This Big Bike Thing

[MJP]

So I'm coming home to Roi-Et this month and decided to treat myself to an end of boom gift (seeing as the last decade has been a crazy nightmare in the west). Anyway, I was going to buy a big bike, an XJR1300, CB1300 or GSX1400.

Found quite a few on mocyc.com, between 100,000 and 200,000 Baht, which isn't too bad. But the 'green book', 'import duty stamp', old book, new book, recycled book, police raid, fines chaos I've read here has completely put me off to the point of just buying a push bike and getting fit instead.

Question: Is it worth pursuing this past-time, or am I better off peddling?

Thanks in advance,

(Oh and hi!)

[dotcom]

You are better off never viewing motorcy.com ever again.

Go to the Red Baron. Take about 600,000 baht with you. Ask to speak to Vikrom. He'll fix you up. This is the sole solution.

[PeaceBlondie]

You can buy up to 1200 cc at Triumph, BMW, and Yamaha at franchised dealers. For really big baht.

[withnail]

It might also be an idea to wait until early next year and see if Honda come up with anything. The dust may have settled on the big bike crackdown by then as well.

[PeaceBlondie]

Also, on the way home just now, I passed the franchise Yamaha big bike dealer, and noted a used big bike for sale. New enough to still have a warranty.

[JimsKnight]

You're talking big bucks there though, even second hand.

[LivinLOS]

Shiny new ER6N in the next 3 months (hopefully) for under 300k..

Brand new, main dealer..

You dont 'need' huge bore engines on Thai roads anyway..

[klx250]

I won't touch imports anymore because of all the green book, police and now phuket customs hassles.

if I was you I would buy a 250 ninja with book for 139,000 baht and wring it's goddamn neck.

[12DrinkMore]

I won't touch imports anymore because of all the green book, police and now phuket customs hassles.

if I was you I would buy a 250 ninja with book for 139,000 baht and wring it's goddamn neck.

Price has now gone up to 145,000 as of 1st November and I was told the 2,000 Baht helmet is no longer included. They will however generously give you a 200 Baht helmet....

Shiny new ER6N in the next 3 months (hopefully) for under 300k..

Brand new, main dealer..

You dont 'need' huge bore engines on Thai roads anyway..

Kawasaki Big Bike removed this model from their website a few weeks ago, so I wonder if they have delayed/cancelled plans to sell it in Thailand?

[LivinLOS]

Local Kwaker dealer told me this week it (ER6N) would be here in december hopefully and in new year loy per cent It wouldnt be the first time someone ever gave wrong info, but he seemed pretty sure.

As I also posted in the Ninja thread same dealer asked 149,999 for Ninja, D-Tracker, and KLX.. Same price each bike and 150k ?? Maybe he was just trying a farang price, didnt want to push as wasnt actually buying..

[dotcom]

btw. Red Baron had 2 Brand New Suzuki B King the last time I was there.

He usually has 1 each GSX-R 1000 R-1 & CBR1000RR.

[nikster]

You can buy up to 1200 cc at Triumph, BMW, and Yamaha at franchised dealers. For really big baht.

Yeah - BMW has prices on their website, 550K - over 1M BHT for their big bikes. About 2x or more than you'd pay back home. From what I have seen Yamaha and Triumph more or less match BMW prices for the same engine size. Yamaha was going from 450k - over 1M, Triumph as well.

That or a Kawa 250cc for 150k, as has been mentioned. They are fine bikes if you can live with 250cc

Those are the options.

[MJP]

Well, you'll have made the wife very happy. I've looked at Red Baron, the prices . . . 600,000 Baht is now around £11,000. Last time I bought a vehicle, it was a '97 Citroen Xantia for £800 and that was five years ago.

Yep, going with the alternative, many thanks.

[basjke]

Well, you'll have made the wife very happy. I've looked at Red Baron, the prices . . . 600,000 Baht is now around £11,000. Last time I bought a vehicle, it was a '97 Citroen Xantia for £800 and that was five years ago.

Yep, going with the alternative, many thanks.

You get what you pay for.

[MJP]

Well, you'll have made the wife very happy. I've looked at Red Baron, the prices . . . 600,000 Baht is now around £11,000. Last time I bought a vehicle, it was a '97 Citroen Xantia for £800 and that was five years ago.

