MY MOTORCYCLE

Aug 20, 2005
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Well we went and did it. Bought a new Harley here in America.
What we want to know is, how can we bring it back to Thailand.
My wife is Thai, is there any way she can get it back without so many taxes? We want to keep it at are home in SATUN, I thought maybe we could just drive through the border there. Now the best flights for us is too Singapore first. What complications are we likely to face.

HELP PLEASE.

SOON TO AT YOU MY SWEET CHIANG MAI
 
Oct 17, 2006
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Sell it and buy one in thailand the hassle of shipping and importing even wih Thai wife and business is not worth it , you will not save money, stress will be massive .
I have done it and regret it.

jerry
 

Rhodie

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Mar 5, 2006
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Which do you regret importing?
Thai wife, bike,or, both?
Which has the higher cost implications, headaches and/or maintenance?
Some of us committment phobes need to know!
[:D]
 
Oct 17, 2006
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Importing bike is biggest regret , have bought bikes here and sold at profit without the problems of customs and registration,
wife is not high maintainance, children and Mia Nois are .

jerry
 
Aug 20, 2005
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Jerry,
Could I not just bring it in like I was just travelling around with the intention of leaving. Then just keep it here. I realize never really having registration but I remember seeing many bikes like that.
For all infromation the thai wife is of no maintience, least not this one. Had a hilltribe one many years back and you want to talk about a pain in the arse.
thanks

SOON TO AT YOU MY SWEET CHIANG MAI
 
May 25, 2006
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HuaHin
Hi Friend,

As through your Pseudo you should be near my age -53, already- ...I'ld like to help you and avoid you to make too much mistakes.

Importing bikes in Thailand is fully possible, but when done at a private title, it is really a headhacke and it's time and money taking. I would describe the case of a brand new motorcycle.

Just import the bike through a serious forwarding agent with the accompagning invoice from the motorbike dealer where you bought it, with all relevant property and technical papers go to the Ministry of Industry in BKK, explain your case and situation before the bike reach Thailand in order to obtain the Import License every vehicles need to enter into the Kingdom (you'ld need to have a resident address in Thailand or use your Thai wife one's, the bike will be under her name) .

With the Import License, go to the Thai Custom, preferably with your forwarder, clear the bike by paying duties (roughly 70 % of the CIF value with no VAT).

With the Import License and the receipt from the Thai Custom Autorities, return to the Ministry of Industry and apply for a homologation check for registration (beware of the pollution tests). It cost around 30.000 TBH.

After you have passed this, go with your approval receipt and all other papers to the plate number delivering Body, you'll receive firts a copy of the registration book and around 3 weeks later you'll receive your registration book. It cost as well...

Anyway, this is fully possible, Administration Staff is skilled and very kind, I did not encounter any special issue but you have to take it cool with politness and kindness, as they do for us.

This kind of operation is NOT interesting money wise as the bike often will cost you more if you do it as a single import but you'll have the pleasure of having imported YOUR Bike....

Roughly calculated, I would cost you plus or minus 50.000 TBH apart from the custom taxe you have to pay to the Royal Custom, but feasible !

I compare the Thai price for a BMW 1200 GS from BARCELONA BMW Official Motorbike Dealer in Bangkok and the calculation of what it would have costed me if I would have imported it by myself, much better to buy it at BARCELONA Garage in BKK, much cheaper and the Service is there.

I compaired it as well for my DUCATI with the Official DUCATI Dealer in BKK and again it was the same conclusion.

But as we say in France, "Quand on aime, on ne compte pas..."

Just an additional information, as far as there is an Offical Importer in the Country, he is oblige to afford the After Sale Service and Guarantee in the same conditions than any other European or US Official Dealers, signal your act to the Mother Company.

Good Luck, Chock dee and Aspirine...

NB: whose bikker will be aournd in BKK for X'Mas ?
 
Mar 15, 2003
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www.daveearly.com
Azoulay-

Great information. Many people have asked about importing, on this board and others. This is the most detailed info yet and it is good to hear from someone who has done it and is not just speculating. Thanks. How about coming up to Chiang Mai for our Christmas Ride?
 
Oct 17, 2006
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surely not comparable, but an other indication. I imported my EZS sidecar http://www.ezs-sidecar.com/html/rally.html
second hand in mint condition from England. Had it flown over into Phuket, however at the Lufthansa staff price. 70% import duty + handling charges Englang/ Thailand I paid all in all 170.000 b to the handling agent bdpthai. You may want to contact Alain, he is most helpful, I had to do hardly anything. (Not fully true, there were some hick ups, but thats the victory of getting what you want so badly- His e-mail =Alain Gogniat

Pico
 
May 25, 2006
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HuaHin
Hi Friends,

Thanks for the invitation to Chiang mai, I'll be a limited time in Thailand at X'Mas, and according to my programme at date, I would be delighted to join.

I have to tune my bike -Ducati Monster 1000 S2R- with some brand new Termignioni exhauts I just imported from Europe together with K & N air filter, chip and pipes...It will breath a bit more "freely"...

Then, after tuning I might be available for a ride to Chiang Mai....

What does biking around BKK looks like ?

Is there a lot of bike theft (I mean big foreign bikes) in Thailand, what to watch and care ?

What to protect and what are the good garage addresses ?

Being a Ducati freak I do most of my maintenance but sometime I could be lazy...

Happy for you all that you could import your bikes without to much trouble (specially for Pico-Pico with second hand vehicle) for me I did it once and I am not sure I will do it again, too complicated but anyway...
 

dotcom

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Nov 14, 2006
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Take it to the factory authorized Ducati dealer. I think in Soi Thonglor (Suk 55).

Yes have a good lock or alarm system. If you have to park on the street pay someone to watch it. Otherwise park inside a parking structure.
 
Oct 17, 2006
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In 12 years of living in Thailand I have yet to hear of a big bike , Harley, BMW being stolen.

jerry