Obtaining Green Book for Custom Bike

[SuperTed]

My friend has built a custom bike in Thailand and has all the paperwork for the parts. How to obtain the green book? What is the cost?

 

 

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[Kwasaki]

If none of the parts are from bikes that were made in Thailand IMO forget it.

The costs and hassle is not worth it.

[Kerryd]

It can be very expensive.

I'm guessing we're not talking about a 125cc Honda or 250cc CBR.

 

Quite a few years ago a friend of mine was helping someone get a book for a motorcycle (full sized Harley) that he'd bought off another guy, that didn't have the proper green book. If I recall correctly, at the time it was going to cost something like 300,000 baht - for the proper, legal book. 

I found out that was why there seemed to be a lot of "good deals" for full sized bikes - they'd been assembled from parts that had been imported at significantly lower tax rates in an effort to skirt around the much higher rate that would normally be charged for a complete (assembled) bike. As a result, they couldn't be registered and get the green book, and therefore they couldn't be properly licensed (or insured) either.

 

If memory serves (going back nearly 10 years now), the guy had to pay the difference between what had been charged (for duties and tariffs) on the parts and what would have
been charged if the bike had of been imported fully assembled.

My friend (that helped the guy mentioned above) is in Pattaya, I can contact him and ask him if he still does stuff like that (pretty sure he does - for a fee) and what it would cost if you (I mean, your friend) wanted to go ahead with it.

[lust]

Be ready to shell out a couple hundred thousand baht.

[NCC1701A]

can't import a car or bike or build one.

 

can't own land.

 

you are not more handsome in Thailand.

 

no one loves you.

 

i think that covers it. 

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, lust said:

Be ready to shell out a couple hundred thousand baht.

Years ago you could buy bikes without number plates and books, you just had papers but they clamped down and started confiscating the bikes to try and get green books was nye on impossible. I called em mongrel bikes because they were made up of many part's of bikes from different years. I got number plate for mine which was illegal but back then not so bad as now. 

[baansgr]

His best bet is stick it on Kaidee or Bahtsold and get some mug that hasn't a clue to buy it.  At least he should get back all or most of what it's cost him to build

[action]

Think what the bike is worth to your friend in parts, labor and love, then multiply by 3.  Don't forget to add for all the hassle he'll face on the road if/when the paperwork goes through.  
Tell him we said, "Welcome to Thailand."  

[SuperTed]

It can be very expensive.
I'm guessing we're not talking about a 125cc Honda or 250cc CBR.
 
Quite a few years ago a friend of mine was helping someone get a book for a motorcycle (full sized Harley) that he'd bought off another guy, that didn't have the proper green book. If I recall correctly, at the time it was going to cost something like 300,000 baht - for the proper, legal book. 

I found out that was why there seemed to be a lot of "good deals" for full sized bikes - they'd been assembled from parts that had been imported at significantly lower tax rates in an effort to skirt around the much higher rate that would normally be charged for a complete (assembled) bike. As a result, they couldn't be registered and get the green book, and therefore they couldn't be properly licensed (or insured) either.
 
If memory serves (going back nearly 10 years now), the guy had to pay the difference between what had been charged (for duties and tariffs) on the parts and what would have
been charged if the bike had of been imported fully assembled.

My friend (that helped the guy mentioned above) is in Pattaya, I can contact him and ask him if he still does stuff like that (pretty sure he does - for a fee) and what it would cost if you (I mean, your friend) wanted to go ahead with it.

Thanks for the offer. The friend (it’s not me) has gone through his hiso gf and is talking to an official in BKK on whether it can be done.


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[SuperTed]

P.S. my recollection is that these are not imported parts, but off of old bikes already imported, as shown by the paperwork. So hopefully not so expensive. Will let you know how it goes,


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[Kwasaki]

9 hours ago, SuperTed said:

P.S. my recollection is that these are not imported parts, but off of old bikes already imported, as shown by the paperwork. So hopefully not so expensive. Will let you know how it goes,

 

Yes please come back on progress because I couldn't do it 12 years ago and even knowing a HiSo won't cut these days.