Yep, going with the alternative, many thanks.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, to an extent, but when it comes to vehicles, Thailand's prices are hilarious. I know import duty . . .

[dotcom]

If you want to play you got to pay.

You specified legit book.

You can do it for 10% of that on Motorcy.com

Should be called Piratebike.com

[MJP]

If you want to play you got to pay.

You specified legit book.

You can do it for 10% of that on Motorcy.com

Should be called Piratebike.com

Best advice I've had for many a year. Probably saved my life too as the last bike I had was a 125cc when I was 17.

Just have to clean up the D-Max and do the garden instead.

[MJP]

Ah-ha!

A Kawasaki D-Tracker!

149,000 of your Thai Baht's, off-roadie style perfect for the boonies and, not so powerful I can kill myself on it.

(PS: What if you put a Fireblade engine in a Tuk-Tuk, would they notice?)

[MJP]

Sorry chaps,

These D-Trackers, where's the best place to get one. I live in Roi-Et.

Thanks

[MJP]

You can see the attraction . . . this 2005 GSX1400 is up for less than 200,000 Baht.

[LivinLOS]

Booked and plated ???

Thats the mocyc issue !!

[MJP]

Booked and plated ???

Thats the mocyc issue !!

I know, it's awful.

Do you really think they'd do anything up by me, I mean I live right out in the boonies, the thing would never see a metropolitan area.

[Meridian007]

While I'm more hesitant to push mocyc.com now than I was before the Phuket incident last week, I still have to say that I think it's an option if you're careful, and if you can read/speak Thai or know someone that does. Especially if you live away from the big tourist centres (Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya).

I bought mine (600cc Steed 1993) earlier this year from someone on mocyc.com after checking out the book (listed as "tabien tae" ทะเบียนแท) with a friend who is Thai and who knows about licensing a bit. When I took the book and bike to the land transportation office in Bangkok there was no problem in changing the ownership to my name, other than the usual bureaucratic bouncing around from office to office that seems to be the norm for any government office. They did replace my old book with a new one, which seems to be the root of the problem for the people in Phuket, but I scanned my old book into my computer before I went so I do have something to fall back on. Knowing how much trouble I've heard that people with stolen bikes have in the Bangkok transport office now (as compared to 5 years ago or so), I think I can be quite sure mine is legal.

I think the main lesson learned in Phuket is that no matter how legally owned something is, if those in power want something of yours, they can take it because you are not a citizen of this country and as much as I hate to admit it, the interpretation of the law here can devolve quite quickly. The legal methods of resolving problems like the ones experienced by those in Phuket don't really exist here, and/or can be circumvented quite easily by those in power.

If you want a hassle free solution, then the big dealerships and Red Baron are the way to go, but if you can bury them in paperwork proving the legality of your bike, then you might be okay.

Any time I've had issues with the police here, I pull out all my ownership documentation (resized to credit card size, I keep my originals at home) and they just get fed-up that they can't find anything illegal about me or the bike, and give up.

If I ever encountered an obviously specious charge (I heard someone got caught with "Your bike too big, you pay fine"), I'd force the issue to the point of going to the station where hopefully more legal heads prevail. As to the whole bikes impounded while at a garage, it definitely makes me nervous about bringing the bike in for anything, I think I'll check that my mechanic has paid his tea money before I bring the bike in now.

If you buy from mocyc.com, just make sure that you have the paperwork as clearly legal as possible, and that you don't obviously break the law here (no helmet/lights/turn signals etc).

There is a great deal of fear around here right now, but I think that the "If it's not from a main dealer or Red Baron, it's stolen" idea is patently wrong, there wouldn't be laws about importing big bikes if some people weren't doing it. It is expensive and a headache (especially if you're farang), but I think that at least some Thais do import legally.

If that's too much hassle, a small, common bike is your best bet as those in power won't want it.

[MJP]

While I'm more hesitant to push mocyc.com now than I was before the Phuket incident last week, I still have to say that I think it's an option if you're careful, and if you can read/speak Thai or know someone that does. Especially if you live away from the big tourist centres (Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya).

