Buying An "inv" Bike.

[rickjames8]

I've searched the forums and seen this topic touched on, but would like to get a more clear answer.

I am looking to buy a Honda CB400 superfour. I can afford the 50,000-70,000 for one listed as "INV". I cannot afford the ones for 120,000 with the green book. My Thai friend tells me that just about every "big bike" in Thailand is with invoice only. That plates are rare and that cops don't care so much about papers on Big Bikes. With SO MANY being sold as "INV" I have to think this is the most common way to buy and drive them. I'm not in Bangkok, but I see that most of the bikes being sold are from Bangkok, where I heard they were the most strict. What are your experiences riding around without papers?

Also, is it possible to get insurance on a bike without papers?

I live in Khao Lak, but would like to take the bike on a tour of Thailand up north sometime in May.

-Rick

[Travelmate]

In the past, it has been fairly ok to have bikes without green book and reg plate.

But nowadays. I would not ride/buy a bike without green book and reg plate. And they are getting more common these days.

[BigBikeBKK]

Riding an unregistered bike is of course illegal. While most encounters with the BiB can be resolved with a simple bribe, if you get caught up in a customs checkpoint you risk steep fines and confiscation of your bike. I hear some insurance companies may issue a policy, but good luck if you ever need to file a claim. My advice- only ride an unregistered bike if you can afford to lose it.

[LivinLOS]

I wouldnt be able to keep the bike for a week without the police having it away from me, with a long drawn out battle and only 50/50 odds of seeing it again.

If you can or cannot ride it about in Khao Lak will depend on Khal Laks 'thin brown line' and local attitudes and tolerances, possibly OK now, what about next year. Riding upcountry, its a dice roll at best and not much chance of getting better. If you state you cannot afford the bike with plates can you afford to have it taken from you ??

Bear in mind you can often get a 'grey book' put on the bike for between 25 and 35k baht.. it aint really legal but your not likely to lose the bike either if its done properly.

[dotcom]

Hey Rick James - you had better tell us where you live first.

2) Rego book & plate for a 400 cc bike is 40,000 baht.

You would have to be an idiot - like a lot of our hosts - to run one without a plate.

[rickjames8]

In the end, I found a nice 93 CB400 SF for just 62,000, with green book. And it appears to be a legit one (not a recycled one), I had a friend check it out for me.

Thanks for the advice. Here around Khao Lak (90kms north of Phuket) there are the occasional road block, but they let Big Bikes through so long as you have a helmet. There are plenty of Harleys, XJRs, SFs and the like all riding around without plates. I've asked some of these people and they said it was fine to run them without plates so long as you stayed out of Phuket and Bangkok. That sounded fishy to me, but the fact so many are plate-less and that so many are being sold on mocyc.com without reg and plates, made me thing that perhaps it was acceptable in Thailand.

I'm having my friend's brother in Bangkok help me ship it down here. I really couldnt find any bikes in Phuket under 100,000. And my job doesn't allow me time to go get it.

Now on to the more important questions, does anyone know good roads for riding around these parts?

[LivinLOS]

In the end, I found a nice 93 CB400 SF for just 62,000, with green book. And it appears to be a legit one (not a recycled one), I had a friend check it out for me.

And how would that friend tell or know ??

[imaneggspurt]

Hey Rick James - you had better tell us where you live first.

2) Rego book & plate for a 400 cc bike is 40,000 baht.

You would have to be an idiot - like a lot of our hosts - to run one without a plate.

15 bikes owned over the 10 years ive been in thailand, ( still have 3 ) NONE with a book,never had any dramas, books cost 40-80 k , fines paid 10k tops ,.real idiot me,.

[LivinLOS]

Hey Rick James - you had better tell us where you live first.

2) Rego book & plate for a 400 cc bike is 40,000 baht.

You would have to be an idiot - like a lot of our hosts - to run one without a plate.

15 bikes owned over the 10 years ive been in thailand, ( still have 3 ) NONE with a book,never had any dramas, books cost 40-80 k , fines paid 10k tops ,.real idiot me,.

Depends where you are.. Where I am roadblocks are an almost daily occurance.. No plate and the bike will be impounded.. IF you get it back is then the next question and costs well over 10k.. Customs are demanding 30k on bikes WITH books !!

[imaneggspurt]

Hey Rick James - you had better tell us where you live first.

2) Rego book & plate for a 400 cc bike is 40,000 baht.

You would have to be an idiot - like a lot of our hosts - to run one without a plate.

15 bikes owned over the 10 years ive been in thailand, ( still have 3 ) NONE with a book,never had any dramas, books cost 40-80 k , fines paid 10k tops ,.real idiot me,.

Depends where you are.. Where I am roadblocks are an almost daily occurance.. No plate and the bike will be impounded.. IF you get it back is then the next question and costs well over 10k.. Customs are demanding 30k on bikes WITH books !!

actually i do have plates on my bikes, ( came with them, no relevance, ) and i have been stopped in these blocks, however i have NEVER been asked to see a book,.ive ridden all over thailand,and i go to cambodia 4 times a year on an off road bike, that one is registered ( just ) as it needs to be to cross the border,. but i will concede to ride with NO plate wil probably cause problems that wil take money to sort,.and we all know bkk and pattaya are the 2 worst places,.

[BSJ]

If your prepared to flaunt the law no crying when it all goes pear shaped..... well not here! Cry all you want at home.

[imaneggspurt]

If your prepared to flaunt the law no crying when it all goes pear shaped..... well not here! Cry all you want at home.

well thats how i see it,its a thai thing, not farang, when in rome i say,.

[CroBiker]

I have been riding in Thailand since 1993 and not once stopped by Police, ever....except near Yala and Pattani but those were regular army roadblocks.

In addition, none of my riding pals have ever been asked to produce green book. I think this is the case only last few months since they decided to make some money (customs/rtd) with hysteria crackdowns. Very soon it will be over if it isn't already.