Importing Motorcycles To Thailand

[apetley]

Hi, as me and the wife will be moving to Thailand permanantly next year I am starting to think of whether I can continue one of my hobbies there.

I like buying motorcycles and restoring them to better condition.

Not old vintage bikes but say 10 year old Jap bikes, something you can buy very cheaply here in the UK.

Now I have checked out the price of bikes in Thailand and like their 2nd hand cars they seem to think they can ask nearly new prices! Can't figure that out somehow but I guess no Thai ever likes to lose money on anything.

I was wondering if it's a good idea to buy a few old bikes before I move, strip them down here in the UK and ship them with the other household items me and the wife will be taking.

I have heard if a bike is broken up then there is no import duty to pay, can anyone confirm this?

Also how easy to reregister once rebuilt in Thailand? Possible?

My wife is Thai so also wonder if she could import them as her own?

Any advice or personal experience will be gratefully received, Andy.

[Gazza]

I don't know what the prices of bikes are like in comparison to those in the UK, but here they seem totally wacky.

In the UK the dealers used to have the 'Glass Guidebook' that gave them an idea of second hand prices for makes, models, year etc.

Here, I get the impression that prices are loosely set by demand in Thailand and availability in Japan (where most big bikes are stolen, broken up, then shipped over here).

I would say that the best thing to do would be to constantly check the Thai classifieds and shops over here, the main dealers as well as the little back soi places.

I bought a '98 400 Honda Transalp privately for 50K and yet seen older models with higher mileage going from 120 - 200K in the shops.

I missed buying a low mileage Africa Twin from a shop in Pratunam going for 120K while some in other shops were going for 170K - 210K.

I've had a '97 BMW 650 slip through my fingers going for 90K in one shop while a couple being sold privately were going for 170K and 180K.

If you keep your eyes open you can pick up a bargain, restore it if needed and then sell it on again.

Bringing bikes over in parts? I think you still have to pay some form of duty and then you'd have to register them anyway when they're complete. Then you'd have shipping costs, registration fee etc. to add on to the selling price.

Registering bikes.

A bit of a grey area for me and for many others. But as I see it, most big bikes are stolen in Japan, broken up, and shipped over as parts and put together at the Rama III shophouses. There, they await dealers to buy from them. Dealers are given copies of the part's import invoices along with the bike and when registering it, they pay approx 60K (tea money)for the book and plate because it's by-passed the procedure for bringing a complete bike in through the legal way (which would mean high import duties)

A bike can be registered (with or without invoices?) for approx 25 - 40K. For which you'll get a registration book from a scrapped bike but the details will be changed to that of the previously unregistered bike.

If anyone can add, rectify, confirm etc. anything that I've said I would be grateful.

[apetley]

Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply. Gives me a few things to think about anyway.

On hols seeing the inlaws in a couple of weeks so will check out what is available like you suggest.

Andy.