Is It Possible To Buy A New Honda Shadow In Thailand

[localexpat]

Hi

I posted this in the sports forum by mistake, finally found the right one.

I am new to motorbikes and am looking if possible to buy a motor bike similar to the Honda Shadow in thailand.

Some questions

How does the motorbike license system work?

What paperwork do u need, such as tax and insurance?

What size motorcyles 250 cc to 500 cc are manufactured in Thailand?

Is it possible to buy a new Honda Rebel ( 250 cc ) or a Honda Shadow, are these made here or imported. If imported where is the best place to buy. If imported is it possible to get spares.

Any advice most appreciated on buying a 250 cc or larger motorbike.

I live in the North btw.

Thanks in advance

[PeaceBlondie]

The only cruiser/chopper that Honda makes, that is easily licensed new in Thailand, is the 200. But it's not a Shadow; it's a Phantom 200. Phantoms are not sold new, and are not easily licensed.

There are lots of illegally imported larger bikes in the north, many of them without license plates, or with phony plates and registrations from smaller bikes.

But if you wish to buy a used bike that you don't know its history, and take your wild chances at parts and service, there are lots of big bikes. You can find almost anything.

You can buy a new BMW 650 at the dealership in Chiang Mai, or an R1150 or a K1200. I can't think of anything new and legal between 200 and 650 cc.

[thaired]

New Dragster's 400CC & I think 1000CC were on display & for sale at Lotus Ayyuthaya a week or so back. 1000cc was up for 375,000 but cannot remember the price of the 400. Steed 600cc can also be bought new around the 300k mark.

[localexpat]

New Dragster's 400CC & I think 1000CC were on display & for sale at Lotus Ayyuthaya a week or so back. 1000cc was up for 375,000 but cannot remember the price of the 400. Steed 600cc can also be bought new around the 300k mark.

Many thanks for the two replies I have had on this posting so far.

Now I am beginning to understand and I am must admit I am quite disappointed.

It would appear that unless you are to pay excessive amounts of what I presume is import tax the only motorcylce available in my range is the Honda Phantom.

This is only 200 cc and according to my friend has difficulty climbing hills with two people on.

mmmmmmmmm, not a good situation

[xbusman]

The 200cc is a great bike. Cheap, enough power to get around on, very comfortable and easy to stop. Does the job fine around town or out for a sunday ride. Road trips or serious riding will require a larger bike which are heavily taxed on import.

Generally speaking, motorcycles here are about twice the retail price of US bikes due to taxes and freight. This strange arrangement has probably saved the lives of countless thais and I shudder to think of that horsepower and braking distance being given to the general public here.

So if the big bike club is priced out of reach, just broach the hill a little slower and safer on a bike that is inexpensive to buy, operate and maintain with parts in every town, the Honda Phantom. They can also be punched out to 250ccs but I dont know if that is of any real benefit.

Happy riding....

[thedi]

There is also a Kawasaki Boss, 175cc which is made in Thailand. IMHO it looks better than the Honda Phantom, but the Phantom may be technically better (Boss has a too small chain).

Both have enough power to go to the marked or short trips. They are light enough to use them on rough roads too. But they are no Harleys.

Big bikes like HD, Yamaha Drag Stars and Honda Steed/Shadow are usually second hand, because of unrealistic import taxes for new bikes. My Thai friends like to point out: an new bike is only new on the first day ;-)

Most 'big' bikes in TH are only 400cc, which makes them not much better than a Boss or Phantom. Many of the 400cc bikes are changed to look more impressiv. Thais are good at that, but the bikes tend to become too heavy. This means also, that not every bike that looks like a Harley and has 'Harley-Davidson' written all over it, is a HD or really does have the 1100cc that is written on the engine.

The registration of an imported bike costs 60'000 Baht or more. As mentioned before, there are faked registrations, where a registration from an other bike is used as a basis; the engine number, color etc can be changed in the papers, but the last step in the process will be to change the bikes chassis number to match the papers. This kind of papers cost about 20'000 and work now, but may not pass in the future, when the computer system of the registration offices improve.

If you want buy anything, you should check if the chassis and engine number of the bike are still original and match the papers (green book). Otherways don't buy.

Regards and good luck

Thedi