I bought mine (600cc Steed 1993) earlier this year from someone on mocyc.com after checking out the book (listed as "tabien tae" ทะเบียนแท) with a friend who is Thai and who knows about licensing a bit. When I took the book and bike to the land transportation office in Bangkok there was no problem in changing the ownership to my name, other than the usual bureaucratic bouncing around from office to office that seems to be the norm for any government office. They did replace my old book with a new one, which seems to be the root of the problem for the people in Phuket, but I scanned my old book into my computer before I went so I do have something to fall back on. Knowing how much trouble I've heard that people with stolen bikes have in the Bangkok transport office now (as compared to 5 years ago or so), I think I can be quite sure mine is legal.

I think the main lesson learned in Phuket is that no matter how legally owned something is, if those in power want something of yours, they can take it because you are not a citizen of this country and as much as I hate to admit it, the interpretation of the law here can devolve quite quickly. The legal methods of resolving problems like the ones experienced by those in Phuket don't really exist here, and/or can be circumvented quite easily by those in power.

If you want a hassle free solution, then the big dealerships and Red Baron are the way to go, but if you can bury them in paperwork proving the legality of your bike, then you might be okay.

Any time I've had issues with the police here, I pull out all my ownership documentation (resized to credit card size, I keep my originals at home) and they just get fed-up that they can't find anything illegal about me or the bike, and give up.

If I ever encountered an obviously specious charge (I heard someone got caught with "Your bike too big, you pay fine"), I'd force the issue to the point of going to the station where hopefully more legal heads prevail. As to the whole bikes impounded while at a garage, it definitely makes me nervous about bringing the bike in for anything, I think I'll check that my mechanic has paid his tea money before I bring the bike in now.

If you buy from mocyc.com, just make sure that you have the paperwork as clearly legal as possible, and that you don't obviously break the law here (no helmet/lights/turn signals etc).

There is a great deal of fear around here right now, but I think that the "If it's not from a main dealer or Red Baron, it's stolen" idea is patently wrong, there wouldn't be laws about importing big bikes if some people weren't doing it. It is expensive and a headache (especially if you're farang), but I think that at least some Thais do import legally.

If that's too much hassle, a small, common bike is your best bet as those in power won't want it.

I think where I am and it really is the back of beyond, the risk is quite low, if as you say you buy one that isn't stolen and have as much documentation to back it up as possible.

Red Baron prices, although feasible, I just couldn't part with that sort of cash, especially now we are heading into an economic abyss.

Thanks Meridian.

[Meridian007]

No problem! I feel badly for those who suffer during an extortion "bust" here, and I count myself lucky so far (knock on wood), but I do think that if you're careful these problems are the exception, not the rule.

What you are really paying for when you buy from a big company is the support of their big money/power against the big money/power that took your bike. With mocyc.com you are on your own, but I think you should be fine baanok!

Good luck and have fun!

[LivinLOS]

Either that or buy something you literally can walk away from.. Thats the policy I am going by right now.. I have had bookless bikes for less than other people have bought second hand waves.. Add a 25 - 30k recycled book and hope you can pay 5k to smooth any problems out.. For 50 - 80k you can find a CB400 with issues, 80 - 100 you can get a nice hopefully all straight and clean one with green book and hope you slide through..

Some people dont like that risk, me I look at it that its the game thats played, I would rather have a disposable bike for pennies then a multi 100k bike and the worry.. Also when they do 'tax' those bike owners its generally done based on a percieved 'ability to pay'.. Ride a CB400 or a Bandit and thats a few 1000, ride a harley, or a nice 1000cc bike and expect it to be 10's of 1000's..

Sure I would love a monster, or one of many other high(er) value bikes, but I have come to the conclusion owning nice things in Thailand just breeds frustration and annoyance more than they bring me pleasure.. Also I really dont get onto roads that would make that much use out of them very often.. Around on the island where I am, I spend far more time in 3rd than top !! I find it hard to spend 4 to 8x the cost of my machine for the dream bike.

[MJP]

Either that or buy something you literally can walk away from.. Thats the policy I am going by right now.. I have had bookless bikes for less than other people have bought second hand waves.. Add a 25 - 30k recycled book and hope you can pay 5k to smooth any problems out.. For 50 - 80k you can find a CB400 with issues, 80 - 100 you can get a nice hopefully all straight and clean one with green book and hope you slide through..

