Confusion about where a bike is registered?!?

[hs0zfe]

There is a VFR 800 i on Thaivisa.com and I looked into buying it. Seller tells me the biks is registered up North, but my wife sees the license plate and says Phuket!

This isn't the first occasion where I encountered, let's say, red flags

Oh, and the Green Book is supposed to be completely "new" but then, it was never scanned and e-mailed as promised.

Maybe we can think about some rules to protect ourselves against dangerous situations. I mean, come on, if the seller doesn't know where his pride and joy is registered, what does he know?!? Seems like we need to look into telephone screening to avoid wasted trips to look at a bike.

Ride on.

Chris

 

[monsterman]

The bike may be legal, but the registration must be on the main Bangkok computer not just Phuket or CM .

 

[monsterman]

You can change registration from one province to another if its legal.

 

[hs0zfe]

UPDATE
I got the scans and now the owner appears to be a Thai with an address in Phuket and not the farang seller.

For starters, to make a deal the actual owner would have to be present and we would have to change the Book in Phuket?

Last Q, is there a way to verify a book, for a fee?

To be honest, that 650 cc Kawa for THB 75,000 more looks more and more like the better alternative to that Honda VFR 800 i, sold by someone who is clearly not the owner!

Thanks for bearing with me,

Chris

 

[schackster]

I also enquired about this VFR and the farang who is based in Hang Dong tells me its not actually his bike but rather it belongs to an employee of his who is in Phuket. Selling because the employee owes him money. He did however tell me the employee was also a Farang. I was keen at first but as he jumbled up the storey the more we talked I didnt feel comfortable enough to pursue it...

 

[hs0zfe]

Schackster - thanks for the info! Seems he is saying as little as possible to prospective buyers. ** In the mean time, a biker based in Phuket has most unfortunate news:

i) they are tough and won't take tea money to make a problem "go away".

ii) Any modification and it requires the book to be updated and changed!

iii) There are many more issues which are specific to the Phuket DMV!

The seller puts in his ad that his wife won't allow him to have the bike. Seems a convoluted story and that aftermarket exhaust alone will be a major headache, even if everything else is in that Green Book.

BTW, the Green Book is a replacement and I hate the idea of making a trip North only to find the numbers aren't matching or whatever.

Page 18 is not scanned, of course. Oh well.

Resumee:
Buying a used bike is a tricky business - and not just with regards to avoiding a lemon or a bike with false odometer reading etc. I had no idea things are that tough over here and Phuket seems to be the worst place in Thailand to have DMV issues!

Chris

 

[harrythefinn]

Getting interesting !

 

[Muzz]

I've been ripped off a few times here, always by farangs. I just pay over the top now and get legal bikes from people like Barcelona Motors. At least you know you own what you paid for and a man in a brown suit won't come knocking on your door to add your bike to his collection.

Good luck!

 

[monsterman]

Walk away from the VFR there will always be a better safer less complex to understand deal along soon .

 

[hansdeckers]

It is quite easy to check, just take the printed scans to the registration office (in my case Chiang Mai) and ask the people there if they can check their computer. They will tell you whether the book matches with the model of the bike and you know if it is legal. I did this last year when I wanted to buy a Yamaha 1300 advertised on this forum, according to the computer the book belonged to a Virago 750

 

[gobs]

For sure, a lot of homewok to do by oneself... But it's part of the deal in LOS.
Or as said Muzz go by the "big door" purchasing through a renowned dealer... I agree: a bit more expensive but maybe worth it... a sort of insurance on the truth of your next bike...

I guess it will be not so "complex" in the coming next years... All these kinds of thinks are going to "change" for better.
Furthermore, nowadays, because enforcement of laws, many bikers want to get rid of their piece of (scrap) iron... So all ways may be good...
Just beware, though obviously many bikes for sale are not craps. Just in case of some tiny doubt , stay away: a better deal will come soon!

Cheers,
Gobs

 

[hs0zfe]

The story gets convoluted, but then there are others waiting. I bowed out disgracefully. Life is too short to take certain risks with strangers. Don't get me started on the likelihood of the odometer not being tampered with.

Ownership is an employee of mine who relocated from Phuket to work in our company he borrowed 150,000bht to repay debts before he moved. He gave the bike as a guarentee on the loan. He decided to move back to Phuket and gave us the bike against the loan - he told us to sell it for 180,000 but we are happy to get our money back only.
His name is Barret Agent and he didn't get round to registering it. The registered owner is Khun Kokaew and this person has signed all the necessary documents to transfer to a new owner.
The comments from my wife were only partly true - I put it in the ad to bring a sense of humour to it. However it is true my wife would not let me keep it!

If you would like to talk to Barrett his email is XXX

Let me know very soon tho as I have a couple of others anxious to give me money.

8) :roll: