It'S A Matter Of Colour

[mezcal]

Hi

I just bought a nice Yamaha SR400. I'm thinking about changing the colour of the tank with a nice paint job. Now, the book states that the bike is black. Does this refer to the frame alone or both frame and tank. If I change the colour of the tank, will it be necessary to change the book accordingly.

What about if I want to go as far as powder coating the frame also in a different colour?

I doubt the police cares about the colour change if when I get stopped, don't you think?

thanks for your help

[katabeachbum]

changing the color mentioned in book, bike needs to be inspected by DLT. Change noted in page 4 position 10, and page 18. Bike is not road legal until book is updated.

Just like in most other countries

[KRS1]

The color in the book should reflect the predominant colors of your bike, since it s a bigger bike that's only more cause for them to mess with you if you don't

[BigBikeBKK]

The color in the book should reflect the predominant colors of your bike, since it s a bigger bike that's only more cause for them to mess with you if you don't

The color in the book should reflect the predominant color of the vehicle.

Who is going to mess with you if you change the color of your vehicle and don't update the color in your book?

A traffic cop?

What's the penalty for failing to update a color change in your tabien rot? I'm willing to bet it's next to nothing.

Driving without a license 200 Baht

Driving with expired road tax 300 Baht

I don't know anyone that keeps the green book with their bike or the blue book with their car.

Much safer to just keep the originals in a safe and carry a copy of the page that shows you are the owner.

It's extremely unlikely that a regular traffic cop is going to ask to see the tabien rot and even if they do, who here thinks they'll actually sit down to scrutinize the details like color, frame and engine numbers?

Just for arguments sake lets say some hyper-vigilant copper notices that you've failed to update the color of your vehicle- how much do you think the fine will be? I'm guessing not more than a few hundred Baht.

Much ado about nothing IMO...

The only time you might have a problem is when you go to sell the vehicle and the inspector at the Land Transport Office notices that the colors don't match. Again, easily sorted.

Ride On!

Edited February 20, 2011 by BigBikeBKK

[KRS1]

A 'copy' of the green/blue book is suppose to be kept on the vehicle, its another ticket without it.

When a cop stops you he wants to see your licence, updated registration, state insurance, and a copy of the book.

[mezcal]

Thanks guys!

I guess I'll just buy another tank, paint that one and keep the original in case I will resell the bike....hopefully never.

Powder-coating the frame would be nice though...black frames look so boring...

I've been thinking about giving her a name and MIA NOI came up....needless to say my wife wasn't too impressed....

thanks again

[LivinLOS]

Much ado about nothing IMO...

The only time you might have a problem is when you go to sell the vehicle and the inspector at the Land Transport Office notices that the colors don't match. Again, easily sorted.

Not really.. it makes issues at sale time.. Plus you have to have a receipt from a color shop to do it (as tho no one can home spray a bike !!)..

I would also say it gives an insurance company another weasel way to avoid paying.. So illegal bike, no insurance, etc etc instead of just going to the hassle of sorting it ??

I had to do mine on Phuket, and that costs bribes as the whole 'cannot.. Mod-i-fi' BS phuket come up with is then in play..

[canuckamuck]

I made my red bike orange, and then went to registration place and they changed it in my book. no big deal, I think it cost about 1000, but it was about 4 years ago.

[katabeachbum]

Much ado about nothing IMO...

The only time you might have a problem is when you go to sell the vehicle and the inspector at the Land Transport Office notices that the colors don't match. Again, easily sorted.

Not really.. it makes issues at sale time.. Plus you have to have a receipt from a color shop to do it (as tho no one can home spray a bike !!)..

I would also say it gives an insurance company another weasel way to avoid paying.. So illegal bike, no insurance, etc etc instead of just going to the hassle of sorting it ??

I had to do mine on Phuket, and that costs bribes as the whole 'cannot.. Mod-i-fi' BS phuket come up with is then in play..

you need an official reciept from paintshop stating bikes color before job, after job, framenumber and reg owners name. Not older than 14 days at time of inspection. DLT fee to make change 20 baht. Fine to not make change in book, up to 1.000 baht, and bike can be impounded.

Some go by the book to simplify life.

