Buying A Bike From Mocyc.com

[Pdaz]

I've been looking for a Yam SR400/500 on MoCyc.com and in the Thai press.. I can read basic Thai so not much problem just time consuming working out the slang and abbreviations ..

Anyhow.. I'm trying to find a bike with a tabien rot (green book) doesn't have to be in A1 condition as I'm gonna pull it apart anyhow.. But many of the ad's say 'Invoice' either in English or Thai.. I'm guessing that this means that the bike isn't registered or doesn't have a number plate.. Just want to know is it posible to register one of these bikes (the Thais don't seem to bother cos living in the countryside) as I want to ride it out of my province. The SR has I believe been imported and is a model registered with the licensing office so I think it may just be a case of showing the import paper/paying tax and getting a plate ? The bikes with a tabien seem to be twice the price of the 'invoice' ones with age of machine making no difference.. I'm not too worried about the cost just seems pointless buying a new machine with a book at primo cost to then strip it down and mod it..

anybody else had similar plans. or know of a bike shop that can register a bike for a reasonable price in Pattaya/Rayong...

thanks in advance

[LivinLOS]

Means it doesnt have a green book or plate and hence is not legal to ride on the roads.

Yes it is possible to register but probably will cost more then the bike to do so.

[moo9]

A proper registration will cost you something around 60,000 - 80,000 Bht for a new book.

Recycled books (whatever that legally means) are around 40,000 Bht.

Imho it is worth to look for a fully registered and book equipped bike. However prices are higher and choices are limited.

Cheers

[Kwarium]

Hey Pdaz, I was fishing for information on registration too, as have many others over the years. Here is the recent thread.

The mantra here is "Too expensive, Cannot register big bikes. Takes a long time!" etc, etc, Even the guys that do the inspections (rub the impressions of frame and engine numbers) at Sukhumvit DLT office say don't even try it.

My thoughts are; If there was not a legal system in place, then these pattaya professionals that are milking 50,000 60,000 80,000 Baht out of people for green books would have no system to take advantage of.

Here in BKK the other day a guy was showing me 3 sets of brand new books and brand new matching white plates as he was promoting his services. He quoted me 26000 baht. (The bikes were not there for me to check them against.)

The fact that this guy can do it strengthens my resolve that any bike owner could do it. I may go down next week and see if I can get some facts from the DLT. A big question remains just what does an actual invoice include. I was told there are 15 papers...but I've been told lots of thing in Thailand. Mai Mii and Mai Dai being the most common!

[LivinLOS]

Here in BKK the other day a guy was showing me 3 sets of brand new books and brand new matching white plates as he was promoting his services. He quoted me 26000 baht. (The bikes were not there for me to check them against.)

Thats far cheaper than any of the big bike legal registration options I have been quoted..

In fact its the exact kind of price for a recycled book process.. 20 - 25k plus the years tax and insurance fees.

[BigBikeBKK]

Here are some stunning Yamaha SR's I rode with last weekend:

No plates on any of them! These guys ride out in the country and don't seem to have a problem with the BiB.

This one's for sale (the one on the right with the piece of paper)

Lemme know if you're interested and I'll try to find the number

If you get the bike cheap and can afford to lose it I say skip the plate. But if you put a lot of time and money into your bike and don't want to lose it, then investing in a plate may we worthwhile. Up to you! Good luck and happy trails!

[LivinLOS]

I really like the cafe racer looking style conversion in this pic..

Just really floats my boat somehow.. Ditch those gas shocks or hide the resevior under seat somehow.. And change those bars for a more old school clip on style.. Also hard to tell but the tyres look a bit 'classic' and I would want modern traction no matter what the look..

But all over I look at that and grin.. Just looks fun, simple. and somehow 'right'..

[Meridian007]

I'm trying to find a bike with a tabien rot (green book) doesn't have to be in A1 condition as I'm gonna pull it apart anyhow.. But many of the ad's say 'Invoice' either in English or Thai..

I think what you're looking for is a tabien tae. Check out this other SR thread for info on SRs and the Thai letters for tabien tae.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Yamaha-Sr500-t203978.html

[Pdaz]

Cheers for all the replys.. I've seen a couple of SR's this week in BKK.. Both 9-10 years old but with a plate/book.. Price ? 80K ... Whereas a 2001 in spanking condition just arrived from Japan 40-45K.. Guess if you factor in the time/cost of rego (if posible) say 25-30K (shop here says they can reg 'anything' for 30-40K ) and it all works out about the same..