 

Your friend said not imported parts but off of old bikes already imported, imported is the problem, he would need copies of green books of registered bikes made and assembled in Thailand.

 

[Kwasaki]

17 hours ago, Kerryd said:

As a result, they couldn't be registered and get the green book, and therefore they couldn't be properly licensed (or insured) either.

 

My friend (that helped the guy mentioned above) is in Pattaya, I can contact him and ask him if he still does stuff like that (pretty sure he does - for a fee)

 

You would have papers for them and you could insure them also if the police stopped you they wanted to see that you were insured and had a motorcycle DL.

 

I doubt if your friend could help now.

Back then to get a green book for registering a bike with no book you had to take the bike to the head ministry office in Bangkok if he didn't do this the book was forgery deception as my CB400SF.

[Pepper9187]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

 

You would have papers for them and you could insure them also if the police stopped you they wanted to see that you were insured and had a motorcycle DL.

 

I doubt if your friend could help now.

Back then to get a green book for registering a bike with no book you had to take the bike to the head ministry office in Bangkok if he didn't do this the book was forgery deception as my CB400SF.

 

I'm wondering :

 

So it's a totally custom model, does it changes the registration process VS an existing bike model which has been imported in parts ?

[DJ54]

Have 07’ HD Streetglide in USA asked @ cost to import at the HD dealer, was @ same price of a new 2017 Streetglide priced at 1,800,000.00 baht (@ $58k US). 

 

My 07’ pictured would fetch about $12,000 USD and it’s in excellent 

condition low miles. 

 

Decision was easy NOPE! Tell your friend try right it unregistered knowing if stooled could be confiscated. Or ask around at what it 

would cost to register. 

 

Had friend in Thailand that rents moto. Triumph made in Thailand 

now thought the price would be lower because not imported. 

Nope now they’ve added a luxury tax.

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, Pepper9187 said:

I'm wondering :

So it's a totally custom model, does it changes the registration process VS an existing bike model which has been imported in parts ?

 

Yes & Firstly it's a custom built bike that I hope the builder hasn't spent too much money on because he should bought a bike with a green book and then start customizing it.

 

His way out as I see it would be to try and find the model of bike similar to the model he bought with a green book.

 

Existing bike models that have been imported into Thailand say from Japan are in crates along with parts, spares etc they are then put together in factory assembly plants in Thailand.

This is how I understand it.

 

It doesn't matter whether OP's mates has ordered parts from America, Uk, Europe or Japan and has the paperwork the bike his put them on hasn't got a Thai green book.

 

 

[Kerryd]

17 hours ago, DJ54 said:

Have 07’ HD Streetglide in USA asked @ cost to import at the HD dealer, was @ same price of a new 2017 Streetglide priced at 1,800,000.00 baht (@ $58k US). 

 

My 07’ pictured would fetch about $12,000 USD and it’s in excellent 

condition low miles. 

A friend of mine imported his Harley from the states a couple years ago and he says it cost him about 142,000 baht in total - once the bike arrived in Thailand (so add the shipping and insurance costs on to that).

He got a 70% discount on the Import Duties as his bike was 10+ years old and he could prove he was the sole owner. It seems they used a figure of $10,000 as the value if his bike (including the shipping and insurance costs). He thought the bike was worth around $8,000 by itself.

Yes, in Thailand they take the value of the vehicle then add the shipping costs and the cost of the shipping insurance to get the total that they will then apply the Duties and Tariffs to. Don't bother arguing that you shouldn't have to pay duties and tariffs on shipping and insurance costs - it will get you nowhere.

 

Apparently the biggest headache was getting the book and it took him nearly 9 months and 4 trips to Bangkok to get it done. He also had to physically be at the port when the bike arrived and was inspected of course (which you'd probably want anyways to make sure it arrived in the same condition it was in when it was shipped).

He says the total he paid (Import Duties and to get the book) came out to around 142,000 baht (so about $4,700 US at the time). Some of that was "under the table" to get people to do their jobs apparently. 
And that was for a 14 year old, fully assembled bike with all the paperwork. 