Some mess around with half legal bikes, and at some point are in trouble

[appropriate]

A 'copy' of the green/blue book is suppose to be kept on the vehicle, its another ticket without it.

When a cop stops you he wants to see your licence,

Yes.

updated registration, state insurance, and a copy of the book.

I've never once been asked to show any of these in 5 years here.

I do however keep a copy of everything under the back seat.

[mezcal]

Quite the extreme opinions here...

Going to the DMV is not a good idea...if you know about the SR you know why, but maybe a compromise can be found.

The book states the bike is black. So I'm thinking, keep the basic colour black and add some minor changes ( a personalized logo, a few accents in a different colour or something like that) and that would make everyone a happy family again.

Anyway, with all the modified bikes I've seen here and the junk yard bikes riding along without lights, brakes etc etc, I really can't believe it would be such a big issue.

This made me curious about another thing...Don't you guys feel the need to modify and personalize your bikes to make them your own?

[katabeachbum]

A 'copy' of the green/blue book is suppose to be kept on the vehicle, its another ticket without it.

When a cop stops you he wants to see your licence,

Yes.

updated registration, state insurance, and a copy of the book.

I've never once been asked to show any of these in 5 years here.

I do however keep a copy of everything under the back seat.

tax sticker frequently during my 8 years and +450k km in LOS

copy book only once, Police in Black road block (Border Police and Organiced Crime units). All vehicles checked. Those who couldnt provide it or book wasnt updated or lacked tax info page 18, vehicle was impounded. Mostly pickups, but some bikes too

[katabeachbum]

Quite the extreme opinions here...

Going to the DMV is not a good idea...if you know about the SR you know why, but maybe a compromise can be found.

The book states the bike is black. So I'm thinking, keep the basic colour black and add some minor changes ( a personalized logo, a few accents in a different colour or something like that) and that would make everyone a happy family again.

Anyway, with all the modified bikes I've seen here and the junk yard bikes riding along without lights, brakes etc etc, I really can't believe it would be such a big issue.

This made me curious about another thing...Don't you guys feel the need to modify and personalize your bikes to make them your own?

absolutely, custom exhaust, changed color, tail tidy/led lights and more, all inspected by DLT and noted in book, fee 20 baht

[canuckamuck]

I made my red bike orange, and then went to registration place and they changed it in my book. no big deal, I think it cost about 1000, but it was about 4 years ago.

I remember now that I did the color change in the book at the time of annual registration, so the fee might have 20 baht for the color change and around 1000 for other paper work. My memory skills are not my best feature.

[BigBikeBKK]

Much ado about nothing IMO...

The only time you might have a problem is when you go to sell the vehicle and the inspector at the Land Transport Office notices that the colors don't match. Again, easily sorted.

Not really.. it makes issues at sale time.. Plus you have to have a receipt from a color shop to do it (as tho no one can home spray a bike !!)..

I would also say it gives an insurance company another weasel way to avoid paying.. So illegal bike, no insurance, etc etc instead of just going to the hassle of sorting it ??

I had to do mine on Phuket, and that costs bribes as the whole 'cannot.. Mod-i-fi' BS phuket come up with is then in play..

you need an official reciept from paintshop stating bikes color before job, after job, framenumber and reg owners name. Not older than 14 days at time of inspection. DLT fee to make change 20 baht. Fine to not make change in book, up to 1.000 baht, and bike can be impounded.

Some go by the book to simplify life.

Some mess around with half legal bikes, and at some point are in trouble

Ah yes, I sometimes forget you guys in Phuket have to jump through a whole bunch of hoops that don't exist in the rest of the country.

[katabeachbum]

Much ado about nothing IMO...

The only time you might have a problem is when you go to sell the vehicle and the inspector at the Land Transport Office notices that the colors don't match. Again, easily sorted.

Not really.. it makes issues at sale time.. Plus you have to have a receipt from a color shop to do it (as tho no one can home spray a bike !!)..

I would also say it gives an insurance company another weasel way to avoid paying.. So illegal bike, no insurance, etc etc instead of just going to the hassle of sorting it ??

