Motorcycle Import As "spare Parts"

[Thaipwriter]

I have a used motorcross bike in the UK that i would like to import to Thailand.

I saw elsewhere that the customs guys take a shine to attractive vehicles that arrive in customs and i am not looking to be their next innocent victim, Tuk Tuk Mike has been kind enough to share his experience of doing this.

My idea is to have my brother strip the bike down in to individual peices and then ship them to me in seperate boxes marked as "spares" via door to door courier over a period of months and to different addresses.

The bike is for off road use only and would never need to be registered in Thailand once re-assembled.

Now i know this is propably illegal and i would be a very naughty boy if i did this but i know this kind of thing already goes on. I am not looking for feedback on the ramifications of this action!!!!

Has anyone done a similar thing and were you successful?

[xbusman]

I import motorcycles and parts regularly. You are still going to pay a pretty stiff duty on used parts, while its listed at 30% it ends up to be whatever they feel like charging, up to 100% of some valuation that is only written down in some Tibetan monestary.

Your on to the trick of getting it delivered, break it up so that no single box has enough to make it worth disappearing. The problem you could have is that after paying exhorbitant shipping and duty fees, one missing box would make for a worthless result.

The other thing you can do is get it into Cambodia and pay some of the Mafia boys to bring it over the border. I have only heard about this route, sounded way too dicey for my blood but maybe some of the other TVers have experience in that.

If you can afford to throw the motorcycle away along with all the shipping and duty monies, go for it. I think you have a pretty good chance of getting it done.

[bdenner]

Quite a common practice:-

BUT

You will be able to get 'Paraban' insurance but the bike will not get plates. I Isaan that is not much of a problem --- In heavily populated areas it is.

You must pay import duties!!

[xbusman]

There are ways to get ze plates vich are only known to ze sacred keeper of the paper stamps.

It only takes large amounts of money applied to the right part of the frame. If you are only going to drive off road I cant imagine the lack of plates to be an issue.

I have been watching over the past two years and am still surprised at the number of bikes running around without plates in Bangkok. It had decreased over the years but I think the crackdown is waning a bit.

[Thaipwriter]

You are still going to pay a pretty stiff duty on used parts, while its listed at 30% it ends up to be whatever they feel like charging, up to 100% of some valuation that is only written down in some Tibetan monestary.

Thanks for the replies ! regarding import taxes, what could the possible duty be on a 25 kg box of bits?...going on previous experience.

Also, have you access to any late model motocross/enduro machines here in Thailand? I cant find anything but old junk....which is why i am thinking of the import route.

[Thaipwriter]

There are ways to get ze plates vich are only known to ze sacred keeper of the paper stamps.

It only takes large amounts of money applied to the right part of the frame. If you are only going to drive off road I cant imagine the lack of plates to be an issue.

I have been watching over the past two years and am still surprised at the number of bikes running around without plates in Bangkok. It had decreased over the years but I think the crackdown is waning a bit.

i dont think i understand what you are saying here? "ze plates" what are they???

"money to the frame"???? my cow jeye!

the road registration plates are not an issue, i would transport the bike to remote parts of E-sarn by pick up truck.

[xbusman]

Just saying that as with about anything in Thailand, applying money in the right places will completely transform your entirely illegal motorcycle into a properly registered and tagged vehicle. Like I said before, stay off the roads and you will have no need to donate to the local precincts retirement fund.

As far as late model stuff, stop by and chat with Peter at Siam Super Bike, he gets some pretty decent models now and then.

The duties can be downright goofy. An example. I had a box of trailer parts shipped from the US as samples. Total value of the entire shipment was about 4000 baht. Now mind you, same tariff classification as motorcycle parts, first duty demand was 20,000 baht. About 500% of value. Second demand was 16,000 baht, worked them down to 400%. Third demand was 12,000 baht, cash today only, we hit 300% of value in under a month of storage at Don Muang. Last chance was 8000 to the Customs agent and 2000 duty. I had them all destroyed and the manufacturing went to China.

My motorcycle parts come through differant channels, too much risk to just ship them in without the door opened in advance. But for you single bike you just might slide by.

Its a great program, lots of fun. Best of luck.

[Thaipwriter]

Just saying that as with about anything in Thailand, applying money in the right places will completely transform your entirely illegal motorcycle into a properly registered and tagged vehicle. Like I said before, stay off the roads and you will have no need to donate to the local precincts retirement fund.

As far as late model stuff, stop by and chat with Peter at Siam Super Bike, he gets some pretty decent models now and then.

The duties can be downright goofy. An example. I had a box of trailer parts shipped from the US as samples. Total value of the entire shipment was about 4000 baht. Now mind you, same tariff classification as motorcycle parts, first duty demand was 20,000 baht. About 500% of value. Second demand was 16,000 baht, worked them down to 400%. Third demand was 12,000 baht, cash today only, we hit 300% of value in under a month of storage at Don Muang. Last chance was 8000 to the Customs agent and 2000 duty. I had them all destroyed and the manufacturing went to China.

My motorcycle parts come through differant channels, too much risk to just ship them in without the door opened in advance. But for you single bike you just might slide by.

Its a great program, lots of fun. Best of luck.

thanks for detailed info......thaivisa comes up with the goods yet again.....theres a crisp looking yz125 on petes website, gonna check that out, i know u can get light kits for yz's, a road legal one fitted with enduro tires would kick ass in Thailand!!!! bit noisy though...

I'm not excited by the prospect of dealing with the customs guys here. They sound like they need exporting for good.

thanks again for giving me hope!