50cc Dont Need Book And Legal?

[tattoodrob]

i was told that 50 cc bikes here dont need a plate number or to be registered and you can drive legally anywhere without a hat......anyone know if this is 100% true. im not so sure the pattaya pigs will be quite so happy if a helmut less farang drives past on a bike with no plate

[Dave the Dude]

Sounds like a p!sstake

How many 50cc bikes could move a ferang anyway

[sbk]

No, I do believe its true, at least the registration part. We used to have a little honda thing (sorry can't remember the name but it had little wheels too) and not only was registration not required but I don't think we could have even if we wanted to.

[LivinLOS]

ha ha ha.. yeah sure sounds like it would be legal hey ???

Of course its not !! Thais ride around moobaans on little 50cc scoots without plates, the missus has one downstairs that hasnt started in a year, but just becuase Thais do something does not make it legal.

[tattoodrob]

maybe they classed as toys!!! a guy i know rides a motorised 2 wheel scooter(the skateboard type with handles!!) around and passes police regularly without hassle,i thought they would say something!!!

[sbk]

ha ha ha.. yeah sure sounds like it would be legal hey ???

Of course its not !! Thais ride around moobaans on little 50cc scoots without plates, the missus has one downstairs that hasnt started in a year, but just becuase Thais do something does not make it legal.

Given that my experience is based on actually owning a 50cc bike and not being allowed to register it, I would think that perhaps it is legal, wouldn't you? After all, our office refused to register our old 50cc bike.

[thaicbr]

I think that you get tambon plates at least thats what you do here in Nakhom Pathom. its a small plate that the local municipal do. but only for riding in the city limits, its a good idea as we are a university town so lots of students buzzing around on these. maybe different in other areas.

Allan

[Deke]

I'm pretty sure that these small "pop" scooters cannot be registered. Normally it's not a problem to ride them around in the housing estate but if you go out onto the main road, the police will stop you.

[LivinLOS]

ha ha ha.. yeah sure sounds like it would be legal hey ???

Of course its not !! Thais ride around moobaans on little 50cc scoots without plates, the missus has one downstairs that hasnt started in a year, but just becuase Thais do something does not make it legal.

Given that my experience is based on actually owning a 50cc bike and not being allowed to register it, I would think that perhaps it is legal, wouldn't you? After all, our office refused to register our old 50cc bike.

Well I own one too.. But its plateless and the cops will pull you..

An ATV cant get a plate either, that doesnt autmatically make it legal does it ??

In fact doesnt the very fact that they wont legally register it for road use say it all ?? If you owned one, and they wouldnt let you get road legal plates, how does that lead you to the conclusion that it must be legal then ??

[JonnyF]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

[Bowery99]

As long as you ride it on sios, my understanding and plenty of Thais (I might add) is that is is legal and can go unplated and unregistered. The problems are when you drive it on a street not called sio# something or other. I have had both of my scooters which are 50cc for a bit over a year now and was living in Pinklao (where there are not really enough sios to go far) and recently moved to Bangkhen (kind of far out) and haven't gotten much more than a second look from the Boys in Brown. There are plenty of places to go in this area and today I took about a 25km ride mostly legally. (there was a brief drive down Ramintra) One thing to keep in mind when you drive on a big street is that you can tell the cop you are just going across to that other sio (which might not be legal but I have heard from Thais they will let you do it).

It is kind of like living in some places in the US where under 50cc is legal to ride in some states (also without plates license or insurance), 50ccs = 49cc in reality for this reason. There are other threads about this issue, do a search. Insurance is an issue as you can not insure an unregistered bike. For driving to a shopping center or 7-11 it is a conveniant time saver and I use mine to go to work everyday as well. A ten minute drive. I work at an international school and all the apartments within walking distance were much more expensive, so it also saves money. Depends on where you live and your attitude and maybe luck.

[Bowery99]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

This attitude is what sucks about Thai visa, it happens in every thread. If you have nothing useful to say why bother?

[tattoodrob]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

we are talking specifically about 49cc bikes and not any old stolen or custom bike....we all know its illegal to ride them as they are over 50cc......i was told that thai law allows you to ride 49cc bikes unregistered as they do in some other countries.

maybe someone can find out the actual law regarding this and stop guessing,i can guess!!!

