Unregisered Dirt Bike

[missismiggins]

A cautionary tale about unregistered bikes.

Two weeks ago I took my bike for a run out on a nice evening. The bike is an unregistered 250 Honda XR. I had all the paperwork at home that I was told I needed to avoid problems with the police, (invoices, tax invoices etc. etc.)

Much to a stroke of bad luck, I was on my way home and approaching a set of lights, which luck would have it, were on red, and again, as luck would have it there on the side of the road was about 12 police stopping everything on two wheels - there was NO ESCAPE!!

Needless to say I got pulled, they kept me for about 3 hours, taking all the details etc. not asking for money (surprise) (I would gladly have paid to just get home.) This was a real proffesional operation, big brass plain clothes guys too, no chance of paying my way out.

Finally they decided to keep the bike and were going to take me home in the police car. (at one point the captain in charge nearly let me take the bike home if I promised to return to the station the next day, he finally had a change of heart and refused. I couldn't complain about their behaviour, they were extremely polite, and even friendly, it was one of those things.

They told me to bring the paperwork and someone from the shop where I bought the bike to the station in the morning.

I called in at the shop but the guy was busy and unable to come with me. I went to the station and was shown the bike, taken upstairs to see the guy in charge that morning. He took one look at the paperwork and told me to go away and get a registration book and number. (apparently this is nigh on impossible for this type of bike as it can never really be street legal)

I went back to the shop and explained what had happened. The guy laughed and said he was not surprised, however, he had a friend that worked at the station, and if I gave him the paperwork he would get it "sorted".

After about 5 days, I heard nothing so I called and he told me that only the "Big Boss" could release it (as it was him who pulled me.) This went on each time I called him.

A few more days passed and still nothing, after nearly two weeks I was getting a bit worried, so we contacted a friend whose father is a retired high ranking policeman.

The friend took copies of my passport and visited the station. She found out that none of my paperwork had been given to the police and the police were wondering why I hadn't claimed the bike. (plus the bike would be sold or whatever if it wasn't claimed soon)

We visited the shop and played dumb, asking the guy for his police friends contact number as I needed to get my license back (which had been confiscated).

My friend called the cop that evening (he had already been tipped off by the shop owner and was expecting the call but, thought it was my wife calling). He told her not to bother ringing him if she didn't have at least 10000 baht.

She told him who she was and he got quite rude. A telephone call from her father to the head guy at the police station sweetened his manner a little. However, the paperwork has still not been returned.

Next day my friend went to the station, paid 5000baht for the bike, 400 for return of my license, and last night we got the bike back.

The bike had already been removed from the pound when she got there, and she eventually found it, apparently about to be resprayed. In short, the shop owner who I bought it off was in cahoots with this cop, and the pair of them planned to steal the bike and resell it! Not shy eh? By delaying me long enough, the bike would have been "disposed of" and they would get their dirty little hands on it.

So at long last I have the bike back, but no paperwork, which will make it difficult to sell. Just a word of caution about having "illegal" bikes in Thailand, it is not as easy as the Thais make it out, especially if you are a farang. The locals tell me normally, if they get pulled, they take the invoice, pay 1500 baht and the bike is returned, me, I guess I was unlucky eh?

Now I have the additional problem that it will be automatically impounded if I get caught again, as I have no invoices to prove ownership - anyone want to buy a cheap Honda LOL.

[mikethevigoman]

A cautionary tale about unregistered bikes.

Two weeks ago I took my bike for a run out on a nice evening. The bike is an unregistered 250 Honda XR. I had all the paperwork at home that I was told I needed to avoid problems with the police, (invoices, tax invoices etc. etc.)

Much to a stroke of bad luck, I was on my way home and approaching a set of lights, which luck would have it, were on red, and again, as luck would have it there on the side of the road was about 12 police stopping everything on two wheels - there was NO ESCAPE!!

Needless to say I got pulled, they kept me for about 3 hours, taking all the details etc. not asking for money (surprise) (I would gladly have paid to just get home.) This was a real proffesional operation, big brass plain clothes guys too, no chance of paying my way out.

Finally they decided to keep the bike and were going to take me home in the police car. (at one point the captain in charge nearly let me take the bike home if I promised to return to the station the next day, he finally had a change of heart and refused. I couldn't complain about their behaviour, they were extremely polite, and even friendly, it was one of those things.

They told me to bring the paperwork and someone from the shop where I bought the bike to the station in the morning.

