Taking Your Big Bike To The Los It It Wort The Hassel

[kurnell]

Again please, in more details.

Actually there is a way of importing a bike tax free, under certain conditions. Done it many times.

Importing fully or just visiting / transit ??

Importing fully, but illegally. The one catch is that it has to come in with full container of something else. Eg. used household goods.

Ok but thats not imported fully.. How do you get the Thai plate ?

Its not impossible to ride in from malaysia without doing the papers.. But riding around Thailand without a legal import schedule or a Thai plate is asking to have the bike confiscated and done this way you also never have the 'invoice papers' to later reg it legally.

Go to one of the big bike shops, they'll get the plates for you.

[ericthai]

Jay, U need to remember this is Thailand. Does not matter what any book says, it all comes down to the customs guy and what they want. If you do bring it in, it would be best to have a Thai bring it in for you. They see a farang and they will want more money. also a thai will know how to handle the guy better. Nothing is ever simply clear in thailand. I had parts shipped in and one time customs wants one thing another time they want something else, all depends on who you get and what they think they can get. I would suggest you sell and buy something here. It will save you allot of headaches.

[LivinLOS]

Go to one of the big bike shops, they'll get the plates for you.

Been to many.. None can get the plate legally unless the bike is properly imported with invoice papers and import license. You know different ?

Of course some can get a file out and start making a bent book and modding numbers.. But even that isnt easy.

I would love to have real confirmed details of a shop who can with certainty get plates on invoiceless bikes. Or even a shop that will make a 100% confirmed quote to handle all the paperwork on a bike I got to a neighbouring country, easy to have it in Malaysia and have them break it down there.

Lots of people hint this is possible but actually getting firm info is not easy outside the capital.

[Jaydillon]

Jay, U need to remember this is Thailand. Does not matter what any book says, it all comes down to the customs guy and what they want. If you do bring it in, it would be best to have a Thai bring it in for you. They see a farang and they will want more money. also a thai will know how to handle the guy better. Nothing is ever simply clear in thailand. I had parts shipped in and one time customs wants one thing another time they want something else, all depends on who you get and what they think they can get. I would suggest you sell and buy something here. It will save you allot of headaches.

Yes your right I have to agree with you mate.I have been in and out of Thailand for the past 18 Years and speaks fluent Thai,writing and reading skills are good as well,with all that I find it extremely difficult to get a commitment and sense of responsibility/ownership form any Thai authority. Rules are NOT obeyed and words do not mean anything.It's sad but I will keep looking in to every possibility to get my bike across legally.As the others have said it's very important to have all the right credentials so the bike can be registered and will be road legal. Two wrongs don't make a right.

With regards to selling the UK second hand market is not good.The bike has only done 7500 miles and I had it since new 2002.The bike is in very good condition and with a lot of extras.A Ducati in Thailand is over a million Baths and don't fancy the new Ducati's ,if I can get some sort of assurance from our Thai friends it might be worth looking in to this.

I will keep all of you Posted.

Safe Riding

[rixalex]

I'd do exactly as BigBikeBKK says. Wrap the beast up in cotton wool, garage her and leave her in the UK. Come out here and get yourself a new bike.

It's so much easier - i just don't get why you are considering thowing yourself into this world of pain voluntarily. Life brings with enough stresses without seeking more out mate.

[ScubaBuddha]

I'd do exactly as BigBikeBKK says. Wrap the beast up in cotton wool, garage her and leave her in the UK. Come out here and get yourself a new bike.

It's so much easier - i just don't get why you are considering thowing yourself into this world of pain voluntarily. Life brings with enough stresses without seeking more out mate.

Because it makes victory that much sweeter.

[RusticCharm]

A 2002 Ducati 998 is a nice old bike, but wouldn't a brand new 848 or 1198 be even better?

Oh yes! 

[Netfan]

Jay, aside from money issues with the wonderful thai customs dept, there is also time. your bike could sit for months while the paper goes from one desk to another to another. meanwhile you are here with no bike. the duc dealer here is good - and they have used bikes - just google ducati thailand. it's your bike, your money, your time, but there are a lot more horror stories about importing bikes here than there are happy endings.

[Pdaz]

Hi all I am thinking of bringing my bid bike to Thailand. The duty and shipping will cost me a few thousand £,I like riding my bike so I don't mind going through the hassle and the sleepless nights getting my bike across.

Thailand having motorway restrictions on bikes is it worth going through the hassle and cost associated with the move.

I would appreciate all positive comments,and safe riding.

