travel on to Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal and India either by motorbike or by public transport.

Thats the rough plan and at the moment i am in the UK, arranging a CBT motorbike test (upto 125cc) to then get insurance cover. I will also get an international driving license but i am not planning on taking the time to get a motorbike driving license in each country i visit.

Thanks in advance, Wix
 
daewoo

daewoo

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Dec 6, 2005
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You will probably get better answers to these questions on Horizons Unlimited... Most GT-Riders stick to Thailand with occasional brief sorties into Laos...

Lots of people seem to buy a Minsk in Vietnam ride it and sell it... You will definitely need to return to Vietnam to sell it... you will probably get a temporary import permit that aligns with the duration of YOUR visa... if the bike doesn't leave in that time, the penalties are large - equivalent to the duty payable to import the bike...

Up to you, but might be easier to rent a bike in each country that buy and sell in Vietnam, and be forced to start and finish your ride there...

You won't be able to take the bike into China...

Cheers,
Daewoo
 
Tom Forde

Tom Forde

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Jul 6, 2004
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I agree with Daewoo, check out the HU site. I travelled up from Oz back in 2004 intending to ride to Europe. Got to Chiang Mai got involved with the GT-Riders and stayed!
I have written trip report on this site.
Getting back to purchasing bikes, riding from country to country etc. Mauch has been written ion HU and this site about the pit falls of such a venture.

Back in 2004, I got into Thailand with a Carne de passage. I returned after 1 year to Oz and returned back to Thailand on the same bike 4 years later, the Thai customs changed the rules, the Carne was useless.
I guess what I am saying about Asia, is expect the unexpected. Get as much info as possible from experienced travellers and as Daewoo says, Vietnam is a deadend as far as buying a bike.

Cheers
 
W

wixtravel

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Dec 4, 2012
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Thanks for the info Tom, i know what you mean about Thailand, out of all the amazing places i have been in SE Asia Thailand appeals just that bit more and i too loved Chiang Mai.... Ill check out the HU website.
 
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