I called in at the shop but the guy was busy and unable to come with me. I went to the station and was shown the bike, taken upstairs to see the guy in charge that morning. He took one look at the paperwork and told me to go away and get a registration book and number. (apparently this is nigh on impossible for this type of bike as it can never really be street legal)

I went back to the shop and explained what had happened. The guy laughed and said he was not surprised, however, he had a friend that worked at the station, and if I gave him the paperwork he would get it "sorted".

After about 5 days, I heard nothing so I called and he told me that only the "Big Boss" could release it (as it was him who pulled me.) This went on each time I called him.

A few more days passed and still nothing, after nearly two weeks I was getting a bit worried, so we contacted a friend whose father is a retired high ranking policeman.

The friend took copies of my passport and visited the station. She found out that none of my paperwork had been given to the police and the police were wondering why I hadn't claimed the bike. (plus the bike would be sold or whatever if it wasn't claimed soon)

We visited the shop and played dumb, asking the guy for his police friends contact number as I needed to get my license back (which had been confiscated).

My friend called the cop that evening (he had already been tipped off by the shop owner and was expecting the call but, thought it was my wife calling). He told her not to bother ringing him if she didn't have at least 10000 baht.

She told him who she was and he got quite rude. A telephone call from her father to the head guy at the police station sweetened his manner a little. However, the paperwork has still not been returned.

Next day my friend went to the station, paid 5000baht for the bike, 400 for return of my license, and last night we got the bike back.

The bike had already been removed from the pound when she got there, and she eventually found it, apparently about to be resprayed. In short, the shop owner who I bought it off was in cahoots with this cop, and the pair of them planned to steal the bike and resell it! Not shy eh? By delaying me long enough, the bike would have been "disposed of" and they would get their dirty little hands on it.

So at long last I have the bike back, but no paperwork, which will make it difficult to sell. Just a word of caution about having "illegal" bikes in Thailand, it is not as easy as the Thais make it out, especially if you are a farang. The locals tell me normally, if they get pulled, they take the invoice, pay 1500 baht and the bike is returned, me, I guess I was unlucky eh?

Now I have the additional problem that it will be automatically impounded if I get caught again, as I have no invoices to prove ownership - anyone want to buy a cheap Honda LOL.

If what you say here "The bike is an unregistered 250 Honda XR. I had all the paperwork at home that I was told I needed to avoid problems with the police, (invoices, tax invoices etc. etc.) " is true i dont understand,. i have a friend that will buy it if you want to dispose of it, please pm me,.ps, you were unlucky, 10 years riding with no book/plate, all over thailand,one time we entered into cambodia with no plates, that was orgaised by the enduro club,ive ridden 15 enduros most bikes have no plates, police assisted some of them, where were you ? Edited February 21, 2008 by mikethevigoman

[jaideeguy]

Sounds like a nightmare that i hope I never have to go thru as I just purchased an unregistered Yamaha tw200. But, I have no intentions of riding it in town and will limit my riding to the mooban and off road.

I do wonder what the actual cost would be to 'legalize it'.......has anyone out there actually gone thru the process?? is is based on cc or cost of bike?? and can you hire an 'expiditer' to do it??

another thing that I have wondered is that up here in CM, there are lots of rental agencies that specialize in renting unregistered bikes [jap import dirt bikes] to tourists and i see them all over twon. how do they get away with it??

[BlackArtemis]

The easiest answer is to make friends with a "bigger" guy

[tattoodrob]

Sounds like a nightmare that i hope I never have to go thru as I just purchased an unregistered Yamaha tw200. But, I have no intentions of riding it in town and will limit my riding to the mooban and off road.

I do wonder what the actual cost would be to 'legalize it'.......has anyone out there actually gone thru the process?? is is based on cc or cost of bike?? and can you hire an 'expiditer' to do it??

another thing that I have wondered is that up here in CM, there are lots of rental agencies that specialize in renting unregistered bikes [jap import dirt bikes] to tourists and i see them all over twon. how do they get away with it??

[/qullo

if you have the right paperwork then would be possible to register and get a book.i believe you wil have to have a lot of paperwork.....purchase invoice,import invoices,import tax invoices,etc then i believe it is done on cc of bike,would cost aprox 50k if you paid all duty owed first.if you know someone who knows someone who works in the office then obviously could be done with a little extra paid(tea money),and to answer your question as to how do the rental companies in cm get away with it..........hmmm lets think ..........they pay the local town police maybe or owner of company is police or related to highish up cop

[jaideeguy]

"if you have the right paperwork then would be possible to register and get a book.i believe you wil have to have a lot of paperwork.....purchase invoice,import invoices,import tax invoices,etc then i believe it is done on cc of bike,would cost aprox 50k if you paid all duty owed first.if you know someone who knows someone who works in the office then obviously could be done with a little extra paid(tea money),and to answer your question as to how do the rental companies in cm get away with it..........hmmm lets think ..........they pay the local town police maybe or owner of company is police or related to highish up cop"

That's kinda what i figured, but there are so many of them....at least 20 shops that I know of and how can the cops tell who paid and who didn't?? and what about the rentors that take them up to Pai and other places to play in the dirt off road??

maybe I'll drop by a shop and ask......and if they have an 'arrangement' with the cops, then maybe they could write up a rental agreement [for a price, of course] giving me legal [?] possession of the bike???