I had to do mine on Phuket, and that costs bribes as the whole 'cannot.. Mod-i-fi' BS phuket come up with is then in play..

you need an official reciept from paintshop stating bikes color before job, after job, framenumber and reg owners name. Not older than 14 days at time of inspection. DLT fee to make change 20 baht. Fine to not make change in book, up to 1.000 baht, and bike can be impounded.

Some go by the book to simplify life.

Some mess around with half legal bikes, and at some point are in trouble

Ah yes, I sometimes forget you guys in Phuket have to jump through a whole bunch of hoops that don't exist in the rest of the country.

The impounded vehicles due to lack of copy book or not updated book I mentioned in post #12 took place 1.400km from Phuket, in Nong Kai Province on Highway 2. Seen such Boys in Black road blocks on every longdistance trip in LOS. Driving 700km from Phuket to Hua Hin, there are at least 3 of them

[Thailaw]

It is not, I think, an issue of being stopped by the police and having to show that the bike matches the bluebook. The problem comes with annual registration of the bike, at least here in Pattaya. The MVD will not register the bike unless it matches the blue book, including color, and they check carefully. I have a 750 Shadow that was black when I bought it with black stated as the color in the bluebook -- in fact, the guy made me roll the bike into the sun because he thought it looked blue in the shade. six months later, I changed the tank and fenders to red, and the MVD would not give me the next annual registration until I had the bluebook changed. I tried to convince them that the frame was black, but that didn't work. As noted, it is the "predominant" color of the bike that matters. The bluebook just says "red", so you can probably go from dark red to light red without changing the bluebook. But a change of color (red to green or to blue) will require a change in the bluebook if you want to drive a legally registered motorcycle, and that, I think, is a must.

[KRS1]

A 'copy' of the green/blue book is suppose to be kept on the vehicle, its another ticket without it.

When a cop stops you he wants to see your licence,

Yes.

updated registration, state insurance, and a copy of the book.

I've never once been asked to show any of these in 5 years here.

I do however keep a copy of everything under the back seat.

That doesn't mean that your not suppose to have it on you.

[BigBikeBKK]

Not really.. it makes issues at sale time.. Plus you have to have a receipt from a color shop to do it (as tho no one can home spray a bike !!)..

I would also say it gives an insurance company another weasel way to avoid paying.. So illegal bike, no insurance, etc etc instead of just going to the hassle of sorting it ??

I had to do mine on Phuket, and that costs bribes as the whole 'cannot.. Mod-i-fi' BS phuket come up with is then in play..

you need an official reciept from paintshop stating bikes color before job, after job, framenumber and reg owners name. Not older than 14 days at time of inspection. DLT fee to make change 20 baht. Fine to not make change in book, up to 1.000 baht, and bike can be impounded.

Some go by the book to simplify life.

Some mess around with half legal bikes, and at some point are in trouble

Ah yes, I sometimes forget you guys in Phuket have to jump through a whole bunch of hoops that don't exist in the rest of the country.

The impounded vehicles due to lack of copy book or not updated book I mentioned in post #12 took place 1.400km from Phuket, in Nong Kai Province on Highway 2. Seen such Boys in Black road blocks on every longdistance trip in LOS. Driving 700km from Phuket to Hua Hin, there are at least 3 of them

Dunno mate, I've ridden and driven tens of thousands of km all over Thailand and while I keep a copy of green book with every bike and blue book with every car I have never been asked once to show it... Guess I'm just lucky?

The most any Thai traffic cop has ever wanted to see is my drivers license.

I find your claim that you had a vehicle impounded due to color discrepancy rather unbelievable... I'm not saying it didn't happen, but somehow I feel like there has to be more to the story.

And FWIW I'm not advocating NOT keeping your blue book / green book up to date- it's cheap and easy to do a color change at any LTD (except in Phuket apparently...)

The OP asked about changing the color of his tank. Well, you have to decide if changing only the tank changes the overall color of the bike, because in the Green Book it only shows one color.

What color is the S100RR?

I wonder what color is shown in the Blue Book of all of the multi-colored trucks and buses in Thailand?

Do you think they'll impound this bus if the color in the blue book doesn't "match" the color of the bus?

[LeCharivari]

I find your claim that you had a vehicle impounded due to color discrepancy rather unbelievable... I'm not saying it didn't happen, but somehow I feel like there has to be more to the story.