Well only way I can look at it is an SR with a book is cheaper than a restored Lambretta with a book (100K+) I only have to factor in the time, paint, mod's and accesories.. Guess there really is no such thing as a cheap custom bike (unless you are Thai and don't care about the BiB)

I was hoping to end up with clean framed dirt tracker style bike... (I already have a cafe racer Duc) for around 100-120K guess it is posible if I shop around, do most of the work myself and don't go crazy on import bits from Japan...

Thanks again

[dotcom]

A proper registration will cost you something around 60,000 - 80,000 Bht for a new book.

Recycled books (whatever that legally means) are around 40,000 Bht.

Imho it is worth to look for a fully registered and book equipped bike. However prices are higher and choices are limited.

Cheers

Excuse me mister moo.

My experience is that for a 400 cc bike a BRAND NEW VIRGIN GREEN BOOK will cost 40,000.

A recycled book (like I have) is 25,000.

I do know a guy who will do it.

Larger cc bikes are more expensive.

[LivinLOS]

I agree with your recycled price..

But best 100% for sure clean new virgin legal green book I was priced was for 55k on a 400, that was for any bike with or without perfect import invoice taxes paid papers. Plus the bike had to be in BKK and it might not be fast.

Down here on Phuket its min 80k for the same thing.. The guy at the customs office demands a 25k payment to pass them so I am told by Thais.

[dotcom]

Yeah I forgot to mention. You need a clean set of invoice papers first.

If I had it to do over again I would spend the extra 15,000 & get brand new book.

That way PB would sleep much better. ;-

Edited October 17, 2008 by dotcom

[JSixpack]

On a used bike from mocy.com, you've got to factor in another 40,000 for all the repairs that will be needed, usually at some cheating big bike shop. Been there; done that. Now I'm quite happy with my Phantom.

In Thailand--for the sake of your wallet and sanity--always buy new and buy something easily and conveniently repairable most anywhere.

[Pdaz]

True.. Buying new is often cheaper in the long run here. Mostly cos maintenance and serviceing are a totally alien concepts to Thais.. (even rich one who can afford a Merc won't spend cash on a service).. But I'm a mechanical tech and there is very little I can't fix on a bike.. I can certainly do a better job than the average street side Thai shop. Only things I need to sub out ares painting/chroming/polishing or powder coating... The rest is just a case of buying the parts and fitting.. or basic fault finding.

'Buyer beware' is very relevant in LOS

[BigBikeBKK]

Now that I've got a new, warrantied 100% legit bike I'm thinking an old Yamaha SR would be an awesome project bike. It's got to be one of the easiest bikes to work on and modify and since there are so many of them in the Kingdom I understand parts are not hard to find. I would definitely NOT ride it in the city. Out in the country seems the BiB are a lot more easy going

[gobs]

The best advice I've read here and there, and that I truly respect when I buy a motorised vehicle is:

BUY AND RIDE A LEGIT VEHICLE!

IMHO, in the next few months/years, police will enforce the law. And if caught without green book for a bike, you let this bike to the policeman by the road and go back home with only your helmet in hands! No matter to get it back to you!

A neighbour of mine (thai policeman) expects that the law have to be enforced "soon".

And I don't live in BKK but in Chiang Mai, "somewhere in the country"...

About fake books, when vehicles change of owner, "they" now control accurately the numbers on the vehicle: wrong serial-number, old number scratched and/or re-stamped, etc... Furthermore, computers are now connected and it's easy for "them" to check stolen vehicles at this time...

I see some guys "losing" their bikes by these ways. And of course, their money!..

My 25 satang advice.

Cheers

[gobs]

Oh, I forgot...

A good place for second hand bikes:

www.thaisecondhand.com

Cars, furniture, camera and so on, but a big list of bikes: big bikes, light bikes, classic, scooters, parts... In thai language, but easy to manage with some time (nearly always the same words...), or ask some help from a thai friend.

And a lot of SR 400, and some 500... With and without green book

[gobs]

Oh, I forgot...

A good place for second hand bikes:

www.thaisecondhand.com

Cars, furniture, camera and so on, but a big list of bikes: big bikes, light bikes, classic, scooters, parts... In thai language, but easy to manage with some time (nearly always the same words...), or ask some help from a thai friend.

And a lot of SR 400, and some 500... With and without green book