He says he wouldn't do it again due to the headaches involved. However, it was a lot cheaper than buying another, similar sized, bike here (that was in the same condition). Other people may do the same thing he did and not think twice about the "hassles". (What feels like a thorn in one person's foot maybe feel like a grain of sand to someone else, especially if you have someone else doing most of the leg work for you.)

Here is the Thai Customs page that details the breakdown on the Duties and Tariffs charged. http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_01&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_01

Scroll down near the bottom to find Motorcycles (under "Additional Information"). According to that, a new motorcycle would get dinged with duties/tariffs totalling about 77.04% of the value of the bike (including shipping/insurance). So a new bike valued at a total of $20,000 US (say $18,000 for the bike and $2,000 for shipping and insurance) would cost about $15,408 dollars just to import into Thailand and then maybe a couple of grand more to get the book.

But a bike that is 10+ years old and valued at $12,000 (you may want to "re-evaluate" that number) ? Should be around $4,600 for the Duties/Tariffs, and whatever else it costs to get the book.

There are companies you can use to facilitate the shipping and there are "customs brokers" you can get to help you with that paperwork, but it will probably still be a lot of hassles and paperwork before you can finally ride your bike (legally at least).

 

Oh and to get it back out of the country ? Apparently it will be just as much hassle but maybe not as expensive.
Maybe.

I was at a Harley dealer last spring and asked the price of a brand spanking new 2018 Heritage Softail Classic and was told it was 1,200,000. Didn't inquire about the costs of any bigger bikes. You could maybe find some good deals on Street Glides/Ultras/Road Kings in Thailand and maybe sell your bike back home instead. May work out better for you and fewer headaches.

[Kwasaki]

6 hours ago, Kerryd said:

(say $18,000 for the bike and $2,000 for shipping and insurance) would cost about $15,408 dollars just to import into Thailand and then maybe a couple of grand more to get the book.

 

OK it's always a friend of mine imported a bike, so how did your friend get his Green bike book.

[Kerryd]

On 10/1/2018 at 5:45 PM, Kwasaki said:

 

OK it's always a friend of mine imported a bike, so how did your friend get his Green bike book.

Like I said - he ended up making 4 trips to Bangkok over the course of 9 months before he was finally able to get the book (according to him, who I was chatting with on Messenger as I was typing that post).
My friend (who is American) had one of our Thai friends (from the same motorcycle club) helping him and I think one other person was also involved. One of the guys (Thai) that used to be in our club does a lot of business with Customs and the other guy has been selling/renting/repairing motorcycles for as long as I've known him (which is near 12 years now). 

 

The guy who imported the bike had it at Burapa this year. I only have one pic of it, not a very good one though. The bike he imported is the one the right of the pic below.


When I was chatting with him he mentioned that he kept all the paperwork and details about what he had to do and he's willing to share the info in case anyone else wants to do the same thing. (Keep in mind that he's still a little P.O.'d about the whole affair - especially the 9 months it took to finally get the book - something that probably should have taken no more than a week anywhere else.)

 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

(Keep in mind that he's still a little P.O.'d about the whole affair - especially the 9 months it took to finally get the book - something that probably should have taken no more than a week anywhere else.)

 

Thanks OK if someone Thai was in tow during his ordeal I understand and back then I would think it possible with the brown envelopes.

 

My doubts and story were from my experience they wanted 27,000 baht for an inspection of the bike and we were told my wife and I they definitely would find something to fail it on because it was an old bike whether road worthy or not, if you wanted to fix whatever they failed it on you had to pay another 27,000 baht inspection charge, in the what seemed the unlikely event the the bike passed, the book was another 30,000 baht plus back taxes on year parts recorded on the paperwork for the bikes components.

 

On a bike I paid 67,000 for it wasn't worth the hassle so got a book and number plate from the guy who sold us the bike for 7000 baht in a brown envelope, not possible these days I would think.

[SuperTed]

Thanks for the input. My friend felt further asks coming from the government official and dropped the idea. He has bought a bike with green book.


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