[LivinLOS]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

we are talking specifically about 49cc bikes and not any old stolen or custom bike....we all know its illegal to ride them as they are over 50cc......i was told that thai law allows you to ride 49cc bikes unregistered as they do in some other countries.

maybe someone can find out the actual law regarding this and stop guessing,i can guess!!!

It IS NOT legal !!

To ride on the road, or any soi, or any non private property requires a plate (and insurance !!), you have neither.

The fact that you havent been busted for it is more about Thailands enforcement than the legality.. Try it on Sukhumvit soi 4 (its a soi right ??) and see how far it gets you.

[JonnyF]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

This attitude is what sucks about Thai visa, it happens in every thread. If you have nothing useful to say why bother?

I was pointing out that the theory was a load of rubbish, which is very useful information - especially to someone who read this thread and was naive enough to think that they were riding a legal bike just because someone in the transport department refused to register it.

[H2oDunc]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

This attitude is what sucks about Thai visa, it happens in every thread. If you have nothing useful to say why bother?

And I suppose you feel this posting is useful ?????????? EXACTLY!!!!

[LivinLOS]

Laws on fixed-gear motorbikes

Does Thai law require “rot pop” (fixed-gear motorbikes, typically with engines of less than 50cc), to have a license plate? Is a driver’s license required in order to drive one?

Sara Ceedigh, Patong.

“Any person riding a motorbike of any kind on a public road must have a driving license. But a person riding a “rot pop” on a public road will be charged with riding an illegal motorbike.”

Thursday, July 12, 2001 Pol Cpl Rachan Kamrai, Muang District Police Station.

[Bowery99]

Ok, first let me say, I am very likely incorrect according to your information and what else I could find by doing searches.

I aploigize for my ignorance. I have heard the above (in my post) things from Thais, so I assumed that there was some reason to believe them, plus with my eyes I seen many, many of the Pop bikes around but almost never on the street but always on Sois. So I believed it.

Just last night I watched a TV show that had a cop riding a woman on her Gyro to her house in the country.

I just hate to see the way info on this site becomes he says this, he says that and no concrete answers are really ever given (with links would be preferable). Plus the attitude that comes with some posters "information". I realize it is just the internet and we may never met but honestly some posters are just rude. I for the most part try to be nice and polite, sorry I called someone out when I didn't think what they said was useful or very nice (I took the statement as being sarcastic).

I am going to find out exactly what the law is, my girlfriend is going help me and to just go to a police station. I want to ask her to get a copy of what is on the books as far as the local police are concerned. I am hoping they can point us to a link on the internet that talks about said scooters. Even if it is in Thai and needs translating. I know that over the last year this has come up more than once (I have 3 threads on here myself about it).

I just did a google search and the closest thing I could find was this in an old internet version of the Pattaya mail that in 1999 the kingdom out lawed all mini (pop) 50cc with less than 10 inch wheels motorcycles and they were to be banned in 3 months (so effective starting in early 1999). My scooter has 10 inch wheels and is 49ccs, so I wonder? LivinLOS, that quote is useful but where is it from?

http://www.pattayamail.com/291/news.htm#hd10

I have also found in several English sites that say any motorcycle with out a plate, paper, and insurance were not allowed on public roads (so one question becomes does a soi = a public road or is that considered a different type of thing).

I understand there is a risk to driving around on one of these but I do want to upgrade by switching/ swapping a Click 110cc with paper and frame number into my Zoomer. I want to be able to drive futher than I can now. I want insurance. I want to be able to drive on soi 4 if I feel like it. I want to be as legal as possible. I have also asked in my threads about modifcation and "homebuilt" bikes but never received a concrete answer about it. In fact I would like to iomport 50ccs here if there was a decent and above board way to do it. It seems there are Thais that do it and a few seem to be doing a lot of it and making some baht this way. I know many of you do not share my interest in this subject as mostly this baord is about big bikes. Personally I have always liked 50 - 80cc Hondas.

I was just trying to tell the OG poster that TIT, I suppose and that for 10 years (apparently) they have not been enforcing this law very well in the areas that I have lived. I hope you do what you find to be the best thing in your situation. I was trying to provide the information that I knew (or thought I knew).

Oh i found livingLOS' link here

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=205

BTW here is the whole thing

Laws on fixed-gear motorbikes

Does Thai law require “rot pop” (fixed-gear motorbikes, typically with engines of less than 50cc), to have a license plate? Is a driver’s license required in order to drive one?

