Need 2 bikes + advice for a one-way trip from Bangkok to Hat Yai

Naas

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Jun 4, 2012
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My Brother and I need 2 bikes to do a one-way trip from Bangkok to Hat Yai over a period of 4 weeks, hoping to leave Bangkok on 19/20 July 2012.
Our plan was to buy 2 bikes in Bangkok and sell them in Hat Yai (if we can) but I'm worried about the proof of residence to get the bikes registered. We will be on a 30 day tourist visa (we arrive on 16/17 July) and will only have a hotel booking for 2 or 3 days.
Does anyone have an idea to get around the proof of residence problem, or alternatively, know of any one-way longish term rental options?
If we can find a solutiion to buy bikes, we will be looking to buy 2 cheapish small bikes (100 - 250cc) so please tell me if you know of someone selling this.
Any other ideas / tips / advice for the trip will be very much appreciated!

Thank you
Naas
 
Dec 27, 2007
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I believe you are required to have a long stay visa to registered a vehicle, but in reality it seems this rule is not enforced in all provinces.

There have been many reports of people on tourist visas managing to buy bikes in tourist-friendly provinces such as Chonburi and Phuket, but my gut feeling is that you will not be able to registered a bike in your name at the Bangkok DLT on a tourist visa.

Many embassies can provide an Address Verification Letter so you should check with your embassy to see if this is a service they offer.

Best of luck!

Tony
 
Jul 11, 2007
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Bonjour Naas,
I think you should forget about buying bikes for such a short time.
It will take some days in BKK to find the good bikes with the right papers,not sure to be able to sell them before your dateline.
Why don't you start your trip,let's say in Cha Am or Hua Hin,rent good 125 Hondas or similar,ride around; Then hop on a bus to Prachuap Kirikan,and so on. you won't have any problem to rent all along the coast. No big money to invest and free mind until you reach Hat Yai.
Bonne chance, Lung.
 
Jul 18, 2009
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Some rental shops in Bangkok might do a deal wherebye you leave the rental bikes in Hatyai with an agent and they ship them back to Bangkok at your expense. Still less hassle than buying the bikes outright
 

LizHH

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Jun 7, 2012
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Hi Naas,
Rather than starting your trip in Bkk you could (as Guichard suggests )maybe start in Hua Hin, plenty of places to rent small bikes here , some of the rental shops also have 'pick up truck taxi ' services so they could maybe come and collect the bikes from Haat Yai ( I was quoted about 5,000 baht for a taxi to and from Chomporn (about half way to Haad Yai )last year) so I guess it would about 10,000 baht at the most.

Alternatively, as you have four weeks, do the loop Hua Hin - Haat Yai - Hua Hin, leave the bikes back and then night train back down to Haad Yai. You will have to re trace your journey some of the way but from Hua Hin to Chomporn you can meander around a choice of small roads (only having to go on Phetkasem highway for about 40 km ) and from Chomporn you can either head straight on down the east side of the country or head over to the west coast and then take another route on the way back etc etc ...

Or rent bikes in Hua Hin, motor down to Haad Yai then put the bikes and yourselves on the train back to Hua Hin spend a relaxing beach day here and then train back to Haad Yai logically these suggestions might seem crazy but then again bike trip holidays are not usually about getting from A to B but about savouring the travel.

Best LizHH
 

LizHH

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Jun 7, 2012
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Hi Naas, Further to my post of late last night / early this morn I spoke to a couple of bike rental shops. It seems highly unlikely that you will be able to rent bikes that you can use for the whole journey. I was told all rental bikes are only registered for their local area. Perhaps you should do as Guichard suggests; a combo of renting bikes locally, explore the area and then move on to the next area by bus etc....
LizHH
 
Jul 11, 2007
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About 20 Km,North of Chumpon,I suggest you stay overnight at Hat Thung Walin,charming and peaceful little resort.

Then before héading South to Surat,you could do a nice loop:41,4139,4091,4. for more info,read Captain Slash's relation,in March 2009.
Have a nice trip, Lung.
 

daewoo

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Dec 6, 2005
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Hi Naas,

What kind of bikes do you want to rent?

I too think that you will have a hard time buying and selling in only 4 weeks...

If you want to rent a Kawasaki 650cc (ER6/Versys) you will be paying about 3500 Baht/day... times 28 days, that is about 98,000 Baht, or 2,450 Euro.

You are going to pay at least twice that to buy the same bike second hand, but of course should get the money back when you sell it...

I would suggest that, if you have friends or someone that you could trust to buy and sell the bike on your behalf, it might be doable... but otherwise I think you will use the whole time to buy and sell the bikes...

Cheers,
Darryl
 

Naas

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Jun 4, 2012
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Thanks for all the comments and advice. Especially LizHH. Looks like we might be renting bikes in stead. Any further input and recommendations on good places to visit will still be appreciated. Thanks, Naas.
 

domnam

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Jun 21, 2012
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Hello Naas

I am a foreigner living in Hat Yai with my Thai wife. I drove to Bangkok and back to Hat yai a couple of times and found it to be a very nice experience. There are many rest stops along the way and hotels if you get tired. I also ride motorbikes and is looking to buy a big bike here in Thailand. I found the bikes here to be very expensive however. The best way to go is to rent a couple of bikes. If however you are sucessful in buying a bike and would like to sell when you arrive in Hat Yai let me know

Thank you

Dom