3+ months touring budget and bike running costs

Sep 30, 2012
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I'm trying to work out a budget for a 3-5 month tour of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Very rough plan - Buy a low mileage Versys and tour around south east Asia from November for a few months next year.

Food, single room hotel, occasional nights out on the town, and fuel 12000 per week. Approx 50,000 baht per month. Maybe add 100,000 baht for the total trip cost for some travelling costs and border crossings etc. So 3 months would cost 250k.

What will insurance and other running costs of the bike cost?

I was thinking of possibly hiring a versys for ~ 30000 baht a month but I think it would be best to buy one to enable me to have better insurance and I can set it up to my liking a bit. When it gets closer I'll look around for a low mileage Versys which has some touring extras added to it already.

What do people think?
 
Dec 27, 2007
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I think you've estimated costs quite well. Fuel is certainly the biggest expense for riding in this part of the world.

Easy to find decent cheap food and accomodation.

Basic gov't required insurance is very cheap in Thailand and Laos. Running costs for a Versys are very very cheap as they are manufactured in Thailand.

If you want to bring a Thai-registered bike into Vietnam you are going to have to jump through some hoops and it will drive up costs a lot.

Recommend you check this epic thread for invaluable advice before you commit to taking a Versys into Vietnam:
[h=3]Chiang Mai – Hanoi & Back Part 7 Nong Khiew – Chiang Mai[/h]
Personally I'd do like most and fly to Vietnam and rent a small bike there.

:happy1:
 
Sep 30, 2012
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Thanks Tony and David,

2000 baht per day sounds fare enough. Also there is so much to see in Thailand so it might be better to put Vietnam and off for another trip. I don't want to be rushed. I want it to be a pretty chilled out trip after this work contract.
 
Dec 14, 2012
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I'm not sure you can easily sell your bike after ride - because, you know, sometimes it takes a month or longer to sell the bike. And you will need some local guy (thai or expat) to help you with that.
 

daewoo

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Dec 6, 2005
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H Simpson;294475 wrote: Thanks Tony and David,

2000 baht per day sounds fare enough. Also there is so much to see in Thailand so it might be better to put Vietnam and off for another trip. I don't want to be rushed. I want it to be a pretty chilled out trip after this work contract.
I'm just back from a trip, so this is about what I saw;

Bike Rental was about 2,000/day -
Fuel - 500-650/day
Accommodation - 400 - 1000/day.
Meals -
100 Western Breakfast
50 Thai lunch
150 Western dinner
100/day for water/snacks
150/day coffee stops

On top of that -
$30-$40/country personal Visa costs
Unknown Motorbike Permit costs
unknown outside of Thailand insurance costs.

For accommodation, the price doesn't necessarily indicate the quality - often different places at the same price will be vastly different in quality. I believe that you always look for the newest place, as unfortunately maintenance isn't a strong point...

I got my bike with a top box and could have got panniers as well (but had my own soft panniers and saved some money) - through Chiang Rai Big Bike Rentals - they were happy to get a longer term rental and delivered the bike to Chiang Mai - and are a bit open to bargaining if you are doing something a bit different (i.e. longer term). I am not sure if they are open to letting you take their bikes across borders - email them and they will respond and work with you.

You can't put a bike in your name if you don't have a non-tourist visa and letter of residence - so if you buy privately, you will need the bike in a friends name, with an official letter from them allowing you to take the bike out of the country.

I don't think you can get a Thai licence unless you have a non-tourist visa and letter of residence either. I don't believe that you need an IDP other than Cambodia, but lots of people still seem to be getting them.

Consider the CB500s instead of the Versys - The CBs get a better review most places, but I had my wife on the back, so wanted the bigger bike.
 
Nov 23, 2013
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daewoo;294662 wrote:
You can't put a bike in your name if you don't have a non-tourist visa and letter of residence - so if you buy privately, you will need the bike in a friends name, with an official letter from them allowing you to take the bike out of the country.

I don't think you can get a Thai licence unless you have a non-tourist visa and letter of residence either. I don't believe that you need an IDP other than Cambodia, but lots of people still seem to be getting them.
not so true, I am a tourist visa and registered my bike under my name with absolutely zero problems.
I also have my Thai motorbike drivers license and got it without having an IDP or any license from my home country

to register your bike you will need your passport, a certificate of residence from immigration
to get your thai drivers license, you need a 2nd certificate of residence from immigration (doesn't say the same thing), a medical certificate and your passport.

when i went to buy my bike, i gave them one of the two certificate from immigration and it said it was for the license and they told me "not good" so i gave them the 2nd one and they were happy.

registration of the bike in your own name might be the boring part.. i thought it was better to let the dealer do the paperwork for me but apparently they like to take their sweet time.. from what i was told they like to hold the money for the bike in bank as long as possible for some good ol interest.

I have been waiting two months for my white plates to come for my bike so I can drive outside of Phetchaburi with no problems.. (the red plates you cannot drive at night or outside the home province).

also I will get the registration book AND the sticker at the same time as i get the plates.. as far as i know the sticker is in the blue book

If I had to do it all over again, I would do the registration myself, apparently you just need to get the original invoice and a fill some forms at the Land Transport Office and it might take a week or two before you get your plates.. I've been waiting for mine for 8 weeks and all that the dealer is doing is telling me to come "next week" every time i go there.

the thai drivers license part isn't fun to do if you do not have your motorbike license in your home country, i did do some vision test (looked like a colorblind test), a depth perception test and a reflex test.. and then i had to watch a 4 hours thai video, answer a 30 questions or so questionnaire (i think it needs 23 right to pass).. and then the road test is a joke if you ever drove a bike for more than a month.

turn right, left, stop on top of little hill at stop sign, turn left two times.. drive on a 10 inch wide line for about 15 meters at 10-15 km/h without falling off or touching feet and then slalom like 10 cones.
 

daewoo

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Dec 6, 2005
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thanks kekalot...

I didn't think you could get a certificate of residence if you are on a tourist visa... maybe you can on a tourist visa but perhaps not on a 30 days stamp???