Sara Ceedigh, Patong. Thursday, July 12, 2001

“No. Thai law does not require such motorbikes to be registered. Only motorbikes bigger than 50cc are required to be registered and insured.

However, fixed-gear motorbikes may be ridden only around the village. It is illegal to ride them on public roads.”

Thursday, July 12, 2001 Registration Officer, Phuket Provincial Transportation Office.

“Any person riding a motorbike of any kind on a public road must have a driving license. But a person riding a “rot pop” on a public road will be charged with riding an illegal motorbike.”

Thursday, July 12, 2001 Pol Cpl Rachan Kamrai, Muang District Police Station.

[Bowery99]

I wanted to edit again but it wouldn't let me but my point was that we need a few definitions; of a public road (is a soi one in the eyes of the BIB?), does it matter where that soi is? What if a bike has 10 inch tires or bigger? (my Yamaha 50 has a 12 inch rear and a 14 inch front). My girl friend will go to the transport office after Friday and we might stop at a cop shop as well. I will post all info here soon, I am also going to find out as much as possible about modifications to bikes.

[basjke]

As far as I remember many years ago there were some 50cc on the road in pattaya but they were shortly after declared illegal.

[tattoodrob]

That's what I was thinking - that's gotta be the cheapest way of owning a legal bike.

Why bother with all the paperwork, fees and hassle? Just take your imported/stolen/custom bike to the local transport department and wait until they refuse to register it. 10 minutes later you walk out the door with a fully legal bike. Couldn't be easier!

we are talking specifically about 49cc bikes and not any old stolen or custom bike....we all know its illegal to ride them as they are over 50cc......i was told that thai law allows you to ride 49cc bikes unregistered as they do in some other countries.

maybe someone can find out the actual law regarding this and stop guessing,i can guess!!!

It IS NOT legal !!

To ride on the road, or any soi, or any non private property requires a plate (and insurance !!), you have neither.

The fact that you havent been busted for it is more about Thailands enforcement than the legality.. Try it on Sukhumvit soi 4 (its a soi right ??) and see how far it gets you.

are you replying to me??? if you are then you are correct i have neither a plate or insurance......the reason being is that i aint got a 49cc or 50 cc bike......i was just asking!!!! hence i havent been busted either!!! and wont be .

From the longer version of your quote that was found by bowery99 then it does seem they can be ridden around a village.....that doesnt seem to be private property! but what is classed as a village in/around pattaya??

[scooterboy]

My 2 cents worth - seeing as I owned a rot-pop a few years ago in Pattaya .

They are indeed illegal in town and you'll get fined for not having a license plate - which you can't (in Pattaya) get for such a bike, anyway! Back then (when I bought it) they were a common sight on the (big) roads and the BIB usually ignored them - even though there were no number plates. As said by another poster, they were then declared illegal on large roads (i.e. in town), though personally I never got stopped outside of town (from Soi Siam CC and further into the countryside).

Maybe in other areas of the country the BIB aren't so strict - or just turn a blind eye to rot-pops - who knows.

A very good idea to ask at the cop shop about registration of a modified bike - though don't bank on their answer to "protect" you, should you be stopped (and fined) by a different cop - maybe even one from the same cop shop Would be nice to get some feedback on what the BIB say, too!

If you don't want a lot of hassle, but want an automatic gear bike, then try the Mio, Click (and other brands) bikes, which are basically just larger scooters - and LEGAL - and EXCELLENT!

[LivinLOS]

I am going to find out exactly what the law is, my girlfriend is going help me and to just go to a police station. I want to ask her to get a copy of what is on the books as far as the local police are concerned. I am hoping they can point us to a link on the internet that talks about said scooters. Even if it is in Thai and needs translating. I know that over the last year this has come up more than once (I have 3 threads on here myself about it).

Good luck with that...

Any machine of a public road without a plate is illegal..

So unless you succeed in getting passed by the Thai society of automotive engineers, and paying all its taxes, and getting a plate.. All your doing is 'getting away' with it..

Back a decade ago they were tolerated, the same as wearing no helmet is often tolerated, the same as pillions dont wear helmets where I am, even now you can ride in rural and out of the way areas becuase Thai law enforcement is slack. But becuase something illegal is not stopped does not make it 'legal'.. Prostitution is illegal, TiT.

[DeeMaiDee]

Just carry cash!!!