I can't help being reminded of the thread where similar doubt was cast on the BIB impounding bikes that had been modified illegally, such as the exhaust, lights, etc and where details were consequently given of the dozen or more impound yards in and around Pattaya.

There is no reason not to register the change of colour, and every reason to do so - it costs 20 baht and takes about 5 minutes. Without it the bike is illegal, you can be fined, the bike is liable to be impounded, and you are uninsured. Why deliberately ask for trouble?

If you think "Going to the DMV is not a good idea...if you know about the SR you know why" then it sounds as if there is already something else wrong with the registration, which will soon become apparent when you try to pay the annual road tax - if you "get someone else" to do the tax for you, then they should be able to register the change in colour too. Keep it simple.

[Thailaw]

What color is the S100RR?

I wonder what color is shown in the Blue Book of all of the multi-colored trucks and buses in Thailand?

Do you think they'll impound this bus if the color in the blue book doesn't "match" the color of the bus?

(a) The S1000RR is "white". (b ) The bus is "red". ( c) Probably not, but they could. Do I win a prize? Perhaps these are (or should be) questions on the written part of the Thai driver's license test -- certainly better than some that they have now.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Thailaw

[KRS1]

I've been stopped and given a ticket for not being able to supply a copy of the registration book when I was driving a car.

When pigs feed they feed on any thing.

[LivinLOS]

MVD will not register the bike unless it matches the blue book, including color, and they check carefully. I have a 750 Shadow that was black when I bought it with black stated as the color in the bluebook -- in fact, the guy made me roll the bike into the sun because he thought it looked blue in the shade. six months later, I changed the tank and fenders to red, and the MVD would not give me the next annual registration until I had the bluebook changed. I tried to convince them that the frame was black, but that didn't work. As noted, it is the "predominant" color of the bike that matters. The bluebook just says "red", so you can probably go from dark red to light red without changing the bluebook. But a change of color (red to green or to blue) will require a change in the bluebook if you want to drive a legally registered motorcycle, and that, I think, is a must.

I dont get this.. You dont have to take the boike to the DMV.. Go to any est center (place with a yellow gear symbol) and pay them 100 baht and they rub the frame, take the book and you have your tax the next day.. With no visit or check at a DMV required.

[katabeachbum]

Dunno mate, I've ridden and driven tens of thousands of km all over Thailand and while I keep a copy of green book with every bike and blue book with every car I have never been asked once to show it... Guess I'm just lucky?

The most any Thai traffic cop has ever wanted to see is my drivers license.

I wonder what color is shown in the Blue Book of all of the multi-colored trucks and buses in Thailand?

I guess my +450k km in 8 years has increased the chance to be pulled over and checked

Large commercial vehicles (large yellow plate with numbers only), no color in book as I know

anyway, spending 2 hours and 20 baht to have color changed in book, or risking impound at midnight in the boonies?

[katabeachbum]

I find your claim that you had a vehicle impounded due to color discrepancy rather unbelievable... I'm not saying it didn't happen, but somehow I feel like there has to be more to the story.

I didnt say it happend to me, I said vehicles where impounded due to changed without change in book. Vehicles without copy book where all impounded.

Most common change is canopy/ build on pickupbed and no change in book. A problem for most farmers as they finance pickup and thus do not have the book to make the change. Finance companies charge 3-5k baht to lend them book for change.

[BigBikeBKK]

Dunno mate, I've ridden and driven tens of thousands of km all over Thailand and while I keep a copy of green book with every bike and blue book with every car I have never been asked once to show it... Guess I'm just lucky?

The most any Thai traffic cop has ever wanted to see is my drivers license.

I wonder what color is shown in the Blue Book of all of the multi-colored trucks and buses in Thailand?

anyway, spending 2 hours and 20 baht to have color changed in book, or risking impound at midnight in the boonies?

2 hours?! Must again be a Phuket thing. Here in Bangkok it takes at most 10-20 minutes depending on how busy they are.

[innerspace]

What's the penalty for failing to update a color change in your tabien rot? I'm willing to bet it's next to nothing.

Driving without a license 200 Baht

Driving with expired road tax 300 Baht

Guess again! 1000B

I got pulled over last weekend for a passenger without a helmet.