[missismiggins]

Thought you may be interested in the latest update-

Got the bike back as I mentioned in the original post, but no paperwork, that was Thursday night if I remember, anyway, Saturday morning and I get a call from the shopowners wife telling me she had the paperwork and she had already paid the police 1500 baht. So, in for a penny so to put it, I went to the shop handed over the 1500, and then she gives me the paperwork -everything is there, EXCEPT the invoice showing my name as the purchaser. When my wife starts asking for the invoice, the husband comes in and starts screaming and shouting that you don't need this, he's really going for it slamming fists on the table etc. I found it all a bit pathetic really as he was losing his cool big time.

Eventually, we could get no further so we left.

Later that day my wifes friend goes back to the police station, where they say they have "found" the invoice. She has to take all the copies of the original paperwork along with the bike.

That was yesterday morning, the bike didn't come back nor did the invoice.

Now we understand what seems to be going on, there are two "groups" operating at the police station, one group appear to be OK, the other group are in a bike scam.

What I have been told is, the original shop guy and one cop have already paid 6500 for the bike, and want to rip me off and sell it. (they are now out of pocket)

Now my wifes friend is back at the police station now trying to get everything released. about 1 hour ago, I get a phone call from the bent cop - he then calls my wife and asks her to meet him to "TALK", but not at the police station, but at some motorcycle shop 30km from my home. (and to come ALONE)

We then call the friend at the station and she advises not to go and to hang up if he calls. He by now knows my wife is not going to show, and, as I type this, there is a car prowling outside our piece of land stopping and starting, watching the house - this is all getting a bit scary - it looks like they want more money.

However, we are waiting for the friend to call if she gets the bike.

I will let you know the outcome - if I don't end up shot or whatever first..... so if you see an article in the press about murdered farang in the San Patong area - it could be me!

[mikethevigoman]

Thought you may be interested in the latest update-

Got the bike back as I mentioned in the original post, but no paperwork, that was Thursday night if I remember, anyway, Saturday morning and I get a call from the shopowners wife telling me she had the paperwork and she had already paid the police 1500 baht. So, in for a penny so to put it, I went to the shop handed over the 1500, and then she gives me the paperwork -everything is there, EXCEPT the invoice showing my name as the purchaser. When my wife starts asking for the invoice, the husband comes in and starts screaming and shouting that you don't need this, he's really going for it slamming fists on the table etc. I found it all a bit pathetic really as he was losing his cool big time.

Eventually, we could get no further so we left.

Later that day my wifes friend goes back to the police station, where they say they have "found" the invoice. She has to take all the copies of the original paperwork along with the bike.

That was yesterday morning, the bike didn't come back nor did the invoice.

Now we understand what seems to be going on, there are two "groups" operating at the police station, one group appear to be OK, the other group are in a bike scam.

What I have been told is, the original shop guy and one cop have already paid 6500 for the bike, and want to rip me off and sell it. (they are now out of pocket)

Now my wifes friend is back at the police station now trying to get everything released. about 1 hour ago, I get a phone call from the bent cop - he then calls my wife and asks her to meet him to "TALK", but not at the police station, but at some motorcycle shop 30km from my home. (and to come ALONE)

We then call the friend at the station and she advises not to go and to hang up if he calls. He by now knows my wife is not going to show, and, as I type this, there is a car prowling outside our piece of land stopping and starting, watching the house - this is all getting a bit scary - it looks like they want more money.

However, we are waiting for the friend to call if she gets the bike.

I will let you know the outcome - if I don't end up shot or whatever first..... so if you see an article in the press about murdered farang in the San Patong area - it could be me!

Oh dear what a mess, however id say leave it to your wife and keep calm, pay whatever you have to within reason and put this down to bad luck id say, better pay a bit than lose the bike, they obviosly assumed as a farang with no papers the bike was a freebie and moved it on and once these people have had the money its on a one way ticket, you may have to pay out the 6500 me thinks

[ozzydom]

Better get somebody with a bit of clout in your corner quick smart,do you know the village boss or a local politicon or even the honcho local copper.

