bike week

margus · Nov 25, 2003

Hello

I'm in BKK and a bit disappointed in the selection of used heavy cruisers I found from the local shops. Also the staff here seems to be quite certain that it is impossible to buy a bike with a tourist visa. So I thought that maybe its better to try my luck in Chiang Mai. Please advise should I keep looking for the bike in BKK, should I hurry to Chiang Mai and try the shops over there or should I wait for the bike week to get the best deals?

margus

TropicalJohn · Nov 26, 2003

I was able to buy my motorbikes on a tourist visa only. I went to immigration and paid 500 baht and 2 fotos, and got 2 residencey letters. i was able to give them my UBC bill, that had my name and address on it. I was also able to get a driving licence, but mind you, had to take a motorbike driving test and highway code test. they would not accept my aussie driving licence even though it had my foto on it.

John

SilverhawkUSA · Nov 26, 2003

Tests? In Chiang Mai I just showed a valid U.S. License and residency letter and had no problem. Car and M/C license, no test.

Dave Early

Ever notice that "What the Heck!" is usually the right answer?

larrylek · Dec 8, 2003

Immigration in CM told me recently that they only do 'address verification' if your consulate is not local to where you live....They also told me you can also do your registration and letters at your local police staion.

SilverhawkUSA · Dec 8, 2003

I have obtained address verification from CM Immigration for a Motorcycle, a truck and my Thai Drivers License. The U.S. Embassy is definately local so unless they have changed policy you are talking to the wrong people. Do not go to the Visa window but to the seperate building across the parking lot (sorry I don't remember what they call the office).

Dave Early

Ever notice that "What the Heck!" is usually the right answer?

margus · Jan 4, 2004

thanks

but although i've tried hard i still couldn't register the bike to my name. Maybe it's because my country doesn't have an embassy in Thailand or maybe i don't know when should i try to bribe the officials. Anyway my honda is registered to a shopowners name in bkk. Its ok for him if i drive the bike in Thailand but refuses to give me a written permission for leaving the country. Could anyone help me in registering my bike to his name and signing all the papers I need for going to Malaysia and Indonesia?

DavidFL · Jan 7, 2004

Margus
What your write does not seem to make sense mate & there's definitely something wrong.

The bike should not be registered in a shops name, but a person, probably an employee of the shop / importer.
But what is the shop's name?

If you take a look at
https://www.gt-rider.com/bikes.html#BUYINGABIKE
you will get an idea of what the system is.
Also of late, guys with tourists visas are getting bikes registered in their own name, so it should be no problem.
Normally it will take 2-3 months to get the ownership book for the bike registered in your name.

Davidfl
Keep the power on

StanGayuski · Jan 10, 2004

RE heavy cruiser availability:
Was recently in Pattaya for one week which much to my surprise was full of heavy cruisers many are custom and fairly new. These bikes are in the many rental shops in the Soi's along Beach Road in central part of town. I never saw such a large array of heavy bikes anywhere like this in CM or BKK. I'd bet given the right price negotiations one could pick up these big bikes right from one of those shops OR have the shop "buy one for you". Pattaya strikes me as a town where anything can be done given the intention. It's a whole lot less conservative than Chiangmai on all fronts.