[davidgtr]

Hi all I am thinking of bringing my bid bike to Thailand. The duty and shipping will cost me a few thousand £,I like riding my bike so I don't mind going through the hassle and the sleepless nights getting my bike across.

Thailand having motorway restrictions on bikes is it worth going through the hassle and cost associated with the move.

I would appreciate all positive comments,and safe riding.

Don't waste your time or money.

Take a look at GT Rider for some info.

[BigBikeBKK]

Hi all I am thinking of bringing my bid bike to Thailand. The duty and shipping will cost me a few thousand £,I like riding my bike so I don't mind going through the hassle and the sleepless nights getting my bike across.

Thailand having motorway restrictions on bikes is it worth going through the hassle and cost associated with the move.

I would appreciate all positive comments,and safe riding.

Don't waste your time or money.

Take a look at GT Rider for some info.

Wow- what a great article David! GT Rider remains the Holy Grail for biking in Thailand. (Would that make you God???)

[KhunAussie52]

Phuket Excise Office closes big bike loophole

Phuket Gazette Sept 21, 2009

PHUKET: The Phuket Excise Office says big bike owners have until September 25 to pay excise on motorcycles assembled from parts – or face hefty fines.

Motorcycles subject to prohibitive tariffs have long been assembled from parts by ‘grey market’ operators in order to avoid paying the tax.

Now excise officials insist the owners of such vehicles – not the builders – must pay anyway.

Surat Saengnet, of the Phuket Provincial Excise Office, announced in a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that “anyone who owns such vehicles – which are mostly big bikes such as Harley Davidsons – will have to pay an excise of 3.3 percent of the vehicle price.”

Owners who pay up before the deadline will not be fined.

Those who fail to do so and get caught will be “fined from two to ten times the tax amount,” Mr Surat said.

Another official at the Excise Office explained that “owners must provide documents showing their vehicles’ engine and body numbers, as well as invoices and receipts for parts.

“These documents are sent to the Excise Office’s Value Pricing division, where a figure for the value of a vehicle is established. The tax rate is set from that,” she said.

The official said the rate charged is “the same as that for new bikes. Also new motorbikes imported from abroad must pay excise tax.”

“Excise tax has been collected since 1997,” said Surat, “but we concentrated on motorcycles in shops. Now we will be much stricter, checking all of them.”

Normally, spare parts imported from abroad are taxed according to the tariff on spare parts – which is significantly less than the rate for completely assembled vehicles.

Parts assembled into completed four-stroke motorcycles are subject to excise tax of 3 percent; two-strokes pay 5 percent.

Over the last three months, some 400 persons have been caught with motorcycles that evaded the excise.

Nicky’s Handle Bar and big bike shop owner Somneuk ‘Nicky’ Phonkaew told the Gazette, “I have just one such bike and it has already been taxed. If you follow the rules, you don’t have any hassles.”

Wanlop Inthanop of the Phuket Land Transport Office said, “Parts assembled into motorcycles must be examined by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute of the Ministry of Industry in Bangkok. They receive certification only if they meet the institute’s standards.”

After passing that hurdle, owners must pay the excise tax – and only then will the Land Transport Office allow them to register their vehicles.

------------

Ed note: The 'crackdown' on big bikes isn't peculiar to Phuket - Chiang Mai and other areas all over Thailand are stepping up checks. So heads-up... (and matching book

[Kf6vci]

Sell your bike, then start afresh with a new bike with green book and license plate.

They sell the Kawa Er6 starting at 225,000 Baht. New.

Ducatis and other import bikes are more expensive.

I made such a mistake shipping a big bike from Germany to CA.

$ XXXX later I learned that it needs a crash test and will never be

permitted more than 1 year.

It was lunacy - don't make the same mistake!

As a biker, I'm always fantasizing about other bikes. Get a new one, or buy the same over here.

Just do not embark on this adventure, unless you want to start a sociology research project.

Chris

[classix]

Sell your bike, then start afresh with a new bike with green book and license plate.

They sell the Kawa Er6 starting at 225,000 Baht. New.

Ducatis and other import bikes are more expensive.

I made such a mistake shipping a big bike from Germany to CA.

$ XXXX later I learned that it needs a crash test and will never be

permitted more than 1 year.

It was lunacy - don't make the same mistake!

As a biker, I'm always fantasizing about other bikes. Get a new one, or buy the same over here.

Just do not embark on this adventure, unless you want to start a sociology research project.

Chris

Easy from California to Germany 22 percent custom tax about 5000 baht for the European book.We learned administration offices that they work for us and we pay their saleries.took 20 years.