[missismiggins]

Not really got many connections, however the wifes brother has some good ones in the Bangkok cops - The local headman will likely cost me more than the bent cops - he's a real scammer too.

I just been setting up a video camera to try and get some pics if they come a visiting!

See what happens.

Better get somebody with a bit of clout in your corner quick smart,do you know the village boss or a local politicon or even the honcho local copper.

[missismiggins]

Thought you may be interested in the latest update-

Got the bike back as I mentioned in the original post, but no paperwork, that was Thursday night if I remember, anyway, Saturday morning and I get a call from the shopowners wife telling me she had the paperwork and she had already paid the police 1500 baht. So, in for a penny so to put it, I went to the shop handed over the 1500, and then she gives me the paperwork -everything is there, EXCEPT the invoice showing my name as the purchaser. When my wife starts asking for the invoice, the husband comes in and starts screaming and shouting that you don't need this, he's really going for it slamming fists on the table etc. I found it all a bit pathetic really as he was losing his cool big time.

Eventually, we could get no further so we left.

Later that day my wifes friend goes back to the police station, where they say they have "found" the invoice. She has to take all the copies of the original paperwork along with the bike.

That was yesterday morning, the bike didn't come back nor did the invoice.

Now we understand what seems to be going on, there are two "groups" operating at the police station, one group appear to be OK, the other group are in a bike scam.

What I have been told is, the original shop guy and one cop have already paid 6500 for the bike, and want to rip me off and sell it. (they are now out of pocket)

Now my wifes friend is back at the police station now trying to get everything released. about 1 hour ago, I get a phone call from the bent cop - he then calls my wife and asks her to meet him to "TALK", but not at the police station, but at some motorcycle shop 30km from my home. (and to come ALONE)

We then call the friend at the station and she advises not to go and to hang up if he calls. He by now knows my wife is not going to show, and, as I type this, there is a car prowling outside our piece of land stopping and starting, watching the house - this is all getting a bit scary - it looks like they want more money.

However, we are waiting for the friend to call if she gets the bike.

I will let you know the outcome - if I don't end up shot or whatever first..... so if you see an article in the press about murdered farang in the San Patong area - it could be me!

Oh dear what a mess, however id say leave it to your wife and keep calm, pay whatever you have to within reason and put this down to bad luck id say, better pay a bit than lose the bike, they obviosly assumed as a farang with no papers the bike was a freebie and moved it on and once these people have had the money its on a one way ticket, you may have to pay out the 6500 me thinks

It is starting to look that way - It just makes me so mad that these THIEVES now want me to compensate them for their loss, it's unbelievable! I expect as a foreigner here to now and again get overcharged a bit now and again, that I can live with, but this blatant outright cheek and greed is beyond me. and it's the cops - that really makes this a hard one to swallow.

I wou;ld have paid the 6500 in the first place if they had asked, but no one is asking for money - they seem to want the bike, in the 3 weeks that this has almost been going on for, the only cash asked for by the scammers, was the 1500 for the incomplete documents. the other 5000 was directly to the cops at the cop shop, that was to get the bike out without showing any papers. UNBELIEVABLE!

[missismiggins]

This appears to be the end of it after all.

My wifes friend spent the whole day at the police station, they refused to give her the bike. They then told her to bring my wife to see them (what on earth for as the bike isn't in her name).

Anyway after another hour round trip, my wife went to see them - needless to say after a two hour wait, they refused to release the bike.

Luckily, the friend got the telephone number of some high up guy at the station who by now had finished his shift and was at home in the city.

They made a number of calls to him pleading (even faining tears - saying me, the husband would probably beat her if I didn't get the bike back). This guy eventually agreed to meet them at his home.

After an hour or so, he actually drove with them back to the police station.

They then had another 1 hour round trip back to my place, where we swapped cars, and I drove them back to the station - As now he wants to see me!

This is now 9 at night.

Anyway, he was a decent guy, polite and friendly anyway. Wants to know lots of English words for some of the legal things he has in Thai, what is the english for this and that etc.

After about half an hour he takes me into another room with another cop, pulls out a receipt book, charges me 1000 baht, shakes hands and a quick lecture about not using non registered bikes and disapears.

The other cop takes me downstairs mumbling on about wanting some whisky or beer - we put 100 baht in his pocket and the bike is loaded into the pick up.

Away we go!

And that, I sincerely hope, is THAT!

The bike by the way is up for sale on Thaivisa....need I say more?