Checked my license, checked the copy of the green book and then issued me a ticket with 3 points.

1) Passenger without helmet

2) Tax disk partially covering number plate

3) Wrong colour

The police station at Pattaya now has a nice sign by the traffic fines section with all of the standard fines listed.

1 and 2 both 400B

"Illegal vehicle modifications" was 1000B

Luckily the policeman collecting the fine was kind enough to only charge the most expensive fine rather than all 3.

Now i just need to make a visit to update the green book before I get stopped again.

[BigBikeBKK]

What's the penalty for failing to update a color change in your tabien rot? I'm willing to bet it's next to nothing.

Driving without a license 200 Baht

Driving with expired road tax 300 Baht

Guess again! 1000B

I got pulled over last weekend for a passenger without a helmet.

Checked my license, checked the copy of the green book and then issued me a ticket with 3 points.

1) Passenger without helmet

2) Tax disk partially covering number plate

3) Wrong colour

The police station at Pattaya now has a nice sign by the traffic fines section with all of the standard fines listed.

1 and 2 both 400B

"Illegal vehicle modifications" was 1000B

Luckily the policeman collecting the fine was kind enough to only charge the most expensive fine rather than all 3.

Now i just need to make a visit to update the green book before I get stopped again.

Ah yes, back in the days when I used to stop for the Brown Mafia I did once get done for the "Illegal Vehicle Modification" 1000 Baht fine. In my case it was an illegal exhaust. Oh well. Small price to pay really and they were pretty jolly about it. Back home I'd have lost my license years ago.

[nikster]

I've been stopped and given a ticket for not being able to supply a copy of the registration book when I was driving a car.

When pigs feed they feed on any thing.

I guess it's all a matter of the law, and its application. There's two kinds of police stops - the official ones; and the unofficial, money-on-the-side ones.

Official stops are where they block the road, and look for specific infringements - no helmet, etc. They want to see your license, and you may have to pay a no-helmet fine, or speeding fine. Never been asked for anything else, they've always accepted the US driver's license too.

Unofficial are one or two BIB randomly stopping cars/bikes and wanting money. These guys will look for, and find any fault imaginable. Some of it may be made up, some of it is obscure laws that are never otherwise enforced. I am guessing that's where you have to produce copies of the green book and whatnot. In these instances it's best to not stop, or if it's too late, and you're already stopped, smile and say officer I am so sorry but I only have 200 baht on me, my ATM card doesn't work, etc etc, they'll likely let you go just paying 200 baht. Now they could take you to the police station and go through a lot of effort to get the money from you, or they could take the 200 baht and stop 10 or 20 other vehicles in the same time - what are they gonna do? 3 guesses...

[katabeachbum]

Dunno mate, I've ridden and driven tens of thousands of km all over Thailand and while I keep a copy of green book with every bike and blue book with every car I have never been asked once to show it... Guess I'm just lucky?

The most any Thai traffic cop has ever wanted to see is my drivers license.

I wonder what color is shown in the Blue Book of all of the multi-colored trucks and buses in Thailand?

anyway, spending 2 hours and 20 baht to have color changed in book, or risking impound at midnight in the boonies?

2 hours?! Must again be a Phuket thing. Here in Bangkok it takes at most 10-20 minutes depending on how busy they are.

yepp, must be a Phuket thing

leave home 1300

arrive DLT 1320

fill out application form, as my thai reading isnt that great it takes me at least 10 minutes,

que to inspect 10 minutes, chat with the DLT guys about 2 bros exhaust/lambda sensor, xenon lights, led lights, tail tidy, Hella horn, pearl white Ninja 650R, if I am ready to sell my D-tracker soon, DLT sign application form inspected color accepted, scratch frame number to Scotch tape, hand form with frame number scratch to office, transfer photo from camera to bikes file in DLT computer, 1400 hours by now

walk over to the other office, pay 20 baht, check color change docs from Kawasaki and paint shop, have color changed by pen on page 4 and stamped, enter new color in DLT computer and enter book in printer to print color-change in page 18

20 minutes to ride home again, put book back in safe

all very simple, but it does take

2 hours

and it is worth it