Some people dont like that risk, me I look at it that its the game thats played, I would rather have a disposable bike for pennies then a multi 100k bike and the worry.. Also when they do 'tax' those bike owners its generally done based on a percieved 'ability to pay'.. Ride a CB400 or a Bandit and thats a few 1000, ride a harley, or a nice 1000cc bike and expect it to be 10's of 1000's..

Sure I would love a monster, or one of many other high(er) value bikes, but I have come to the conclusion owning nice things in Thailand just breeds frustration and annoyance more than they bring me pleasure.. Also I really dont get onto roads that would make that much use out of them very often.. Around on the island where I am, I spend far more time in 3rd than top !! I find it hard to spend 4 to 8x the cost of my machine for the dream bike.

Yes. I found a nice XJR1200 for 100,000. Or the CB400/XJR400 (some lovely '96-'00 XJR's about) for around 50,000.

I'm going to have a look at one or two. Nothing flash, but I really don't want to bother with 250's.

I'd break them.

[BigSnake]

So I'm coming home to Roi-Et this month and decided to treat myself to an end of boom gift (seeing as the last decade has been a crazy nightmare in the west). Anyway, I was going to buy a big bike, an XJR1300, CB1300 or GSX1400.

Found quite a few on mocyc.com, between 100,000 and 200,000 Baht, which isn't too bad. But the 'green book', 'import duty stamp', old book, new book, recycled book, police raid, fines chaos I've read here has completely put me off to the point of just buying a push bike and getting fit instead.

Question: Is it worth pursuing this past-time, or am I better off peddling?

Yes it's worth pursuing and buy a big bike just to see the little guys on their Honda Wave125 eat some DUST. Go for it Dude.

Thanks in advance,

(Oh and hi!)

Edited November 9, 2008 by BigSnake

[MJP]

So I'm coming home to Roi-Et this month and decided to treat myself to an end of boom gift (seeing as the last decade has been a crazy nightmare in the west). Anyway, I was going to buy a big bike, an XJR1300, CB1300 or GSX1400.

Found quite a few on mocyc.com, between 100,000 and 200,000 Baht, which isn't too bad. But the 'green book', 'import duty stamp', old book, new book, recycled book, police raid, fines chaos I've read here has completely put me off to the point of just buying a push bike and getting fit instead.

Question: Is it worth pursuing this past-time, or am I better off peddling?

Yes it's worth pursuing and buy a big bike just to see the little guys on their Honda Wave125 eat some DUST. Go for it Dude.

Thanks in advance,

(Oh and hi!)

Rock on BigSnake, rock on!!!

[thaicbr]

i would say if you haven't ridden for a long time then the Kawasaki's are an ideal bike. Bard has one on which he has changed the exhaust etc. and now can cruise at 130ish with a top end of 170ish. believe me if you want a completly legal bike on a small budget this is the way to go. i also happen to know where there is a brand new (70kms on clock) black ninja 250 for sale it already has white plate and green book. its approx 9weeks old with the remainder of 1 years 1st class insurance.... yours for just 130,000 baht ( was 153,000 new) and now would be 163,000 because of the price increase. a fully legal bike.

The owner is selling because he did not test ride it and has found due to very bad back problems he finds it uncomfortable to ride and is looking at getting a bike with a more upright style( he is an older gentleman who has been involved in the rigours of car motorsport for many years, hence the bad back). pm me if interested and i will give you the details. snag ya self a bargain...

MJP WHAT DO YOU MEAN "I DONT WANT TO BOTHER WITH 250'S I WOULD BREAK THEM"

DO you weigh like 200 fuc_king kilo's or something. you havent ridden a bike since you were 17 and that was a 125 and now in Thailand of all places you want a 1000... jesus.

i weigh 112kilos and my 250 being light and nimble pisses all over most bikes 400 - 600cc (accept out and out sports bikes cbr600 etc) from 20-120 kmh and defo through traffic... it helps that i got some of the stickiest tyres nown to mankind.

Edited November 9, 2008 by thaicbr