BUY BIKE IN VIETNAM: IT CAN'T LEAVE VIETNAM!!

[mountaindan]

tHANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE ABOUT CROSSING THE BORDER WITH A SUZUKI 125 BIKE I BOUGHT IN sAIGON. i TRIED & FAILED TO CROSS BORDER WITH BIKE@ MEKONG RIVER (I.E.WATER NOT ROAD) CUSTOMS & THEN WENT BACK & GOT BETTER PAPERS FROM SELLER. bUT LAMINATED OWNERSHIP CARD WAS NOT IN MY NAME. BORDER SAID ONLY GOOD FOR TRAVEL/OWNERSHIP WITHIN VIETNAM! I THINK I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CROSS IF I'D KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT ABOUT THE BIKE @ BOTH, AS OFFICIALS ARE OUT OF SIGHT & MAYBE MY PAPERS WOULD HAVE WORKED FINE @ THE NEXT & LAST VIETNAM CHECKPOINT...BORED GUARDS JUST MAKING SURE PAPERS ARE CORRECT. IF CAGHT I PLAY DUMB MAYBE NO PROBLEM. DON'T KNOW ABOUT MEKONG ROAD BORDER YOU SAY IS LAX...I WAS WITHIN 5 MILES & WISH I'D TRIED NOW.

REPEAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS. VERY HARD TO GET OWNERSHIP CARD AS NONVIETNAMESE. MUST LIVE LONG TERM..TAKES LANG TIME I WAS TOLD. WISH THE DUMBS**T WHO SOLD ME BIKE THEN GOT ME BETTER PAPERS (NO CHARGE!) HAD KNOWN THIS. HAD TO SELL BIKE @ A LOSS.

ALSO HAD FRIEND IN PHNOM PEHN WHO SAID HE COULD SMUGGLE IT ACROSS...WISH I'D PRESSED HIM ON IT. MAKE A GREAT STORY!!!

THANKS

 

[cr9434]

we crossed with a vn registered honda win 100 at moc bai/bavet tues 24th april. bike was out of sight the whole time, but our helmets were a giveaway - bored officers on both sides didnt care! Worth a try for anyone looking to cross from the mekong, but its all about who's on the job and their mood that day. police in phnom penh not so easy to deal with, a couple of fines already for 'illegal' plates
Chris + Georgia

 

[moto-dan]

Yep...i DID NOT try that last year...for my second try to cross into Cambodia, this time @ Moc Bai...but i agree...i could have walked the bike to the side...walked back to the front..got my papers and crossed...thought of that too late...just tried to be honest instead.

Had to sell the bike Back in Saigon.