Bike under finance - riding to other countries

philiprowell · Jan 1, 2007

Hi everyone

Hope you can answer this question. I have a bike, in Thailand, bought with a loan from BMW leasing. I heard that riding overseas to Malaysia and Laos etc is not possible with a bike that is not fully paid off. Am I right? Or, if it's possible to leave the country with a bike still under finance, what's the way to do it and what do I need?

Grateful for any advice...

Thanks
Philip

DavidFL · Jan 2, 2007

Philip
If the bike does not belong to you, then you need permission from the owner to take the bike out of the country.
Until you have paid BMW Thailand off, then I dont like your chances of them giving you permission to take the bike o/s.
For more general info on crossing border with a bike take a look at
https://www.gt-rider.com/crossingborders.html

philiprowell · Jan 2, 2007

Hi David
Thanks for the reply.
Guess I'll be sticking to within these borders for the foreseeable future...

ray23 · Jan 2, 2007

Phili how did the bike financing work I assume you had to buy a BMW?

philiprowell · Jan 3, 2007

Hi Ray

Yes, I bought a BMW, and they have a financing dept so I went with them.
I think that would apply to most bike (and car) dealers here: if I'm not wrong, most of them have finance companies attached.
I bought a Toyota (car, obviously) and they also had a finance dept, so I went with them; and a friend of mine bought a Ducati, and they had a finance dept too.
Just need your work permit, salary statements and usually you'll have to front up 40% instead of the usual 20% deposit (unless you have a Thai guarantor).

ray23 · Jan 3, 2007

I always thought big bike, it just wasn't possible, you learn something new everyday. Had my eye of a new Honda 750 no way to it get financed. My truck was easy. Might be looking in the wrong area Bangkok may have a better system to get things done.

philiprowell · Jan 8, 2007

I guess the other way to do it is get a loan/overdraft from your bank back in (insert your home country here), if you've got something to put up as collateral back home. Buy the bike in cash here and pay off your loan back in the UK, Australia or wherever. That way, because you own the bike outright here, you could ride it to other countries too...

tropicaljohno · Jan 9, 2007

Phillip

I have ridden to Malaysia from Thailand many times, both on my Honda Phantom, and 1150GS. Even though both in my name, and no finance on them, i have never been questioned at the border.

All you must do (for the Malaysian side), is have your number plate in English front and back. I have also driven over by car, and once again never been asked for any papers, even though I do have photocopies of original documents.

I would give it a go to Malaysia, just remember border closes at midnight Thai time, (Malaysia is 1 hour in front)