Legalizing Engine Swap - How?

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

As some of you know i am in the process of building up a second bike. As i require a bunch of parts which are rather expensive i could *not* decline a bike that was offered to me (complete) which obviously includes these parts and a whole lot more.

Among which is a nice, liquid-cooled, perfectly running engine.

Now to speak clear, the bike i'm building up is a Yamaha RXZ, what was offered to me is a Yamaha VR-R and what i WANT is the rear disk brake assembly, complete, which with a little tinkering can be installed in the RXZ.

The RXZ is a 135cc air-cooled two-stroke single, the VR-R is a 150cc liquid-cooled two-stroke single which, with quite a bite more tinkering, can be installed in the RXZ as well (some welding required, no problem for "my" guy at Phra Khanong).

BUT, asking him, he said that it would be "impossible" to have this swap legalized.... yet he was not able to explain "why" that would be impossible.

Both bikes have their respective green book so i can verify that i didn't steal that engine somewhere (yeah i would even register that VR-R in my name, even though it's going to be scrapped) and i see plenty of non-Toyota cars running around with Toyota-engines in them, so what's possible for cars should be possible for bikes, too.... or not?

So has anyone here ever swapped an engine in a motorbike for a different one (different type or even different manufacturer) and successfully have this change entered in the green book and hence legalized? If so, what do i have to do to get it done?

And, before someone wonders - the VR-R is rideable but to put THAT one into good condition would require more input ($$) than it is worth re-sale, apart from the fact that IF i have three bikes they should all three be RXZ However i get it (the VR-R) cheap enough that the brake assembly alone is worth the money even if i throw the rest in the river. But throwing away that nice engine would not feel right.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[HangDongRider]

Another case of amazing Thailand. But it must be possible. We had that sometimes, it´s a not understandable paperwork. The engine no (in Germnany is equal) is important here. They want the invoice and customs and more. That is not necessary in your case with 2 green books. Also it doesn´t matter, if it is a bigger engine. There are a few Thaipeople, which are specialized in doing all that shit paperwork. In our cases it worked and it wasn´t expensive, but.......... Before that, I´ve allways changed the engines, when I went to the yearly vehicle check. In a small bike like yours, it´s a easy job.

[Richard-BKK]

You need to take it up with the Department of Road Transport, just put the two engines in a box and visit the office, not forget to take the green book and paperwork. If you not have a invoice of the new engine. You best go to B2S and buy a little invoice book let your Thai friend write it out. Let him sign the little paper and you in business.

It would even be better if you have the green book of the old bike from which you take the engine... Worst case scenario is that they want to check the bike for road safety... +/-30,000 Baht... best case scenario a few hundred Baht (not more then 600 I belief).

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Thank you both for replying. Yes, i'll need to clarify once more - the bike which the engine comes from has the green book, so i will be able to march into the DLT armed with BOTH books - the one from where the engine came and the one where it went into.

Swapping the engine back is impossible - to get the VR-R's engine into the RXZ the frame has to be modified, a procedure that can not be reversed without immense efforts. But i am 100% convinced that putting a Toyota inline-6 into an old Beemer or Volvo requires similar works, and there it doesn't appear to be a problem at all.

Oh, and both bikes (spender and receiver) are "Made In Thailand" so there can't be an import certificate for the engine - the engines, of course, are "Made In Thailand" as well.

Richard, what do you mean 30,000 Baht, to have an engine swap legalized?? It's not a Harley's engine i'll put in there, just another Yamaha with 15cc (fifteen!) more and water cooling.

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[Richard-BKK]

Hi Thanh,

The 30,000 Baht is the cost to do a road safety, emission test to allow a new model motorcycle on the Thai road. This is worst case scenario, I would not expect this as you have both green books it would be relative easy. One thing, do not by no means tell the DLT that you have to make modifications to the frame to do the engine swap, just engine from this bike go's in this bike ....finished. Not even go into details as this one water cooled this one air-cooled.... If they ask "why" you say this engine is in better condition, and this frame is in better condition... together it would be a better bike...

If they become smart and ask, hmm this one is a RXZ and other one is a VR-R, you answer with different year build and different engine displacement. Same engine only 15cc bigger...

As you have both books I expect you pay only a few hundred Baht, probably you will spent more value in time then in Baht at the DLT office....

Edited March 3, 2009 by Richard-BKK

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello again

Thank you for the information, i will try to do it that way. Just swap the engine, go to the DLT and see what happens I guess they won't take the bike away from me in case they can, for whatever reason, NOT legalize the swap?

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[Richard-BKK]

Hi Thanh,

Sometimes it is smart to be stupid, go first to the DLT only with the books... There is a chance that they can do it without ever looking at the bike...

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello again

Thank you very much for the replies. I have just picked up the VRR, it's now mine, and upon closer inspection it turned out to be a lot better than i first thought... so i decided against the engine swap, i will only swap the rear brakes and then "re-new" the VR-R as a VR and either sell it with profit (it's a year 2004, the model with mono-shock rear suspension) or keep it "as is" despite it not being an RXZ.... it's a two-stroke at least

It's just too good to be scrapped and thrown away... even the electrics works apart from the missing battery

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[Thanh-BKK]

Oh, forgot....

The price was 4,000 Baht including the green book

Thanh

[Richard-BKK]

Sweet deal...

[dotcom]

Worst case you have the old serial number stamped on the replacement engine case.